“Rivian will do the same?” I ask.
“Rivian will do the same,” he nods and then turns to Keane seriously, “my sister will provide the Leviathans with untapped magic. Summoning power that is not meant to be wielded by anyone but the Ancients. She has her own creature, something so strong and powerful that looking into its eyes will turn you to stone. That creature is next on their list of awakening. It sleeps deep in the ocean beyond their borders…”
“What of the Ancient Malachi?” Keane asks Hirovale steadily, “it is his job to make sure the powers of the Ancients are not exceeded nor perversed.”
“It is,” Hirovale replies quietly, bringing his drink up to his lips again, “but waking my brother, as well my other brother, Tomo, will be a gamble. I do not know yet which direction they will sway.”
“I can’t envision anyone, Ancient or not, being okay with the open sacrificing of lives,” I say quietly.
“You’d be surprised…” Hiro grimaces.
Keane leans back against the wall in his own thoughts, his arms still crossed in front of his chest and watching the Ancient. I sit up in my seat,turning to Hirovale in question as my knee brushes against his, forgetting how close we are.
The Ancient’s eyes dart quickly to our legs.
“You said Heysan is awake,” I note, “that he will be making an appearance. Who else are you working on or have you awoken?”
Hirovale’s gaze still rests on my knee as he gives a small smile, “Sianoa is stirring with the help of your sister Elena,” he flicks his eyes to Keane, “she will be awake soon. Nolan will be next.”
Lesser Ancients, though still formidable in their own right.
“Yes, Lady,” Hirovale replies with a side smile, emphasizing the word as he always does.
“They will help? Against Rivian?” I ask, knowing that any extra help from an Ancient will be good to have.
Wait…
Hirovale grins from his seat and stands up quickly, walking his empty glass to the mantle above the fireplace. Keane straightens at his side and gives the Ancient a small bow just as Hirovale nods his head in return. The thick air of his summoning slides in from the balcony a moment later, announcing his departure.
No.You don’t just get to leave again so quickly.
Hirovale ignores me and starts striding away.
“Wait,” I stand up swiftly, brows furrowing on the back of his head.
The Ancient turns to me with a knowing grin, his black hair framing his amused features as he continues to walk away.
“Wait, Hirovale!” I chase after him, “the way you say the word…”
I stare at the back of the Ancient accusingly, following him quickly through the room.
“You’ve known about me too, haven’t you?”
Hirovale turns around abruptly before he reaches the balcony. I run straight into his back, stumbling in my steps as my heart begins to shove against my chest. His golden eyes look down at mine in amusement as he bows his head slightly, a small smirk appearing at the tilt of his lips.
“You were never aLady, Alex. Always a Queen.”
CHAPTER XXII
A TASTE OF WOODLANDS
I woke the next morning just before dawn with Keane still sleeping at my side. The two of us fell into bed promptly after the Ancient departed, quickly realizing just how exhausted we were.
I had wanted to sleep in and visit Gail when her shop opened, curious to see how business was going and if she could add me to the never-ending list of clients she was bound to have. I also wanted to ask if she had the time to create something new, something special I could wear to Keane’s coronation that was now less than a fortnight away.
Keane smiled from behind my hair last night when I asked to visit her, pulling me close to his body under the sheets and promising that he would make the request personally. We wouldn’t have time to sleep in and stick around in Gaumond, and instead needed to head out early so that we could get back to everything waiting for us in Bardot.
Per usual, my body and limbs were thrown over Keane’s when I woke, his own hand resting gently over my arm and holding it to his chest. I casually lift that arm off his body now, careful not to wake him, and move my leg farther across his own as I push myself over him and to the edge of the bed.
