Veiled Shadows (The Age of Alandria: Book Two) (25 page)

Except for the slight flex of his fingers at his sides as Hal walked, there wasn’t much of an indication that caused Kaeleigh to think he wasn’t quite as at ease as he appeared. She didn’t realize she was looking for Daegan until she spotted him standing just off to the right of where Maleina and an older man were having a quiet but heated conversation with an even older man with a long white beard striped with pepper down the center, leaning on a tall staff crookedly made from knotted wood. Something in her chest tightened as Daegan’s eyes locked on hers. It felt like her heart stopped. The cold, heartless stare that he appeared to be reserving specifically for her these days seemed to be a perma-fixture. She turned her head, breaking the connection, allowing her chest to loosen as she took in the eclectic mix of guests that had arrived.

Mingling throughout the room, there were about twenty guests besides Kaeleigh and her little group. She had to nudge Chel in the ribs to stop gawking as she reminded herself to do the same thing. There were people, or beings, from what seemed to be the upper caste of this society, all dressed in what Kaeleigh assumed to be the formal wear for this territory.

It appeared the majority of those present were Faeries, both Earth and Ferrishyn, though also mixed amongst them were Elves and Shifters. There were several textures and even fewer colors, but all similarly dressed as Kaeleigh and her friends. The shifters seemed to be more bold in their dress with bolder colors that accentuated their more solid and muscular body types. The women, like Chel, had more curves than those of the Faeries but especially more than the Elves. The Elves wore mostly colors of the forests: muted greens, browns, creams, and whites. They all stood taller than most; stately, poised, and not as provocative. Also not to be missed were their pointy ears, which were extensions of their high chiseled cheekbones surrounded by hair shining with a luster humans would envy.

Though all the attire throughout the room was reflective of their native environment, they were all sleek and beautiful. Especially the Faeries that were amongst Maleina. The material of their dress was either fibrous such as linen or like spun silk in muted greens, sharp browns, and soft creams. To Kaeleigh’s surprise, the twigs in their hair seemed so natural it didn’t even catch her off guard. The Ferrishyn elite were similarly dressed to Daegan and Halister, but the rest looked relaxed in mostly white linen suits of course accessorized by leather straps holstering various weaponry.

Just opposite them stood two ladies and a gentleman, each regal and statuesque in posture and demeanor. Each looking down their noses at her with skepticism and cynicism. The guests’ appraisal was brief, as if Kaeleigh and her friend’s attendance wasn’t worth their time or distraction.

Another pair of younger women stood not far off to the side from the last group. Innocent and girlish in appearance, they wore simple white and cream cotton dresses with frilly edges complete with pantaloons and flower baskets. One had long golden hair with spirals and a large floppy bow on top of her hair; the other had long black hair pulled to either side braided and tied with tiny ribbons each accompanied with twigs. Slightly pointed ears and smooth, fair skin indicated them to be Faeries. Yet their eyes held anything but innocence as there was an unexpected malice in their assessment of Kaeleigh as she passed them by.

Kaeleigh noticed others standing around the room unabashedly taking in what they saw before them in her and her friends. Kaeleigh felt the weight of their stares starting to fray at her edges, leaving her feeling exposed and insecure. Obviously, they had been dressed to stand out amongst the natural and muted elegance of the guests. At that, she stood tall in defiance, her shoulders back, not willing to let them make her feel small. Even though she did in fact feel that, there was no way she was going to allow them to see and find weakness within her. Courage beginning to fill her, Chel noticed and mirrored Kaeleigh until they were a united front staring back, daring anyone to be the first to break the unspoken challenge that was being subtly issued throughout the room.

Maleina stepped forward out from the small group she was talking to, clapping her hands for the attention of the room. Tonight she was wearing a different gown, this one black and satiny smooth as sin. She wore high costume-like ruffles that encased her neck and shoulders although detached from the actual dress itself. Her red hair now had the additions of black pieces up on top of her head with wild maniacal curls escaping its hold. Her bright red lips matched the daggers on her fingers. The gentlemen behind her stood stoic, each dressed regally, one more showy than the other with a tuxedo and top hat. He had held Maleina’s arm when they were talking, indicating this must be Wren, her husband and the other Paladin.

