The Touch of Demise │18+

50: The Symposium

GRACE

The symposium was within House Libra. Regent Kallum was considered neutral among the Houses. He was always diplomatic and cordial, and his lands were the safest within the fae realm.

Regent Kallum stood as the Primuses entered. "Ah, Primus Demise and Prima Grace." This Regent did not bow to them. He extended an arm and shook their hands.

"This is Goliath, our Segundas," Demise introduced. "Then there is Primus Xerxes, Primus, Craxus, and Primuse Stephan."

Looking at the round table, she realized that they were the first to arrive. They took their seats, and the lycanthropes naturally found themselves next to one another. She sat next to Demise and Goliath who was beside Xerxes. Beside each Primus was their Segundas.

The atmosphere was strange to her. Not hostile, per se, but cautious. Kallum sat with two other people who he had previously introduced as his second and third-in-command.

The next to arrive was Regent Aristotle from House Aquarius. One-by-one, men filled the room with their sigils on their surcoats. Then, Goliath froze only slightly next to her as Regent Adalind was welcomed.

"Adalyndra," Kallum greeted, kissing her cheek.

Following behind the blonde was one man who was almost as large as Goliath. He did not hesitate to let his gaze fall and remain on Goliath. Adalind took her seat across from Grace.

She looked healthier - brighter. As a soft wind blew through the gathering, the smell of sunlight and rain filled her nostrils. The rain, she inferred, was because in House Libra there was a constant downpour, followed by brief moments of light rainfall. The sunlight scent came from Adalind. It was her natural scent.

Grace's eyes went to Adalind's hair which fell down her shoulders in subtle waves. The color was something akin to sunlight. Her eyes seemed brighter, no longer dull, and now they were a honey-yellow. She was beautiful; uniquely beautiful with soft, feminine attributes.

Adalind's eyes met hers.

The dress Adalind was wearing was more modest than the dress they first met her in. Although there were slits in the yellow skirt that allowed for flexible movement, they didn't extend higher than her thigh. Over her chest and shoulders was draped fabric that delicately emphasized her frame. Yellow was Adalind's color.

As the meeting began, Adalind remained quiet alongside the people she had brought. While Kallum introduced every Regent, he failed to introduce Adalind's additional people. She didn't seem to mind, however, nor did the burly men beside her.

The men on either side of the Regent conveyed a singular message; don't fuck with their House. On their wrists were metallic white bands with a v-like symbol on it.

What is that?

Demise's head slightly angled toward her question that resounded in his mind.

It's a Ridercuff. Similar to our rings, it symbolizes the riders of House Dae.

Grace swallowed. Riders of what?

Demise finally met her eyes. Dragons.

The sound of Kallums dilatory voice reminded her of why they were here.

"This brings us to Ophir," Regent Kallum said.

"How did he manage to outsmart each Regent in this room?" Xerxes asked.

While the faerie Regents turned rigid from the question, Adalind seemed unaffected. Her people glanced at her briefly before returning to the conversation.