“If you choose to share with me, Lady Alexis, then I will consider it a testament to the friendship we have built over the past month.”
“Alexis, please,” I chastise with a smile, “and it is a testament, Lord Daniel, because I feel the same sentiment.”
The Discerni Lord openly grins and nods behind his ale, “then I would be honored to share the conversation, Alexis.”
My eyes crinkle at his use of my given name, still spoken with the same politeness that always inhibits his actions. I slowly angle myself towards the crowd and focus my sights on the Leviathan Prince with a sigh.
“I found Stormfall on my travel to Pyre, as you know. He was born from ash that fell into my hands after discovering a magical book in the library at Red Falls…”
Lord Daniel watches me with surprised and perceptive eyes. He brings a hand up to his beard in thought but remains quiet, letting me continue.
“I’ve been traveling over the last two years at the request of King Zander. He’s allowed me to grace the mystical libraries of Disce due to an agreement formed by him and the other leaders of the Four Kingdoms. The agreement dictated that an exception to the Old World rule would be made for a single human to enter the Kingdoms’ libraries.”
“You’ve been visiting our magical libraries for the last two years?” he asks, gaze filled in both disbelief and awe.
“I have,” I nod softly, “I have been searching for a book on behalf of the King.”
“Ancients, Alexis,” he exhales, “you’re the first of your kind to do so in-”
“-Thousands of years,” I smile.
He chuckles, shaking his head in wonder, “no mushrooms for you and your men then?”
“No,” I laugh, “though we did come close on one of our travels.”
Daniel’s eyes sparkle as he takes a hefty drink, “so you found your book in Pyre… and Stormfall?”
“Yes. And what I learned from that recent travel is that Stormfall is the Ancient Hirovale’s Bird of Ash, his right hand. He’s been gifted to me by the Ancient.”
“I suspected after last night’s conversation,” he nods, turning a curious glance to Storm, “but why would the Ancient reach out?”
I eye Daniel quietly, “because the magical book I was sent to find on behalf of the King was more than just a book. It held a prophecy within its pages about the Old World, a prophecy that promotes the restoration of magic toallbeings, and I suspect that the Ancient Hirovale is its main author.”
Lord Daniel’s gaze darts back and forth across my face in bewilderment, “surely you don’t mean…”
“Humans,” I nod with a conflicted smile, “he wishes to restore magic to humans.”
“Ancients,” he grimaces, “and you’re okay with this?”
I blanche at his question, at the way his simple words take me by surprise. Is Lord Daniel the first Discerni to be of the same opinion as me?
“I’m battling,” I admit, taking a sip of ale, “I don’t enjoy knowing that the Ancient feels humans need the magic. He’s told me that he wa-”
“-You’ve met him?” Lord Daniel takes a step forward in shock, “the Ancient does not sleep?”
“I have met him,” I nod, thinking of the amused golden eyes and youthful features that rest behind a man who once walked the Old World, “he is very much awake. But he’s different from what the history books describe. He’s not someone or something that I would actively seek out.”
“Any interaction with an Ancient is something to be wary of, Alexis,” Daniel nods, “and as Hirovale is the strongest of the Ancient Ten. The things he can do…”
I open my mouth to tell him that it’s not fear that consumes me in Hiro’s presence. Perhaps in our first meeting it did, but not since.
No. The thing that trouble’s me the most is how much his presence doesn’t actually scare me when I know it should.
“We’ve spoken a few times since he’s been awake. He confirmed that Stormfall was gifted on his behalf as a protector of sorts.”
“We’ve seen that in the Plains,” Daniel muses.
“Yes.”
