Keeper (First Ordinance #2)(60)

"Congratulations, brother," Justis stepped forward and slapped Jurris on the back. "Quin tells me that Wimla is with child."

I will never forget the smile on Jurris' face as his and Wimla's hopes were confirmed. It also set the tone for the rest of the evening, which went much better than I'd hoped it would.

"I thought you were—well, I'm sorry for thinking it," Wimla said as we were served small glasses of an after-dinner drink. "I understand who killed Camryn and Elabeth, now."

"It no longer matters," I said. "I was treated better here than I ever was in Fyris. There, under Tamblin's rule and Yevil's influence, everybody was afraid."

"Where are they now—the people of Fyris?" Jurris asked, sipping his wine.

"So far away you can barely see their star in the night sky," Kaldill replied.

"This is so difficult to comprehend," Vorina sighed. "And you—where do you come from?"

“My star is even farther away," Kaldill smiled. "You know of the Larentii. Where did you suppose they came from?"

"I don't know. I'd never seen one—I only heard that Gurnil, Camryn and Elabeth had seen them, until Quin arrived and one began to appear regularly."

"Well," Jurris emptied his small glass, "As the Ordinance no longer holds sway over the Avii since the people of Fyris are safe far away, you may see the book Liron left here tomorrow," he said, turning to me. "Justis will bring you after breakfast and I will open the vault. Just remember that the book may not be removed from my treasury. You will examine it while you're there."

"I thank you," I dipped my head respectfully.

Not long after that, we left Jurris and his mates. I understood they had a private celebration to make—a royal child was on the way.

*

"Does this make you happy? Getting to read the Ordinance?" Justis asked, once we arrived at his suite. I hadn't said much on our flight back to his balcony. It was too late to have our meeting in Gurnil's Library, so we rescheduled it for the following day.

"It does, but something troubles my mind," I said. "I can't say what it is—there's only worry there," I shrugged.

"Jurris has offered a private suite for you," he turned his back to me and relaxed his wings before releasing the hinge and allowing black feathers to drag the floor. They were magnificent—long and blue-black where the light hit them. "I know I'm being selfish when I say I want you to stay here."

"I'm not ready to bed anyone," I began. Dena and Ardis had already coupled, and I was happy for them. I just wasn't prepared for intimacy, yet. There was a fear in me—that I'd lose my independence. That was something I hadn't had long and I savored it.

"I understand that—Kaldill says the same. You're young, but you are so much more than your age, Quin. I can't help but feel the way I do."

"I know. Perhaps I should take another suite, so you won't be tortured by this."

"I'll be tortured more, if I feel you're not safe," he said. "Stay here in your bedroom. I wish I could offer you a window, but that's not to be for an inner room."

"I know. I'll stay here. You won't mind if I visit Berel or Kaldill?"

"Visit anyone you like," Justis turned. "Just don't forget or ignore me."

"How could anyone do that?" I asked. "You're huge. You could probably slap someone across the castle with the ends of your wings."

Justis laughed. Threw back his head and roared. I'd wanted him to smile; instead, I'd achieved the ultimate success and made him laugh. Then, his wings dragging behind him wonderfully, he came and kissed me, holding my face carefully in his hands while he did so.

"Go to bed, my Quin," he said. "Tomorrow is an early day."

*

It was an early day—Justis had been up and drilling his troops before breakfast, and returned to his suite to bathe before we ate. We were joining our group in the Library, where the usual table was set up.

"Eggs, fruit and bread," Dena pushed a plate toward me. She was unloading the trays two Yellow Wings brought for us. "Eggs, ham, potatoes and bread," she handed Justis and Ardis their plates next, then went on to serve Kaldill, Ordin, Gurnil and Berel. There was no order to it, merely the way we'd seated ourselves at the table.

Ardis ran a finger down Dena's wing when she sat beside him with her plate of food. She smiled and leaned into him for a moment before lifting her fork to eat.

"I noticed my bed was made and the suite clean when I got back this morning," Justis told me. "You don't have to do that—I can ask the Yellow Wings who clean for Berel and Kaldill to do it."

"It gives me something to do," I said. "I enjoy it—my hands know what to do while my mind wanders. I did put the washing out to be picked up," I added.

"My socks—and other things?" Justis lifted a dark eyebrow and smirked.

"Yes. You'd think I'd never seen underwear before," I said. "I cleaned many a noble's quarters in Lironis, and scrubbed things far worse than your underthings."

Ardis snickered. Dena punched him lightly on the arm for it. Kaldill merely smiled, but his mindspeech surprised me. I wish to take you for a short visit to Gaelar N'Seith, he said.