Angelfire | The Whispering Wall #3

Forty Four: Talks

"I shouldn't be this nervous." Grace bounced on her seat, the bench creaking incessantly. Nova suppressed a twitch. "I don't think I've ever been this nervous to see Joe."

"It'll be fine." She couldn't remember how many times she'd said it over the course of the day, only that she was even driving herself to distraction with it. She wasn't even certain what she was doing here; she had only come because Grace had asked her to. She doubted Thorne would be all that pleased to have her sitting in, but perhaps when the initial awkwardness was over she could slip out and give them some privacy. It wasn't like she was much looking forward to this conversation either.

When the knock on the door finally came, Grace jumped, even though she'd been watching it already.

"It's Nika," Nova muttered, as all the blood drained out of Grace's face and it looked as though she might not open the door at all.

"Oh." A strange mix of disappointment and relief flooded the air around her. "Come in."

The Unspoken eased the door open and poked his head in. "There's something Harkenn wants to discuss with you."

"But I'm waiting for Joe." If Nova hadn't been so attuned to her, she might not have noticed the tremor in Grace's voice.

"He's already in the study. This concerns all of you."

"Me as well?" Nova asked, frowning, and Nika nodded.

She shared a confused glance with Grace, and then they both got up to follow the Unspoken to the study. Grace's hands weren't still for more than seconds at a time, her nervousness growing with every step until it was contagious. Nika said nothing, and his aura was difficult to read, as if he was making an effort to be neutral about something. Despite the bustle of the castle's daily business, everything felt strangely still and quiet, as if they were all waiting for something to happen.

Grace squeezed Nova's hand as Nika knocked on the study door, paused for the affirmative, and then stood aside to let them both in. Nova shoved down a familiar wash of hatred, long habit amplified by recent events, as she stepped into the study and breathed in the familiar smell of old smoke, wine and cold stone, the spicy smell of Harkenn's various personal products and wood polish. Only Grace's nervousness kept it in check. Grace needed her present.

Thorne and Yddris were already in the room, tension humming in the air. Only Harkenn seemed unconcerned, reading through a document and sipping at a glass of wine. He set the glass down as Nika snapped the door closed behind them, and looked up a few seconds later. His eyes moved across Grace in a way that made Nova tense and Thorne's aura spike dangerously. Nova glanced over at him, noting that he felt different from when she'd last seen him. His aura seemed brighter, harder somehow, though she was sure others of her kind would be able to read the differences more accurately than she could. Its edges were slightly blurred, and she had a distinct feeling that Thorne's personal solution to nerves around this meeting had involved alcohol.

"For reasons I don't have the patience to get into," Harkenn began without preamble, "there will soon be an expedition of Unspoken and miscellaneous heading very far down south. For more reasons I don't have the inclination to get into, Thorne and Yddris will both be going on this expedition. It will be a long journey, potentially perilous." Harkenn ran a finger around the rim of his glass as Grace looked at her brother, unable to hide a flash of panic. "This is all decided. What is not decided is whether or not you should join it."

"M-me?" Grace stammered, turning sharply back to Harkenn.

"There are reasons for and against both arguments." The lord continued as if she hadn't spoken. "Enough people who are not Unspoken will be joining the travelling party that you could be easily disguised, passed off as a citizen hoping for company to travel south. This potentially makes a lot more sense as far as delaying any discovery of your condition or that the child is mine. However." Another, longer pause, as it sank in around the room. Nova couldn't think for a moment through the panic. Grace couldn't go south without her. She wouldn't be safe, and Nova couldn't deal with months here alone with Harkenn again. "As I said, this trip is not without serious risk. If you were to go, I would have to send Anara and Nika with you as well as Yddris, which will potentially expose it all for the lie it is. And of course, if there were to be any...incidents...on the road, we would have to begin again on your return, and a delay of that nature does not appeal to me. Do you have something to add, Thorne?"