The Jewel of Orlegon

Chapter 22: An Imperial Request

Alteria, Rymian, and Saosa remained momentarily stunned by the document sealed with the imperial crest before Gemia retrieved it and opened it, probably examining the characters inscribed on it for the tenth time, characters that none of the three novices could decipher from their current distance.

"The news of an... exceptional Enartian has reached the Empress's ears. She demands that this person be assigned to a specific mission in her service," Gemia explained.

"But you told us earlier that our nahori couldn't be assigned to dangerous tasks right now," Saosa objected, for once not eager to dive into a mission that seemed glorious on the surface.

"The Empress's request is not dangerous per se. We would probably have entrusted it to one of your nahoris. But not to you three. Exposing you to the imperial court, especially Alteria, would make you targets much earlier than I would have liked."

"Can't you send another, more experienced group to the Empress while claiming it's us?" Rymian proposed.

"I won't put some at risk to protect others," the Selven replied, her tone slightly firm, silencing the twins who had been trying to protect their comrade so far. Alteria, on the other hand, was grateful to them for immediately attempting to find a solution to their thorny situation without ever questioning their presence in the group. Some might have demanded that she be sent alone to the imperial court, but not Saosa and Rymian. However, the fierce twins had to admit defeat after the Selven of Sapphire's final response. This woman must have considered all possible alternatives before reluctantly deciding to send three young novices into the maw of the most monstrous beast.

"My only way to respond to the Empress's request while protecting all three of you is to carefully select those who will accompany you."

Selven Gemia gestured with her hand, and her office door opened, moved by what Alteria guessed was her mubsat, to admit two newcomers. The first was a young woman, smaller than Saosa and of a slender build. Her skin was fair, and her long, dark, straight hair was held in a strict ponytail by a silver ring. Her long, slanted eyes, similar to those of their comrade Nuo, were already carefully examining the trio of novices as she approached them.

A few steps behind her, as if to give her precedence, walked a man unlike any Alteria had ever seen. Taller than anyone she had ever met, probably even taller than her grandfather had been in his youth, this extraordinary trait was the least of his peculiarities. His hair, a bone-white color, framed a face with prominent cheekbones and lips so thin they could be questioned for their existence. If Saosa and Rymian's skin was pale, his was pallid, making his impossible-colored eyes stand out even more. Alteria couldn't help but scrutinize these two black orbs, like the night, where a white iris appeared as a bare island in a dark ocean, pierced by the perfectly round abyss of a dark pupil. The man appeared to be only a few years older than the novices, even though his atypical appearance made any comparison difficult.

Selven Gemia rose to greet the newcomers. The man bowed respectfully, while the woman merely nodded slightly, a gesture to which the Selven responded with the same nod.

"Young people," the Selven said, "allow me to introduce you to Selven Lacemil of Obsidian and Camexen from the Bronze division. Lacemil, these are the novices you have unfortunately heard so much about already."

The Selven of Obsidian continued to gaze at the three novices for a moment before confidently approaching Alteria.

"It's her, isn't it?" she asked Gemia, her voice almost childlike, "the prodigy from Nimeo."

"Is it really that easy to guess?" Gemia sighed, nodding in confirmation.

"The other two wear the Beads of Thenean and are clearly related. Her skin still bears the tan of the archipelago's climate, and the necklace around her neck is not of recent continental make. A family heirloom could be possible, but this style dates back to before the Black Reign, so unless it was stolen from the imperial treasury, it can only come from a place remote enough not to have it remelted since."