mere
traces of the incident are evident on her face and wrists.
“Same as yesterday,” Salva nods, “as the
feast.”
“Oh…” Mae frowns, glancing at the pile of
discarded shell bras and cobalt skirts on the floor. “Will Princess
Ariana be joining us?”
“It is likely.”
“Are we leaving after breakfast?” I rise,
crossing the space and reaching for the garments. I whip off my
baseball tee and jeans, turning to unhook the black bra.
“At this time… no.”
“But the queen’s been made aware of last
night?”
“She is aware.”
“Was she mad?” Pratt jumps from the bed and
starts to change.
“She was…” Salva hesitates,
“… surprised .”
“I’d be surprised if she wasn’t,” I apply the
shelled bra and wrap the cobalt skirt around my waist, feeling the
sudden chill of exposure again. I start to pull my hair into a
ponytail but it only highlights the gash on my brow. Letting my
hair drop again, I decide to leave it down and turn to the girls.
“Ready?”
After both nod, we’re led back to the Great
Hall and passing through, Salva selects a new tunnel, back behind
the thrones where we’ve never been. The passage is the same length
as the others and when we finally reach the end, we arrive in
another grandiose room.
Not nearly as large as the Great Hall, it
boasts high, rounded walls with shelled mosaics lining the entire
space. Planted directly in the center of the room, and carved from
the same pinkish-golden coral as the floor, is a massive circular
table and around it, fifteen evenly placed chairs. Clarence and
Qippert are seated in two, conversing and oblivious to our
arrival.
I’ve never seen Qippert assume his human
form. Like his true nature, he’s smaller, sitting somewhat lower
and has short dark hair, dusted lightly with gray. Kind blue eyes
dart over Clarence before he interrupts him. They’re going back and
forth, Qippert clearly trying to explain something while Clarence
moves to contradict him.
“Are the others coming?” I interrupt.
“Fallon!” Clarence slaps his hand down on the
table. He offers Qippert a final glance before tossing me a grin.
“Ready for some Wigwig?”
“Think I’m more excited about the Wormin.” I
take a seat opposite him, smiling up at Qippert. “Morning.”
“What is Wormin?” Pratt sits beside me
and Mae, right next to her.
“Not entirely sure,” Clarence clears his
throat, glancing to Salva, “some sort of vegetation? Is that
right?”
“It is a fine sheen of growth on the Brekin’s
shell,” Qippert answers first, tapping his fingers together in
anticipation. “Quite delectable. Although…” and now he leans
forward, “it may be an acquired taste.”
“How long’s an acquired taste?”
“Uh…” and he smiles, considering,
“ probably longer than a day. It is a bit sour but if you
have some Hunnis, you will not mind at all.”
“Got any Hunnis?” I ask Salva behind me just
as the boys emerge.
Tucker and Jace enter first, both clad in the
same cobalt loin-cloths as yesterday with Werzo and Booker behind
them. Reid enters last, filling the room with his palpable
presence, my heart fluttering at the sight. Reid glances around and
finding me, he swallows a lump.
“What’s on the menu?” Werzo plants himself in
the closest chair, searching the table for any morsel of food. “I’m
starving!”
“We’ll be dining here shortly,” Clarence
motions for everyone to take a seat.
Without hesitation, Reid selects the chair to
his left and the boys disperse around the table evenly, Jace
sitting to my right. The corner of Reid’s mouth twitches but he
says nothing, turning to Clarence instead.
“Sampson coming?”
“Yes…” Clarence nods, “any minute. Salva, why
don’t you take a seat?”
“I will once the Fychu arrives.”
“Fair enough…” he strums his fingers on the
coral, glancing around the silent table. “…everyone sleep
well?”
“Any idea if we’re leaving after
traces of the incident are evident on her face and wrists.
“Same as yesterday,” Salva nods, “as the
feast.”
“Oh…” Mae frowns, glancing at the pile of
discarded shell bras and cobalt skirts on the floor. “Will Princess
Ariana be joining us?”
“It is likely.”
“Are we leaving after breakfast?” I rise,
crossing the space and reaching for the garments. I whip off my
baseball tee and jeans, turning to unhook the black bra.
“At this time… no.”
“But the queen’s been made aware of last
night?”
“She is aware.”
“Was she mad?” Pratt jumps from the bed and
starts to change.
“She was…” Salva hesitates,
“… surprised .”
“I’d be surprised if she wasn’t,” I apply the
shelled bra and wrap the cobalt skirt around my waist, feeling the
sudden chill of exposure again. I start to pull my hair into a
ponytail but it only highlights the gash on my brow. Letting my
hair drop again, I decide to leave it down and turn to the girls.
“Ready?”
After both nod, we’re led back to the Great
Hall and passing through, Salva selects a new tunnel, back behind
the thrones where we’ve never been. The passage is the same length
as the others and when we finally reach the end, we arrive in
another grandiose room.
Not nearly as large as the Great Hall, it
boasts high, rounded walls with shelled mosaics lining the entire
space. Planted directly in the center of the room, and carved from
the same pinkish-golden coral as the floor, is a massive circular
table and around it, fifteen evenly placed chairs. Clarence and
Qippert are seated in two, conversing and oblivious to our
arrival.
I’ve never seen Qippert assume his human
form. Like his true nature, he’s smaller, sitting somewhat lower
and has short dark hair, dusted lightly with gray. Kind blue eyes
dart over Clarence before he interrupts him. They’re going back and
forth, Qippert clearly trying to explain something while Clarence
moves to contradict him.
“Are the others coming?” I interrupt.
“Fallon!” Clarence slaps his hand down on the
table. He offers Qippert a final glance before tossing me a grin.
“Ready for some Wigwig?”
“Think I’m more excited about the Wormin.” I
take a seat opposite him, smiling up at Qippert. “Morning.”
“What is Wormin?” Pratt sits beside me
and Mae, right next to her.
“Not entirely sure,” Clarence clears his
throat, glancing to Salva, “some sort of vegetation? Is that
right?”
“It is a fine sheen of growth on the Brekin’s
shell,” Qippert answers first, tapping his fingers together in
anticipation. “Quite delectable. Although…” and now he leans
forward, “it may be an acquired taste.”
“How long’s an acquired taste?”
“Uh…” and he smiles, considering,
“ probably longer than a day. It is a bit sour but if you
have some Hunnis, you will not mind at all.”
“Got any Hunnis?” I ask Salva behind me just
as the boys emerge.
Tucker and Jace enter first, both clad in the
same cobalt loin-cloths as yesterday with Werzo and Booker behind
them. Reid enters last, filling the room with his palpable
presence, my heart fluttering at the sight. Reid glances around and
finding me, he swallows a lump.
“What’s on the menu?” Werzo plants himself in
the closest chair, searching the table for any morsel of food. “I’m
starving!”
“We’ll be dining here shortly,” Clarence
motions for everyone to take a seat.
Without hesitation, Reid selects the chair to
his left and the boys disperse around the table evenly, Jace
sitting to my right. The corner of Reid’s mouth twitches but he
says nothing, turning to Clarence instead.
“Sampson coming?”
“Yes…” Clarence nods, “any minute. Salva, why
don’t you take a seat?”
“I will once the Fychu arrives.”
“Fair enough…” he strums his fingers on the
coral, glancing around the silent table. “…everyone sleep
well?”
“Any idea if we’re leaving after
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