I stop in my tracks.
Mana and Sera?
The woman whose café I frequented ateverytravel to the Palisades.
Mana turns in my direction, noticing that I’m standing at the top of the stairs while Alanna walks onto the veranda. Sera looks at him in question, then at me, and whispers something in his ear before standing up and planting an affectionate kiss on his temple.
I remain still as she walks my way.
“Alexis,” she nods, remembering my name.
Or perhaps she’s always known it, I have no idea now. My thoughts are scattered in every different direction.
“My husband has been telling me stories of your recent travels,” her eyes dart to Storm sleeping on my shoulder.
Husband?
“What an adventure you’ve all had!”
I look back at the beautiful Discerni woman in open confusion. Until this morning, the longest conversation I’ve ever had with her was the day before I left for Pyre, but now she’s chatting so openly that I don’t know how to react.
Sera’s eyes turn kind as she takes a step forward, her friendly smile understanding. “You found this café on your own, Alexis. A pull within you. Apologies for not mentioning anything sooner, but we were not going to ruin that.”
Her words tug deeply at my heart. I glance over her shoulder and look at Mana, the quiet twin nodding at me from afar in agreement. Everyone else at the table is watching us quietly, and I realize with a frown that I’m being impolite, shocked into my emotions and unmoving.
“This is Golem,” I offer in awkward greeting, averting my eyes back to Sera and pointing next to me. Sera gives Golem a deep bow as her long hair moves in front of her shoulders. “An honor.”
“And Stormfall,” I bring my hand up to his beak, stroking it in his sleep.
She looks at the Bird of Ash in wonder, nodding softly, “I should like to meet him when he is awake. Perhaps tonight,” her eyes sparkle.
“You will be at court?” I ask in surprise.
“Yes,” she smiles, “the invitation was extended to us all.”
“Tonight then,” I smile back at her.
Sera runs a hand over her glittering gold apron, “I’ve got some coffee settling. Let me bring it out for you all.”
“Thank you.”
Golem and I quietly make our way over to the table on the veranda and watch Mana stand in greeting.
“But you don’t wear a ring, Mana,” I say curiously.
His blue-green eyes crinkle in warmth as his hand reaches under his shirt. He pulls out a gold chain that has a gold ring attached to the bottom, the full of it simple in its beauty.
“And you, Holis?” I look at his brother.
“No suitor and living in the Palisades, Alexis,” he replies with a small smile.
“Why have we never done this before?” I ask quietly.
“The timing was never right,” Mana replies.
“Though we’re glad it is now,” Holis adds.
I look at Cal, “and you, Cal? Whereabouts in the Palisades are you?”