“Finally our guests of honor have arrived. So nice of you to join us,” she added with a subtle sarcasm that did not go unnoticed. She walked slowly and elegantly into the center of the room commanding focus from all present. Kaeleigh dared to shoot a quick glance Daegan’s way and saw what she thought looked like a spark of confusion.

Looking at each of the guests, Kaeleigh noticed that not everyone seemed entirely happy to be there, but as soon as Maleina began speaking, their attention was raptly diverted to hang upon her every word. A sudden chill slid down Kaeleigh’s spine, her focus on high alert as she noticed even her friends seemed to be focusing a little too intently on what the very regal yet sultry woman before them was saying. Her words didn’t seem to matter as she was only thanking everyone for coming and directing them all to take their seats at the long banquet table.

Kaeleigh’s eyes shifted back and forth between her friends, Maleina, and the others there. The only other ones seemingly not under her hypnotic voice were Hal and Daegan, but even Daegan seemed to be extremely agitated under the surface. When Kaeleigh’s eyes shifted back to Maleina she was briefly ensnared by the spark of irritation hidden behind the facade of hospitality. Something inside Kaeleigh clicked with satisfaction knowing Maleina definitely had an underlying motive; she just needed to find out what it was she intended to do.

Regaining her confidence, she and Chel followed Hal to seats that were obviously reserved for them directly in the line of sight of Maleina, who sat at one end while her husband, Wren, sat at the opposite end of the long table. A girl rolled her eyes at Hal as she sat next to him opposite where Chel was seated next to Kaeleigh. One of the guests came up to sit beside Kaeleigh but was rudely displaced as Finn guided her to the next seat down. Finn slid into the chair next to her after gentlemanly pulling her chair out for her. She gave him a wide-eyed look, but he just smirked and shrugged her off.

“What?” Finn said unconcerned.

Kaeleigh shook her head. “We are trying to not attract attention, remember? They might see that as rude.”

“I don’t really care. And I’m pretty sure we already do stand out. I’m not leaving your side in this place.” Rolling her eyes so he’d know she was annoyed, but also giving a slight nod of her acceptance, gave his tight face a glimmer of peace that he didn’t have to fight her on this too. “Deal with it,” he added even though he already knew he had won this one.

Feeling a slight pat on her leg, Kaeleigh turned to Chel, bending in slightly to hear her whisper, “Something’s not right here, I can’t tell what it is but I can feel... the wrongness.”

Kaeleigh nodded. “Try not to focus too much on her.” Afraid to say much else, she patted Chel’s hand on her leg then waited for what would happen next. Kaeleigh couldn’t help but look to where Daegan was still standing near Maleina’s chair. He seemed to have an inner struggle going on. Frustration was plain on his face if you were looking at it. Why he wasn’t sitting with the rest of the room, Kaeleigh wasn’t sure. It appeared he was going to but was held back. She frowned, trying to understand him. Perhaps she never would, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away yet.

With an extremely subtle shift of her fingers in the air, Maleina sent a challenge in her eyes toward Kaeleigh. Instantly a tension snapped. Daegan took a deep breath and moved to sit next to Maleina, across and down a couple seats from Kaeleigh.

Maleina wanted her to see. Internally gasping in utter disgust, Kaeleigh saw what she assumed was only visible to her, a black cord of color flowing from Maleina to Daegan, attaching at his upper arm. Realization of Maleina’s control over him stirred a rage so deep within her that she almost let it slip out of the protective barriers she had put in place as Daegan had taught her. Maleina’s eyes widened and flashed her way. Kaeleigh must have let a little bit of it slip out. She could hear Daegan’s extremely subtle growl even as far away as he was and even though no one else seemed to notice.
Oops!

Quickly tamping down her anger, she looked back at Maleina, not caring the challenge she was issuing in return. She doubted Maleina would do something so outright in front of all her guests. She was right. Maleina smirked at her, then to the rest of the room she smiled a brilliant welcoming smile befitting a queen. She clapped her hands in the air once more, and servants poured out of the hidden corners of the room carrying trays of food and pitchers of red liquid.

