CHAPTER XVI #10
The blonde Discerni shrugs with a smirk, “something black. Something to make your Knowledge Court uncomfortable.”
Cal grins down at Alanna in desire and approval.
“Of course,” I smile, turning to my big friend, “where are you headed, Cal?”
“Marv’s,” he looks at me in question.
“I know of it,” I nod, “I’ll meet you there shortly.”
“I’ll stay back with you,” he frowns.
I shake my head and smile at all three of them, “no need. Just going to find a new dress for tonight. I’ll be right behind you all.”
The three nod and head down the road as I stop in front of a dressmaker’s shop.
There’s a beautiful green dress hanging in the window that catches my eye, so I immediately walk inside and let the human woman behind the counter know that I want to try it on.
She smiles and takes the dress off its display, then shuffles me behind a small privacy curtain so I can try it on.
The dress reminds me of Princess Clair’s from our night in her court.
It leaves the full of my chest and arms bared completely, the fabric curving over my breasts before it tightens along my body and flows down to the ground.
It’s green in its entirety, but there’s hundreds of different dark emerald roses that are sewn into the full of the fabric.
I love it, but there’s a few alterations that need to be made.
I walk back to the woman at the counter and explain the full slit I want added up my right leg. Her eyes widen in disbelief when I tell her to have it reach my hip, then widen even more when I ask for the cut between my breasts to dip all the way down to the top of my naval.
“But can it be done?” I ask again, a little more forceful this time.
“Yes, Lady,” she blanches, “but why would you want that?”
“Why not?” I shrug with a grin, dropping a few extra cinerin on the counter for her, “I’ll need the alterations soon. Two turns before sundown.”
The woman nods and eyes the coins, “come back then. I’ll have it ready for you.”
Golem and I head back to the main road and walk towards the Western Palisades. We head into Marv’s Tavern and greet my friends at their table, Holis smiling as he pulls out the chair next to him.
“So whereabouts are you, Cal?” I ask, knowing that Drinker’s Row isn’t far from here, “the townhomes above the Row?”
Cal nods and passes me an ale, “above Fillany Flights.”
Fillany Flights, another pub on the row that I’m familiar with. It’s a nice area where he lives, very lively, and is known for staying awake into the early hours of the morning. Fitting.
“How often do you engage in hand to hand?” Alanna asks.
I know she’s heard of Cal before meeting him, everyone has.
Cal shrugs at the short Discerni with a grin, “as often as I can when we’re home.”
I shift in my seat and take a drink, my eyes landing on Golem. He watches me with a quiet, pensive look on his face, one that tells me he knows what I’m thinking before nodding from the shadows.
“And people bet on you?” she inquires, “is it a full affair?”
Cal shrugs again, “I suppose so.”
“He’s being modest,” Holis adds, “it is a full affair. He has a fight already lined up for tomorrow night.”
I glance towards both men at the same time Alanna does.
How have I been so ignorant?
Golem shifts behind me.
“We will go, then?” Alanna turns to me in question.
I nod, trying my best to remain calm as I fume on the blatant disregard I’ve had for my friends’ lives outside of our travels.
I never bothered to learn more. Never took into consideration what they did on their down time.
Never inquired.
The knowledge hits me hard with guilt.
“I plan on us all still being here tomorrow and a few days after,” I say quietly.
Hopefully conversations are had once Keane and the delegation from Livyatan settle in from their travels, but I anticipate tomorrow night is fair game. Sutton and Tripler should be in the capitol tomorrow as well, so we can pull them into this event if they make it in time.
Alanna gives me a rare smile and then looks back at Cal.
My big friend looks properly nervous at the thought of her being at his fight but hides his discomfort behind a large drink of ale.
I catch Holis’ gaze across the table and hide my own grin, the two of us trying our best not to comment on Cal’s rosy cheeks as we also take a heavy drink.
“Where do you fight?” Alanna asks casually.
“Here,” Holis replies for Cal, “in the Western Palisades. It’s a club of sorts that rests within the upper levels of the mountain.”
“Who are you fighting?”
Cal shrugs, “another human male. He’s young and new. We’ll see how it goes.”
