The Underglow by Teshelle Combs

Author:Teshelle Combs [Combs, Teshelle]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-09-15T18:30:00+00:00

Episode 61: What Alexander Meant And Did Not Mean

We entered the manor through the garden, where Sylvie met us with a wave of her outstretched arm. She sat me down on a stool and placed a bowl of broth and a slice of bread before me.

<<Eat>>, she meant.

I obeyed without question, and the bread melted in my mouth, the broth savory and rich with herbs as I slurped it from the bowl. For beings who did not eat food as we did, Sylvie and her culinary crew could make splendid arrangements of edibles.

When I looked up from my meal, it was to find at least a dozen pyres staring at me as if they were waiting.

I did not know what they were waiting for, so I waited in response.

Finally, Liza stepped forward, resting her elbow on the counter and leaning toward me. <<He came to you>>?

I nodded, wondering how I could plan an escape back to my room. But the pyres were not finished with me.

<<And he…touched you>>?

I felt my face and neck go scarlet. What sort of line of questioning was this? I almost longed for the days when the intentions of pyres were a deep and silent mystery to me.

<<Will he come for us as well? Did he intend it? Will he come to free us as he is freeing you>>?

Freeing me? I swallowed the last of the broth and placed the bowl back on the counter. Freeing all of the pyres? Is this Alexander’s intent?

“Well then….” Niall had apparently popped into the kitchen, though it was the middle of the night. He crossed his arms. “First time I’ve come in here and found a throng of pyres staring down a lovely blonde girl in the middle of the night.” He scratched the back of his head. “I was on my way to see—” he blushed deeper than I had. “Ermm…Willoughby! To see Will. Yes, that’s what I was doing.”

Willouhgby, who was perched on a stool near me, narrowed his eyes at Niall and meant to Liza.

<<Ten minutes of shade at high heat says that he leaves to find Lilac>>.

Liza smirked. <<Bet you fifteen minutes of shade that he is too awkward to bring himself to go now. Not with Sylvie watching>>.

Still scratching his head and still blooming red, Niall nodded to me. “Are you alright, though, Aurelie? Not in any distress? Seems like you’re feasting on bread and soup just fine?”

I nodded, and Niall sort of bowed, bumping into a large bowl of peeled potatoes as he did. He cursed, bending to pick them up, most of them slipping back out of his hand. Finally, he rescued each potato and restored the bowl to its place on the counter. “Alright then, I’ll see you…in the morning? Alright….”

He bumped and skidded his way out of the kitchen.

Liza sighed, crossing her arms.

Willoughby grinned. <<Ten minutes for me>>.

Liza turned to leave with a huff. << Lilac will be lucky to get ten minutes>>. The pyre motioned to me before she departed.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.