The Path
POV: Alexandra
Seraphia had pulled out a celestial map as she always did when I attended her readings. She had also pulled out a crystal ball and a few rough-looking stones. She was crouched over the map as if she had bad eyesight and she was eyeballing the map. Every once in a while she would hum and verbally affirm something to herself that she was likely thinking. She then looked up at me, “Place your hands on the ball. I want to see just how important this time in your life is.” Nystasia interceded, “Oh I already know. It is very important.” Seraphia placed her finger to her lips to shush Nystasia, “Indulge me, Your Highness. There is much more to learn than what you already know. Please, Your Grace.” She waved at the crystal ball and I placed my hands on it. She stared into it and nodded, “Well that is something different, Your Highness. Take a look.” Nystasia bounded from her chair and stared at the crystal ball over Seraphia’s shoulder, “Ooooh you are so smart Your Eminence. Are you gonna tell her?” Seraphia looked up at Nystasia and shook her head, “I am not allowed to directly tell her anything. This is the rule of my Goddess. I can only guide her down her path and give her hints.” She smiled at Seraphia, “Can I tell her?” Seraphia sighed and shook her head, “Were it that easy to share my findings, I would do so very easily always. No, you would receive punishment from the Gods. I don’t recommend it.” Nystasia gasped, “Oh! I didn’t know that was a condition of the gift.” She quickly got back to her seat and had tucked her lips into her mouth like a child who was trying to stifle a cry. I knew she was wondering if the Gods would punish her for divulging the information she already has. She was so devout that it probably hurt her feelings to know that she might be in trouble with them. I wanted to lean over and pat her hand that was resting on her lap but my hands were currently stuck on the crystal ball.
Seraphia pulled out a book and started to scribble a few things into it and snapped it shut. She smiled at me, “You can take your hands away, child. Here is what I can tell you. While you are out here, you will make two discoveries. One has to do with what you have been fretting about since last night.” I immediately thought of Jess’s story and how I was trying to help her heal her womb. I nodded at her, “What about the second?” She pointed her face towards the tent next to us, “You will likely come closer to the true identity of your assassin. Your father is on the path now.” I thought of the box of documents and shook my head, “I saw some documents in reference to my assassination and we didn’t find anything.” She sighed, “You only saw a few documents. Your father is charged with looking through all of the documents. Even though your assassin is technically dead, he made a contract with Count Kastilidan to kill you. It was his greatest desire which happened to line up with his brother-in-law’s goals.” I leaned over ready to ask one more question of her and she shook her head, “He won’t tell you when he finds it. You will have to find out for yourself. Don’t ask me how you would do that as that would be giving you the answer. As I told Nystasia, I cannot do that.” I leaned back in my seat, “Can I ask about Jess?” She let out a frustrated huff, “You know I cannot.” I nodded in resignation, “I know. I’m just so very worried for her.” She smiled at me, “I know, child, but you have to remember that she has a supportive father, a future husband who would be ready to kill for her, a friend in her King who would be ready to turn Vellum upside down to punish her attacker and a best friend who cares so much about her that she is willing to wade into uncharted magic waters to heal her. You need not worry so much about her.” I sighed, “She hasn’t told Lord Kellen and Lucien-” She cut me off, “In due time, she needs to gain her confidence to confide in those two men. It will come easier with Lucien for a few reasons which I cannot say. She is afraid of disappointing her father but she will see how erroneous that logic is.”
Derek, who was outside of the tent since he was not invited in, cleared his throat and yelled into the tent, “Ladies, I am being told that it is dinner time. I believe Her Grace has orders to eat after seeing Her Eminence.” Seraphia giggled, “Isn’t he so diligent?” She yelled back at Derek, “I believe the actual orders are after she is done seeing me. I have one more thing to do with her and she may go.” She picked up the stones and handed them to me, “Blow on them and toss them on the table. I want to see if anything dark lies in your near future.” I took the stones from her. I blew onto the stones and tossed them on the table.” Nystasia smiled and clapped her hands. Seraphia giggled at her and then turned to me and said, “Nothing in your near future but I will caveat that in saying that you must remain diligent about your security, no stunts like you did this morning, and don’t think you haven’t escaped the wrath of His Majesty and the General. The Elder hasn’t told on you yet but before the day is through, you will hear it. Just a word of warning.” I sighed, “I understand. I really thought I had escaped the verbal lashing, it’s better to know it is coming.” She stood up from her seat and said loudly, “Well you should probably get going so The Chalshin doesn’t waste away to nothing.” Derek remarked loudly, “I’m a growing boy, Your Eminence!” I laughed, “If you grew any bigger, you’d be a rather large lycan and you would have to duck through doorways.” Seraphia giggled at my remark, “I have always loved your wit, child. Have a good evening.”
