I sigh to the men, “he said something to me on that first night we met. Something that has been irking me for far too long…”
“He told me that he wished to restore magic to the Old World in itsproperform,” I turn back to Keane, “as if being human is not proper, or right.”
I hold the Prince’s gaze with a finality in my tone. “That sentiment is and will never be one that I condone, nor will I ever aid.”
“We do not know of the Ancient’s full plan, yet,” Keane replies, asking me again to hear Hirovale out, “we are taking snippets of conversations from an Ancient who alludes to less than what he actually knows.”
Stormfall caws at the Prince’s comment, his yellow eyes looking up at me in agreement.
Come then, I tell the Ancient directly,come and explain yourself fully.
But Storm’s eyes remain their bright yellow, giving no indication that the Ancient is listening. I scoff at the Bird of Ash and roll my own eyes in acceptance, knowing that he won’t come because he knows the words I speak are true.
NO.
Hirovale’s voice booms in my mind, the sound so strong that it rattles my bones.
They are not true.
“Liar,” I whisper in anger.
Stormfall extends his wings in defiance, holding my gaze with his.
“You will not receive my compliance.”
Holis shifts in his seat with a shake of his head, watching both me and Storm. “I don’t think the Ancient expects compliance from you, Alexis,rather, a growth of your being into the champion that needs to be.”
My gaze juts quickly to the Discerni twin across the table.
“Because I don’t think this all stops with you,” he continues, “we’ve been made aware of Woodlands and have now been given information on the Leviathans, information that leads us to believe they have resumed their summoning ritual using the human young. Humans are being mistreated throughout the Old World, and I do not believe for one moment that you are okay with that. You are a big piece of a larger story, Alexis, one that I believe is set to rectify those mistreatments. You may not like his plan, but a plan will take place whether we want it to or not.”
I frown and lean back in my chair, thoroughly exhausted. I’m exhausted at all the information, exhausted at my emotions and the constant back and forth of anger and shock, then more anger and curiosity. It’s all a fucking mess that makes me yearn for the easier days, to the days when I had no bother in thedamnAncient Old World.
Could I try to go back to that? Where my only problems came with debating who I’d dance with at court? Could I ignore everything I’ve seen and heard over the past fortnight and resume my life here in Bardot?
No.
I knew that answer the moment I went searching at the Great Oak, when I climbed its massive trunk seeking out another adventure only to find it too easy, toogivingin its response to me. The Shadow Oak would never let me dare such a feat without taunting me in amusement and challenging me. Nor would the man who created it.
My gaze lifts back up to Keane, to his dark silhouette now sitting tense in his chair across the table. His brown eyes meet mine with a strong fire lit behind them, those flames igniting my own fire as I debate what to do next.
“Why would Aireal be interested in Lady Alexis?” Desmond asks his father, quietly changing the subject.
Keane holds my gaze, never once taking his eyes off mine as I let his fire consume me, engulf me. My heart begins pounding again, not with anger but with something deep coming to life. It’s a flaming call to do more,be more, in whatever decision I choose. Even if that means going against Hirovale’s plan and prophecy so that humans can remain as they are.
“I can only suspect they either have an interest in keeping the status quo,” the King replies to his son, “or an interest in breaking it. But my conversations with King Voland over the past years have led me to believe the former. I do not believe he is ready to involve Aireal in the mystics.”
Keane swiftly breaks my gaze to turn to his father, “if the Kingdom of Aireal wished to preserve the current Old World as is, then they would see Lady Alexis as a threat to that. If we give them a copy of the text, will they not come to the same conclusion she has? They will look to her as threat to their humanity.”
Ancients.
Me? A threat to a Kingdom?
I shift uncomfortably, as does Holis and Cal.
Would Aireal attempt to harm me if they thought I would indeed disrupt the non-magic of their lands? Would they see me as the bringer of an end to their people? People that have thrived, as I have, in their humanity?
“It is a possibility,” the King replies quietly.
