A Slip Of Darkness

Chapter XIII

Thunder claps loudly outside, and rain pelts at the windows. The wind is howling fiercely, and the overall weather outside is adding a melancholy feel to the day. I cross my legs and rest my chin in my hand as I listen to Celio, Triton and Severina talk, my thoughts wandering.

After I had finished changing and reading the letters left on my pillowcase, I hid the poisonous wax seal on the top of the dresser, where no one is tall enough to spot it, and ventured downstairs to the library where we had agreed to meet, my blood still simmering in anger.

It took some searching, but when I finally found the massive library, the three children of gentry were nowhere to be found. Instead, the library was occupied by grumbling court members, who had been driven out of the Great Hall by the chatterings of those who had entered the palace in an attempt to escape the rain. Frustrated, I had turned and exited into the crowded Great Hall, vainly searching for them. It was hard to focus, or go by unnoticed in the bustling palace, filled with people seeking refuge from the unforgiving thunderstorm. As I dodged through throngs of people wrapped in wool blankets and nursing mugs of hot, soothing tea, I was stopped many times, and offered my own steaming cup by a well-meaning maid or butler who had seen my still-bedragled hair and assumed I was one of the refugee seekers as well. I politely yet hurriedly declined their offers and instead asked if they had seen the prince and his friends. They all just shook their heads and apologized, and went on their way.

I tried to bring to mind the maps of the Xeorian palace, and think about where Celio, Triton and Severina would be. Leaving the Great Hall, I checked the study, the solarium, the map room, and even the kitchen (even though I felt awkward as I maneuvered around the cooks, feeling like I was intruding). But they were nowhere to be found. About to give up and return to the library, it occurred to me that they may have gone to Celio's chamber, which is the second largest bedroom in the palace, and most likely holds the most appeal.

Doubtful, yet still willing to give it a shot, I made my way up to the second floor, which was empty and relatively quiet. The absence of the din of conversation struck me, the sudden change from noisy hubbub to faint patter of rain and the occasional thunder-clap very noticeable. If it wasn't for the vast size of the corridor, the silence would have deferred me from searching here, especially since Triton was with them, and he could always be heard from a mile away, but since Celio's room was still a good distance from me, and most definitely out of earshot, i walked down the carpeted floor and stood before the silver door, already hearing the faint sound of their conversation.

Glad to have finally found them, I quickly rapped on the door before opening it and stepping inside. The room that met me was large and lavishly decorated, bookshelves, dressers and armoires lining the walls. Black wainscotting occupied the lower halves of the walls, while silver wallpapertook up the top and elaborate mirrors of the same colour sent reflections of light scattering through the room. A huge bed frame of black wood with towering posts and ceiling took up the middle of the room, and on either side, two little bedside tables. Strewn around the room were personal belongings: wet clothes were hung on one of the bedposts to dry, books filled with black and white pictures lay open on the bed, and next to them a pad of paper and charcoal pencils. A package crudely wrapped in grey paper poked out from under the bed, and three rectangular shapes wrapped in the same paper were propped up next to the armoire. The room smelled like vanilla and pine, like Celio, but something metallic and artificial overpowered those. A window with a seat was directly opposite the entryway, raised slightly higher than the rest of the room. Celio sat on the bench before the window, and Severina and Triton sat on the step, their long legs stretched out. In one hand, Severina held a black bottle of nail polish, and was lazily painting Caelinus's nails while they debated something.