Nonexistent

THIRTY-THREE- Zepher

I make my way down the hallways towards my room to read in peace. After reading up on the history of Westwind and Valburn, I decide to start working on the commencement speech I will be delivering to the Deviants in two days.

But before I make a right at the last corridor, I spot Airis in the garden from the arched windows that reach to the second floor. The damask curtains run down from the ceiling, sweeping the floor in cascading waves. Peeking down from the drapes, I see him talking to someone. I lean on the crystal glass and see who Airis is speaking to: the Special.

Rogue, was it? 

Change of plans. 

I walk down the hall I came from and race down the spiral staircase outside the library. The gardens are very accessible throughout the whole palace, so conveniently, I open the glass doors once I reach the ground floor. 

"Look who's here," I say, surprising both of them. Airis' face turns into a smile, but Rogue's scrunches up in shock and confusion, then horrification. She faces down to the ground, refusing to meet my eyes. Her red hair is flaming in the sunlight; it's just as fiery as I recall, from the first time I saw her.

"Your Highness," a meek and gentle voice escapes her mouth. 

A small smirk itches to twitch across my face, but I hold it back. I examine her fragile-looking body up and down. Curious about her full potential and strength, I decide to lighten up the formal mood I brought to the atmosphere.

Let's have some fun.

"So?" I ask her. She answers me with a very puzzled look, confused with my question. 

I repeat myself a second time, realising why she was confounded. "So? Show us what you can do," I casually say with a shrug, like she should've expected a request like this sooner or later. Her puzzled expression turns into an expression of shock, and then of fear. 

I turn to Airis. "Does she always just communicate through facial expressions?" I ask, wanting to make her laugh. But all it does is just make her look away and make another face.

Airis chuckles and shakes his grey-streaked head. "She was quite the talker before you joined us, Zepher." 

I give the girl a surprised look, while a blush slightly brightens her pale face. I'm laughing on the inside, slightly enjoying how uncomfortable I make this poor girl feel. 

"C'mon, Rogue. Show us," I urge her with a gentle smile. 

She looks bewildered by the sound of her name, astonished that I knew it without being introduced. Airis nudges her and she steps up, unsure of what to do. 

For a moment, she just stands there. Then, she slowly raises both her hands up in the air, shaking from nervousness. Soon, a few random metal objects emerge from the open glass doors of the palace. A few silver utensils, a platinum vase, bronze dining chairs-- they all float out from inside the palace.