Both brothers bow their heads to the Princess while the beast nestles closer against my neck. I lean into him for comfort as a new thought forms in my head.
“Will I need to hide him?” I ask the table collectively.
Both Holis and Mana shake their heads almost immediately. Desmond frowns from his seat as Keane watches me with his intense brown gaze, not having said a word since we arrived in this room. Morose is the first to reply.
“That is an Old World being, dear. There will be no hiding him from the Kingdoms. You can try your best,” she looks towards Keane and Desmond, “but all of us magical folk sitting around this table already feel his power. I suspect it will only be a matter of time before the rest of the Old World feels it, too.”
“If he truly is the father of firehawks,” Clair adds, “then he will probably grow to be twice or triple their size. There will be no hiding him under your hair when that time comes.”
“I suggest we keep him hidden across the Bulwark, brother,” Desmond looks at Keane, “and reassess when we cross into our forests.”
“I agree,” Keane nods.
“When will you depart?” Clair asks.
“Tomorrow morning,” Keane replies, “there are many conversations that need to happen at home.”
“Naturally,” she nods in agreement.
“Is there anything else we should know?” Prince McQuoid turns back to me.
I take another drink of ale and think over the last few days in the library, glancing to Morose and then back at Golem before shaking my head.
“No. Other than extending my genuine gratitude to you and your wife and your grandmother for the hospitality you’ve provided over the past few days. You all have been very welcoming. It’s meant more to me than you will ever know. ”
“You are worth it and more, Lady Alexis,” Princess Clair smiles, “it has been our pleasure getting to know you and we look forward to what your future will bring.”
CHAPTER XII
EXHILARATION
“You’re alive then, human?”
Alanna greets me with Millie’s reins in hand and a small smile gracing her cool face. Golem and I are standing in a courtyard before the stables, an interesting place within the fortress that is stationed further down from the throne room. All of the stalls and horses are settled within the mountain, but the courtyard we’re on protrudes out of the rock and under the open sky.
The group last night had a few more drinks on the balcony after dinner, with the Ancient’s baby beast quickly becoming the center of attention. He was passed around the group in greeting and really took to Mana, Holis and Morose, the three of them interacting with him in absolute comfort and smiling every time he puffed out his chest for more affection.
When it came time for Keane to hold him, the two stared at eachother with proud shoulders and thoughtful eyes as the rest of us held our breaths. I didn’t think the beast would hop onto Keane’s wrist, but the Bird of Ash eventually took a step and then another onto his pointer finger, letting Keane brush his chest in soft greeting.
As the night wore on, Prince McQuoid announced that him, Keane and Desmond still had a few more matters to talk over. That statement quickly ended the small dinner party and sent everyone on their way. Clair escorted me back through the private hall and to my new room, promising to see our group off in the morning.
I spent a long time in the tub again last night, scrubbing and soaking for the near two day ride it would take to get back to Fumagalli. Golem took up his normal residence at the end of the bed when I finished, while the baby beast felt comfortable enough to leave the curve of my neck and sleep on the bedpost behind my head.
Sleep found me quickly the moment I got under the covers, though I do remember waking up to Keane splashing in the tub sometime late at night. He joined me in bed after his wash and pulled my back against his chest as he did the night in the Bulwark Plains. It felt right, the way his hips pressed into my rear and his arm tightened around my waist, and when he woke up, still holding me in a tight embrace, that feeling of rightness settled deep in my core as he pressed his lips to the back of my head.
“I have a few more things to take care of with Desmond this morning.”
“I’ll meet you when we all depart,” I mumbled, still half asleep.
It’s now the late morning and some of our group has already started to ready for that departure. I extend my hand to Alanna and take Millie’s reins with a grin.
“Still alive, Alanna. You get to put up with me for a little while longer.”
The blonde Discerni gives a half laugh before her eyes catch the side of my bruised face. She grimaces when I tilt my head in the opposite direction to hide the purple marks.
“Don’t turn away, Alexis,” she grabs my arm, “I was just thinking to myself that the bruises look good on you. They’ll fade soon, but I can tell they have a story. Wear those marks with pride.”
Hirovale’s beast chirps from under my hair, causing Alanna to loosen her grip before she takes a quick step back. I give her a small smile and lower my hood, pushing my hair away from my face in the process.
