THE FEASTING AND CELEBRATING WENT on for hours. At some point during the incredible fireworks display, as we stood watching in the courtyard, I was fairly certain I could hear Audrey on the inner gate yelling in excitement.Always a contradiction, my girl loved fireworks but was terrified of the vacuum cleaner.At least she'll never be tormented by that again, I thought in amusement, leaning back against Alek, his arm around my waist as all manner of creatures appeared in the sky in starburst style. The fireworks weren't quite like what I was used to, with no explosion sound and they left no scent of gunpowder. I could only assume they weren't made with gunpowder, instead with some other chemical that acted in a similar way.That was until I noticed the row people standing against a wall, all watching the sky intently. They wore smocks of yellow and green leggings, not like any other uniforms I'd seen today.'Who're they?' I tipped my head back to look at Alek's face. He looked dow
CAT?Kitty cat?Pssstttt- Cat?I woke with voices echoing in my head, the sound rather bewildering after the pleasant dreams I'd been ensconced in.'What-,' I fumbled around the sheets, brain still not piecing it all together.CAT!'Yes!' I yelped.'Kitten?' Alek, some distance from me on this huge expanse of bed, all cocooned in sheets and cover. 'Go see Kassie, would you. She won't shut up.' 'But,' I began to whine.With a flick he uncovered his head from the sheets, bloodshot tired blue eyes squinting at me. 'Farewells today. Cabin tonight. Go see Kassie.'Scowling at his now sheet covered head, I muttered away to myself while scrambling across the bed. The edge was softer than I expected so I promptly tumbled out onto my hands and knees.'All good?' Al called.'Fine! Don't you worry yourself.'I heard his chuckle at my snide reply while I aimed for the doorway.A quarter hour or so later and I made my way from our quarters, yawning widely as Leseach and an ecstatic A
'YOUR MAJESTY, OUR CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN on your felicitous marriage. May you have many healthy children,' the Prince and Princess of House Vaethon, along with two of the Grand Dukes' and Grand Duchess' all echoed the age-old appropriate lines. The oldest of the noble houses, Vaethon was the only to have a remaining royal bloodline, and they wore it with pride. It always amused Alek greatly when the Princess looked down her nose at him while curtsying. Adopted or not, the family he came from started with very humble beginnings, just a common man who wanted to make a difference. It might have been millennia ago, but House Vaethon never forgot your base.After the three required bows, the house of nobles backed their way from the throne room, in the process of being reduced to its normal size, the numerous bouquets and trees in pots already removed.It's amazing how quickly everything returns to normal, Alek thought, absently giving the royal nod while flicking his gaze around the ro
'OH!' I GASPED AS THE ground shuddered. Leseach grabbed my arm when I wobbled. We all watched as the two Magus flicked their enormous wings wide, a crack ringing out through the air.The griffons, our griffons, who'd come out to farewell their honoured guests all threw their heads back with broad ringing cries that started as a deep bellow and shifted to a higher shriek-like sound.Circling the courtyard, the Magus' called back, their own cries so resonant you could feel it ring through your bones before wheeling off with an easy thrust of their wings. They vanished with a murmur of energy while flying over the inner gate.Ears ringing from all the sound, I turned to Elena. 'Do you get quieter with your energy release as you age?''Not so much with age, as with use. The more you practise, the quieter you'll be.' The Sorceress smiled at me. 'Now, that was the last of the people we needed to farewell. You are welcome to your own time.'It felt a little ironic to thank her. Still s
'ARE THEY RELATED TO AWUFS?' I asked while sidling back further still until I stood just behind Alek.A better question might have been, are they herbivores?The heavy set four legged animals looked more likely to be related to a rhinoceros than the timid but massive awufs; potentially a carnivorous rhino. They had long snouts they kept wrinkling as if snarling, revealing decent sets of teeth. On the end of their snouts two twisted curling tusks grew, the pointed ends sticking out, and both creatures bore scars on their faces that looked like they had been on the receiving end of another's tusks. Their hide was a dense short fur that bristled out with flowing striations of shades of tan and black across the dark brown fur. Their feet were cloven.The centaurs leading the creatures appeared indifferent by their appearance, calling them, smacking their snouts or backsides to get them lined up in front of the wagon.Nudging Alek when I realized he hadn't answered my question, he jolte
'YOUR MAJESTY, YOUR MAJESTY! CATHERINE! Cat!'Leseach shook the pale, white lipped woman by the shoulder before snatching her hand back in shock. The woman gave no response, staring blankly ahead while tears trickled down her cheeks. The shoulder Leseach shook felt like ice. Her feet feeling uncharacteristically heavy, Leseach staggered back before twisting, racing for the door. She stopped short at it, taking a calming breath then opened it and locked eyes with Aldeern.'Could you please have Lieutenant Rashid fetched. Her Majesty would like to speak with him.'The guard inclined his head as she shut the door, her pulse racing. The lies fell from her lips with an ease that caused a rush of shame, a cringe rippling down her spine.The spacious quarters felt hauntingly empty. Leseach leaned against the door, mind whirling at the outcome of her words.A soft knock made her stand and turn, pulling the door open as Rashid pushed. His grey eyes calm until he regarded her face. With a n
SLEEP DIDN'T RELIEVE THE OVERWHELMING anxiety. It followed me into my dreams, faces merging with other faces, shadows everywhere, making me jumpy when I woke, mistaking furniture for hidden men. Panting with panic after waking from another horribly vivid yet bizarre and confusing dream, I flared my energy out, eyes searching the large room. All I saw was my own startled expression in the mirror, with Audi alert to my alarm beside me, crying as she too peered around the room. I shushed her before Leseach could hear, the Northerner sleeping in an adjoining room. Her permanent guilty expression was more than I could bear at the moment.It wasn't her fault. I knew that. But I hadn't the strength to deal with my own emotions at the moment, let alone hers. The last couple of days were a blur, I only moved from this room to the bathroom and when I did, Leseach always had food in my room by the time I got back.I missed the girls' something terrible. But there was no way I'd allow that s
THE DOUBLE THROATED SNEEPS SUNG out their warbling melodies, the last of the dawn singers, when Kassie woke. Though she'd only got to bed just before midnight each night since arriving back, she still woke early on this, the fourth day.Lying in bed, stretched out across the mattress, Rumal already up and out, she ran through the list of things she wanted to achieve today and added to it the items she hadn't ticked off yesterday.With a sigh she thumped her hand against the mattress, annoyed at not having more of this sorted already.A happy 'mirrup' made her smile, as Lucky, sleeping on one of the platforms of the cat climbing frame her youngest brother had made, made her daring leap across to the bed. Tail swaying as she purred loudly, the cat lowered its head when she reached Kassie, bunting its forehead against her chin.With a chuckle Kassie snatched the cat up in a cuddle, hugging her, rubbing her chin over her head like Lucky liked. Letting go a moment before Lucky went to b