Chapter 48 The Storm Barracks pt1
Whist’s barracks are so different from Bane’s that walking through the door alone is a shock. Cold air hits me in the face, bright light illuminating everything. The seating, walls, windows, tableware, everything is made of ice and glowing with a soft blue light.
Whist, using her feet to move around the barracks instead of her cloud, seems to dance on her toes as she embraces every person in the common area.
“Our fodder surpassed our expectations, family!” she declares. “She is one of us now, even if we only get a part of her!”
Her people beam at me in silent pleasure. They all smile, welcoming me with warm hugs as none of them speak over a whisper. They all seem relaxed and at ease. It’s so different from the boisterous shadow barracks that it leaves me too stunned to speak.
As the night goes on and food comes and goes, I find myself staring in longing at Alric. Somehow throughout the evening, he’s been kept away from me. Ordered to do this or that for Whist. She’s keeping him busy on purpose, and both their eyes never leave me as I meander through the icy barracks, feeling lost and cold.
“Did Shivvers scare the life out of you?” a young man asks, appearing at my side with a soft smile. His short white hair sticks straight up and moves as if he’s underwater. His pale skin and clear blue eyes make him look like he’s part of the barracks himself as if he’s made of the same ice.
He holds out a hand, his smile widening a fraction more. “Call me Nimbus, I’m Whist’s second.”
I take his hand and shake it slightly. His skin is cold to the touch, but the smile he gives me warms up even his icy-looking eyes.
“Shivvers?” I ask, confused.
“Yeah, Whist’s alicorn. She detests being part of the training. Half the time new slayers die because she bucks them off before they’re ready. I’m sure she’s very angry that you lived.” He laughs dryly and takes a sip of steaming fluid from a glass cup.
“She definitely tried,” I admit.
“Shivvers is the latest in her line to serve Whist. They like to keep their service in the family, you understand? Whist has had Shivvers’ mother and grandmother and so on as her mount for as long as she’s been alive,” Nimbus tells me, nodding toward Whist with an adoring smile.
“Alicorns live really long lives, though.” My mind runs away with me, imagining Whist killing Alicorns in battle. “How is it possible that Whist has needed so many?”
“She outlives them,” Nimbus says simply.
“Oh no, does she kill them?” I squeak, surprised and dismayed.
Nimbus coughs, spitting his drink all over his clothes and battling to regain his composure. “What?” he croaks, looking at me in disbelief. “Gods no, she doesn’t kill them! They die of old age! Whist is fae!”
Realization hits me like a ton of bricks and my eyes snap toward the frail woman who’s now reclining on a settee of clouds with her delicate eyes closed. I take in her small, frail frame, her ethereal features, the way her hair moves on its own…just like Nimbus.
I turn to stare at the captain’s second, and he seems to know without me asking what I’m going to say.
“Yeah, Whist is my great, great grandmother. Although I’m more human than fae. They’ve been interbreeding with humans since you guys arrived on the island. But you knew that, didn’t you?” he looks at me quizzically as if this is common knowledge.
“What? No! I had no idea fae were even real, much less living among us!” I say in awe.
“Weren’t you raised by the queens?” Nimbus asks, looking terribly confused.
“Well yes, but what would they know about it?”
Nimbus opens his mouth to say more, but Alric appears in front of us as if he materializes out of thin air.
“I don’t have much time. Nimbus, will you please keep Whist distracted for me? I need to speak with Anara. Alone.” His voice is hushed and urgent, and his green eyes dart around like someone’s going to pop out of the lack of shadows and catch him.
“You have five minutes. For god’s sake, try to educate her. She’s absolutely clueless!” Nimbus rolls his eyes as he walks away.
“Come, hurry,” Alric mutters, tugging me toward the door to the barracks with a stiff grip on my wrist.
“Are you going to tell me how you know me?” I whisper, praying he will. I know nothing about myself besides the fact that I’m an orphan the queens took under their wing.
Alric pushes me out the door and tugs me away from all the barracks, down dark alleys only illuminated by the lava beneath our feet. When we’ve walked far longer than the five minutes Nimbus allowed us to have, Alric pulls me into a shed in the far back corner of Hellbane.
“I don’t have much time, and I shouldn’t be saying this at all,” Alric says, his words rushing out so rapidly it’s hard to understand him.
Do not listen to him! He’s a liar!
“What is it, Alric? Tell me!” I beg, grabbing his hands and holding them tightly as if the older man will vanish before he can tell me what he knows. How he knows me.
Anara, get away from him!
Shut up, I need to know!