We left the tent of the prophetic cleric and headed towards the mess tent when a random soldier approached us. I immediately recognized him as the King’s personal guard and I whispered, “Oh boy.” He looked at me, “His Majesty has requested your presence after you eat your dinner, Your Grace. He said that you should consider it an official summons.” I sighed, “I understand.” As soon as the soldier walked off, Derek laughed, “You deserve that, Lex. You know what you did was so very wrong and caused undue worry.” I threw my head up to look at the stars that were starting to show since it was dusk, “I already heard it from you and Edgar. Isn’t that enough?” He shook his head, “Nope, you need two more dudes yelling at you so that you don’t do it again. Just go, listen to their gripes, say you’re sorry, and leave. That’s all you really need to do.” I lowered my head and smiled at him, “Is that what you do when you get in trouble?” He nodded, “Yeah but I doubt my level of cuteness will sway those two men as yours will.” I punched him in the arm, “Unlike you, I don’t TRY to get by on my looks. I won’t insult their intelligence by using it either. I believe that wins me mutual respect.” He laughed, “I was joking anyhow. I’ve known you long enough to know how you operate. Just promise me, Lex, that you won’t forget to bring one of us next time. Okay?” I nodded and then we bumped fists right before we walked into the mess tent. My father was sitting with Jess and Alita. I smiled and waved at them as a wisp of black came out of my shadow. It figured that hound would show up just as I was about to eat my dinner. The kitchen crew already set out a bowl for me that was labeled, “Sebastian.” I smiled that everyone in the camp loved him enough to make him his own separate bowl. They had even pre-filled it with meat and some brown rice along with what looked like sweet potato. I wasn’t so sure this pup would eat anything other than meat but I was curious to see if he was picky. I picked up the bowl and put it on my tray then waved at the staff, “Thanks, guys!” They all stopped what they were doing and waved back. Tonight’s dinner was smothered pork chops, mashed potatoes, and asparagus. It was a dinner that I don’t recall having had before but it looked so appealing that my mouth watered. It almost made me think about what was going to happen to me after dinner.
The three of us joined my father and the two women he was with at the table. They were discussing theories on what could cause such a disaster. I had chimed in, “I am curious about something. They all looked at me but Derek spoke up first, “Say what’s on your mind, Lex.” I bit my lip from quiet contemplation and spoke up after a short while, “Could the earthquake have been caused by magic?” My father shrugged, “I suppose it would be possible but that is another taboo with magic. We can’t use our elements to harm others. If this was, indeed, magic then whoever did it would face very harsh punishment.” I looked around the room, “Is there a way to tell if magic was used?” Derek nodded, “Yeah, there’s a tool the General has. I don’t know if he’s used it yet but if he knew where the point of friction started it would be easy enough to find it. Perhaps once you are done getting yelled at, you can bring it up.” My father leaned in, “Getting yelled at for what?” I shot Derek a how dare you type of glare and he shrunk. My father looked at me and then at him, “You need to answer me, Derek! What mischief did she get into that the General would have to yell at her.” Derek shot me an apologetic look and sighed, “She left her quarters without her guard.” My father sighed and rolled his eyes, “I think I need to be there as well because I have a few choice words myself. I won’t say them now because her mother would hate that.” He turned to me, “Mark my words, Alexandra Rose Batiste, you will hear what I think as well.” I made a mental note to use Derek as a punching bag later. Jess cleared her throat and as I made eye contact with her, I knew that she would take care of that for me. I winked at her and smiled knowing that he feared her more than me and it would be revenge most sweet. If this had been a less serious situation, I probably would have rubbed my hands together like a villain and cackled as they do as some awful stereotype in movies. I sat and ate without saying too much after that. I had heard next to me, Sebastian was vigorously chewing on his food. I heard him let out a quick burp before he disappeared into my shadow again. I looked down in the bowl wondering if he had eaten the grain and vegetables. Much to my surprise, he had gobbled everything up. After I was finished eating, Derek and my father went with me to the King’s tent. As we approached, the guards opened up the tent flaps to usher us in. This indicated he was anxiously awaiting my arrival so he could chew me a new one. As I walked into the tent with my father behind me, I heard Lucien say in a firm voice, “Good you’re here. Have a seat.”
