Senturi stands and turns. Recognition flashes instantly across Jasper’s face. He’s quicker to see the resemblance between himself and his grandfather than I was.
I say, “I believe you have much to talk about.”
Beside Jasper, Elyria is in a state of awe, her mouth dropped open and her eyes wide. “Jasper, you are descended from Sighted Ones!” Happy tears leak down her cheeks before she can stop them and my ladies crowd toward her, asking if she’s okay. She accepts their hugs and their concern, smiling and crying at the same time. “This has been a very emotional day.”
Jasper rises to his feet, eyeing the older gargoyle’s spiked wings and the chain of talons he wears around his neck. The two males stand head to head, their facial structure and the color of their eyes so similar despite the very different color of their skin and the fact that Jasper doesn’t have wings.
Senturi begins, “Greetings Jasper, son of Grace. I am Senturi of the Outlier Clan.”
At that moment, Adalie runs over and tugs on Senturi’s hand. “Is this my uncle, Papa?”
Jasper startles, studying her and the way she uses her power unwittingly when she looks up at him. She breaks into a sweet smile.
Senturi grins from her to Jasper. “And this little one is—”
“Adalie,” Jasper says for him. “I somehow know… that her name is Adalie.”
Adalie beams at him.
Senturi says, “She has wanted to meet you for a very long time. As I have.”
Jasper gives his grandfather a sincere nod and gestures to the seat nearest to Elyria. “Please, we should talk.”
Everyone gives them space to get to know each other and I spend the rest of the evening mingling with my friends and ladies until eventually, they all start heading to bed.
Before I leave, the old Priestess draws Baelen aside, beckoning him to lean down so she can whisper something into his ear. He gives her a curious glance and then a formal nod. He promptly spins on his heel and leaves the room.
He is already gone before I can ask what’s going on. “Baelen—?”
The Priestess hurries over to me. “Please don’t worry, Supreme Incorruptible. The Wrathful One has something he needs to take care of, but you do not need to be concerned.”
The last time Baelen tried to take care of everything, he almost pushed me away. I’m reluctant to agree, but it doesn’t look like I have much choice. “Oh. Okay.”
She waves to someone at the side of the room and the Head Cook approaches me with a bowl full of berries that makes my mouth water despite the big meal I just ate. “We have prepared a special dessert for you, Supreme Incorruptible, in honor of… uh… your return to us.”
As I take the bowl, he quickly adds, “And before you ask: yes, the kitchen staff all enjoyed a hearty meal earlier this evening.”
I smile. He knew exactly what I was going to say. It’s been a long time since I enjoyed dessert. Even Grayson didn’t eat sweets. As I take the first mouthful, I’m suddenly aware of Elyria’s gaze, her mouth pursed into a wondering “oh” before she quickly returns her attention to Jasper and Senturi. They are the last to leave before I finish eating and stretch my legs, handing the bowl back to the Head Cook with my thanks.
“It is our honor, Supreme Incorruptible, to serve you on this night.”
The old Priestess walks with me to my room. Before we reach it, I admit to her, “I don’t know your name.”
She seems surprised. “I am Dorothea of the Prime Clan.”
“The same clan as Badenoch,” I exclaim and then point to my headpiece. “The Prime Heartstone.”
“The most passionate heartstone.” She shows her dimples as she smiles and her rainbow-colored wings glisten.
We enter the corridor to my room and I head toward the end, but she stops me before I reach it, her bony old arms snaking around me in a sudden hug.
I return it, surprised. “Hmm?”
She grips both my arms and turns me to the right—toward a closed door that is closer than mine. She gestures, palm out toward it as if she wants me to go in.
I raise my eyebrows at her. “That’s Baelen’s room.”
“Yes,” she says simply. “It is.”
