Nightfall: Book Two of the Chronicles of Arden by Shiriluna Nott & SaJa H

Author:Shiriluna Nott & SaJa H [Nott, Shiriluna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sun and Shadow Publishing
Published: 2015-05-01T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Gib groaned as he found his feet. The day’s council meeting had gone just about as well as expected. He was glad to be done with it at last. Honestly, by the end of some days, he could scarcely recall which sides of the debates he supported. Gib rubbed his temples and waited for the balcony to clear so he could rejoin Marc.

The other understudies were sluggish as they left their seats, still casting wary glances at the Crowned Prince. Deegan, for his part, seemed content to ignore them. He waited until only their party remained before turning to grin at Aodan. “Is this what you have to sit through every day?”

The bodyguard shifted in his seat and stretched both arms over his head. “Usually I sit in the window down there. It’d be a good place fer a nap if not for the pissin’ and whinin’.”

Deegan laughed as he stood, taking a moment to stretch his own limbs. “I would have thought you’d like being up here so high so you could have a grand view of everything happening.”

“What’s there to see? Just a bunch of miserable old codgers hell bent on makin’ everyone else miserable too.” Aodan leapt to his feet so quickly it startled Gib. “You lot with me now. I gotta get outta this cage before I go mad.”

Deegan and Diddy shook their heads but followed without objection. Smiling, Gib brought up the rear of the party.

As always, the stairs were packed, but the benefit of moving with the royal procession gave Gib a glimpse of what true privilege really was. People all but fell out of the way on their trek to the council room floor. Gib grinned when they came upon their destination, but they didn’t wait there for long either. Aodan swept onto the council floor without hesitation, and the two princes and Gib had no choice but to follow.

The councilors still at the table quieted, and Neetra glared openly as the party made their way to the head of the room. “Is it to be common procedure for the servants and understudies to traipse through like this?” asked the High Councilor in a snide tone.

King Rishi gave a withering scowl but declined to respond. Instead, he watched as an efficient switch was made. Without a single word, the royal guardsmen who’d been standing behind the table moved as a unit, encircling Crowned Prince Deegan. The prince was ushered out of the room in near silence, no doubt to be taken back to Queen Dahlia. At the same time, Aodan took his place in the window sill behind King Rishi, beckoning Diddy and Gib to join him there.

Despite the fluidity and silence of the exchange, Neetra scowled when it was over. “Such disruptions are most inappropriate.” He stacked several papers and tapped his fingers on the tabletop. When King Rishi still refused to acknowledge him, Neetra pressed on. “I can’t help but think Seneschal Koal would have well-founded criticism for such behavior.”

Gib winced.

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