I don’t know if the appearance of Stormfall will change my outlook. The Bird of Ash may very well have me questioning my prior beliefs, but I still have no burning desire or call to change that philosophy. The Ancients can remain asleep for all I care.
“You are skeptic,” Holis watches me with quiet eyes, “even after Hirovale offers you his right hand.”
“I’m human,” I shrug, looking towards Keane riding next to his brother, “magic and magical beasts do not belong to me.”
“How very wrong you are, Alexis,” Mana replies.
Our group reaches the border of the Bulwark Plains just after midday, stopping at the edge of the thin woods of Pyre to rest the horses and take a lunch. Alanna approaches me as I’m unscrewing Golem’s jar, that cloth bundle in her hand letting me know what she needs. I welcome her, wanting to take care of my own business before heading into the desolate lands, and follow her into the thin line of trees just as Golem goes to stand a few feet away from Millie.
“Thank you for looking after Millie for me.”
Alanna nods, her features stoic, and continues walking into the tree line. Stormfall is fast asleep against my neck, stationed there since the late morning after his hunt and making me wonder if he’s a nocturnal animal. If he is, that would work out nicely back in Bardot. I could leave the balcony open to the Bell Grove and he could travel in and out at night, roaming on his own as needed.
“You’ll need to stay with the Prince again tonight,” Alanna says at my side.
I frown at the comment, not understanding why she’d bring it up, and feign my dismay with a shrug.
“I suppose so.”
I try not to let her see how my body actually begins to heat, the thought of spending another night like our first in the Plains doing all sorts of improper things to me.
“I’ll make camp next to Cal,” she adds casually.
My neck almost breaks when I turn to look to her.
Ancients.
Is she… asking for my permission?
Cal certainly had a flirty edge to him on the fortress balcony that first night in Red Falls. And Alanna didn’t come back to the room until the late hours of the morning, so I guess it’s not hard to put two and two together.
“He’d like that,” I nod, moving behind a tree.
I hear Alanna do the same before her voice travels between us.
“And you?”
“And me, what?”
“Would you like that?”
Sheisasking for my permission.
I sigh and shake my head. Alanna needs no approval from me.
I pull up my pants and round the tree.
“Cal is one of the best people I know, Alanna. He’s kind and thoughtful, genuine through and through. If you’re both happy with that arrangement then so am I.”
Alanna moves back around her own tree as I continue, “but if you hurt him,Discerni, you and I will be at odds.”
Alanna’s cool grey eyes land sharply on mine.
“We’re having fun, Alexis,” she replies.
I give her a side smile, understanding more than she chooses to say.
“You will always find fun with Cal, it’s in his nature. But he is still a lover, Alanna, and agiver. Do not take that for granted.”
