CHAPTER XX #10
“My daggers are sheathed,” I announce, looking around the thin trees of the grove, “I wanted to harm you earlier, still do, but I’m willing to meet you now in genuine conversation.”
Stormfall caws at me from above, approving of my words. I glance back around the grove and hear strong footsteps on my right, my body turning around swiftly to see Keane moving through the tall grass with his eyes directly on mine.
“He’s here,” I tell the Prince, noting his calm demeanor.
I spread my hands slowly in front of me, letting him know that I’m holding no weapons.
Keane’s brown eyes hold mine before he gives me a small nod. He looks around the grove, the two of us eying every tree and sway of grass for a shadow or thick mist.
“Talk to us, Hirovale,” I grimace into the night, “don’t hide from this. Don’t let us think the worst of you.”
I catch a movement near another tree on my left.
Keane sees it too and takes a few swift steps towards me, coming to stand by my side.
We watch as the air at the bottom of the trunk grows thick and moves into silver swirls of mist, finally building into a thick blanket that spreads across the forest floor.
“We see you, Hiro,” I tell the Ancient. No more hiding.
Keane shifts next to me, the two of us gazing at the tree ahead and waiting for the Ancient to reveal himself.
The thick cloud of mist at the bottom of the tree suddenly darts towards us, consuming the bottom of the woods before rising up to our knees.
I look down at the white and grey and frown, watching as it moves right past us and behind our backs, towards the event that’s farther away.
The full of the air rises high and thick, encircling Keane and I from behind, effectively blocking out the crowd so that no one can see us in the Bell Grove.
I quickly glance back at the tree from where the air originated, watching as a boot juts out from behind it slowly.
It’s followed by deep grey pants and an even darker grey tunic, two wrists swaying at its sides with the four black rings etched into the skin of one of them.
Hirovale’s proud chest leans forward as his face comes into view, his golden eyes holding no laughter or amusement as he looks over the two of us.
His black hair sways on his shoulders from the breeze of his air, the color as dark as the night around him.
Keane leans in closer and presses his shoulder against mine, and it’s then that I notice his right palm is up, fingers angled directly towards the approaching Ancient.
Fuck.
I quickly reach down for Keane’s hand, laughing internally at how quick our emotions have traded places. Keane grasps my fingers in his but does the same with his other palm, the two of us looking back at the Ancient in quiet anticipation.
“It wasn’t supposed to happen this soon,” Hirovale repeats.
There’s a desperation in his voice, a sadness, but he still stands tall in his being.
He’s holding himself with confidence, his whole demeanor containing a certain edge of seriousness to it that’s a far cry from his usually amused and secretive presence.
He looks like the Ancient of Death and Exploration in this moment, how the history books have described him over the thousands of years.
He’s calm and assured in where he stands, even as he says words that we don’t want to hear.
“You need to explain,” I demand of the Ancient softly, “no half-truths, no allusions. We need an explanation.”
Hirovale slowly shakes his head as his golden eyes land on Keane.
“I cannot.”
The ground below us begins to shake. Keane grips my hand hard, his other flicking at his side as the tree near Hirovale leans forward in a swift movement, its limbs quickly reaching out for the Ancient as if to hold him in a violent embrace.
“That will not work,” Hirovale eyes the Prince.
He flicks his own hand and the limbs dart back into themselves as if nothing just happened.
Keane narrows his eyes on the Ancient in calm anger.
He brings his hand in front of him, faster than a single blink, and the earth around Hirovale breaks in an instant.
Five large shards of pure stone and dirt encircle him, the movement swifter than anything I’ve seen from Lord Daniel and done with no exertion on Keane’s part.
He’s bent the earth to his will, and I watch in astonishment as the stones close in hard against Hirovale’s chest and back, the sharp edges of one slashing against his cheek.
He’s bleeding…
“Yes, Alexis, we bleed,” Hirovale sighs, bringing both of his palms face down as he forces the stones back into the earth. The movement is as quick as Keane’s.
