“What did they ask of me?”
Zander sighs heavily, his eyes turning to hold mine and asking for forgiveness again, “they’ve dictated, Alexis, that the human who traveled the Old World libraries not be allowed to practice magic, in any shape or form.”
I exhale at his words, the breath leaving my body and taking all of my anxiety with it.
That’s not bad at all.
I can live with that fourth term. Had planned on living with it already.
“They knew,” Keane scoffs, gripping his glass in anger.
“Yes,” King Zander frowns at the smile on my lips.
“And you’re bound to this term?” Keane continues coldly.
“Yes,” Zander nods, “I claimed all of Lady Alexis’ actions during and after her travels. The term is bound by the magic of the Old World.”
“It’s okay,” I tell Keane, feeling Stormfall’s talons grip my shoulder hard, “as Cal mentioned earlier, the desire is not there.”
“Alexis,” he replies in quiet warning.
I glance up to my Prince with the same smile I gave his father.
It truly is okay.
Whatever the Leviathans thought I’d do once I acquired Hirovale’s Bird of Ash would be put to rest. I have no desire to practice magic, and if that means giving up the oak wood and pen and giving up the small push of summoning to have Keane find me, then I can live with that wholeheartedly.
“The use and practice of magic could extend your human life, Alex,” King Zander responds softly. Too softly.
Again, I shrug to myself,that desire has never been there.
It would not be natural, nor would it be the way of things.
Unless…
I slowly glance to Keane across from me, my heart beating at an unsteady rhythm. His brown eyes find and hold mine in open question, his features searching for an answer that I cannot give.
Unless I wanted a longer life with Keane.
Ancients.It’s too soon to be thinking of that.
It’s not, my heart calls out to me,you’ve known what you’ve wanted from him since the Shadow Oak. Since Pyre. You’ve heard the things he’ssaid to you, the little hints he’s dropped when he’s with you. He wants you. He wants you with him,fully.
Ancients.
Fucking Ancients.
“I see things,” I tell the King quietly, breaking away from Keane’s intense gaze, “feelthings. I can see the fire under the skin of the Pyrenese and the snakes hidden in the hair of the Leviathans. I can feel summoning when it is used on me…”
Keane’s heated gaze continues to scorch me from across the table.
“You’ve been referenced as the Human Reborn, yes, Alex?” Zander nods.
“Yes,” I reply.
“Then I believe what you are experiencing is only a fraction of what the Ancient intends for all humans in his plan to restore. Either that, or you are experiencing things as he can. You are the first, his trial. I have yet to hear of any other human in Disce experiencing the same. And so long as you are not actively practicing magic,summoning,” he continues, glancing over to his son, “then the term is held.”
CHAPTER XIX
