Chapter 641: Unexpected Arrival
The Veres manor was the sa as Callum rembered, and at the sa ti, it was entirely different. Where before it had been quiet, with servants moving furtively through the halls, the air filled with a heaviness that had been there as long as Callum could rember, now, the place seed lively. Twice as many servants rushed back and forth, smiles on their faces as they chatted with one another.
A line of guests and their entourage was situated in one of the parlors. Callum eyed the snacks on the tables and felt his mouth water. How long had it been since he had gotten a proper noble’s al?
“Which way is it?” Lysaila asked, eyeing the several hallways spanning from the parlor.
“This way,” Callum walked down the third hallway with confidence.
“Um, do we have to wait for an introduction or sothing?” Kithina asked. She was in the manor of House Veres, the nexus of one of the greatest powers in all of Hollow Shade. Looking at the portraits and expensive ornants lining the walls made her feel out of place, small even.
“I already inford one of the servants of my arrival. She’s probably talking to Stryg, wherever he is. No need to wait, we’re family after all,” said Callum. Though to Kithina, it seed as if he was saying it more for himself than for them.
“Cal,” Elise called out softly.
Callum froze and turned to see his half-sister standing there in front of an open doorway. “Sister, you’re… alive.” He muttered the last word in relief. After news of Stryg being Lord Veres reached him, Callum had feared the worst.
Leave it to Elise to have heard of his arrival before anyone else. She had eyes and ears everywhere.
Elise walked closer, the silhouette of Lynette Gale right behind her. Elise’s Shield rarely left her mistress’ side.
Kithina and Lysaila stepped in front of Callum protectively. Elise ignored the looks they were giving her and walked past them, right up to Callum. She reached out her hand and caressed his cheek. Elise smiled. “You look well.”
“Thanks?” Callum mumbled, stunned.
Elise gently pulled his neck down and kissed him on the forehead. “Welco ho.” She let him go, turned, and left, Lynette following suit.
“That was it?” Kithina blinked.
“That was your sister? She didn’t seem too bad.” Lysaila wrinkled her brow.
“I thought she’d be angrier,” said Kithina.
“And why would that be?” asked Gian.
Even Lysaila jumped at the sound of his voice. She hadn’t heard him coming.
“Uncle Gian!” Callum tackled him with a hug.
“I ca as soon as I heard you’d arrived,” Gian laughed and embraced him with both his arms. Even now, it felt odd for him to have a new arm, the fresh nerves tingling with every touch. Callum didn’t notice; he was filled with relief that his uncle was fine.
“What’s going on, Uncle? I thought Elise would be… You know.”
“We have much to discuss, but for now, know that your sister has decided to support Stryg,” Gian said.
“That’s good… Um, I’m gonna go get so fresh air for a mont, if you’ll excuse ,” Callum said stiffly and left.
“Is he alright?” Gian asked.
“He was our guide and he just walked off, so you tell ,” Lysaila noted dryly.
“Lord Gian,” Kithina bowed, “Callum is simply tired from the long trip. And seeing his sister not trying to kill him, threw him off, I think .”
“Elise would never do such a thing.” Gian chuckled.
“With all due respect, my lord, Elise Veres killed her brother and sister. Nothing is stopping her from killing Callum too,” whispered Kithina.
Gian shook his head. “Imprison him in a tower so he can’t escape her sight ever again? Sure, Elise could do such a thing. But physically harm Cal or sothing worse? Never.”
“How can you be so sure?” Kithina asked.
“When Callum’s mother died in childbirth, Lord Eldrin was distraught; he locked himself in his room for weeks. It was Elise who took the baby from the wet nurses and rocked him to sleep every night. It was Elise who stayed with him when the nights were darkest and little Cal cried out in his sleep. Elise Veres is many things, but do not question her love for that boy. Cal is the closest thing to a son she has and she is the closest he has to a mother.”
Gian stroked his salt and pepper trimd beard. “I suspect Elise was worried about Callum’s disappearance more than anything. The last thing she wants is to scare him off again, so she is playing nice.”
“So the kinslayer has a heart, wonderful,” Kithina muttered.
“The Veres family has always been— complicated,” said Gian sympathetically.
~~~
“Where are they?” Stryg asked. He teetered on his throne. If it wasn’t for Gale’s hand on his shoulder, he would have already dashed off to find his friend.
“I’m sure they’ll be here soon,” said Gale.
Just then, the massive double doors opened with a loud creak, and a small cloaked figure appeared. Silver-white strands of hair peeked out from the hood. Stryg didn’t need to see her face to know who it was.
And neither did Gale. “Everyone. Out,” she commanded.