You do know that any of those stones could have gone straight through your body, right?
Hirovale scowls, his golden eyes finding and holding my gaze.
Will you bleed out then, Hiro? Or just be done?
“Wouldn’t you like to know, Alex,” he glares in response, taking a strong step towards the two of us.
“But he chose not to,” I say out loud, “he chose not to, Hirovale, just as I chose to put away my blades. We are here to talk.”
Hirovale takes a step forward and eyes Keane’s hand in mine. His lips quirk with an emotion I can’t place, and when he catches my gaze again, I will him to hear my next words.
“We are here to listen. Give us something before you lose us both.”
The Ancient stops in his walk and angles his proud chest in an open dare of denial.
Lose you?
He scoffs.
Never, Alexis.
Powerful magic seeps out of him with those last words. It pushes toward me in blatant intimidation, as if he’s daring me to deny who he is and what the being of him means to this Old World. Daring me to deny that there will ever be a time in which he is not a part of our lives.
“No,” I grimace, “I don’t care who you are and what you can do. You will lose us both if you don’t explain yourself, Hirovale. Of that, I can promise.”
Hirovale watches me quietly as his summoning pushes forward again. The air around him grows thicker, surrounding the three of us now from head to toe and creating a wall that dares either of us to try to leave him.
Do you hear me, Hirovale? I glare at the Ancient, you are going to lose the one man who has advocated on your behalf! The one man who has been telling me to listen to you! Don’t lose him. Don’t lose the man who held me back from confronting you today… from wanting to hurt you.
“As if you could,” the Ancient laughs, slowly turning his gaze back to Keane.
Stop this, I repeat Alanna and Desmond’s words, now understanding, do not lose him, Hiro. He is the only unbiased being who has encouraged me to embrace and hear you out…
Hirovale looks at Keane in consideration as I continue.
Explain to him. That’s all I ask of you. Explain as best you can. You knew. You knew something about his father and the possibility that this would happen.
The Ancient takes a strong step towards Keane as a tense silence fills the air.
“It was always going to happen,” he tells the Prince quietly, “you knew as well. You suspected. Not just from me but from all the events of late…”
I glance at Keane in confusion.
From all the events of late?
“But it was not supposed to be this soon. My reference of you was not meant to be taken as a forewarning, but only as a respectful ode to the man you will grow to be. You and Alexis were both to remain on your path together with your father’s guidance…
but something has happened, something that has sped up that path.
I cannot explain further because I am still at a loss for words.
His early death has taken even me by surprise. ”
Keane eyes the Ancient carefully, brown eyes giving nothing away.
“Forgive me, King,” Hiro bows his head in solemn honesty, “this is all I can give you. You father’s death has not been by my design, nor has it ever been my wish. I hope you understand that.”
“I do,” Keane replies quietly, bowing to the Ancient.
“Heysan will be at your coronation,” Hirovale tells him quietly, “the first of the Ancients to make an open Old World appearance. Ensure that all of the Kingdoms are present…”
Keane nods in quiet acceptance as Hirovale’s golden gaze flicks to me.
“Make your intentions of her quick, following that coronation,” he looks back at the Prince, “there are people who wish to do her harm. To use her. Your status and claim will provide the added protection she will need.”
“This was always my intention.”
“I know it,” Hiro gives Keane a small smile, “but I need to remind you of the urgency.”
Keane bows to the Ancient again, the tension in his shoulders leaving on an exhale. The air around us begins to mellow as Hirovale takes a step back, pulling the thickness down to let us see the Bell Grove around us. I look at the two men standing before me and frown in confliction.
How has Keane forgiven Hiro so easily? The two of them are already back on good terms.
You told me not to lose him, Lady.
I scowl at the Ancient and watch him walk back towards the tree from which he came. The thick air flows around his legs in his silent departure, and in that moment I’m hit with the sudden urge to take it away. I hate how he always hides behind it.
My hand reaches out of its own accord, angling for the white mass surrounding him as I envision it being tossed to the side.
