“Not a chance to the Ancients, Lady Alexis,” Nathaniel shakes his head.
“Holis,” I turn to my friend in green, arching a brow at the sight of his tunic. It’s emerald, nearly the same color as my dress, the two of us so near to wearing the same shade of the dark green of Warrior.
“Will you walk with me?” I ask him softly.
Holis gives a quiet nod and moves to my side, letting me lead him and the group past the Great Oak and towards the loud conversations already taking place within the room used for court.
“I hope… truly…” I start with a small frown, unable to find the right words.
“Don’t, Alexis,” he shakes his head with a smile, his blue-green eyes sparkling back in affection, “you are the Ancient’s chosen, and he has his reasons for what he is asking of you. But always remember thatwechose you. We have from the beginning.”
“Thank you,” I whisper quietly.
His words mean more to me than he’ll ever know.
Holis pushes his shoulder playfully into mine before he slows his walk at the entry doors. We both glance inside to see the court already filled and buzzing with chatter, the two of us smiling at eachother before we lead the way inside.
To say that the chatter of the room stopped immediately the moment we entered would be an understatement. The full of the court is now set in a silent commotion, with every single table that we walk by stopping their conversations and turning to watch our group. Their eyes take in the black and the dark green of Holis and I, then narrow on the brown of Golem’s robes as he moves silently at my side. They then turn to look at Stormfall and gasp when the Bird of Ash spreads his wings, many of those people openly pointing at the sight and the power Storm exudes. Almost all of the older Discerni men around Zander’s age are looking at Golem with scowls. They then turn to look at the King for his reaction and scowl even more, their narrowed eyes wondering why he still retains his welcoming smile.
I try to keep my eyes level on Zander as we walk forward but there’s no stopping my gaze as it takes in the table up front. Both the Queen and Troy are looking back at me with visibly upset features, though the Queen is the first to school her face when King Zander stands up from his chair with another smile. I let my gaze move to Prince Isham on Troy’s left, noting that he has eyes trained on me and only me. He has a small, dark smile gracing his lips that tells me the wheels in his mind are moving, though whatever he’s thinking doesn’t look friendly at all. I narrow my eyes on the Leviathan Prince and feel Stormfall do the same, returning his dark smile with a nod of my head that makes the Prince’s grin only grow wider.
“Lady Alexis,” King Zander replies when we stop at his table, “we thank you again for hosting our friends from Warrior.”
“The pleasure is mine, Your Grace,” I nod and stand from my curtsy. If Zander is surprised at all by my entry with Golem he does not let it show. Instead he keeps his smile broad as his eyes flick to Stormfall.
“And you come tonight with another new friend?”
“I do, Your Grace,” I reply loudly for all the room to hear, “found him in my recent travels to the Kingdom of Pyre.”
I turn to Stormfall and reach a hand up to stroke his proud chest. “Would you like to say hello to him, Your Grace?”
“I would,” the King nods, voice also carrying over the quiet court.
I look at the Bird of Ash with a side grin, shrugging just slightly. Stormfall grips my shoulder and then pushes off in flight, his black mass soaring between our group to the table with ease. Zander lifts his arm into the air just as Storm lands on his wrist, the Bird of Ash stretching his long black wings to the court and making himself known again.
The collective room stares at the King in awe, murmuring in both excitement and fear. Stormfall’s wings arch widely past the King’s shoulders and land right where Keane stands, his amused eyes catching mine for a brief moment before I look back at the King.
“And what have you named him, Lady Alexis?”
“Stormfall, Your Grace,” I share proudly as Storm allows the King to stroke his chest, “and I should like to thank you, also, for the aid of our friend Golem in my travels as well.”
The Queen shifts besides her husband, her icy blue gaze meeting mine before traveling back to Golem beside me.
“That pleasure is mine, Lady Alexis,” he grins.
A few people in the room gasp from behind, understanding the King’s admittance that Golem was freely gifted to me. I feel our friend shift at my side and give the King a small bow in return, reaching out to Stormfall silently.
Let’s come back now,Storm.
The Bird of Ash turns his head to the side and lets his gaze land directly on Prince Isham. He watches him quietly, cawing when the Prince grimaces and moves a hand to his hair, then stretches his wings again before soaring back to my shoulder.
“We have yet to hear of the stories from your travels, Lady Alexis,” the King looks around the full of the court, “but I have no doubt you will be the center of attention for them tonight.”
“You are too kind, Your Grace,” I curtsy again, accepting our dismissal. I follow Holis as he leads our group to the same table as last night, every head in the room trained on us as their quiet glances promise a night full of gossip.
“A full display,” Holis leans into me, shaking his head with a grin.
“One worthy of your Ancient’s Bird of Ash,” I nod as he pulls out a chair.
