RABBITNOTES : So, last few chapters, a bit faster narrative. I'll start with Glass Sword soon 3 Also tweaked the last chapters a bit, adding content about Vael's sister being a sentinel and Alyn screaming 'I don't know how' instead of ' i can't anymore'
A ball ,a ball, hushed whispers and rumors, and something eager in the way Alyn read Maven.
A month in the palace since Mareena Titanos- Mare, Alyn thought, correcting himself. Appeared in his life. But it felt so much longer. It felt like a lifetime. It felt longer like his time in prison even, if only because he could sleep some days away.
A ball, a ball. What is dancing but drawing circles along the floor to the rhythm of lies and doom?
Alyn tasted the excitement, but all it did to him is making him flinch alongside his mimic friend or Vael Gliacon. He was like one of the horses perched in the barn back at home. Shuffling their hooves, stepping on the spot.
Evangeline Samos, metal clad wolf grin, crossed his way once or twice. With Mare around, she was more vicious than ever. Despite their cattiness, Alyn found it almost refreshing. At least their dislike for each other is real and true.
Evangeline Samos doesn't like to be overshadowed, but who could blame her? She was born for this purpose.
She was like Alyn. In a sentimental act, he stretched his feelers inside Samos mind, only to find she did not pity herself a bit.
Strong steel to the bone. She was, strangely enough, the most functioning person in the room. Her steel gave Alyn confidence. And spirits knew, he needed that confidence to survive all the chattering wanted to hug her. It would probably have been the last thing he ever would do.
She sneered at him. But in his mind, it was as sweet as a kiss.
Kandro Tyros was parading him through the whole palace, letting him stretch out to servants and nobles, sensing patterns or feelings, making people more happy or less.
Easy with all the excitement. Elara wouldn't want to know her own precious child was plotting something. MAybe, Alyn hoped, they would take the queen out. If that was what all the plotting was about, he would be happy to lose his tongue if it meant success for the plan.
But whenever Elara and Maven shared the same space, there was nothing but a very strange kind of bond, a love that reminded Alyn of his own mother, if not as much gentle and more cautious. It reminded him that Elara was all but human, somewhere deep inside, behind the walls of ice and venom.
Julian was making himself scarce around Alyn, and he couldn't shake the thought off he did it because he knew what they were planning. Alyn was a leak, with the queen prominent in his head, whatever little love he had for her.
On one occasion, Alyn saw Mare dance. Alyn remembered a song his sister had sung, little nonsense about hares and dances. His kid sister was for sure dead or worse.
Mare, Mare, hopping around the princes like a hare. Take care of your paws, little hare. Where wolves rustle bushes it's dangerous.
There was tension that reminded Alyn of his stupid attempt to pursuit Vael Gliacon.
Oh, Maven would have hated the sight of this. He was sure, remembering the jealous loathing he had sensed when he had seen him with his brother so many years ago.
Dancing was just stepping in circles, trying to keep the feet away from each other but the hands close and tugged on waists, not too lose your partner.
"What, no dancing for you?" Vael whispered.
"Leave me alone." Alyn rolled his eyes at the good-natured humor his friend radiated. "You know we will be standing around and get the murder knifes out, in case something goes wrong."
"I was so looking forward to seeing you stumble over your feet." Vael sighed. "You could have asked the prince for a dance. Now that would be scandalous. Spicy. Imagine the talks. I'll take Titanos, in that case."
"She'll electrocute you before you open your mouth," Alyn remarked, imagining the sight of that.
"Oh, Velx. As long as the evening ends with someone flailing on the ground like a fish, I DO consider it a success."
"Thought so." Alyn sighed, hands behind his back, waiting for the queen to appear.
Vael shifted beside him, coughing a little."Do you miss..you know, being around him?"
Alyn stared at him with utmost confusion and embarrassment."Are you really trying what I think you are?"
"You read my feelings, tell me, Al."
"I consider you a friend, so I would heed the advice, Gliacon, to stop." Alyn urged. "Or I will make you stop. As much as I would hate that, I would do it."
Lurking around a landing, looking the ballroom, once again, watching was all Alyn could do.
It is not like he was anything else in his life.
Watching Maven and Mare, he could feel something peculiar.
