His plan sounded absurd, yet the fact that both the Pope and the First Acolyte were now seemingly guided by him lent it an unnerving credibility. Maybe...
"Wait. Seriously, how did you even know him? The First Acolyte, I mean." I pressed him again.
"Levian found me. We talk sometimes. He is every bit the monster the Pope is." He yawned deeply and rested his eyes. "But his trust is mine. I had originally planned to use him when I was ready to reap Mai Sakarai, but this is better."
I saw how utterly spent he was, but my questions were too numerous to ignore.
"So the plan is to reunify the Faith? At the Prince and Princess's engagement ceremony?"
( ZzZzZz )
"Hey!"
He looked annoyed and turned away.
"Zeph, there is a bed... hey! Is that the plan? Is it? Hello?"
"...There's a lot between you and your parents. Both annoying. No food, no drinks, no entertainment, just endless demands from your guests... the house of the famous Em sure took a hit today."
He found the energy to insult me, but it was so true it silenced me. In fact, I myself felt the fatigue of the long, strange day. I yearned to soak in hot water, but this couch looked wonderfully inviting.
~
I woke to complete darkness. It could have been late afternoon or the dead of night. Zephyr was gone, his clothes neatly folded, but a servant waited patiently beside the fire until my brain fully engaged.
"Welcome back, m'lord. Lord Zephyr requests you join him and your noble parents for dinner."
She was one of the lovely girls from earlier... Welma.
"Thank you. Please inform them I'll be there shortly." I was groggy but noticed the warm coat and fur-lined boots she wore. Her entire appearance had changed, clearly dressed for comfort and warmth, not servitude.
"Right away, Lord." She bowed and left, almost skipping, with a small but happy smile, leaving me momentarily stunned.
I changed into the clothes Seline had packed. They belonged to Zephyr, and I still felt deeply uncomfortable in my own absurd jacket, the ridiculous insignia, and those outrageous colors.
Much better. Checking myself, I looked presentable, and the attire was comfortably warm.
I needed to ask Lylly where she found these. They were exquisitely comfortable, and I had to laugh at the faint scent—cinnamon-ish. Zephyr loved it so much that Lylly ensured his clothes were washed in heated, spiced water. Or was it Seline?
What an idea.
I walked outside into a blistering cold and winds strong enough to push me around slightly. Once again, my own blessing would simply freeze me to death, but his... one step, and he was wherever he desired. I loved my own power and was quite proud of it, but if I had a choice? I would take something similar to his.
After a short, refreshing run, I made it inside the house and was immediately hit by the sound of laughter and music. Servants lined the dining room walls, where Zephyr was seated at the head of the table, enjoying some wine he secretly hated and smiling politely at some anecdote my sister, Maria, told him.
My parents and Maria, my elder sister and a complete disaster of a mother, were having a lovely time. Meanwhile, her daughter, Lovely, lived in Malai, not by choice, but because her mother was too busy chasing her third husband.
"...I suppose the women swarm you day and night, Lord Zephyr?"
Her intentions were as pathetic as they were transparent.
"Evening all. Mary, long time no see."
She looked behind her and offered a drunken smile. "Dear brother, welcome home. You never mentioned this man in your letters."
Those letters were strictly for information concerning her daughter, but as always, she had other priorities.
"How rude of me." I took a seat next to Zephyr and allowed the servants to plate my food and fill my glass. "Lovely is fine. She is an adept fighter now."
"My daughter, a fighter!? HOW!? Hahaha..."
I had never heard a witch's cackle, but if such a thing existed, my sister had perfected it. Zephyr noticed something of interest.
"Oh, you're Lovely's mother? Carlos is right. She has great talent. I teach her martial arts every now and then when... I'm visiting the city."
"Lord Zephyr, you didn't mention you're a master of hand-to-hand combat as well." Father actually looked interested. He looked like he genuinely enjoyed his company.
I just ate in silence and listened to their polite chatter.
"I teach my own... footwork? Really nothing special, but combined with other much more useful arts, it serves as great support."
My father was enchanted, perhaps more so than the ladies of House Em. "I'm sure you are just being too humble, son."
For once, I agreed with him.
"Martial arts... sounds fascinating. Um, by the way, Carlos dear, how is Ciren doing?"
That's precisely why I wanted my little sister near me. How long did it take her own mother to ask about her? How much more interesting was Zephyr to them than the little girl whom, by the way, he would kill them for in a heartbeat?
"I left her home. She made friends with Zephyr's daughter, Ilianna. She is happiest among family."
I enjoyed seeing my choking sister making eyes at Zephyr, believing someone so young couldn't possibly have children or even a wife. Finished with my soup, I saw a familiar glint in Zephyr's eye.
"Ciren is an incredible girl. You must be very proud. I owe her a lot, more than can possibly be repaid."
This, of course, made them exchange curious glances.
Correct. The gloomy girl you never paid attention to captured his heart from minute one of meeting her.
"I see. May I ask how you ended up owing her?" Maria was jealous of her sister, twenty-five years her junior.
"She taught me how to read and write. She patiently stayed with me, never rushed me, or got fed up with my bumbling." He smiled, remembering the time he spent with her. She still reads to him on some days. "She will be a great poet one day," he added.
She sure will be. Her poems are only for me and Zephyr for now, but one day, they will reach the world.
"I must visit my little Cireny... she must have gotten so big after a year." My mother mused, exchanging a look with my father.
It was twenty-two months, Ma, but it's touching how attentive you were.
Bad idea either way. Ciren hated them more than I did. After all, I had some decent memories, but not her. She wasn't planned and was born sixteen years after the last one, my brother Juan. Her only memories were of neglect and indifference.
I listened to various pointless questions, mostly concerning his wife. He answered them politely.
"Her name is Lylly Wold... now Astoria."
"She is beautiful, brilliant, the perfect wife, truly."
"No. I was born somewhere else. Unfortunately, I don't remember."
"It has no name, really. Do our blessings usually have names?"
"I would have left tomorrow, but with Big Brother Viego's offer of a celebration, we will stay an extra day and depart on Sunday."
"Too bad. There is so much I would love to show you. Hmm... have you ever thought of owning a slave?"
My useless sister pointed behind her to those servants making eyes at Zephyr.
"Mary, Zeph is not—"
"Absolutely. Can you help, dear Julia?"
He flashed a charming smile toward my mother, and the answer was obvious.
"Of course, my boy. Ugh, Mary, you can come too. Stop pouting, dear daughter. You're too old for that."
That only made her more sullen, but I focused on Zephyr.
It's never boring with you, Zeph. I just hope I can keep up.
'We are all passengers on the comet called Zephyr.' Yes, dear sister-in-law, your words make more sense with every passing day.