Keeper of the Realms: Crow's Revenge (Book 1) by Marcus Alexander
Authors: Marcus Alexander
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Sylvaris and the Jade Circle bid ya welcome.’
Aware that all eyes were on her, Charlie stood a little straighter and did her best to be polite, but her nerves were beginning to fray. ‘Er, thank you, ma’am. It’s a … erm, pleasure to be here.’ She immediately felt stupid. That wasn’t the best response in the world and now everyone would think of her as a stuttering little girl. Her cheeks began to blush a deep crimson.
‘This is the Keeper?’ asked a scowling Human with bushy eyebrows. His thick grey beard seemed to bristle with bad temper. ‘She holds the pendant? This little girl holds our lives in the balance? Pah! I say turn over the pendant immediately and let the Tower Treasury hold it for safekeeping!’
Other members of the Jade Circle nodded in agreement. Charlie was shocked when several of those seated turned and gave her a hard look. Her hand darted to her necklace. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she tucked it deeper into her T-shirt and glared back.
‘Nazareth, where are yer manners?’ said the old lady. ‘Charlie Keeper has only just arrived. We must show her all due respect. Her family has done great things for the Jade Circle and it does no harm ta be polite. We will discuss the pendant presently, but for now, Nazareth, keep a grip on yer tongue.’
‘This matter is too important to wait for the others, Dridif,’ grumbled Nazareth.
‘That is not for ya ta decide. No matter of importance has ever been decided without a full vote,’ snapped the old lady. ‘Now be silent.’
Nazareth, thick eyebrows quivering in tune with his bad mood, harrumphed loudly but managed to do as he was told.
‘Who’s she?’ asked Charlie as she leaned over to whisper in Jensen’s ear. ‘She’s really impressive.’
‘Lady Dridif, the Royal Oak and First Speaker of the Jade Circle,’ whispered Jensen. ‘Famous for her iron will and quick tongue!’
‘Charlie Keeper,’ said a soft, lilting voice.
Charlie gasped as she turned to the new speaker. She was Human, with snow-white hair and lily-coloured skin, and was the most beautiful woman Charlie had ever seen.
‘Welcome to Sylvaris. Please forgive our outbursts, for now is a time of strife and hardship across our lands. Nazareth meant no harm and merely expressed concern for our safety and continued peace across Bellania. It is a feeling that many of us within the Jade Circle share, for you do indeed hold the key to our success – or perhaps our downfall.’
‘Lady Narcissa …’ said Dridif with a raised eyebrow, as if in warning.
‘But as the First Speaker has so kindly informed us,’ continued Lady Narcissa, as though Dridif had never spoken, ‘now is not the time to raise the subject of the pendant. You must be weary after your journey, and from what I can gather your journey was not uneventful, so please accept our hospitality and for now relax. Perhaps we could reconvenetomorrow, giving you adequate time to rest? No decisions shall be made until then.’
‘Lady Narcissa, it is not for ya ta be making such decisions without consultation,’ said Dridif, ‘but I agree. Charlie, we shall allow ya a day’s rest before we decide wot ta do with yer pendant. Kelko, take Charlie ta see the First Maid. Instruct her ta lodge and take care of our guest.’ Standing up, the elderly First Speaker indicated that the audience was at an end.
‘Wait!’ said Charlie. ‘I have questions. Jensen promised me you would answer them. I want to know what happened to my parents!’
‘Now is not the time,’ said Dridif, an odd look crossing her face.
‘Not the time?’ snapped Charlie. ‘Everyone keeps saying that! Not now, Charlie. I’ll tell you later, Charlie. I can’t tell you, Charlie! Well, I’m not leaving until you tell me, and you can certainly forget about the pendant! No one touches it until I know what happened to my parents.’
‘Blossom –’ began Kelko, but he was cut off by Lady Narcissa.
‘Charlie is a
Aware that all eyes were on her, Charlie stood a little straighter and did her best to be polite, but her nerves were beginning to fray. ‘Er, thank you, ma’am. It’s a … erm, pleasure to be here.’ She immediately felt stupid. That wasn’t the best response in the world and now everyone would think of her as a stuttering little girl. Her cheeks began to blush a deep crimson.
‘This is the Keeper?’ asked a scowling Human with bushy eyebrows. His thick grey beard seemed to bristle with bad temper. ‘She holds the pendant? This little girl holds our lives in the balance? Pah! I say turn over the pendant immediately and let the Tower Treasury hold it for safekeeping!’
Other members of the Jade Circle nodded in agreement. Charlie was shocked when several of those seated turned and gave her a hard look. Her hand darted to her necklace. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she tucked it deeper into her T-shirt and glared back.
‘Nazareth, where are yer manners?’ said the old lady. ‘Charlie Keeper has only just arrived. We must show her all due respect. Her family has done great things for the Jade Circle and it does no harm ta be polite. We will discuss the pendant presently, but for now, Nazareth, keep a grip on yer tongue.’
‘This matter is too important to wait for the others, Dridif,’ grumbled Nazareth.
‘That is not for ya ta decide. No matter of importance has ever been decided without a full vote,’ snapped the old lady. ‘Now be silent.’
Nazareth, thick eyebrows quivering in tune with his bad mood, harrumphed loudly but managed to do as he was told.
‘Who’s she?’ asked Charlie as she leaned over to whisper in Jensen’s ear. ‘She’s really impressive.’
‘Lady Dridif, the Royal Oak and First Speaker of the Jade Circle,’ whispered Jensen. ‘Famous for her iron will and quick tongue!’
‘Charlie Keeper,’ said a soft, lilting voice.
Charlie gasped as she turned to the new speaker. She was Human, with snow-white hair and lily-coloured skin, and was the most beautiful woman Charlie had ever seen.
‘Welcome to Sylvaris. Please forgive our outbursts, for now is a time of strife and hardship across our lands. Nazareth meant no harm and merely expressed concern for our safety and continued peace across Bellania. It is a feeling that many of us within the Jade Circle share, for you do indeed hold the key to our success – or perhaps our downfall.’
‘Lady Narcissa …’ said Dridif with a raised eyebrow, as if in warning.
‘But as the First Speaker has so kindly informed us,’ continued Lady Narcissa, as though Dridif had never spoken, ‘now is not the time to raise the subject of the pendant. You must be weary after your journey, and from what I can gather your journey was not uneventful, so please accept our hospitality and for now relax. Perhaps we could reconvenetomorrow, giving you adequate time to rest? No decisions shall be made until then.’
‘Lady Narcissa, it is not for ya ta be making such decisions without consultation,’ said Dridif, ‘but I agree. Charlie, we shall allow ya a day’s rest before we decide wot ta do with yer pendant. Kelko, take Charlie ta see the First Maid. Instruct her ta lodge and take care of our guest.’ Standing up, the elderly First Speaker indicated that the audience was at an end.
‘Wait!’ said Charlie. ‘I have questions. Jensen promised me you would answer them. I want to know what happened to my parents!’
‘Now is not the time,’ said Dridif, an odd look crossing her face.
‘Not the time?’ snapped Charlie. ‘Everyone keeps saying that! Not now, Charlie. I’ll tell you later, Charlie. I can’t tell you, Charlie! Well, I’m not leaving until you tell me, and you can certainly forget about the pendant! No one touches it until I know what happened to my parents.’
‘Blossom –’ began Kelko, but he was cut off by Lady Narcissa.
‘Charlie is a
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