Those words send every emotion rolling out of me.
“I failed him,” the whisper comes out in admittance, “the book did exactly what he feared. It turned to ash, Keane. Right in my hands.”
Keane watches me with kindness and shakes his head as a small, sad smile reaches his lips.
“I,more than anyone in this Old World, know what you are feeling right now. I have felt it countless times growing up, Alexis. My father is not a man that you like to disappoint.”
He leans over the tub and kisses me gently on the forehead, “but don’t let it worry you. There will be an explanation for the book. For all of this. Of that I can guarantee.”
I stare at the Prince in quiet shock.
Elder Father and Mother, what did I do right in my life to meet this man?
“Come on,” he stands from the stool and reaches for the towel below him, “they’ll be expecting us.”
Golem stands outside the door of the guest room when we leave, watching me with curious eyes. I give him the longest hug to date and hold him tightly as I whisper against his robes.
“I’m sorry for frightening you, Golem.”
He nods against my shoulder and tightens his embrace in return.
The floor we’re on is indeed more private and secluded than the one I shared with Alanna. There’s less maids and Pyrenese roaming the halls, and I can tell we’re higher up in the fortress as the grey stone of the mountain gives off a cooler chill then where I had stayed previously. I follow Keane down the hall with the baby beast purring against my neck and walk under a stone archway.
“Thank Ancients,” Cal’s voice booms from inside the room on the other side.
He pushes away from a massive stone table and quickly stands up. The two of us immediately head towards eachother and end up in a hug, my friend’s large arms wrapping around me as he holds on tight.
I don’t know how long we stand holding eachother, but I nearly start crying at the intensity of him. His large hands reach down my back in affectionate rubs until I’m breathing properly again, and it’s only then that he finally pulls back and brings his hands to my shoulders.
“You alright then, Alex?”
“I’m alright,” I nod with a smile, “could probably go for a drink right now, or three, but I’m alright.”
Cal chuckles and hugs me again, then passes me off to Holis who also gives me a tight and surprising squeeze.
“You had us all worried for a moment, Alexis,” he states softly, pulling back as his brother approaches from the side. Mana has a small grimace on his lips, his eyes darting to the bruises on my face, but he quickly shrugs the look away and gives me a rare smile.
“By far the most interesting travel to date.”
I laugh at my usually silent companion and nod in agreement. Mana steps to the side as I take in the rest of the room, spotting the Prince and Princess standing at the head of the table. Their snow tigers are casually laying on the ground near their chairs, their white fur ruffling slightly from a breeze that’s fluttering in from a balcony behind them. Desmond is here, as is Morose, the old woman walking straight towards me with her cat-like eyes narrowing.
“You look like you will fall on your feet at any moment, young one. Have you eaten?”
I shake my head and watch as she turns to Prince McQuoid. “Why hasn’t anyone fed this girl yet?”
“Relax, grandmother,” McQuoid rolls his eyes, “we have dinner coming for all of us soon.”
“You better,” Morose quips.
She looks back at me, solemn and serious, and reaches for my hands.
“I will never forget the sight of you in that room, Alexis... you were the best of humanity, so raw in your emotions that I thought you would shatter the ice around you.”
I stare at the Duhni, my breath catching in my chest as she continues.
“I have known you for a short period of time, young one, but I have no doubt that you will indeed shatter the Old World around us as we all know it.”
The bird on my shoulder gives a small chirp in agreement. I stand frozen in response, not knowing what to say.
