CHAPTER XVII #5
Hirovale nods and slowly takes a knee, bringing one of his hands into the water as he skims his fingers along the surface. His golden eyes look down in thought, while the cool air he brought with him rises to the side of the tub in a silvery mist that now surrounds the floor of the room.
“Who will be present?” he asks.
“The two of us,” Keane replies, “my brother Desmond, the fighter Cal, and your men, Holis and Mana.”
Hirovale smiles, nodding deeply, “good, though that group will grow larger as the days pass. You will need as many friends as possible for what is to come.”
I roll my eyes at the Ancient as Keane gives a small nod behind me, our reactions completely at odds when dealing with the being in front of us.
For what is to come…
I nearly scoff at the words.
Just tell us what you know and move on. Stop with the half sentences and illusions to the full truth.
“If only, Lady,” Hirovale replies quietly.
I shift further into Keane’s hold.
The Prince flexes his arms in response, though his body as a whole remains relaxed.
If I had to take a small gamble, I would bet that Keane truly enjoys being visited by the Ancient and does take pride in these conversations.
So what am I missing? Why can’t I share the same sentiment of awe and respect?
Is it the human in me? Does not having access to the mystics make me uninterested?
Because I know there’s absolutely no calling within me that aches to revere the Ancients who first wielded those mystics.
There’s no strong desire to busy my life with thoughts of them, even though Hirovale has purposely planted himself in the back of my mind.
They’ve been asleep far too long for my liking and have disengaged themselves from the Old World for thousands of years, so why would I-
“-Your mind moves down many roads, Alex,” Hirovale glances up at me, his golden eyes darting back and forth across my face in thought, “but your mouth remains silent.”
“Because I’m not sure I have anything nice to say,” I scowl, watching as his fingers make their small ripples in the water, “and because I still don’t care for you, Hirovale. You know this.”
“That hurts,” his eyes flick to Keane behind me, “especially when you forgive your King so easily.”
Forgive him? From Fumagalli?
Hirovale nods.
Wait…
King.
There’s that word again.
Don’t, Alex.
Hirovale gives a slight shake of his head, his eyes holding mine hard.
Then stop alluding, I fume internally.
His reign will come when it is time, Hirovale replies, I am alluding to nothing but the truth we all know.
I take a deep breath and tilt my head to the ceiling.
Ancients, please grant me patience right now before I hurt this being in front of me.
“You forget I’ve claimed your prayers, Lady,” Hirovale smirks.
My head falls on Keane’s shoulder before I look up at him with narrowed eyes. “What can kill an Ancient?”
Keane smiles down in amusement. Apparently he doesn’t see the seriousness in my face, or he chooses to ignore it altogether, because he just shakes his head, “I don’t know.”
“Holis and Mana might,” I turn back to Hirovale with a smirk.
Keane pinches my nipples under the water.
I nearly jolt at the surprise touch. Is he warning me not to push this further?
“No,” Hirovale replies, grinning as well. His eyes drift underwater to where Keane’s hands still cover my breasts.
I narrow my eyes on the Ancient, not knowing if his answer is to my comment about the twins or about Keane’s small warning.
“Both,” Hirovale replies with a chuckle.
“Stop reading my fucking thoughts!”
I sit up straight in my anger, no longer caring about Keane’s arms shielding me. Hirovale’s golden eyes dip shamelessly to my bare breasts, watching as the water drips down them before he catches my gaze.
“It doesn’t work like that, Alexis.”
“No?” I turn sharply to Keane, “is he reading yours then?”
Keane sits behind me with a playful smile, “no, Alexis.”
I sag back into the water, rolling my eyes at both men.
Keane’s hands snake to my hips and pull me into his lap, my ass resting perfectly between the crux of his legs.
His large exhale wills me to relax with him as he brings his arms back around my shoulders, so I sigh and take the comfort, watching as his hands hang loosely over the top of my chest.
“What of the conversation, tomorrow?” Keane asks the Ancient, “what all needs to be discussed?”
Hirovale gives Keane a small nod, as if thanking him before he answers.
“Begin with the book and it’s words…” he glances my way, “she’s still hiding their meaning within herself and needs to come to terms. Learn what you can on both Councils, then continue with Woodlands.