Everyone seemed to be enjoying their meal. Out of the corner of her eye, Finn seemed hesitant before he took a bite, but Kaeleigh noticed that he had glanced at Daegan to see that he was eating his food with no reservations. The dinner was actually fantastic, and Kaeleigh realized that she hadn’t had a decent meal in several days, not since she’d left her apartment, which seemed like a lifetime ago. Kaeleigh had changed so much since then—perhaps it
was
a different lifetime.

Lost in her thoughts once again, she didn’t even realize that Maleina had begun talking. Maleina began spouting something about the long war and her having been doing everything in her power under her, and of course Wren’s, reign to keep the peace in their region. As she was speaking, Kaeleigh could begin to not only feel the lies that came from her, but she could actually
see
colored threads of energy snaking out with her words. They were an ugly yellowish color that made you feel covered in something unclean. Kaeleigh was beginning to think this gift of hers was growing stronger as she became more comfortable within herself. She noticed Daegan watching her with veiled curiosity, as though he could tell something was happening. The next thing she knew she was being singled out in the midst of the group.

“Kaeleigh, my dear, what are your thoughts on this matter of security for our land?” Maleina’s sincere tone baffled Kaeleigh, but then Maleina added, with a bitter sarcastic twist that made her words take on a greenish tint with a black underscore, “After all, aren’t you supposed to be some great powerful force prophesied to save us from all the evil that has plagued us for the last many centuries?” She smirked at her with an evil expression that challenged Kaeleigh in her very core.

Kaeleigh, taken aback, shifted her eyes to Finn, who had frozen in his seat. Then to Daegan, who simply stared at her but oddly she felt a burst of confidence in his eyes, willing her to be very careful how she answered. At first, she was angered that Maleina would put her on the spot and try to humiliate her in front of all these people, but then she realized that was exactly what she wanted. She wanted her to accept the accusations and make a fool of herself. The only way out of this was to turn the tables on Maleina.

Running her hand over her thigh where her sword was concealed underneath her dress gave her confidence. Kaeleigh took a deep breath and even lowered her eyes. “I am humbled and honored that you would invite my friends and me into your home and your land as your guests. I do not pretend to know or understand the depths of this prophecy you have brought up, nor how I could have anything to do with it. I have only recently learned that I even have been blessed with blood from this great land and am still learning what part I have to play in serving it and the people of Alandria.” Kaeleigh spoke with an inner smirk as she bowed her head to everyone at the table, satisfied that she didn’t play into Maleina’s intentions. She even felt a burst of pride from her friends, but mostly she could feel Daegan’s stare on her...burning into her. Still not knowing what to make of it, she refused to look him in the eyes in case she saw disappointment.

Clenching her jaw, Maleina smiled tightly as she stared back at Kaeleigh. Everyone was waiting with anticipation and tension as to what would happen next. The other guests, however, did seem to softened their gazes toward Kaeleigh.

“Very good. I would hate to see someone so new to our land and her gifts to be in over her head and take on something that there was no way she could handle or overpower on her own.”

Maleina’s intent was made clear to Kaeleigh in that moment. She was threatened and there was something more sinister going on. Kaeleigh hadn’t been here long, but her attachments to this realm were growing. Her thoughts briefly wandered to her newfound grandfather—what she wouldn’t do to help him and to find her father that was still out there somewhere.

Maleina’s face held the slightest amount of disdain as she settled her gaze on Chel. “Chel, is it?” Chel’s eyes were large, but gave a slight nod. “It seems I have not had someone of your...particular pedigree in Elnye in quite sometime,” she said snidely. Chel held her hands tightly together under the table, but refused to acknowledge the insult to her family. Maleina’s eyes dug deep into Finn as if she was rooting around trying to find a break in his rugged exterior. A slight twitch in her lips indicated she had found what she was searching for. “And Finn, you and I go way back, don’t we? Welcome once again.”

Finn’s elbow slipped off the table. He gripped his fork so hard Kaeleigh thought he might snap it in half.
What could she be talking about?

Needing the attention back on her, Maleina announced it was time for celebration and dancing to welcome the newly found members to Alandria. Music suddenly began playing from one corner of the room, revealing a band of enchanted instruments playing of their own accord. Maleina took Wren’s hand and paraded him to the center of the room as if it was the most natural thing for them to do, which Kaeleigh had the feeling it was not.