The Wright (Friday Updates)

Haling Orb

King has? He must mean that it was another book in Kinnut's personal shelves, which would make sense considering the book that discussed it was likely outlawed as well. I replaced the others that I had taken and headed for the kitchen again. It was too early for anyone to be there, but Toddy had gushed about the plentiful herbs there.

Even though I would need to be up in a matter of hours, I knew I could not hope to sleep without something. As I sipped my tea, I pondered the creation of runes and the change in Kinnut's features, whether through intention or not and what his real face might look like. Wandering back to my room, I changed into pajamas and placed the nearly-empty cup beside my bed so that it might show me something in the morning.

Dreams of changing eyes and devices of terrible function plagued me throughout the night, only eased near the end by Wiley returning with me to the Summer Palace gardens where he set us up a picturesque picnic. Our conversation was polite and flirtatious, my dream self far more bold and confident than I ever could be. But when the sun rose and I woke with mixed feelings, it was only exacerbated by the dregs in my teacup.

The leaves had formed a clear pair of baby's slippers, something I would need to look into later as an ominous omen. The granola was gone as was the letter. There were too many contrasting emotions and the sun had barely risen.

Kinnut surprised me by standing abruptly when I set his porridge and coffee beside him. I could tell that he had spent the entire night in the attic by the way his research radius had grown like an ink spill and because he wore the same clothes.

"Good morning and thank you," he said. "I did not mean to startle you. Would you like to sit with me?"

"I really want to get back to looking into the soul tap if possible. I might have a lead," I swallowed. Inwardly, I was comparing the portrait to how he appeared and could not find any other differences. My stare must have lingered too long, because he raised a brow.

"Your question?"

Bells curse it all. When would I remember that he could sense anything I felt? "I...um...I saw your portrait, Your Majesty. The one in the library?"

He looked away, perplexed. Just how long ago had it been painted? "I do not understand. I am not sure of the one. Was it dirtied or damaged?"

"No, no. It...you just looked different. Your hair was...brown."

"Oh," he smiled, showing his brilliant, white teeth. "Yes. It takes concentration to change form and hold it. You see?" Extending his arm, he rolled up a sleeve to show a tattoo of a crow in black, navy, and purple. Before my eyes, it spread its inky wings and soared around the circumference of the muscle, even making a loop, before returning to its place. "I can move my cells to shift the ink around which is a neat trick. I am not one for dye, but magic does lighten everyone's hair over time. Take the high fae for example. Did you like it that shade?" He questioned, his locks flushing a rich brown from the roots to the tips.

"It seems...Your eyes were also brown. It doesn't match this way."

His irises, always swirling and shimmering like opals, filled with a deep amber and heat instantly crawled up my neck to my cheeks. He looked just as handsome this way, different, but good all the same. Kinnut's smile grew. "Either way is fine. It is your decision after all."

"Out with it, Clia."

I huffed, annoyed that he was reading me again. "Is the face you wear...is it yours or do you look completely different?" There was no point being coy as he would just whittle me down until he got what he was looking for.

The king barked a laugh. "Bells! If I could wear a different face and body for hundreds of years, that would be something, wouldn't it? The drain would be unimaginable. The rather fetching features you see before you are indeed my own."