Rather than sail back to Edremit, we headed straight to the capitol, hastened by my recent dream of Millie’s death. We arrived a couple of days later in a strange, mixed mood. Millie’s death was a cold reality; the destruction of the gem and theft of the scroll was a resounding success. When we disembarked, the captain and the crewmen waved us off cheerfully, countering Alexandria's somber and dreary mood.
Rain pounded the earth beneath our feet, turning the streets into rivers and drowning out the usual city noise. Faust pulled a few cloaks from our meager luggage to spread amongst our group, their length providing superior protection to even the umbrellas of the modern world. Scant people walked the streets, sober-faced and speaking of bad omens and superstitions.
“It’s a sign. I can feel it in my achin’ bones. ” An old crow complained as we passed.
“Don’t be silly, Grandma. We get storms like this all the time.” Her grandson, walking next to her, placated her.
“Hah! I’m telling you, this isn’t no ordinary storm. It’s because the princess’s–” A rumble of thunder drowned out her words. Still, my brain finished the sentence for her. ‘...the princess’s phoenix died.’
Huddled in my arms, Ani let out a mournful yowl, drawing attention from other people on the street. I hushed him, letting them return to their tasks and problems. The downpour continued, water seeping into our clothes as we waited, shivering, for Faust to hire a carriage. Ani, of course, had long since begged to be picked up and was huddled against my chest. The warmth he provided was meager but welcome.
We filed into the carriage, bringing the stormwater with us.
Octavia and Aurora huddled together as we rumbled up to the castle, thunder rumbling ominously in the distance. The storm pounded more intensely over the castle, slowing us to a crawl. The rain drummed against the carriage in a loud roar, and conversation was impossible.
Eventually, the carriage driver pulled up to the shadow of a castle, soaked and slick hands opening the doors. We could barely see five feet in front of us, relying on the massive shadow of the castle and Faust to lead the way. We entered through the servant’s entrance, and the drumming of the rain dulled to a patter upon the hallway windows. The sudden silence was nearly deafening. Faust flagged down a servant, who took one look at us and took off without further prompting. He returned a few minutes later with additional servants, each laden with towels. They pounced on us before we could move, aggressively drying us and the floor behind us. The servants spared neither Ani nor August, lifting Ani from my arms and bundling him up in a towel before fluffing him dry. August was forced to spread his wings, servants claiming they didn’t want him dripping anywhere else in the palace.
Once they deemed we were dry enough to continue walking, the servant Faust’d flagged down led us through the servant’s halls to our rooms, banning us from main part of the palace until we’d changed.
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The room assigned to me was the one from a few days ago, my stuff where I’d left it. My first order of business, however, was to erase the dirt and grime I’d accumulated. As before, the tub was full, warm, and waiting, and soon my shoulders were slipping beneath the relaxing waters.
Feeling filthy, I lathered and scraped oil off with vigor, my skin turning more than a little pink. Once finished, it was comforting to dress in my own clean clothes.
I reached for the scroll I’d stolen from Hilarious and looked longingly at the notes scroll lying innocently next to it. Bound by duty, I left my notes and the sleeping Ani in the room. A servant was waiting patiently for me outside, and I followed him through the main hallways, this time, to Sera’s office.
Sera sat at the head of the table, head bowed and staring at the hands in her lab. She looked up briefly as I entered, giving me a small, weak smile she broke seconds later. The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, a somber mood overcast over the table. Aeolus sat to her left, followed by Azure and Sky. On her right sat Helia, Faust, and Aurora. Leaving the spot next to Aurora for Octavia, I sat on the cushioned chair beside Sky, cringing as the chair legs scraped against the carpet.
Octavia and August arrived shortly after me, dressed in fresh clothes. Octavia had traded her dress for some simple brown pants and an off-white tunic, tying her long dark hair off her face into a braid down her back. “Pants suit you,” Aurora whispered with a small smile.
“Thank you,” Octavia whispered back, sitting next to Aurora. August sat on her right. Patiently, we waited for Seara to begin, a few of us eyeing each other from across the table.
Eventually, Sky leaned over to whisper, "We’re waiting for someone else.”
I thanked him, then turned to the questioning gazes across the table to gesture to the seat beside me, quietly repeating what I’d just been told. Recognition dawned on their faces, and we sat in silence. A few long minutes later, the door opened again, servants letting in a familiar chimera, one of the guards assigned to Faust and I’s room, though I couldn’t remember his name. Though he hadn’t been friendly in the first place, he seemed even less so now, his face grim and laden with bad news. He took the empty seat next to me as Sera composed herself.
Now that everyone was seated, she began. “There are many new faces here today. Everyone, introduce yourselves.”
Being the furthest from Sera and one of the only two people in the room who knew everyone, August introduced himself first, the table following suit in a clockwise order. August, Octavia, Aurora, Faust, Helia, Sera, Aeolus, Azure, Sky, me, and the new chimera, Vitus.
Once the introductions were complete, Sera continued, “As you may know, my familiar, Vermillion, perished in the recent attempt on my life. The perpetrator vanished shortly after and has not been seen since.”
Sera continued, “Meanwhile, my father, the king, has committed the atrocious act of kidnapping and abusing any chimeras that have been caught by the guard, claiming that they aren’t people and their ‘opinions aren’t a concern.’” Disgust clouded her voice, her eyes roaming the room to meet each of us in turn.
“Everyone here, of course, knows that reality is a different story. Atrociously, the mage had an item, a gem, that forced chimeras to obey his every command. Aquila and I tasked Hayden, Augustus, and Faustus with destroying this gem; the cooperation between humans and chimera a sign of good faith between our people.”
She paused, giving us space to speak. Faust and August shifted the burden of explaining to me, so I did, sending the stolen scroll across the table to Sera like a playing card. I forced myself to keep still and not fidget as I spoke, projecting my voice across the table. “August shattered the gem, scattering its remnants where no one will ever find them again. That scroll,” I indicated the one I’d just sent across the table, “is one the mage used to record his experiments. Detailed in it is proof Chimeras had their own free will before they devised a method of stealing it away and proof that the mage has always reported to the Sea Serpent King. His ‘chimera rebellion’ was a desperate scam to throw the Dragon and Phoenix kingdoms off his scent.”