My heart gives a quick thud before I move back across the room. Keane is standing on the other side of the door when I open it. He’s in the same dark attire from tonight, his features hard but his eyes looking back at mine in small kindness. Those eyes move down to the gold slip peeking out from under my cloak, his lips giving me a small grin before his body shifts purposely to the right and reveals Desmond standing behind him.
I quickly tighten my cloak over my front as both Princes look at me quietly.
“We’d like to have a conversation with our father’s Golem, Lady Alexis,” Keane states.
I give both brothers a small nod, my own glance letting them know that I will not be swayed or asked to leave. “As would I.”
Keane nods in understanding as Desmond does the same. I take a step back and open the door fully to them before walking to the settee.
“Alanna?” I ask, catching Golem’s gaze as he stands next to the table.
“She’s occupied at the moment,” Keane responds.
Desmond closes the door behind him just as I turn to see both brothers making their way to the settee. They stop just behind it and give Golem a low bow in greeting while the magical creature returns the gesture in kind, his face solemn.
With formalities out of the way, Keane takes a hard stance right behind the settee. He leans towards the back and rests his hands on the cushions, gripping them tightly as his features turn stoic and he stares directly at Golem. Desmond walks around the seat and moves to the other side of the table, his gaze never leaving Golem either as he pulls out the chair but doesn’t sit down. I watch curiously as he leans his back against the wall and crosses his arms, his features melding into the silent Master Informer that everyone whispers about.
I sigh heavily at the men and pull the blanket off the settee before sitting down.
Of all the ways I wanted to approach this conversation with Golem, their quiet anger certainly isn’t it. Keane and Desmond’s silent glares are filling the room like a sharp knife that’s pointing straight at the magical creature. I understand that they’re upset, but aiming their anger at Golem won’t solve anything. He’s not the one to blame here.
The blanket falls into my lap as I try to position myself comfortably in the corner of the cushions. I do my best to ignore the quiet tension in the room and instead send Golem a smile just as Keane finally breaks the silence.
“A damnKingdoms Council, Golem,” he states, his voice hard, “a Kingdoms Council in which we were not invited nor made aware of? The future King of Disce and the current Master Informer of the Kingdom!”
Golem dips his head to the Prince in another solemn bow.
“Was our brother there?”
My brows furrow. Why would that be Keane’s first question?
Golem hesitates before he shakes his head.
“But he is aware of it?” Keane scowls.
Yes.
“Fucking Ancients,” Desmond curses from his stance against the wall.
“And our sister? Was she present?”
No.
“Is she aware?”
Golem shifts on his feet before nodding slowly again. Both Keane and Desmond look at eachother in silence, their eyes flaring.
“And the nature of this meeting? Why it was called…” Keane continues, his face cold, “because our father wished to add an exception to the rule forbidding humans to practice Old World magic?”
No.
“An exception to the rule forbidding humans to learn and gain knowledge of Old World magic?” he corrects.
Golem nods his head.
“And he asked the Council for permission to send a human from Disce into the Old World libraries, within his own lands and foreign?”
Yes.