I watch in astonishment as the mist darts away from his boots at my simple command, the forest grove opening up clearly and allowing Keane and I to see him in his exit.
Hirovale looks over his shoulder to the ground below him, his head shaking with a sly smile before he disappears behind the tree.
“Alexis…”
Keane says my name softly, catching my gaze with his intense brown eyes before he looks back to where Hirovale previously stood.
“Forget it,” I wave my hand, “forget it, Keane. I don’t know what that was.”
Keane presses his full body into mine, “did that come easy to you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Moving the mist,” he breathes, watching me carefully now, “removing it from the Ancient. Did it come easy to you?”
I consider his question with a frown.
“I had the desire in my mind and I acted on it.”
Keane nods and reaches up to grip the backs of my elbows. “And did that come easy to you? To manifest that want and see it happen?”
“I guess,” I shrug.
Keane takes a sharp inhale of breath.
“I only wanted to take away his protection, Keane. To take away his guard that he always hide behind,” I glance over to the tree with a small nod, “I guess it came easy, yes. It was a sudden urge, and the mist did what I asked of it in that moment. It followed my desire.”
“Ancients, Alexis,” Keane’s hands on my elbows draw me closer, “that’s summoning.”
“No,” I shake my head, “that’s not possible…”
Keane runs his hands up my arms in comfort, the look he gives me slightly condescending, as if he’s chastising me now for hiding, for hiding from the truth.
“It’s not possible,” I repeat.
“I’m beginning to rethink a lot of what is and isn’t possible when it comes to you.”
“Let’s just forget about it. Even if it was summoning, it’s not as if anything can come of it. I’m bound by the fourth-”
Dear Ancients.
“No,” I whisper.
The fourth term. The term that was put in place by the Leviathans
and bound by Zander. The term in which he claimed my actions and agreed to my non-use of magic, however impossible I may think it is.
But Zander is no longer of this Old World.
“Keane…”
Keane shakes his head, “I know what you’re wondering, but I don’t have an answer. I don’t know what his death means for the fourth term. I’ll have to speak to McQuoid, or perhaps Golem. Someone who knows more than I do about the magic that binds the Council.”
“We can consider it later,” he wraps me into his hold, “truly, Alexis, we will figure it out.”
I nod into his chest, “I know.”
“Good,” he kisses the top of my head, “because I have news for you…”
Keane leans down slowly, his voice caressing my ear. “We leave tomorrow.”
I turn to him sharply with my heart nearly jumping out of my chest.
Is he referencing what I think he is?
“We leave tomorrow for Gaumond,” he grins.
“But what about everything going on?” I shake my head, “I’m not sure this is the right moment for you to leave Bardot, Keane.”
Keane’s eyes find mine in serious understanding, though his grin still remains.
“Desmond is going to assist in our departure. We will ride swiftly and under cover. The Castle will not know of our leave, of my leave, until we reach Gaumond.”
“Keane,” I frown.
This really isn’t the time for him to take off.
He still has yet to properly grieve for his father, and his family will no doubt expect him to remain in the capitol with them.
He already has Lords here, all of them clamoring to Castle Bardot as they wait for his transition.
Not to mention the delegations from the other Kingdoms who will be arriving over the next fortnight in anticipation of his coronation.
“I need this, Alexis,” he says calmly, “I need you.”
His brown eyes search mine, arms gripping me tighter in his hold as I battle with the request. I need him just as bad, but…
“I don’t know,” I sigh.
Keane brings a hand up to my chin, tipping it forward as he looks down at me in silence.
His brown eyes burn into mine with an intense fire that takes my breath away, and I understand, now, the truth of his words.
He does need me. And I need to give him everything he wants to hear, everything he needs to hear, so that the two of us can properly move forward together.
“Perhaps it will be good to get away from the castle for a bit…” I reason.
“It will,” he nods.
I take a deep breath and stare into his strong gaze, letting that fire consume me. “We leave tomorrow for Gaumond.”