LOI HURRIED ALONG THE CORRIDOR toward the Council Chambers. Outside the door Leseach stood patiently, her ardwyr alongside with Audrey standing shoulder to shoulder with it. The dog had decided the ardwyr was its newest best friend. The ardwyr put up with Audi's enthusiasm but couldn't be convinced to not try eating the jybois', so the tiny crimson animals stayed with Vesbel.Watching her approach Leseach inclined her head at Loi. She wore a new outfit, a design that suited both Elena and her. Fabric from the most north of Elion, the lands under the protection of House Tor'del, had been used to create a high collared, open backed vest. With her naturally higher body temperature and thick skin Leseach couldn't tolerate being too covered up, but her position as personal bodyguard to Cat, and her unique status of gifted Northerner meant her clothing had to show her status. From the front the vest looked like a heavily embroidered wide scarf, draped around her neck and over each breast, t
SIAN EXCHANGED A GLANCE WITH Kassie as Loi detailed her time with her mother and siblings. Cat listened with a slight turn to her head, smiling as Loi laughed delightedly about her little sister and a ride they'd taken together, though she'd plainly heard the story before. When Loi finished, with both her and Kassie chiming in appropriately, Sian turned to Cat.'What's with this outfit? I haven't seen this before?'A tired but pleased smile spread across Cat's face and she nodded at Loi.'Loi's mum inspired the first idea, then I worked with Elena and Ada to make sure it was fitting and unique enough that no one else could claim favour.'The notion bemused Sian. 'Is that such an issue?''Apparently.''Well you did a good job. I love it.' The wide necked tunic had fitted sleeves and fit Cat snugly about the torso to just above true waist where it gently moved out to skim over her hips. It came down to mid-calf, split from the waist down and revealed slim almost tight, fitting pant
IT TOOK KASSIE A MOMENT to realize she stood in the ballroom that connected to the throne room. The walls dividing the two rooms had been opened up to create what normally felt like a massive space.Not that it feels small now, she thought while slowly turning on the spot; just wholly foreign.Vesbel, Kassie presumed, had designed the room to feel like you moved through various outdoor scenes. Each scene fit around the various gifts and attendants stood by them. Cat and Alek moved forward, leading the winged guests to a set that Mhelyn indicated.Kassie hung back, Sian at her side, wanting to take her time exploring the opulent space. The path meandered in a lazy S style, back and forth past the displays. Kassie and Sian inched their way along the glittering dark path that Vesbel had lined with unpolished white stones.The first stop was a beautiful tree that had no pot, instead its sprawling root system stretched across the floor, with no dirt about it at all, while its canopy spr
LOI SQUEEZED UP TIGHT BEHIND Sian and Kass as Sian seized both door handles, putting her weight on them and pressed down on the handles then shoved.The doors swung open.They all sucked a breath in, staring in breathless admiration.A giggle from behind made them twist back to see Cat and Leseach, the Northerner finally wearing a genuine smile, both looking delighted at the expressions the three wore.Before them was a large open area, clearly a communal space, with comfy looking couches and seats. Nothing like the formal stiff feeling furniture elsewhere in the castle.A laugh that finished in a half gasp slipped out Loi's mouth as she regarded the space.There was so much to admire!Beautiful bookshelves in a medium shade of wood filled the spaces on the outer walls that were divided by sets of double doors, spaced quite far apart. Loi counted two door sets on either side and went to ask Cat something before she realized.'Oh! You guys don't have space here.'Cat laughed th
RUMAL LEANED AGAINST THE DOORJAMB, watching with pleasure as Kassie gasped and exclaimed over every inch of their enormous apartment. Though he'd known the new space would be larger, he hadn't realized just how much larger. Now in one of the two guest rooms Kassie examined a beautifully carved cabinet that fastened to one of the walls from floor to ceiling.'Is it drawers?' she asked with a perplexed frown, her lips pursing as she regarded it again.Not saying anything Rumal reached out, hooking the hand-hold at the top, and pulled back. With the slightest sound of hinges working, the two deep bunk beds opened.'Wow!' Kassie shrieked. 'Look at that! Oh my lordee, those are gorgeous!'He snorted in amusement, in the last hour alone he'd heard 'oh my lordee' more often than in the entire time he'd known Kass.She scrambled into the bottom bunk, looking around it on her hands and knees, a delighted smile firm in place.'C'mon, hop in!'With a laugh Rumal climbed in, throwing an arm
A SIMILAR CONVERSATION WAS TAKING place in Daron and Sian's quarters, but with a little less heat. Sian smiled at the clever layout of the room. 'Just two beds?' she said teasingly to Daron. 'I thought you'd want three at least.'With warm eyes that seemed to laugh at her, Daron stooped and seized the discreet handle on the base of the lower 'step' bed. With a tug, he pulled another full-size bed out.'Oh clever!' Sian said in delight as she surveyed the room again. 'It doesn't even crowd it.''No, but it'll give them more floor space to play on if it's pushed away.' Daron pushed it back in as he said that. The room wasn't small to begin with, but with the bed out of the way children would have plenty of room to tear around. The walls were painted in soft shades, a blue wall around the bed areas with a top nook that you could climb to from the higher bed, making it feel like you cuddled into a tree hollow. A skilled artist had painted leaves and branches that extended over the c
ALEK STEPPED CLOSE TO CAT, grabbing her hands and stared into her bewildered eyes.'It's okay. It's nothing to panic about. Are you all well?'Her jaw ajar Cat stared for an instant before shaking her head in confusion.'What? Of course, we're well.'Realizing that the others also wore bemused expressions he clarified.'The earth move, it's nothing to worry about.''Yes,' Cat said while squinting at him. 'Yes, we know that.'The sense of urgency and panic that he'd rushed here with, along with the other men halted awkwardly.'Errr- you do?' Alek paused to look at them all. Cat, Sian, Kassie, and Loi looked unperturbed. Citaan looked harried but then Rirae screamed and kicked in her arms, ignoring any attempts to soothe her. Turning, Alek spotted Leseach. The Northerner stood with tensed shoulders, her hands in balled fists at her sides as she eyed everyone. Her fast darting gaze and grey toned skin suggested they had felt the earth move.'It did shake here, yes?''Yes,' Cat n
CHATTING TO LESEACH, ENJOYING THE shade from the already hot morning sun, stood Rashid and a cavalry centaur Loi recognized as Patel's assistant. They nodded to Loi when she reached them all, the ardwyr grunting away as Loi bent to scratch around its ears.'I was thinking of going for a ride, did yo'Rashid interrupted. 'Not today, Loi. All the horses are being prepared for the royal hunt tomorrow.''Oh,' Loi twisted her mouth to the side with a huff. 'A walk then?' she suggested to Leseach. 'I want to escape the castle.'Rashid made a slight move as if to include himself but that wasn't part of the plan. Smiling brightly Loi continued a hint louder.'I'd love to just have some girl time, you're always so busy with Cat.'The silence as Leseach regarded her with a bemused expression felt rather uncomfortable, mainly due to Rashid eyeballing her. She inwardly apologized for clearly ruining his day's plans, but she'd wanted to get Leseach aside for a while, somewhere where they coul