The startling image of a woman with fully white irises stepped out of the dark the next second. Honestly, I’d half expected her to be blonde, like her son, but raven black hair extended like a waterfall past her shoulders, all the way to her knees, partially covering the simple dress she wore. Her strands gleamed blue under the fire, making her pale skin seem even whiter.
She reminded me slightly of Willow, which meant her lineage was originally from these alps as well.
“I have been waiting for you for a long time,” the Truth Teller added, her white eyes settling on me.
“Thank you for receiving me,” I offered. “I’m in need of your help.”
“Indeed, you are, my king. Like your mother before you…”
For a moment, her words surprised me, until I remembered my mom mentioned visiting the Truth Teller when she was pregnant with me.
“I’m not the king yet,” I clarified, the statement bringing an amused smile out of her.
“You have been king since the moment you were born, Braxton. We do not choose our destiny. It chooses us.”
Extending a hand to the side, she took a step closer to the cavern wall, and the moment her fingers touched the surface, she began to walk towards the table. Once again, Kingston and I exchanged a glance, realizing the seer was blind.
With familiar steps she approached the table, feeling the coat that lay on it first. Her hands ran over the velvety fur of the hood, fingers tracing the snowflake design along the sleeves, and a new smile captured her lips. This one was filled with a different emotion.
“Thank you, my king.”
Oh, nooo. “It’s not from me, Truth Teller. It’s from Asher,” I confessed, seeing her turn to face me. “I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I was not aware I needed to bring you something.”
“I know… I do not require an offering from you. Nevertheless, it is because of you thathecame, and I trust you will extend my gratitude tohim. Will you not?”
“It will be my pleasure,” I offered.
“Good. Now, be a dear and help me carry the rest inside.” Hugging the coat to her chest with appreciation, she turned around, heading back into the hallway.
“I didn’t come alone,” I explained, unsure of whether or not she’d noticed Kingston there.
“He may enter too,” she called back, disappearing into the shadows.
Taking the box and other articles from the table, the chief and I made our way after her, coming out into a larger cavern that was not at all like I anticipated.
Remarkably, it was far warmer in there, making me want to remove my jacket—which explained why she only wore a simple dress. The space was primitive for sure but equipped with everything one might need. A bed of furs sat on the far wall with a table and a chair relatively close. It had a stone bowl on top, filled with fruit to the brim, a plate with a single set of cutlery, and a pitcher with a glass. Small and oval, a pond sat on the opposite side of the cavern, fresh water dripping onto it from the condensation of the rocks above it.
Next to it, a set of baskets rested before a raised-bed vegetable garden. Last, a trunk with clothes, I assumed, sat on the corner, an old pair of boots was next to it.
My searching gaze returned to the seer to see her remove the worn-out coat that had definitely seen better days from a hook on the wall, to hang Asher’s gift in its place. The timeworn, cracked leather coat fell to the floor, forgotten, though it still showed remnants of the loving details once imbued onto it.
“You may set those in their rightful place,” she instructed, so Kingston walked to the trunk to set the boots and gloves there.
Taking a peek inside the wooden box, I walked towards the raised bed, taking out the baby plants and setting them on the floor next to it to be planted. Asher had sent her more sprouts to grow. A few large cuts of meat and fish were also inside the box, which I plunged into the salt baskets. Fresh bottled milk, cheese, hard boiled eggs, and a loaf of fresh bread that I set on her table too.
At first, I thought we had made him wait for us, but he’d used the time wisely to gather things for his mom.
“Come to me, Dragon King.”
The seer’s voice made me turn. She was sitting on the bed, hands outstretched and waiting. “Sit before me.”
With a deep breath, I walked towards her, taking my place on the floor. Her hands fell on my face, fingers carefully tracing every inch, so I closed my eyes, allowing her to complete her assessment of me.
“You look just like Khayden…” she whispered, smiling when I opened my eyes again. The action illuminated her soft features beautifully. It was a genuine smile brought on by affection. “What a pleasant sight to see again.”
“Thank you,” I offered, taking the time to assess her too. She wasn’t an old lady at all, probably in her early forties, which suggested she’d had Asher when she was very young. “You knew my father personally,” I added, briefly remembering Asher’s version of his story.
She had been a slave at the same time he was, freed thanks to the Uprising.
