CHAPTER XXIII #4
Alanna shrugs and sits back in her chair, taking a deep sip of whiskey.
“Tell me what I’ve missed.”
The Warrior Discerni grins and flicks her hand into the air. “Oh, this and that. Most notably the Queen throwing a tantrum throughout the castle at the news that you two were spotted in Gaumond.”
“No,” my eyes widen on her.
“Yes,” Alanna laughs again, “have fun winning that one over.”
I groan and take another long drink, “and you and Cal? Everyone else? What’s been going on?”
Alanna shifts in her chair, “I have moved myself up to the Palisades for the time being. Until we depart for Woodlands…”
I laugh, “and does your residence in the Palisades happen to reside in Drinker’s Row?”
“Perhaps,” she looks at me coyly.
“And everyone else?” I chuckle.
Alanna sighs and leans back in her chair, “Desmond lifted the lockdown a few days after Death’s Bonfire.
The castle has resumed to normal and preparations are being made for the coronation while delegations are traveling into Bardot for the event.
Rumors are whispered in the halls of the castle that the King to Be was seen with a Lady of Knowledge.
Anything else I can provide, Your Highness? ”
“Alanna,” I huff.
“We’re all moving along, Alexis,” she smiles and takes another drink of whiskey, “the Old World just continues to move along.”
“What of the Leviathans?” I inquire, “have they remained?”
“Yes,” Alanna scowls, “Prince Isham and his small group have chosen to stay until the coronation. They don’t much leave their guest quarters here at the castle but I did spot them once in the Palisades roaming around.”
I shift in my seat. The thought of that group in the Palisades makes me uneasy.
“And Zander’s assassin?” I continue.
Alanna shakes her head solemnly, “I do not know.”
I nod, not really expecting her to have an answer but hoping something would come up. She may be close to Desmond, but I don’t think she’s privy to that kind of information.
Alanna peers at me quietly.
“What is it?” I ask.
She sighs and turns her eyes to the fireplace, “there were some calls at the castle the days after your left. A few of the Lords demanded Desmond’s resignation as Master Informer.”
I still.
“That’s…”
Moronic. Idiotic.
I don’t even have the right words.
“The King was murdered under his watch, Alexis,” Alanna brings her whiskey up to her lips, “in his own home. The calls were small, but they were there.”
I’m suddenly hit with an overwhelming feeling of guilt.
Keane should have been here for that. He should have been at Desmond’s side.
I shake my head and lean forward in my chair, hoping that Alanna hears my next words carefully, just as I hope Keane tells his brother the same…
“I don’t know how else to tell you this, Alanna, except that it was known that the King was going to pass. His death was always going to happen, one way or another, with or without Desmond’s protection.”
Alanna’s eyes pierce mine, her cool gaze darting to Stormfall on my shoulder and then back to me.
“Don’t ever say that out loud again, Alexis,” she replies quietly, “it will not be interpreted well.”
“I know,” I nod my head in understanding, “but I need you to know as well.”
Alanna gives me a small nod before taking another sip of whiskey and standing up swiftly.
“Unpack and change, human. The others are all waiting for you up in the Palisades. We’re having dinner at Sera’s.”
I’m thankful for her change in subject and smile at the news, genuinely excited and realizing just how much I’ve missed my friends.
Alanna and I reach the top of the Southern Staircase and walk out of the tunnel as the sun begins to set over the Palisades.
I wear my simple attire of a satin green shirt and brown riding pants that are tucked into my brown and gold accented boots.
My traveling bag is slung over my shoulder and resting at my hip in familiar comfort, something I’ve found I missed over the past few days.
I had Alanna peer inside the bag before we left my room and asked what she saw inside.
She only noted two books and a small sack of coins, which was a new addition from Desmond, but did not see the oak wood and pen or Golem’s clay jar.
Her glance was curious after my question but she left my request alone, not pressing further.
The dinner Sera was hosting would take place at her café. She offered it up privately for our group as her shop typically closed after the lunch rush. I grin when Alanna and I walk up the stairs and take in the sight before me.
All of our friends are conversing out on the veranda, the lot of them sitting at a long, intimate table in the middle of the balcony.
Red roses line the top of that table, their stems disappearing into gold vases as lanterns of bottled moonslight riddle in between.
The whole ambiance of the café is beautiful in the early night, mixing well with the waning sun as the park sparkles below in greeting.
