“A toast, then,” Cal cuts through the silence.
He brings his whiskey into the air and beams at us all, “to friends. And hopefully to many more nights of drinking and good company at Sera’s Café. Let’s finish this round.”
Stormfall caws at Cal’s toast and extends his wings to the table, prompting us all to laugh and smile. We lift our whiskeys into the air and finish the drinks in full, pounding the glasses on the table in front of us.
“So who do we have coming in?” Cal looks at the Prince as the table turns back to its relaxed and friendly tone, “the Castle was packed two days ago when I was there. Amazing to think it can hold any more people.”
Keane leans back into his chair and tilts his head to my big friend, giving him a smile. “We’re still awaiting the Prince and Princess from Pyre and the King of Aireal. I believe his son will join him and their traveling delegation. Another small group from Warrior is expected to arrive soon as well.”
My heart jumps at the mention of Clair visiting. I wonder if she’ll have time for me to show her around, hopefully take her up to the Palisades.
“A full house then,” Cal grins, no doubt excited for the celebration that will occur after the coronation.
“Averyfull house,” Keane replies with his own grin, running his hand down my thigh to my knee, “along with many members from each Court. We’ll have the barrels of Gaumond set up after dinner, which is the only request I’ve made that has been allowed by my mother.”
The full of the table grins at the comment. Apparently the Queen has been keeping a tight eye on all of the details for the event, so Keane’s lucky he even got that concession.
“It will be good to see the Prince and Princess of Pyre again,” Holis smiles as he looks down at Storm, “though I could do without their snow tigers.”
I glance at Keane in curiosity, then to Desmond. Do they know if the royals will bring them?
Desmond nods to the Discerni twin, “same, but we shall see.”
“And after the coronation?” Mana asks quietly from his seat, “is the plan still to travel to Woodlands?”
He asks his question casually, but the group grows silent as everyone peers over at the Prince for an answer. It makes sense for Mana to inquire, as he has his wife and life here in the Palisades that he needs to consider. With the exception of him, and possibly Cal, the rest of us can nearly take off at a whim.
“Yes,” Keane replies with a nod and looks over to his brother, “Desmond is already preparing the travel.”
“We’ll ride to Alston, first,” the Master Informer looks over to Mana, “at the split in the Road of Gold. Then we’ll continue north and visit Dankworth and Fensby. I have no desire to visit La Cour or Airea, but if that is something you all want, then we can add the capitol to the trip.”
Desmond is greeted with a set of nods around the table, with no one raising any objections.
“I should like to add Etter to that travel,” I glance at him.
“Etter is a small village town,” he narrows his eyes on me curiously, “hardly worth a day’s stop.”
“Then it should be an easy add,” I nod, hiding the fact that my insides are churning.
Iwillsee the village I grew up in.
Alanna shifts in her seat next to Desmond just as he tips his whiskey in my direction. “I’ll see what we can do.”
I smile in thanks and will the anxiety of my request out of my body, taking a heavy drink of ale to calm my nerves as Keane squeezes my leg.
“Will you become the Leading Lord of Knowledge then, Prince Keane?” Sera asks from down the table.
“I will not…” Keane shakes his head. “we are already in the process of requisitioning for another.”
“Has the Leading Lord always been a Lord?” I turn to the Prince in question.
Keane moves his hand up my thigh, looking back at me in curious reply, “I suppose. Why do you ask?”
I shake my head in admittance, not knowing where my next comment will land or if it will even be taken seriously.
“I only wonder,” I flick my gaze to Desmond, noting him looking at me in his own quiet curiosity as well, “if the next leader of the Court of Knowledge has to be a man…”
Desmond narrows his eyes from across the table, though I can’t tell if he’s following my trail of thought. I glance to Alanna at his side and see a small grin forming behind her lips.She follows.
