Page 2 of The Night Prince 2

“Lady Sorisana Adric, you are the person with whom I have most wanted to meet,” Shonda had said.

Sorisana had lifted a dark eyebrow. “Oh? And why would that be?”

She could have tittered and said any number of vapid compliments. Sorisana had done much in her life. But Shonda had simply said the truth, “You forged your House from nothing and now you are the most respected of all the Aravae outside of the king. I want to learn from you.”

That eyebrow had eased a little and there might have been a slight smile. “I’m surprised you would speak of learning, Mrs. Baston. Most people believe that when they become Councilors that they are here for what they can teach.”

“I can and will offer whatever guidance and experience I have to King Aquilan, but, in truth, I believe that I will be the one that learns most,” Shonda had answered.

“Some people would say that admitting–as a human–that you need to learn something would be dangerous, would lessen any little respect you might be given,” Sorisana said.

“I highly doubt that those who would lessen their respect for me for wanting to learn from someone like you had very much respect for me or humanity in the first place.”

Sorisana laughed, but not unkindly. “Well then, why don’t you sit beside me at the Council table? We can learn from each other that way.”

And that had begun their friendship. Shonda had been right. Befriending and becoming the mentee of such a person had been the best decision she could have made.

The ridwin winked out of existence and Sorisana turned fully towards Shonda, a smile lifting her lips as well as one eyebrow. “Have you avoided bloodshed for the evening?”

“Bloom is… Bloom.” Shonda laughed. “She’ll fly it off.”

“Perhaps her rage at Vesslan is not all that ill-placed.” Sorisana pursed her lips and she flashed a gaze at where the ridwin had been.

“Oh?” So Sorisana had news about Aquilan. And she looked inclined to share it.

“Walk with me?” Sorisana gestured for them to leave the many-columned foyer and enter one of the courtyard gardens.

“Of course! I have nothing planned. My whole night was allocated here. My family all have things to do without me,” she said as they started walking slowly out into the perfumed night air.

Shonda was tall at 5’9”, but Sorisana was a few inches taller and somehow she made those inches count, gliding rather like a royal barge than walking. Shonda found herself copying some of the older Aravae’s mannerisms. She reminded Shonda of her grandmother who had raised her after her mother’s early passing from cancer. Like all elves, she had no lines on her flawless skin nor any frost in her hair, but she wore her age like regal raiment nonetheless.

“How is your dearest husband? Still fighting the good fight to bring humans into martial matters?” Sorisana asked as they passed down the two graceful steps into the courtyard.

“You think it a foolish endeavor,” she said this without heat, because it was not meant unkindly.

“Not at all. I think it is honorable. But it is a vain endeavor. Without magic–”

“We’re no match for other species. Yes, I know.”

Unlike Michael, Shonda did not mention Declan’s martial prowess as evidence of what humans could be. Her son–and he was her son though she had not birthed him and had not found him until just five years ago–wanted no one to notice him, especially his special abilities. She remembered that first year after the Leviathan had attacked how Gemma would wake up screaming in the middle of the night. Shonda would be holding her, stroking her back, but her sobs were relentless. But then Declan would appear in the doorway to her bedroom and the sobs would choke off.

“Declan!” Gemma would cry out and reach for him with one arm while holding onto Shonda with the other. And Declan would come. Sitting on the other side of Shonda with Gemma between them.

How many nights had all five–her, Gemma, Michael, Finley and Declan–of them huddled in the same bedroom until dawn? With Declan somehow keeping them all from going mad? With his steadying, solid presence even allowing her beloved husband to catch a few hours of sleep? Too many to count. But though it had been fear and scars that had brought them together like that, there was a certain sweetness to those memories, too. And those dark nights had welded them together. Stronger than steel. Deeper than blood. She would die for her boys the same as she would die for Gemma.

“And yet, Sorisana, there are more things involved in winning a fight than strength, speed and magic,” Shonda said quietly.

“Like intelligence? Emotional understanding? Yes, I agree and humanity has much to offer there,” Sorisana said.

“You’re one of the few on the Council who believe that.”

They were passing by rose bushes bursting with blooms towards the center of the courtyard where a lovely fountain burbled. There were a few benches to sit and gaze about there as well. Shonda’s eyes were drawn upwards, for a moment, towards the brilliant night sky where stars glittered like diamonds. Never had she seen night skies so brilliant before the war. There was no light pollution–or any other kind of pollution–to block them out anymore. And her breath caught as she saw that sky. While she missed her iPhone, she couldn’t deny that sky.

“I lived in Illithor,” Sorisana suddenly said, her long-fingered hands lacing together in front of her beautiful crimson dress.

“Illithor?” Shonda frowned. She knew that name! Surely, Finley had mentioned it though she couldn’t remember in what context.

“The Kindreth capital city. Well, it was before King Xelroth Vex abandoned it to seek… seek other things,” she said.

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