Chapter 46

Confusion And Drive

The moment I’m sure Gori is being looked after by some of the smarter boys in hall three I storm off looking for answers. I’m practically out in the compound by the time I remember this might be a terrible idea. If the lockdown is still in effect my attempt to leave the halls will not be met with appreciation.

I guess it is over as the pair of guards don’t object as I stride past them, the same as I do every other morning.

This early I don’t think Xael will be at morning practice with Kalon yet. So the smart thing to do is to post up near the practice pits and wait for the boys to arrive. From there I could drag Xael off and interrogate him at my leisure. So naturally I don’t do any of that, I head straight for the manse like I’m leading an army to storm it.

The kitchen entrance is open as always. I see the young guard Charik standing near the stacked spice sacks out the front. Neither of us says anything as I stalk past but I glare daggers at him, silently daring the man to try and bar my way this time. He doesn’t, which is definitely for the best. The mood I’m in right now I think I would throw myself at BloodRock himself if he tried to stop me.

I don’t wait for my eyes to adjust to the gloom of the pantry, trusting my memory of the place to guide me for the few heartbeats of darkness and my size to keep any domestics out of my way while I do it.

I will admit I slow down a little when I cross into the kitchen. Confused and driven or not the last time I was in here the head cook came extremely close to stabbing me. That is enough to give anyone pause, and I don’t even do that. I just kind of slow down a bit.

She is here; Kalon’s mother. I’ve never bothered to learn her name, though I’m sure it's been said to me before.

It isn’t really a surprise to see the middle-aged blonde lady. The kitchen doesn’t ever really stop and as BloodRock’s favorite cook, it stands to reason she would handle the early morning prep.

What is surprising is seeing her son assisting with the kitchen tasks as well. Everyone knows he does occasional work in the kitchens, but for Kalon to help with the breakfast prep and then attend our morning practices he would need to be getting up even earlier than I am.

I lock eyes with the woman practically daring her to try something. I’ll break her nose again and more if she does.

She grabs a knife off a counter nearby and clutches it tightly, but for the second time this morning, Kalon surprises me. Stepping in front of his mother and putting a calming hand on her.

“Mom don’t,” he says softly and I slow even further.

“He’s my friend.” That brings me to a dead stop. I may have been thinking about how I see the blonde boy lately but to actually declare aloud that we are friends. I don’t know how to feel, or what to say.

I sort of go quiet for a second then mumble my thanks to him. The blonde kid laughs like I'm being ridiculous and assures me it's no problem.

“Oh,” I say when I’m about to leave the kitchen. “ Have you seen Xael yet this morning?”

Kalon tells me he hasn’t and his mother continues to watch me warily until I’m out into the manse proper. I didn’t really think the foreign boy would be up and about yet. Even with our morning training sessions, he is likely at most doing some stretches or breathing exercises in his room.

‘His room..’

Right, I don’t actually know which of the upstairs guest rooms belongs to Xael. Kalon probably does but asking him would mean doubling back into the kitchens. Not only would it be awkward in the extreme, but I’d have to find some way to either get Kalon away from his mother or ask without revealing too much within her earshot. I opt to just try and figure it out on my own. Maybe I'll get lucky and find a domestic who can show me where to go.

In the meantime I stalk through the main hall, vaguely enjoying the feeling of cold stone under my padded feet. There isn’t really anything for it but to head up the main staircase to the upper levels. The idea makes my fur stand on end. I have a lot of memories from inside BloodRock’s stupid fake fortress, very few are recent even fewer are positive.

‘It's fine I’m not a little kid anymore.’ I tell myself more than once as I make my way up the grandiose stairway.

The upper levels of the BloodRock manse are almost exclusively devoted to housing. I have vague memories of a ballroom as well maybe? Definitely some sort of space other than the main hall where Atar used to host parties. Well, he still might. I don't spend time in here usually and I’m certainly not part of the entertainment anymore.

This is all a problem for me as I can hardly just go around knocking on doors. There are at least two dozen rooms that could be acting as Xael’s quarters. If I start trying them at random the odds of encountering someone other than the lanky foreigner are just too high. What I need is a plan, some sort of strategy, or a way to narrow my options down.