It took lines of talks and hand shakes to make it out. The room was so full of all kinds of jealousy, amusement and anxiety, it made him want to puke.
Guilt ridden.
Guilt for what?
What is the deal? Why guilt, lightning girl?
Maven's conflict was raging even louder in his head, but that's business as usual. Maven never feels just one thing. Maven was a hurricane, but he was Alyn's hurricane, and Alyn whirled along his feelings. Through torn duty and nervous aches, through flinching anxiety and dark brooding hatred, there was still the need to love and be loved, bigger than ever with Mare close.
It was different from Thomas. But Alyn guessed, loving different people at different times...maybe it was never the same. Except for him. But unrequited love and sorrow was nothing to brood around. Not with guilty Mare so close.
Dwindling lines of handshakes and introduction.
So nervous, Alyn could feel it on the tip of his tongue. He wondered, for only a brief moment, what bad thing was about to occur. He couldn't shake it off.
He looked out to his left , seeing Vael Gliacon close, smiling, when things went to hell.
Light zapped out. Darkness frightened the high born. Unlike Alyn, the darkness and the surprise in it were new to them. Guns were blazing close.
A cut,a shot,a pain, death.
Alyn ducked down in reflex. Staying down seemed the smartest option. There was chaos. Vael Gliacon may denied to shoot. He still fought,a knife in his hand.
Alyn hissed, through the red and silver veil that the pain was.
Hot and bright, the explosion blinded him alongside the pain shooting through his body.
It welled all through his head, and he went down, not able to even scream.
"Alyn," Red smudged cheek, Vael pressed his hands again his head."Alyn, snap out. You can do it."
"I can't. The pain is-" Hot, strong pain, burning through his face, his chest, his everything, smoldering fires, burning his very existence.
Panic, making his breath hitch. Too much too fast.
And death, death everywhere.
"Alyn, please." Vael whispered. "Stay with me. I'm here, alright?"
Tears finally flooded his sight, and he broke into crying sobs.
"They are still alive. The fire hasn't killed them. Oh, spirits. They are alive."
"Stay, Al." Vael whispered. "I need to- I will be back."
Then the hands were gone, and the madness continued.
Alyn lay in the alcove, curled together, watching it all.
Mare was still there. He didn't see Maven...Trying to make out a single being in the chaos that was in and outside, around Alyn, was in vain.
WHY would you? Alyn wanted to howl. HOW could you?
You were important for me, Alyn thought. You were supposed to be the good one!
Cal and Mare, Mare dizzy, Cal worried.
Alyn cried, paralyzed. Where was Maven?
Vael appeared under him, scattering guards and Sentinel, a small tide in a chaotic flood.
This gun, the gun Vael was tossing the prince, it was not unloaded.
There was a fever, angry, searching, wanting. It melted through the panic in Alyn's head like lava.
Hunting fever. And Vael, of course, despite his hatred for war, despite that frail sanity, fighting alongside the prince. Alyn would have valued his loyalty, but all he could do was wail and sob.
He moved slowly, so slowly. First on hands and knees, then getting up. Limping, an unharmed cripple.
Everything to get away from the pain and fear.
A strong arm was gripping his shoulder suddenly. Kandro Tyros, soaked in red and silver blood, had found him.
"Where do you think you are going?"
"To hell,"Alyn managed to whisper."Or worse."
With a frown, Tyros dragged him with him, down the steps through ashes, fighting, and blood. Alyn had never seen such devastation in his life. Not in the prison and never in his dreams. What horror was Vael feeling, reminded of war?
Supposed to be safe, never truly, anger, fear, panic, pain pain pain-
His chest was going to burst, the longer Tyros dragged him behind.
Down the steps, into the heart of the palace. The dungeon. As someone familiar with prison architecture, Alyn could think which doorway lead into which torture cell. He watched Tyros' lips, pressed together in a frown. Here, beneath the cold stone, panic had faded. He felt the marble will of the sentinels lined the fear and nervousness of the imprisoned.
Careful, very careful, Alyn took his place, trying to breathe in and out, not letting the chaos in his mind show. A hand nudged his own, and when Alyn looked up, he saw the eyes of Vael, relieved, for once.
The eyes of Mare, Maven and Cal were anything but relieved.