Keane’s sudden chuckle pushes against my skin.
Fuck me, has he been looking into our conversation this whole time?
I push back against him, willing him to leave.
Desmond nods at my words and stands before the door.
“Will you tell us,” he asks, fingers on the handle, “tellmeif you see their hair move again tonight? Lord Daniel said he saw nothing of the sort, but I know better now than to dismiss you.”
“I will,” I nod, wanting to confirm for myself again.
“Then I’ll see you tonight,” Desmond pulls open the door.
“Will you also be ignoring me?” I laugh at his back.
“No, Alexis, but…”
He turns to me in thought, pausing for the briefest of moments.
“It would be best if you tried to blend in tonight. No out of the ordinary attire, no Storm, no Golem. We plan on hiding you from the Leviathans as any other Knowledge member of the Court.”
“I say this respectfully, Prince Desmond,” I stand tall, eyeing the dark Discerni, “but fuck that.”
Desmond gives a knowing smile before heading out, unaware of Keane’s deep laughter that fills every inch of my bones.
The dress is beautiful. It’s no creation from Gail, but it’s still beautiful. The shades of green compliment my tanned skin well, and the deep cut that was added down the middle accentuates my breasts and a thin portion of my toned stomach. The slit at my right hip is nothing as aggressive as Gail’s cuts, but it’s still high, nonetheless.
I chuckle at the thought of this dress being scandalous for Knowledge Court, knowing that if I arrived wearing this in Warrior, the women would all scoff at my modesty. There’s just no middle ground between the two, but I stand tall in front of my armoire mirror and will myself to be that bridge.
I fan out my hair in front of me and decide to rework it into a loose braid behind my back, pulling a few pieces forward and letting them rest softly in front of my face. The small gash from my fall at the mills is now fully healed, but a thin white scar is still prevalent and juts just below my eye to the top of my cheek.
“I’ll ask for raw meat to be sent to the room for Storm,” I turn to Golem, “do you mind letting in whoever Chef sends?”
Golem nods and shuffles me towards the door.
“Are you pushing me out of my own room?” I laugh.
He flicks his clay hands at my back, urging me to get going.
Alanna greets me confidently at her door, wearing the same black dress she wore in Pyre. That dress is blacker than coal and shows off a gooddeal of her upper body, certainly achieving her desire to stand out tonight. I grin at the sight and walk happily down the hall, proud to introduce her at my side tonight.
Cal, Holis, Mana, Sera, Barnes and the three human soldiers that traveled with us into Pyre are all standing under the Great Oak when we arrive. They’re standing on the outskirts of the roots in a small a circle, and with the exception of our Knowledge crew, everyone from Warrior is wearing full black.
I smile at the three human soldiers in greeting, “Sam, Bryson, Nathaniel. Welcome to Knowledge.”
“Thank you, Lady,” Nathaniel, the leader of the small group, offers a slight bow.
“We have been to Pyre and back, Nathaniel.Please, call me Alexis.”
He gives a small grin and nods his head, “Lady Alexis.”
I laugh and greet everyone else, the full of our group walking around the Great Oak to the back of the castle. Voices carry down the hall as we get near, the crowd in the room sounding much louder than I have heard in some time.
I glance at Cal walking beside me with another smile, taking in his rich green satin shirt that hugs his large muscles at every pull of his body. He looks smart and ready, and even has a few gold hoops in his ears tonight, the jewelry shining through his auburn hair that’s pulled behind him in a knot at his neck. He looks over me in question and lifts his brows, his steps slowing as I decide on an answer.
This is our court tonight, our presentation, and his glance is asking if he should announce our group or me. I take a step forward with a small nod, smiling at the sparkle that flashes behind his soft brown eyes when I do.
King Zander is already seated in the middle of the room when we walk in, his family gracing both his left and right sides. His brown and black hair is peppered with white at the temples, the color matching the roses in front of him in an elegant manner as a gold crown of oak limbs twists strongly on top of his head. He smiles handsomely at his wife who sits at his left, the Queen smiling in return and enjoying all three of her son’s presence at their table tonight. Seated next to her is Troy, his blonde hair matching that of his mother’s, the youngest Prince engaging in a lively conversation with someone I can only assume is Isham next to him,the Peacemaker.