Pausing on the second floor of the manse I take a moment to run through my options. While I don’t know who is staying at the compound at the moment or how many of them there are, it stands to reason that if it was more than a few people I would have seen someone coming and going. Right? So I can probably assume there are a lot more empty rooms than full ones. Sort of helpful I guess.

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I’m almost certain Xael and Illexa’s quarters are right next to each other. They have told me they share dinner most nights which would definitely get annoying if they didn’t. That is probably somehow helpful I guess? I can maybe look for signs of people coming and going.

I’m still trying to figure this out when the problem solves itself for me.

The little domestic girl who is basically Illexa’s shadow is making her way down the stairs. Is up there where the domestics sleep? I realize I’ve been here eleven years and never once thought about where the other kinds of slaves sleep. That doesn’t matter right now, she definitely knows where the GodsRinger siblings make their quarters.

“Tullulah,” I say stepping into her path.

She eyes me suspiciously but doesn’t try to push past or anything.

“What?”

I don’t really understand this girl, she is a tiny thing and younger than me by at least a few years. Yet she will stare you down like she’s the head of an ettin. Maybe that's how she ended up with the cut on her arm. She has the wound covered by a long-sleeved dress, but I can smell it.

“I need to find Xael’s room, it's important.”

After an awkward free heartbeats where we just kind of glare at each other the little domestic obviously comes to the conclusion that I’m not here to cause trouble and directs me to a room on the third floor.

Letting the girl pass I head up the stairs and knock on the second door on the left as per Tullulah’s instructions. As much as I want to I don’t just smash my fist against the door as hard as I can. While I’ve never been actively banned from the upper floors of the manse I would have a very hard time explaining why I’m here more than an hourglass before sunrise waking up the houselord’s guests.

So I knock softly a few times and nothing happens. I wait and I do it again. Nothing happens.

I’m starting to wonder if I’ve been given bad directions, or if I maybe need to knock harder to wake Xael up inside. Since abandoning this door would leave me right where I started I opt to knock louder. Maybe a little louder than I should have if I’m honest but it works. A shirtless Xael groggily opens the door.

“Nor-” I shove into the room before he even finishes getting my name out.

The windowless room beyond is well-appointed but far from ostentatious. There is a pair of small tables. One covered in books, the other holding two of the thin straight swords Xael favors along with little pots of what I’m guessing is weapon oil.

Behind the pair of tables and single stool between them is a large bed at least five times the size of my cot. A surprisingly large number of outfits hang around the room on little hanger things designed for them and there is another doorway that I assume leads to a bathing area.

I have enough of my wits about me to slam the door shut behind me.

“ BloodRock practically killed Gori last night and I want to know why.”

“What? Who?”

I drop my voice low as I loom over the human boy sounding out each word slowly.

“The antlered boy from hall three, My friend Gori. He got taken during the lockdown.” His eyes go wide but he lets me continue.

“When they dumped him back in hall three this morning he was all but dead, in fact, he might still die. And you know what he said to me before he passed out? What might be his last words ever?”

What?” Asks Xael his voice barely above a whisper.

“He begged me to tell you that he didn’t say anything to them.”

The foreign boy lets out a long breath and seems to relax just a little. Which if anything frustrates me even further.

“You are the one always talking about how we need to trust each other. So tell me what the fuck is going on!” I demand.

“Look,” He says.

“Tell me!”

“I can’t! I would If it was safe but I can’t and I won't.” Some iron has entered his voice and I'm not really sure how to continue. I can hardly try to beat the answers out of my partner. I will need him to fight beside me tomorrow evening.

“Besides if you pay attention you might figure it out.” He mutters, shaking his head. “ Now who saw you come here?”

‘Huh. Pay attention?’

I glare at the dark-haired boy but tell him. “ Uhh Kalon, his mother, and your sister’s little slave girl Tullulah.” He chews his lip for a few heartbeats.

“That's all?” He asks seriously

“I don’t know” I hiss back with a shrug. “ I think that was everyone.”

The GodsRinger pinches the bridge of his nose. “ I guess that could be worse but you have to get out of here. I’m sorry about your friend but just go. We will talk later I promise but you must go and now. ”