Chapter 29

They left Kyla's room and Devon led them into the room with the myriad weapons. Azamir walked uncertainly next to his girlfriend, who smiled at him encouragingly.

As they entered, all conversation stopped and everyone rose. It was customary to show due respect to the host. Devon walked towards the head of the table. There were the last free chairs. He took a seat and then everyone else sat down. Kyla stood behind him as she saw the others do. Each personal servant stood behind his master.

Before Devon could begin the meeting, what appeared to be a handsome young man spoke up. "What is this creature doing here?" he asked in contempt, nodding towards Azamir. Kyla's eyes fixed on him. He had risen from his seat and his long red hair reached loosely to the back of his knees. His voice was melodious and seemed to draw you in. Like Devon, he wore a black robe. As Kyla's gaze swept over the rest of the assembly, she found that each one wore this robe and it reminded her of an image of an occult sect.

Devon stayed seated and Kyla could tell the other was enraged. In an even tone, Devon said, "Kyla."

She took a step forward and took a deep breath. "He's with me, and I'm asking everyone, not just you, to keep it that way."

Immediately, the redhead's eyes focused on her and Kyla felt the cold in them. Ice blue, shining eyes stared at her hatefully. Then he turned his gaze back to Devon. "You seem to have gotten a weakness for human children from your father." Kyla felt the anger rising in her, which was in no way inferior to that of the redhead. "Guard your tongue Astaroth.", Devon answered simply and added: "It wasn't my idea. I would have loved to have done without him, but please try to talk RAIA out of something.”

The emphasis on the name did not fail to have an effect. Astaroth, as Kyla had now learned, scrutinized her extensively. "This human thing is supposed to house Raia?"

"You can talk to me too. I have my own mouth to answer and I don't need Devon for that.” She interrupted the conversation between the two. "Not only is it pretty rude in my opinion, but it also shows that you really don't seem to have any manners. Your sister did well to break up with you.” Kyla had no idea if the human stories were based on truth, but she took a risk. And with great success. Astaroth paled and croaked out, "How do you know about her?" But none of that matters. Although, the way I'm looking at the questioning faces of everyone present… Aren't you going to tell them?” A slight smile played on her lips, intended to hide her racing heart. After a moment of pure silence, Kyla continued: "Well, I would like to ask you all to grant this participation to Azamir. He's no longer in Devon's service, he's in mine.” A murmur went through those present and finally he was allowed to attend. After all, she apparently had Devon on her side and it just wasn't good to upset him. Astaroth gave her one last, hateful look, then turned back to Devon, who now rose to open the assembly.

All attention was instantly focused on him. "Aaye." He started, only to continue after a short pause. Kyla threw a questioning look at Azamir. She didn't know the language in which Devon opened this meeting. Her boyfriend leaned over slightly and whispered, "Greetings, then name people." So Kyla got the gist of it at least, and while Devon named each and every one of the princes present, who followed with a nod, Kyla hoped he would don't talk in that weird language all the time. Her eyes lingered on the trio. Beleth, Xarfai and Astaroth as she now knew through Devon. Astaroth noticed her scrutinizing look and immediately it seemed to her as if she had been hit by a cold stroke when he returned it.

Kyla's eyes kept gliding. Bathin sat to the left of the redhead. Despite his shoulder-length jet black hair, she could catch a glimpse of his scales. Dandruff? she wondered at the same time. But she wasn't wrong. From the neck to the face they were getting weaker and weaker, but you could still see them. The face, however, was free of them. Kyla decided to dislike him already.

Then, with some distance to the predecessor, Andras followed. His short-cropped hair was not the rich red of Astaroth, but more like the blood-red curtains in her room. Despite the dark robe, she could see the tip of the sword hilt protruding over the table and that he always seemed to carry with him. His eyes rested deliberately on Devon. So was Havres, who, she had learned from Azamir, was considered the most affable of them all. He loves to make jokes, whether with the beings of his or her world. Noticing her gaze, he grinned and she saw what appeared to be the tip of a leopard's tail peering across the table. Kyla had to choke back a giggle that crept up her throat. Havres's grin widened as well, then he turned his attention to Devon, who was still going through the meeting points that were to be discussed today. Seir followed Havres, but you couldn't see much of him. In addition to the robe, he wore a hood that was pulled low over his face. What she could make out of him were bandages. Whether it was his hands resting on the table or the small piece of his neck she could make out. "Probably underwhelming..." she whispered under her breath and stopped when Devon cleared her throat. She could clearly see the suppressed grin on his lips as she looked sideways at him. He must have heard her. which was drawn deep into his face. What she could make out of him were bandages. Whether it was his hands resting on the table or the small piece of his neck she could make out. "Probably underwhelming..." she whispered under her breath and stopped when Devon cleared her throat. She could clearly see the suppressed grin on his lips as she looked sideways at him. He must have heard her. which was drawn deep into his face. What she could make out of him were bandages. Whether it was his hands resting on the table or the small piece of his neck she could make out. "Probably underwhelming..." she whispered under her breath and stopped when Devon cleared her throat. She could clearly see the suppressed grin on his lips as she looked sideways at him. He must have heard her.

Kyla's gaze slid past Devon and landed on Labolas, as he had called him earlier. He had white, short hair that stood out from his head in wild fringes and reminded her of a crazy professor. His eyes were a soft brown and radiated infinite calm. To Labolas' right was Furfur, though she thought she could use a pair of sunglasses to see him. His hair and eyes stood out in a bright yellow. She was unable to look at him for long without going blind. It kind of reminds me of the sun, Kyla thought to herself, letting her eyes wander further. Malphas, the eleventh of princes. When she saw him, she immediately thought of the countless legends she had read about him. Somehow he had always fascinated her. On his robe were the faint outlines of feathers, just as she knew them from the stories. It also agreed with them when it came to appearance. His ebony black hair, almost as long as Devon's, his equally black eyes and pale skin. She also found his lips, which in contrast to the others shimmered blue rather than reddish, simply fascinating. She tore her gaze away and ended up with the last of the 12, Voso. His hair appeared to be a mix of light brown and black highlights, which somehow matched his eyes as well. Because he had one dark brown and one light brown eye. "Reminds me of a leopard," Kyla whispered to herself, hiding her grin behind her hand. Eventually she focused on Devon, who just finished the introduction and opened the first point. Immediately everyone was talking at once and Kyla couldn't tell who was more annoyed. Devon or her?