Song of Blood and Reign

Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Lyv watched Elys flipping through the Seer text as he sat in her lap at the council table, listening to him mumble words that made no sense to her. The ink on the paper was the same. All she could make out were the scribbles of drawings, not what it actually said, but Elys was reading it as easily as she read one of his picture books at bedtime. Eamon was in the chair on her right, doing his own studying since he was forgoing his formal lessons with his tutor for the day. He sped through it, though, wanting to be done as quickly as he could.

Other than Elys, Eamon, and Lyv herself, those who in the council chamber were Jai, his parents, Lyv's parents, Drue, Jules, Gideon, Thia, Allel, Michel, and Laurel with baby Archer sleeping soundly in her arms. It was very informal, too, because they started off their morning so early and without food, so the remnants of breakfast were still there in the center of the table amongst the maps and texts. Everyone had been there for almost two hours by that time, still blurry-eyed from the temple service they had to sit through for three hours before the sun even rose.

"...going to need to get in touch with Ozera," Jai had been saying. "We'll need safe passage and supplies."

"You think anyone would want us in Ethran?" Gideon questioned. He was two seats to Lyv's right on Eamon's other side. He leaned back in his chair with one boot crossed over his knee. "You didn't exactly play nice with them all when we were there. I don't know if Ozera's going to be as nice as she was before either. Even I could see she was getting a little annoyed with all your demands, Jai, especially when she said there was no sight of Lyv, Mik, Corliss, or Guinevere in Chamin or in the surrounding deserts."

Lyv couldn't help but scoff at the sound of Ozera's. The one time she met the Queen of Chamin, she didn't take too kindly to her. She could only imagine how she had been when Jai stormed through on his search for her.

Jai sighed, sitting down heavily in the chair between Lyv and his father. "Then we'll have to think of another way. Maybe a quicker one through to the Wilds."

Alexea's eyebrows knitted together in worry...along with everyone else's. "Are you sure that's where you should be going? Maybe search for something here in Ayveri first? Didn't Corliss find information about the dark magic in the university's library?"

"We can definitely do that," Jai nodded, "but we already know where it will lead us."

"Kalla will more than likely be willing," Allel said after a few moments of silence. "She knows a way to get through the ward that separates the Wilds from the rest of Ethran. I don't know how long it's been since she was there, though, or if her second way is still open, but..."

Jai leaned forward with his forearms on the table, hands clasped in front of him. "No, that's...that's a good idea. We'll send word to her as well. She's always up for a trip, isn't she?"

Everyone continued talking around her, but Lyv concentrated on Elys. She ran her fingers though his hair, noting they would need to get it trimmed soon. Maybe even look into getting new clothes fitted for him since the ones he was wearing then seemed just a tad bit small on him.

It took her a moment to realize everyone had turned their attention to her. She was concentrating on something Elys was whispering to her about what he wanted to do on the last day of the festival, so it startled her whenever she looked up.

"What?" she asked, meeting their gazes with her one of confusion.

"Have you heard anything from Bence or your sisters?" Bridget asked her then. "I know you sent a message to them a few days ago, but have you gotten anything back?"