CHAPTER VIII #7
Canon opens the door for me, his features quiet and stoic as I walk inside. He shuts the door quietly, leaving me alone in the room.
Ancients, I wish I was somewhere else, anywhere other than here right now.
Is this how the rest of our travel is going to be? Visiting the stiff yet beautiful Woodlands cities while we’re greeted with quiet animosity from the Discerni?
I sigh and bring a hand up to Stormfall’s chest, letting him step onto my fingers as I set him down at the foot of the bed.
The bare room around us feels like a cage, even more so when I start to pace the room, not knowing what to do with myself.
I decide to take a bath and let the warm water soothe some of the tension away from my body before I busy myself with packing Keane and mine’s belongings, even doing the same for Desmond.
I change into one of my shimmering gold blouses with a deep cut down the middle and pair it with a set of black riding pants, letting my hair dry straight.
I even spend some time reading into Pyre, though my mind drifts with each turning page, unable to stay in this room.
I hastily sit up from the settee, re-fastening my boots and hiding my daggers with a small smile before throwing my bag over my shoulder.
I glance back at Stormfall sleeping on the bed and let my fingers coax the top of his head before he steps onto my hand.
The Bird of Ash falls back asleep on my shoulder as I open the door to the room with a determined glance at Canon.
“Just a walk,” I tell him, “we can stay in the residence if you’d like.”
The quiet Discerni looks at me without surprise this time, nodding his head as we make our way quietly down the hall and back to the sweeping staircase.
I move towards the large atrium when we reach the bottom steps, hearing the argents’ small calls as they fly within their glass case.
Their confinement is beautiful, and it’s the fact that they’re all flying around peacefully and not trying to get out that I don’t tear it all down.
I eye the birds with a smile and feel the slight hum from their beings beneath my skin.
The argents are magical, of that I’m certain now.
It took me a full day to recognize it, as the only other time I felt the same hum was in the library at Red Falls as I moved closer to Stormfall’s resting place.
But I know without a doubt now that the small hum is born from magic.
The argents may look normal and delicate, friendly even, but there’s no denying the tiny bit of summoning that pushes out of them.
The Bird of Ash grips my shoulder in his sleep as the sound of gentle footsteps graces the room from behind. I turn to see Lady Esme approaching with timid eyes.
“You seem to have an interest with birds, Lady Alexis,” the woman’s gaze flicks to Stormfall. “The same as me.”
“They are beautiful creatures,” I nod, watching as Canon takes a quiet stance not far away.
“They are,” her blue eyes sparkle as she looks through the glass. “They’re simple creatures, however. Too without care for their own good.”
I peer at the Discerni through lowered lashes, noticing that she’s far more relaxed here, away from her husband.
“Your group will join us for dinner tonight,” she says, still watching the argents.
“I’ve heard.”
Another night in this dreaded village.
“And are you enjoying your stay with us thus far, Lady Alexis?”
“I am,” I lie, watching an argent fly behind the glass. “It’s fairly quiet, however. The village and full of Etter is so small. What do you all do to pass the days?”
“Oh, this and that,” the blonde woman smiles, “we do live a rather quiet life…”
Too quiet.
Lady Esme taps her finger softly on the glass as a few argents fly forward to greet her.
“Is this your first time traveling to Woodlands?”
“It is,” I nod, watching as the argents hover at her front.
“A slight shock, I’m sure, visiting our lands…”
I slowly turn to the woman with a curious look.
Is she referencing what I think she is?
Lady Esme gives a small shrug of her shoulder, her eyes soft.
“I am not one to feign knowledge of how life is lived beyond our borders, Lady Alexis. But please know that Etter is a peaceful village, has been for a while...”
I want to frown.
It wasn’t so peaceful ten years ago.
I hold back a scowl and look into her quiet blue eyes.
Perhaps Esme is the calming force behind her husband...
she certainly looks like she can be. She’s much more amiable with the human servants here, and even spoke of the second school that was built in the village.
She looks at me with a small kindness when her husband isn’t around, and now she’s admitted to knowing that the life she lives isn’t seen as normal to others.
