Page 122 of The Song of Sunrise
Are you okay?I ask, and she nods meekly.Stay strong, my love. I have to go. Meet at the springs tonight?She gives another nod in response right as Castor lifts her into his arms.
I growl and more darkness curls around me. I need to demolish something soon or I’m going to burst. All I want to dois hold Akemi in my arms and smell her delicious vanilla scent, but fucking duty calls.
Not caring to dampen my rage, I can feel the shadows around me curling from my back. My wings snap out, and I charge toward the negotiation room.
Damaris rolls their eyes and joins me.
“There we go,” Cadex mumbles, following after.
The room is not as I expected. The Elder Superior is shouting at a professor, arms flailing and cheeks reddening with temper.
“How did you manage to misidentify Cadet Nox?” He is shouting so loudly, his neck strains with veins.
Oh fuck. He knows.
They know.
“I… I,” the professor stutters.
“You teach Introduction to Talent, do you not Professor Novak?”
“Yes, I do.” Professor Novak’s head is tilted downward, hiding a furiously red blush.
“And as a part of your course, you assign each cadet into the factions, correct?”
“Yes, but—”
“And as a part of that test, you expose the cadets to each of the three stones. Am I correct?” Flecks of saliva fling from Markus’s mouth.
“Well, I only use the two stones because we haven’t had a Starwatcher in decades, so I—”
“So you took it upon yourself to break academic protocol for your own shortcut? You are dismissed from the Watch. All titles and accommodations will be stripped. If it was in my jurisdiction, I would take your channeling stones away as well.” Markus leans over the table, nose to nose with the other man.
The professor shudders. There is no worse fate than disconnecting from the Source.
Markus continues, “But seeing as it breaks our laws to separate a person from the Source after being connected for more than five years, you will get out with this one grace. Now get out of my sight before I change the laws myself!”
The professor runs out of the room.
Markus takes in a long breath and exhales before turning to face me. He avoids looking at me directly. Most do when I wear the face of Ares, our warrior marks painted in ragged black edges across our faces. Both Damaris and Cadex are also painted for war. I tilt my head slightly, urging the beast within to stay calm. For now.
I walk toward the circular table in the center of the room, where a white-robed scholar from the Lux’Civitas sits, readying his quill and pen for the forthcoming amendments to the treaty. From the mahogany tone of his skin and pointed ears, this scholar likely came from one of the northern Elven territories. While the majority who wish to study the ways of Tellers or Scribes are humans, any species can join the order.
Perhaps more from the Underworld would go if they were allowed on the surface.
I retract my wings and sit. Markus sits across from me, the human delegation sitting in chairs along the edge of the room. Lord Clayoq and Lady Neda also take their respective seats at the table.
It takes all of me not to fucking rip out the neck of the Lux’Civitas scholar as he drones on about the history of the treaty, the current amendments, and rules for negotiations. With each passing hour, my patience thins. I need to know if Akemi is alright. We need to come up with a plan. She isn’t safe now. Not if people recognized the magic she demonstrated in the task. Especially not those old enough to remember the power of the Starwatchers.
Morning bleeds into the afternoon. Then afternoon to evening.
Finally, it’s time to make my proposals. I look to the scholar who already has his quill poised, awaiting my requests.
The room waits in anticipation like claws kept tucked just under knuckles, ready to strike.
“My demands are simple. Allow the citizens of the Underworld to go to the Surface during the day, in addition to the night hours, if they so wish. Terraguard citizens should also be allowed into Jord territory and the travel ban lifted. Lower the universal tax to neutralize equality across all three races. And last, I request a recurring annual residency for one Teller of my choosing in Terraguard, to learn our histories and stories and record as necessary.”
The Scribe stands with his hands crossed against his pristine white robes. “Your requests have been heard and recorded by Laurio au’ Demonta and deemed within scope of the treaty bounds. As noted by the New World Peace Treaty, the first royal delegate’s requests must be adhered to. Do any members wish to challenge my acceptance of these amendments?”