What you learn from your father and your travel to that Court will lead you towards Livyatan and more answers awaiting you there… ”
I roll my eyes again.
Always so fucking vague.
Why not just give us the answers now and spare us this prolonging of your presence?
The side of Hirovale’s lips slant down in a small grimace, something almost unnoticeable if I hadn’t been staring at him intently.
He remains quiet as his fingers continue their dance along the water, the thick white air across the floor still moving around us.
I lift out a hand and flick at the silver movements, willing them to shoo away and take the Ancient with them.
They don’t take the hint, and neither does the Ancient.
Do you have more to say? I prompt. Or do you just have nothing better to do with your night?
Hirovale looks up at me, his golden gaze twinkling in amusement.
Eager to get back to what you were doing, Alex?
My eyes widen on the Ancient, cheeks burning in a fiery blush. There’s no way he knows of what we were doing. Stormfall was in the other room.
My Bird of Ash hears everything.
I still against Keane’s body, feeling as his fingers lightly brush against my collarbone. Hirovale raises his brows in a questioning glance, the amusement behind his eyes never once fading as I level him with a glare.
“Nothing better to do with your night, then,” I nod, giving him a sweet smile, “have fun with your hand.”
Hirovale pushes said hand across the surface of the water, splashing half of the tub directly in my face.
What the?
I sputter in shock.
“Youthful,” I affirm, “childish.”
The Ancient chuckles as I start wiping off my face.
“You’re supposed to be off waking your brothers and sisters! Have you already failed on that front? Is that why you grace our presence now?”
Hirovale grins, “oh no, Lady. On the contrary, that front is going fairly well. One already wants to meet my human reborn and is willing to help me restore magic to the Old World.”
“I still haven’t agreed to-”
“-There is no use fighting, Alex,” he looks back at me with a seriousness, eyes scolding mine as if I were the child here.
“At times,” he nods, giving me a small wink.
I fume and lift both of my hands, pushing the water back at him so that the liquid crashes against his forever amused face.
“I stand corrected,” the Ancient laughs hard, falling back on the heels of his feet as he twists his hand in the air, “most times.”
“I hate you,” I scowl, though silently marvel at how easily his magic makes the water disappear from his body.
“Yes,” Hirovale nods, still grinning, “but you will come to love me.”
Keane reaches for me again, his hands moving off my shoulders and down to my hips. He pulls my body back into his as his cock pulses against my ass, his fingers digging into the crease of my hips before they flatten against my thighs.
I lean back and turn to look into his brown eyes in question, shifting from the simple touch that already leaves me breathless. Keane smiles and tilts his lips down to the side of my temple, his tongue darting out to my ear before he whispers in soft caress.
“Tell him of tonight. Of what you saw on Isham.”
I shiver in his hold and look back at the Ancient.
“The Prince’s hair was the same as his brother’s on the night in the Plains. I see it move.”
Both Hirovale and Storm look sharply in my direction, their gold and yellow eyes watching me as they consider my words.
“Tell me exactly what you see,” Hirovale responds after a long pause.
“The braids on the Princes,” I hold his gaze, “they are snakes. Isham introduced me to one of them tonight. It had the same name as the Ancient Rivian.”
Stormfall caws as Hirovale’s brows furrow, his glance turning stern. “Whatever you do, Alex, do not look into the snake’s eyes.”
Keane’s hands at my hips dip to the insides of my thighs as he sits up against me. I nod at the Ancient and then tilt my head back to my Prince, giving him a half smile.
“Keane said the same thing tonight. But it’s already happened. I looked into its eyes.”
Hirovale doesn’t hide his surprise as he looks at Keane, “how long?”
“Too many breaths,” Keane grimaces, “she was in a trance.”
“And the snake released you after that while?” Hirovale looks back at me with concern etched into his features.
I shake my head, “it felt like I was only looking at it for a blink, but it was Keane’s summoning that released me. I felt his power. It pulled me away.”
Hiro takes a deep breath and lets his gaze move between the two of us in thought. He finally nods to Keane in small appreciation before his glance turns hard.
“This would not have happened if Stormfall was present. I gift him to you for a reason.”
