The calm use of my name in lieu of the word human begs me to move forward.
“True,” I stare back at her, “though I have no idea what to expect once I’m over there.”
I’ve been avoiding the hub all night.
“It’ll be whatever you want it to be,” she shrugs casually, “it can be everything you want or it can be nothing at all.”
I glance at the barrels and settees and to the full crowd surrounding them.
“If it helps,” she continues, “I’ll remain with you.”
I hold Alanna’s gaze hard, hoping that she keeps her word. She gives me a small nod in recognition and turns back to the barrels, smiling when I finally follow behind her.
The crowd surrounding the barrels is immense, with everyone either dancing, laughing or engaging in conversation with everyone else. Sure, there’s a lot of bodies grinding on others and hands that are hidden below waists, but the atmosphere is so lively that I find myself letting go of my previous hesitancy and enjoying the full of it.
Alanna and I stop at different intervals to chat with people she knows, many of them the same faces I recognize from last night. Two of those people I commit to memory, as their story is extremely interesting, a brother and sister Discerni duo who are immensely wealthy and regarded highly in the Court of Warriors. They own a large amount of black granite quarries in the Green Valley, their wealth new and only discovered in the past decade using their summoning.
The two tell me about the first time they found a quarry, about how the stone called out to them from deep beneath the earth. They decided to capitalize on that feeling and quickly found a group of twenty men to start digging into the ground, the other Discerni in the area calling them foolish as no others could feel the black stone like they could. It wasn’t until the Prince caught wind of their attempt that he sent Lord Daniel and a group of twenty men to move the rock that was hiding the granite beneath it.
Thus came the first quarry within the Green Valley, with three more following after that. All four fueled Gaumond’s economy with untapped resources while the brother and sister found their strength in manipulating the heavy stone. They tell me how they’ve now moved on to designing a few of the more modern structures here at Gaumond, shaping the black granite buildings within the city higher than ever before. I think, perhaps, they might be the creators of the Shadow Oak, but don’t get the chance to ask as Alanna excuses us and drags me to towards the barrels.
I let her lead me through the crowd and try to keep my gaze fixated on her and the drink ahead, most in part because I don’t want to be caught looking at the Prince. He’s sitting casually on the same settee as last night and laughing with a Discerni woman with long black hair, the two of them engaged in whatever they’re chatting about even though I can feel him glancing my way. His whole demeanor is seemingly relaxed, holding a glass of toddy and leaning into the cushions with an arm flanking the back. He laughs at something the woman says right as I avert my eyes and follow Alanna, the two of us walking past him to finally reach the barrels.
I take a deep breath when my back angles to the Prince and immediately feel his eyes raking down my skin. My full body flushes under that heated glance just as a smaller, more sound part of my mind quickly questions why I can feel it at all.
It’s uncanny.
“The first of Knowledge to grace our presence at the barrels,” the Prince announces from behind.
The crowd whoops and begins saluting their drinks at me, everyone grinning as I slowly turn around to greet Keane.
“I think this calls for a tilt,” he tells the raucous crowd.
Everyone cheers in agreement as he boldly leaves the woman behind and starts walking in my direction. His smile is sly, and I can tell that whatever thistiltis, he’s been waiting to spring it on me all night.
I quickly turn to Alanna in betrayal.
“We had to break you in eventually,” she laughs, shrugging her shoulder.
Ancients, I wish I could smack her right now.
My mind races to last night, vaguely remembering watching the people surrounding the barrels all chantingtiltinto the crowd. I think the drinking game requires a full mug of ale and has two people downing the drink to see who can finish first, which isn’t too bad, but still…
I look around for the comforting presence of Cal, frowning when I’m unable to find him. The Prince continues his strong walk in my direction that commands his court to circle around us. He grins and takes a freshly poured mug of ale that someone offers and hands it to me, his brown eyes alighting in mischief.
“Pick your opponent, Lady Alexis,” he smiles.
I know exactly who I want and don’t care if she hands me my ass for it.
“Alanna,” I reply without hesitation, turning to look into her cool grey eyes.
“I grew up in a tavern,human,” she scoffs, “are you sure you want to challenge me?”
“Oh yes,” I chuckle in admittance, “since the near moment I’ve met you.”
Alanna rolls her eyes but gives me a genuine smile at the honesty, letting someone hand her a full mug before she moves to my front. Keane stands between the two of us with his eyes darting back and forth in heavy approval, the sound of clanging cinerin passing around as the crowd continues to watch.
“Throw your mug on the floor when you’re done with the ale,” he announces, more for my benefit than Alanna’s. The cool Discerni just glances at me with a smirk on her face, almost as if she feels bad.
