Aether Beasts

Chapter 240

Sandra's talk with the other representatives went well, as far as I could tell, though I did not like the one called Darn. He was the first overweight arcanist I had ever seen, and not slightly overweight either. His smile was crooked and slimy in the worst way, and he kept going on and on about how he was so glad I had put Kai and his brother in their rightful places.

He wasn't particularly strong, but my instincts still told me to tread carefully which I understood. It wasn't always raw arcane power that made a person dangerous. Someone who knew how to manipulate or had the right connections could cause far more trouble than a single group of average arcanists.

The others were a lot more subdued and it was obvious they didn't really know how to act yet. They were respectful, and clearly wanted to ask her some questions, but weren't sure as to the type of person she was and if she would get offended.

They were basically gauging if she was spoiled and arrogant. I didn't see how they could think that considering what had happened to her.

She had been abandoned in the plains, not raised amongst her main family, though their better safe than sorry approach wasn't a bad idea.

There was no sign of Kai or Ashala. The latter made sense, but Ashala seemed to type to want to get to know Sandra, though perhaps she thought I would inform Sandra of her, which I already had.

Darn asked us to stay for supper so they could speak further

Sandra agreed though from our bond I could tell she too did not have a good first impression of Darn. Neither she nor I was going to make any assumptions just yet though not until we found out more about him.

"I think I'm going to head back to the green court area," I said to Sandra. "I'll be back later."

Sandra nodded, her gaze on a group of umbrin clan members who looked like wanted to approach but didn't know how.

"It's so different," Sandra said with a sigh. "But I'm going to have to get used to it."

"We both are," I replied. "Our positions are going to put us in the spotlight. I'll see you later Sandra."

I leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss and hug which brightened her mood significantly. I really needed to do that more as simple acts of affection would add up and help them, even if it was only in small ways.

As I walked away, and Sandra headed towards the group, I turned my focus on the dormant queen. Aneva was still asleep and though she would probably be annoyed when she woke, I wasn't going to just wait around for her to wake. She might not wake in days and I wasn't going to be waiting that long

I mentally prodded at her, and it took a minute of doing so before she finally stirred. I felt a wave of annoyance, anger, and resentment through our bond before she reigned the emotions in, and gave me the equivalent of a mental glare.

I just sent her the image of a beaming smile in return. "Good morning, your majesty. Time to uphold your end of the deal. Of course, so shall I."

"You woke me… for this?"

"We made a deal," I said more seriously.

She sighed, and her next words were filled with regret and acceptance. "Fine, but you will uphold your end of the deal."

"I said I would and I will," I replied, now let's get to somewhere private before we begin. "I want to learn some about my bloodline and how I can actually use it."

"I won't be teaching you anything until you figure out a way for me to stretch my legs," she said in a firm tone.

I held back my annoyance and nodded. These lessons were not going to be pleasant or easy.

The vehicles were all lined up in a semi-circular position and connected to vehicles of the next group when I arrived at the green court. The vehicles were all part of one giant circle which was the perimeter. After a quick search, I found the one we had traveled in. I sent a quick mental message to Zirani and Misty to let them know where I was and what I would be doing.

They both sent back messages. Zirani told me to take care, and Misty let me know she was speaking to some of Red Ribbons. She might not be joining them but she had told us she still wanted to make connections and didn't want to create any hostility, though I imagined that might be hard when it came to a certain vampire which she had defeated.

"All right, you can come out," I said once I was in the vehicle. I locked the door so no one could enter. I didn't need someone finding out about Aneva.

She appeared on one of the comfy seats in the same dress she had worn every time I had seen her and that same cold beauty she possessed. The face of an angel, and heart of a demon described the lost queen, or would mind of a demon be more accurate?

I shook the thoughts away, and a took seat opposite her. "You can stretch your legs in here until we figure something else out."

Aneva frowned, but I cut her off.

"If you have any ideas or something else we can try, I'm all ears," I said. "This is for you after all."

"We could kill one of the green court, and I could mimic their body and-"

"Nope," I cut her off. "Not happening."

"Ok one of the other-"

"No body snatching or copying," I affirmed. "Not yet. If we end up finding an enemy amongst the current people then maybe, but then we'd have to figure out how to explain the constant disappearances and such."

Aneva crossed one leg over the other and scowled. "What does one life matter?"

"I said no, and I'm not about to get philosophical with you," I said. "Is there another way that doesn't involve killing?"

Aneva looked like she had bitten into something foul. "I could shroud myself. Make myself unseen and unheard by both normal and arcane senses."

I blinked. "Why didn't you just begin with that. Is it an easy process?"

In response, the lost queen vanished, completely. I could not see, hear or sense her in any way. I stretched my arcane senses, but still, nothing, and then I turned to my bond. With that, I could sense she was there, but it was more like I knew rather than sensing, to be honest.

She reappeared and smiled falsely. "Is that adequate?"

"Very," I said. "I'll let you out for an hour a day, not including the time you teach me. Just make sure no one sees you and if you get up to any trouble, then the deals off, understand."

She glared. "Very well. Let's get this…lesson over with."

I smiled. It was about damn time I finally began learning about my divine bloodline. Out of every power I possed, it was the most potent and was the reason the lost queen had been defeated and bound to a core. I imagined it irked her to no end she would be helping me develop a power that could rival and surpass her own, but she had made a deal, and with our bond, I would know if she was leading me astray.

"I don't need to tell you how powerful it is," Aneva said with a frown, clearly remembering her firsthand experience against it. "If I had known you held that amount of power then I would have prepared countermeasures. That power you hold is currently like a limb you cannot control, or even feel. I've witnessed some of your attempts and it's like a child trying to run before they can walk or crawl. You cannot command such power or will it to do as you wish until you are truly connected to it. It only acted against me out of self-preservation and pure instinct. The same happened with the hag. I was powerful enough to have awoken it, and the hag's unique form of manipulation did the same though to a lesser degree, however, something else like a dagger to your throat while you slept would simply lead to your death."

Through the bond, I could tell she was telling the truth, which meant I had been very lucky, far luckier than I had first thought.

"So the first step is sensing it?"

She nodded. "You know it's there, and you've grasped drops of the power a few times, but never for long and never lasting. Sensing, knowing, and understanding are the first steps, and until you learn those, I will not speak of the other requirements and steps.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much she was saying, though it was all a bit vague, and some of it I had already guessed at.

"So how do I begin sensing it," I said. "As you said, I know it's there, but I can really see it."

Aneva smiled darkly. "Well, I have an idea in mind, but you're most certainly not going to like it."