Mountains Vast and a Kingdom So Red

Chapter 92

Returning to the estate, I throw my sweaters and coat on the entryway table and walk toward the alive, log ridden fireplace. The flames lick the barrier and toast the whole living room. I sit on the rug and anticipate one of my siblings will leap off the steps soon. Evetiev, Tess's boyfriend, helps her prep the ingredients for dinner, even though it is not yet five, so their flirting is painfully audible. They stand as a serious couple for they live in the Four Winged Castle together. Tess's formers quarters house Leviys's pack now, along with Simmons'. Initially, Damein and Winter secluded themselves from the guests, keeping to their hobbies and humoring me with outings, but they sine shedded their shyness and bother the shifters with unflinching constancy. Using my wand, I detect who else rots in the estate, a infrared sensor spell, and find out my parents are not here. Perhaps I will wand mother so they return for dinner but my loneliness leads me to head to the foot of the staircase and shout for Winter.

But no response echoes. I check the clock which confirms it is her tutorage hour. So I call for my brother and grow impatient enough to knock on his door. Damein tells me to come into his room and I find him walking the labyrinth true to his sullen nature. He pauses and smiles a small smile, a contrast that catches me off guard.

"I practiced more magic today," I say. "I will be more than pleased once you begin the art of the stones." We will have a real topic amongst us.

"I want to ask mother and father if I can start this year," he says.

"You can, but just know that is a breach in protocol. The Bewitched begin at eighteen."

"I know that, Mikah. But I can be persuasive." He stops walking and leans into his chair. "I know where Simmons has gone. I faked some tears when I was visiting uncle Gerran and he told me the truth."

"It is time you learned guile from me. Where has he drifted to?"

"The Fairie Kingdom. Nirminda to Boardsboa to Polaris."

I have to snap my mouth shut before it widens. "You shit. How do you know that?"

"Tears moved our uncle. I circled these places on the map." He grabs a textbook from under his covers and flips it to the correct page. Damien points to a zoomed in perspective of the Fairie continent. I read his squiggles.

"He has traveled fifteen hundred kilometers," I say, mainly to myself. "Our libraries do not contain etchings of Polaris. I wonder what the capital holds."

"Garren has been there before. We could go to his residence together sometime," Damien says. Glee presents on my face.

"How about tomorrow?"

"Sure."

"You know, Leviys turns twenty-three in a week. I will honor his request and not plan a gala, but we must celebrate him somehow. Any insight?"

He closes the textbook and places it back. "Did you read the Shifter Traditions: A Thrill of Moon Wakings?"

I laugh. "In my studies, when I was in my thirteenth year. But people are not manuals. They like different things. You know how mercurial he is. One day he enjoys rain, the next it irritates him endlessly."

In turn he glares at me. "I know people are not manuals. You asked for help and the book was the first matter that came to mind."

"I am sorry." In my spot on the labyrinth, I inch forward so I can tuck a tendril of his hair. "Please tell me of their rites of passage. I forget."

"Honestly, there was not much to be said about the age twenty-three except it is an ideal age for a male shifter to be mated. Which there is a ceremony presiding over. It said past thirty five, a shifter who has not mated will fall to dementia and psychosis."

"Aux Duvrex considers twenty three a prosperous number. I can make him marshmallow cereal morsels." Nevermind the tidbit about mating. This is an exchange not to be hashed with my younger brother.

"Those are good," he approves. "Do you know of Teagen's availability? I aim to stride on wolf back."

"Ask him yourself," I offer. I venture Teagen will say yes.