Could she be an ally? Or are the soft and timid eyes looking back at me filled with a resolve, accepting the life as it is and always has been?
“The lifestyle here is certainly different than what I am used to,” I nod to her in honesty and turn back to the birds.
“But…?”
I shake my head, holding back another frown as I watch her caged argents fly around.
“But nothing. It is not for me to comment on.”
Lady Esme gives a small laugh, a genuine one that has me confused.
“I doubt very much, Lady Alexis, that whatever comments you do choose to make will go unheard.”
I sit further down the table this time for dinner, though in truth, I’m not even sure why I’m here in the first place. Keane sits up front with Lord Kaven and his muscled man, the three of them chatting openly and with much more fervor than last night.
That man’s name is Carsen, I’ve learned, something that irks me to the very core as the name doesn’t quite fit the hardness of the blonde Discerni.
Troy sits between his brothers, chatting with King Voland and Prince Hadrill across from him, the three of them also lively and engaging with open smiles.
Lady Esme and Lord Alexander are both seated next to the royals up front, while the rest of us, the twins, Canon and myself, just sit at the end of the table, completely ignored.
The mood of this dinner is much more energetic than last night’s, with Lord Kaven seemingly happy that Troy and the Aireals have arrived.
Apparently, being human didn’t matter to him so long as you were a royal, because he met their gazes head-on and smiled to them as a friendly host would, actually looking as if he was enjoying their company.
I even spotted Keane grinning at times, relaxing into a calm and stately demeanor as he engaged in different conversations as he would in Knowledge.
It’s odd, though, and I don’t know if it’s because he’s trying to maintain the facade of his own good relations with the Discerni of Disce, but he rarely looks at me throughout the whole dinner.
Keane hasn’t been quick to catch my gaze from afar as he usually does, just keeps his conversations polite and welcoming with the other men, something I’m not sure I like.
Golem is here with us too, taking his stance behind the King and remaining silent.
At times, I notice that his eyes keep glancing towards the brothers, watching them interact with his own gaze that looks just as curious as mine.
Troy himself has chosen to ignore my presence altogether, mimicking Lord Kaven and not giving me a second glance.
Hadrill, however, keeps giving me knowing smiles, each time letting his eyes roam across my face and chest before he smirks and looks away.
I have to stop myself from purposely rolling my eyes and instead turn to the comfort of Holis and Mana at my sides, the three of us all waiting for the proper moment to depart, truly not wanting to be here.
Dinner continues with its open energy as all of the men move through numerous glasses of sparkling toddy, letting the drink loosen them even more.
I choose to forgo the drink, as does Holis and Mana and Canon, not wanting to let any part of me lighten up for a dinner that is so wrong on so many levels.
It’s abhorrent that we’re even here, having once again to pretend that everything about Etter is just fine.
And what’s even worse is watching Keane from afar as he plays King at the Lord’s table, his red lips smiling and bantering easily as if he’s born to do it.
Carsen excuses himself from the group when the plates are finally cleared, his stalky build moving silently out of the room despite his big form.
I watch him quietly, battling against the call from deep within that tells me to follow him, to find out what’s so important that he has to leave a table with two Kings.
But no one else seems bothered by his removal, in fact, Lord Kaven smiles broadly to the group, demanding another round of drinks as the serving girls all move in swiftness to comply.
I let my eyes land on Keane at the announcement, needing his heated gaze or possessive summoning to brand my skin. I need his eyes on me, need them to tell me that this is all fake, an act, and that he’s doing his best to be a neutral King and make it through the dinner without any confrontation.
But a small tug within me knows that his lack of glances my way is deeply unlike him. Is he so determined to play along with this group that he chooses to ignore my presence just like the others? And if so, why even bring me here?
I scowl, unable to understand his actions tonight, and watch as Troy tilts his head towards Desmond. The Master Informer gives his brother a small grin, nodding to whatever he says, then starts laughing like Troy is one of the funniest beings in this Old World.
My eyes widen at the sight.
What the fuck is going on?
Stormfall grips my shoulder as I start to watch all three brothers carefully now.