The soldiers, a few Gales swordmasters included, nodded in unison, bowed to Stryg, then marched out. A couple of them gave the visitor a few curious glances, and tried to subtly peek under the hood, but failed. When the doors closed behind them, Stryg jumped to his feet. “Lunae, what are you doing here?”
“Good afternoon, Mother Moon.” Gale bowed.
“Do I need a reason to co and see you, Little One?” Lunae’s form shifted, and the cloak slipped away as she grew into the towering figure of a silver goddess.
“Um, no? It’s just, usually I co to visit you, not the other way,” said Stryg, sowhat flustered. “Is everything alright?”
She picked him up, a doll in the hands of a giant, and hugged him tight.
“Good to see you too?” Stryg wheezed. He could hardly breathe.
After a painful, long mont, Lunae put him back down. “How are you holding up?”
“You an about my father coming to visit? Or that you’re my step-mother?”
“Both. Either. I just need to know you’re okay.”
“I’m alright. I’ve been better. But I’m alright.” He shrugged. He still hadn’t co to grips with all of it, but he had pushed it aside for now. There were more pressing matters to attend to, thankfully. Anything to keep his mind from spiralling about the revelations his father had revealed to him a few nights ago.
“Good. Then I’m sure you can handle this.” Lunae shrunk down until she was only about 2 ters tall, a little less than half her usual height, but still towering over everyone else.
“Handle what exactly?” asked Stryg.
“Guests are coming.” Lunae sat down on the Veres throne and patted the spot next to her. “Sit. There is plenty of room.”
Not one to defy a goddess, at least a goddess who was also his step-mother, Stryg reluctantly sat down next to her, a toddler next to a giant. He swung his feet as he waited for Callum and the others to show up. Why Lunae wanted to et him, Stryg wasn’t certain, but it could hardly be a problem. He hoped.
The doors soon opened once more, but this ti they swung open with force and slamd into the wall. Two cloaked figures walked in, both a tad taller than Lunae’s current form.
The taller figure strode forward and cast off her cloak, revealing sleek armour underneath and a black helm. The warrior slipped the helt off. A cascade of long red hair fell around her pale face. Her golden eyes burned like the sun and even her hair seed to be flickering with motes of light. Two wolfen ears poked out at the top of her head. She had a strong jaw and a straight, chiseled nose.
Then she drew her sword, wreathed in black flas, and cocked a scarlet eyebrow. “Lunae, what are you doing in a House of vampires? And with a spawn of Death for that matter.”
“Bellum, put the sword down,” Lunae replied in a regal tone.
“Not until you tell what that thing is doing here,” she pointed her sword at Stryg.
Stryg, for his part, did his best not to look perturbed at being threatened by the goddess of war herself. He wasn’t running for the hills, so he supposed he was doing well enough.
“If you don’t lower that blade, I will rip it from your arm,” Lunae growled.
Bellum recognized the pure anger in the Moon’s voice and relented. She planted the sword straight into the ground, the blade tip sinking into the marble floor, lting the stone edges. “Explain.”
Lunae sighed. “This is my son, Stryg Veres Stjerneson, and my Favoured, Gale VIII. Stryg, Gale, this is my niece, Bellum Solisdottir.”
“Your son?” Bellum frowned. “You adopted Death’s child? What were you think—?” The flat glare Lunae gave her made Bellum’s voice trail off.
“Your turn. Explain,” demanded Lunae.
Bellum clicked her tongue. “I ca to address the issue of a scion of Death taking over one of our realm’s Great Cities. Imagine my surprise to find you sitting right next to him.”
“Not surprising at all. I’m sure you knew of my participation in the city’s siege and my armies’ current whereabouts. The only surprising thing about this is that you did not co to my temple to pay your respects before coming here. Unless, of course, you had hoped to encounter and corner my cub by himself.” Lunae narrowed her eyes, “But you wouldn’t be so foolish as to threaten a cub in his mother’s den, would you?”
Bellum sighed and sheathed her sword. “I was not aware he was yours. Daughter, take off your hood. Don’t be rude amongst family.”
The cloaked figure next to Bellum slowly lowered her hood, revealing a mound of scarlet curls and a light brown face. Sylvie stared wide-eyed at Stryg and Lunae.
“Sylvie?” Stryg frowned.
“H-Hi.” She waved awkwardly.
“Cal, wait, don’t go that way!” Lysaila yelled from the hallway.
“I’m telling you it’s this way, trust,” Callum said confidently and strode into the Grand Hall. He froze in his steps as he ca face to face with the two giant won.
“Is this the place?” Kithina almost bumped into him, but managed to step around him at the last mont. She looked up and saw Bellum staring down at her with a raised eyebrow. Kithina’s jaw went slack.
Lysaila sheepishly peeked her head from around the corner.
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