Keane eyes the Ancient carefully, brown eyes giving nothing away.
“Forgive me,King,” Hiro bows his head in solemn honesty, “this is all I can give you. You father’s death has not been by my design, nor has it ever been my wish. I hope you understand that.”
“I do,” Keane replies quietly, bowing to the Ancient.
“Heysan will be at your coronation,” Hirovale tells him quietly, “the first of the Ancients to make an open Old World appearance. Ensure that all of the Kingdoms are present…”
Keane nods in quiet acceptance as Hirovale’s golden gaze flicks to me.
“Make your intentions of her quick, following that coronation,” he looks back at the Prince, “there are people who wish to do her harm. To use her. Your status and claim will provide the added protection she will need.”
“This was always my intention.”
“I know it,” Hiro gives Keane a small smile, “but I need to remind you of the urgency.”
Keane bows to the Ancient again, the tension in his shoulders leaving on an exhale. The air around us begins to mellow as Hirovale takes a step back, pulling the thickness down to let us see the Bell Grove around us. I look at the two men standing before me and frown in confliction.
How has Keane forgiven Hiro so easily? The two of them are already back on good terms.
You told me not to lose him, Lady.
I scowl at the Ancient and watch him walk back towards the tree from which he came. The thick air flows around his legs in his silent departure, and in that moment I’m hit with the sudden urge to take it away. I hate how he always hides behind it.
My hand reaches out of its own accord, angling for the white mass surrounding him as I envision it being tossed to the side. I watch in astonishment as the mist darts away from his boots at my simple command, the forest grove opening up clearly and allowing Keane and I to see him in his exit. Hirovale looks over his shoulder to the ground below him, his head shaking with a sly smile before he disappears behind the tree.
“Alexis…”
Keane says my name softly, catching my gaze with his intense brown eyes before he looks back to where Hirovale previously stood.
“Forget it,” I wave my hand, “forget it, Keane. I don’t know what that was.”
Keane presses his full body into mine, “did that come easy to you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Moving the mist,” he breathes, watching me carefully now, “removing it from the Ancient. Did it come easy to you?”
I consider his question with a frown.
“I had the desire in my mind and I acted on it.”
Keane nods and reaches up to grip the backs of my elbows. “And did that come easy to you? To manifest that want and see it happen?”
“I guess,” I shrug.
Keane takes a sharp inhale of breath.
“I only wanted to take away his protection, Keane. To take away his guard that he always hide behind,” I glance over to the tree with a small nod, “I guess it came easy, yes. It was a sudden urge, and the mist did what I asked of it in that moment. It followed my desire.”
“Ancients, Alexis,” Keane’s hands on my elbows draw me closer, “that’s summoning.”
“No,” I shake my head, “that’s not possible…”
Keane runs his hands up my arms in comfort, the look he gives me slightly condescending, as if he’s chastisingmenow for hiding, for hiding from the truth.
“It’s not possible,” I repeat.
“I’m beginning to rethink a lot of what is and isn’t possible when it comes to you.”
