“Alex…” he says with concern.
“Not now,” I shake my head, “I’ll tell you when we grab the brothers.”
Cal looks conflicted but ultimately steps away to let me close the door. I move back into the room and pull on my boots, strapping my blades within.
“I need to have a private conversation with the Knowledge men this morning,” I turn to Golem and Storm quietly, “I ask that you both remain here until I return after our exercises.”
Golem watches me with a sad expression while Stormfall does the same. The Bird of Ash caws when I give them my back, my own gaze turning heavy when I take in the state of my emerald cloak.
It’s completely ruined.
The full of it is tattered and bloodied from all of the events of the past fortnight.Fitting, really, given everything that has happened.
I rummage in my travel packs and pull out my original brown Knowledge coat, pushing my arms through the sleeves as I head for the door.
“Alexis, what happened?” Cal eyes me carefully.
“Let’s pick up Holis and Mana.”
Cal frowns and walks into the main room and towards the twin’s door. I knock quietly and wait for both men to appear, the twins ready with their weapons strapped against their backs until they take a look at me.
“I’ll explain,” I turn to leave, “but let’s get outside first.”
The twins follow Cal and I through the common room, the four of us moving outside and into the cool morning. The men are tense and concerned, their moods reading off my own as they wait for me to explain.
“Events happened last night after dinner that gave me this cut,” I keep my eyes trained on the road as we leave the courtyard, “I’m okay and was not in harm’s way, but I cannot disclose exactly what those events were…”
All three men watch me in seriousness as I continue, “what I can disclose are my next steps in moving forward, steps that I hope the three of you will take with me.”
Cal nods immediately, as does Holis and Mana.
“We need to ride for Bardot as quickly as possible. I intend to speak with King Zander immediately upon my arrival. I wish for all three of you to be present during that meeting.”
“We will join you,” Holis replies steadily.
My nod is hard, “we are now in Disce lands and we know the route back home. While I intend to travel with the Princes to Gaumond, I do not want to spend excess time playing court in the capitol. We will spend tonight there and set out first thing tomorrow morning, taking the same route home that we took out.”
“We can do that,” Cal states quietly.
“Thank you,” I nod again, “once the conversation with the King is complete, I’d like to set out for Woodlands Court with haste…”
I stop in the middle of the road and look at the three men standing in front of me with a shake of my head. “I do not know how else to explain this except to do so plainly. Woodlands is not what we think it to be. They do not treat the humans there properly or with dignity. We will travel to their lands with the sole purpose of understanding the relations between the Discerni of that Court with its human population,and, if needed, help as many humans as we can in the process.”
All three of them look at me with bewilderment.
“When you say they do not treat humans properly…” Holis eyes me quietly.
“I cannot explain because I have not been there myself to confirm. What I do know is that the Court of Warriors and its leaders have assisted in the relocation of the humans from Woodlands to Knowledge and Warrior. It was brought to my attention at the beginning of this trip.”
“Relocation…” Mana muses.
“To get them out of Woodlands?” his brother asks.
“Yes. I plan on finding out why.”
The twins remain silent as Cal strokes his beard in thought.
“My travel to the Court is also sanctioned by the Ancient. Hirovale has requested that Iseewhat is going on for myself.”