Stormfall caws again, his yellow eyes darting between Keane and I.
Keane’s hands skim the inside of my thighs, gripping them tightly as he pulls the two of us back against the tub.
“That was my decision and mistake,” he bows his head deeply to the Ancient from behind, “we will not hide Storm any longer.”
Hirovale eyes the Prince before his gaze darts into the water. He looks at Keane’s hands on the inside of my thighs, then averts his glance back to Stormfall.
“The Leviathans we met tonight know more than they let off,” I watch the Ancient, “they all but alluded to knowing we had Storm without seeing him, tonight and in the Bulwark Plains.”
Hirovale nods and runs a hand down Storm’s back.
“How?” I press, “how do they know?”
I make sure to ask my question directly, not wanting to give the Ancient a chance to avoid it. Keane’s hands on my thighs skim between my legs at the demand in my voice, the action drawing Hirovale’s gaze back into the water.
I frown at the touch, realizing that Keane hasn’t been shielding my body from the Ancient for some time now. Does sparring with Hirovale turn him on? Is he enjoying this?
“He is,” Hirovale looks back to me in confirmation, eyes twinkling again.
Keane smirks against the back of my hair.
You still haven’t answered my question, I lift a brow expectedly.
“They do know more than they let off,” Hirovale nods in response, “but they are a problem for another day. Though the information you gave about Isham…” he looks back at Storm as the bird cocks his head.
“Rivian,” he spits the word.
The air around us thickens with his distaste, the silver mist rising higher along the floor.
I reach my hand over the tub again with my palm up, watching in fascination as the mist wraps itself around my fingers.
Keane’s own hands between my thighs dart slowly inwards, making me shiver as Hirovale’s golden eyes turn from Storm to watch his mist greet me.
I flick my fingers at the air, willing it away again, and watch in amazement as the silver pulls back and falls to the floor.
“I chose well,” Hirovale says quietly, eyeing the retreating air below him.
Keane takes a heavy breath behind me and brushes his fingers down my slit, my brows furrowing in confusion.
There’s no way…
No way he’s turned on right now.
I look at the Ancient in slight horror, knowing full well that he was right in his assessment. Keane is begging to touch me, and the spark of fire behind Hirovale’s golden eyes tells me he’s all but willing to watch as he does.
I scowl and clamp my legs shut to both men, then sigh in exasperation before I quickly fall under the water.
Bastards.
Keane may have experience in something like this but I damn sure don’t. And as much as my body will never say no to his touch, my mind is still grappling with the idea that he can be so open in front of the Ancient.
Is it a territorial thing? Claiming me in front of a being that so obviously likes to watch me? I know for certain he would never let anyone in his Court, in all of Disce, see me in this position, so why is he okay with Hirovale?
And why am I not more uncomfortable with it?
The Ancient’s laugh vibrates from above the surface as I hear him say something undiscernible to Keane. The Prince also gives a chuckle and flexes his hands between my closed thighs, replying with a mumble that I’m unable to make out.
I scowl at the duo and let the water hold me for a few moments longer before I push up violently from below. I straighten my legs and stand tall in the tub facing Hirovale, feeling the water drip down my body as I narrow my gaze.
“I’m done with this.”
Hirovale’s eyes slowly trail up my legs and past my hips, lingering on my breasts before they finally reach my own. He gives me a knowing smile and stands up with me, his eyes still dancing over my face in hidden amusement.
“Come back when you actually want to provide us with useful information, Hirovale,” I glare at him, “not these small nudges and your suggestions to knowing more. If you have the knowledge, share it.”
The Ancient’s golden eyes never leave mine as Keane stands to join us.
“Lean on Holis and Mana,” he nods, “when you cannot find the answers you are searching for from the King, lean on them. The twins, too, know far more than they let off.”
Hirovale’s breeze rushes over the room again as he takes a step back. He glances to Keane, eyes narrowing as if in reminder.
“Your intentions, King.”
“Soon,” Keane replies, giving the Ancient a small bow from behind.
Hirovale nods and walks towards the archway, though not before turning to eye the two of us over his shoulder. He grins at the sight of us standing in the tub, then takes his leave as he departs from the bathing room.