A Kingdom of Tales

Chapter 29

Yuri takes one of my hands into hers and smacks something into it. She closes my fingers over it before I can see what it is.

"I don't wish you dead, Jasmine. I've been waiting years for your arrival. I don't hold you accountable for the things that have happened the way Kyo has."

She leaves without uttering another word, leaving me even more confused than I was before. I'm almost scared to open my fist and see what she left me.

A brooch pin?

It's very obviously designed to look like jasmine. Instead of seeds in the middle, it has a glittery blue snake coiled around a silver staff. The snake seems to have a crown of fire on it's head.

I trace the design gently with my finger, trying to remember where I heard of it before. It must've been in one of Melly's stories.

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"Each of the eight great houses had a symbol of their own. It was the symbol stitched on their military uniforms and in most of their other clothes as well. Each of the houses built their homes around the basic design of their symbol. It created a sense of identity for each of them and a sense of belonging." Melody started.

That night, Cerise, Onyx, and Alanna had joined us before bed to hear Melly's story. Alanna looked to be on the verge of tears throughout the story.

"The Archeron's symbol was a golden crown that had fire instead of jewels." She had a piece of paper on her lap where she drew the symbol she'd just described. "The Griffins had the brilliant idea of making their insignia the tree of life. It was the tree the original eight sat under to take shade during times of war. It symbolised protection, something Griffin has provided for Archeron throughout their years together."

She drew the other tree on the paper next to the Archeron insignia. She tilted the paper in my direction so that I'd be able to take a better look. Melody was not an artist by any means, but the drawing was beautiful, like she had practiced it a million times before.

"Fox's symbol was a simple eagle, but it's eyes were as golden as his own." Bash said as Melody drew. He was the only one lying on the bed next to me, so I felt the vibrations of his body as he spoke.

"The Damaris design was the simplest but the most beautiful, in my opinion. It was a simple square cross depicting the elements on each end." Melody said as she handed the paper to Alanna. "You always drew it better than I did, Al. Go ahead."

Alanna drew it slowly, with more precision than any of the other insignias Melly had drawn. When she was done, she handed the paper to me. Melody was right; it truly was beautiful. On each end, their was a fire, a drop of water, a gush of wind, and a small mountain. The mountain had a water stain from Alanna's tears.

"Astor's insignia was a butterfly emerging from its cocoon." Melody paused and frowned. "I don't remember how to draw it. It's been a long time since I've seen it."

Everyone else frowned as well. They forgot how to draw it too.

It was a terrible thing to be forgotten. That was what I'd thought then.

"A clock with thirteen hours was the Raven symbol. It symbolised how the Raven's would always have an extra hour over the world if they wished it. For that was the limit of their power. They could stop time for an hour for everyone else." She paused and smiled, then continued. "Valor's was the symbol of healers, a snake coiled around a silver staff."

She then handed the paper to Onyx with a smile. He drew as she spoke. "Florian's was a beast. A bear. That was the animal he preferred shifting into, so he designed the insignia to look like himself when he shifted."

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The brooch in my hand reminds me of two houses. Archeron and Valor. The King and Queen. Miles' parents. Yuri's mom.

Why would she give me this?

Was it a trick to get me to trust her?

I walk back to the bed. I take the blanket off of it and lay it on the floor. I'm not going to sleep in that bed. It's bad enough that I'm in this room; I won't sleep in the bed someone planted a knife in.

I play with the brooch in my hand as I try to sleep. Should I trust Yuri? She mentioned something about how Kyoshi was more likely to do something like this.

Why would Kyoshi want to scare me?

We've only just met today. In fact, she never even introduced herself properly, so she can't possibly have any reason to hate me.

My gaze finds a book on the nightstand. I walk over to it. It looks like a journal, not a book.

Does this belong to the previous occupant of this room? My gaze falls on the writing on the wall. Maybe this book will help me understand this place better.

I open the first page, and to my surprise, I find that it is written in Avenlean. The old language.

For the hundredth time, I'm thankful for Melody's schooling. I take the journal and walk back to my makeshift bed, taking a candle with me.

Since I'm in no mood for sleep, I might as well fill my time with something valuable.

I flip to the first page again and start reading.