Stormfall pushes off my shoulder diligently, soaring out to the open veranda and giving a caw of greeting. He circles the table once before landing on Holis’ outstretched hand, the Bird of Ash puffing out his chest for the twin Discerni and greeting both him and his brother’s broad smiles.
I smile again at the sight and let my walk take me directly to Cal first. My big friend picks me up in a hug that nearly crushes my back, his wild beard brushing against my jaw and chin.
“We’ve missed you, Alex.”
I hug him back hard, “I’ve missed you all too.”
Cal drops me with a grin, his light brown eyes looking down at me curiously. “All is well, then?”
“All is well, Cal” I smile.
All is more than well.
Cal nods and steps aside to let me greet the rest of the table.
Barnes is here tonight and gives me a small smile in greeting.
Mana does the same, as does Holis, their green-blue eyes shining in welcoming affection.
But it’s the greeting from Lord Daniel that catches me by surprise as he steps forward and reaches for my hand.
“Lady Alexis,” his lips brush gently against my fingers.
I hold my breath as Daniel quickly releases the gesture, surprising me when he chooses not to deviate from the correct length of properness.
Does he know? Or does he suspect, as Alanna mentioned earlier.
“I’ve missed you, Lord Daniel,” I tell him genuinely, willing him to hear the truth behind my words.
“You have been missed as well, Lady Alexis,” he replies, giving me a polite smile before taking a step back.
He knows.
He didn’t say he missed me, but instead spoke for the collective of the group.
I nod quietly, hoping beyond anything I didn’t lose him as a friend.
“And Stormfall’s missed you, Holis,” I turn to the Discerni, letting my eyes flick to Storm still on his arm.
“He’s grown since the last time we saw him,” Holis shakes his head in wonder, holding out his other arm to me for a side embrace. I smile in agreement and bring my arm around his back.
“Sera?” I turn to Mana in question.
“Back in the kitchens. I should go help,” he replies, taking a step towards the café.
“Let me,” I grin and walk back into the café.
“Sera?” I call out, heading behind the shop counter and through the door leading to the back of her building.
“I’m here,” she replies in answer.
I walk into the kitchen, spotting Sera grinning as she pulls off her gold apron.
“This is beautiful, Sera,” I wave a hand to the café behind me, “you didn’t have to do all this.”
“We were all kind of waiting,” she chuckles and shrugs her shoulders, “we missed you, and no one wants to be in the commotion of the castle right now. It only seemed appropriate to pull you out of there.”
“It’s perfect,” I smile at her gratefully, “thank you.”
Sera grins again and turns back to her large prepping able. It’s littered with empty mugs and a few decanters of whiskey and water, even a small barrel of ale.
“That kind of night, huh?” I raise my brows, heading to the table to pick up the mugs.
“That kind of night,” Sera chuckles.
She grabs the filled decanters before we both make our way out of the kitchen and through the café, greeting the perfect spring night around us.
“There’s a barrel of ale back there that needs to be brought out by stronger hands than mine,” Sera grins.
Mana promptly stands at his wife’s words and gives her a quiet nod, stopping in his walk to give her a small kiss on the forehead before disappearing behind us.
“You aim to get us properly drunk then, Sera?” Cal chuckles from his seat at the table. He casually wraps an arm around the back of Alanna’s chair next to him, a gesture that has me hiding my smile.
“Am I still a good host if I don’t, Cal?”
Cal smiles as I take in our small group for the night, watching as everybody situates themselves around the table.
Lord Daniel sits at the head of one end with Barnes at his right.
Next to Barnes is Cal and then Alanna, with an empty chair next to her and another at the opposite end of the head of the table.
On Daniel’s left is the empty seat from which Mana left, then another for Sera, with Holis finally sitting in the middle.
I promptly take the seat next to Holis and across from Alanna, smiling as Stormfall continues to take all of the love from the Discerni twin.
“Are we expecting more?” I ask the table, noticing the three empty chairs to my left. Are the Warrior soldiers joining us tonight?
Sera turns to me curiously, “we’ve invited the Prince brothers.”
Oh.
My heart skips a beat as I nod, turning my narrowed gaze on Alanna.
She laughs and ignores my glare, that smirk of hers telling me she knew who exactly was coming tonight and chose not to tell me.
I shake my head and reach for an empty mug and small glass, ready to pour both ale and whiskey for the night.
“I credit your drinking habits to me, Alexis,” Cal chuckles.