There is no human in the Old World who can beat Cal in hand to hand combat, of that I am sure. He’s still being modest, though his cool demeanor only has Alanna leaning forward with more interest. I can’t help but notice the flush on her own cheeks.
Ancients, is this how Keane and I look to others when we think no one is watching?
I definitely feel my cheeks heat when I flirt with him, but I can’t say I’ve seen a look of nervousness on him like what I see on Cal.
Keane’s confident nature is too cocky to let any nervousness show, but he is always happy to express how much he wants me.
And I haven’t stopped wanting him.
I crave his hands on my skin and the feel of his demanding presence around me, ache for the arrogant way he brings me to the highest of releases as if he knows my body better than I do.
It’s a constant battle to have to hide my need for him, that much I learned in Pyre, but the way he expresses his open desire for me completely helps that.
Whether unintentionally or on purpose, I don’t know, but I catch myself pushing my desire and calling out to him.
Keane’s summoning greets me quickly in response, his want and need tugging at the sweet spot between my thighs as I shift in my seat.
I reach for the bag at my hip and pull forward the oak slab, reading the words I know are waiting.
We’re close. Riding past Loughty Lake now.
I’ll be waiting for you.
And I will.
I will wait forever for that man and take whatever he can give me.
The three of us show Alanna around the Palisades more, weaving between the different shops and vendors atop the mountain and stopping at pubs in between.
The Discerni and humans around us interact just as I remember, with their conversations polite and business-friendly though never delving into anything more.
The lack of open comradery between them has my appreciation for Gaumond only growing, and I find myself falling that much more for Keane and the standard he’s set for his Court.
Eventually Alanna and I both have to get back to the castle and start getting ready.
We all agree to meet under the Great Oak before heading into court together, then say our goodbyes before we each part our separate ways.
Alanna and I stop to pick up my dress before we head back down the mountain, our slight tipsiness giving us more courage than is safe as we start leaping across the stones.
Golem grimaces at the two of us the whole way down, his hands coming out from under his robes on more than one occasion as he shakes his head.
Storm wakes up when we reach the bottom of the stairs.
He pushes off my shoulder and flies into the dark mountain, leaving Alanna and I behind with a caw at our foolish grins.
We walk through the cave and into the main castle, both of us peeking into the room used for court for a second time.
It’s fully decorated now and covered from top to bottom in bottled moonslight, the sparkling rays flicking against the hundreds of gold fixtures along the walls and the white roses that line every table.
I think I even spot a few fountains outside on the veranda, the sound of their running waters lending a soothing tone within.
My heart surges at the room.
This is a big part of Knowledge, finding beauty in every detail and living under it in simple pleasure.
I drop Alanna off at her door and let her know that I’ll grab her again on my way out. Stormfall pushes off my shoulders the moment Golem and I enter my room and flies under the arch to my main bedroom, aiming to leave through the balcony.
I head into my bathing room and grin at the steaming water already waiting for me when I enter.
There’s a decanter of drinking water that’s always refilled next to the mirror, so I grab it and pour a glass for Storm, then change into my familiar green robe.
I’m just leaving the glass outside on the balcony when my door vibrates with a knock.
“Who is it?” I tighten my robe and walk back inside.
“Desmond.”
Curiosity grips me as I open the door half way, meeting the Master
Informer’s dark gaze.
“Can I come in?”
I nod with a small frown, unable to think of a reason that would bring him here. I did as he said last night and occupied myself with our traveling crew, staying outside the reach of Troy and Castle Bardot.
I take a step back and point him towards one of the chairs in my reading room.
“Can you call for Storm?” he asks, not taking a seat in the chair but standing next to it.
I nod again, noticing the stoic features taking over his face, and turn to head outside. Golem passes me under the arch and walks towards Desmond after hearing his voice, the magical creature bowing at my back as I yell to Storm.
“Stormfall!” I look out towards the Bell Grove.
A small black mass bounds towards me instantly, the Bird of Ash’s yellow eyes greeting mine steadily in his flight.
I hold out my hand and smile at his talons gripping my wrist, then lean down to grab the glass of water I left.
Storm laps at the water as I walk back inside and then glances at Desmond, the two of us looking at him and Golem in curiosity as both sets of eyes greet mine.