LUNAFEY

CHAPTER 28

"'He rubs me the wrong way,' Cedric said. I could only tap his shoulder to calm him down. 'You don't like Bel?' I asked slowly. Cedric didn't answer; instead, he walked towards the door and stopped. 'I don't hate him; he's my brother,' he said, before turning and walking out.'
"'They don't hate each other, it's... how do I put it?' Araminti said, her hands on her chin, lost in thought. 'It's like this, to put it simply: whatever Cedric is like, Bel is a hundred times more - worse, gloomy, cold, often quiet, and solitary. You name it.' She handed me a shawl from one of Cedric's folded collections. 'That's Cedric's, right?' I asked. 'Don't worry, he won't mind,' she replied, walking out. 'I used to have a room here. Come, Luna,' she motioned with her hand. Cedric merely nodded towards me as we made our way to the door. 'Whenever I was in distress, I always came here. It's always quiet, neat, and Cedric never sends us away,' she said. But didn't he just say he didn't want Bel here?.

I glanced at Cedric, who had his hands folded on his chest. "And before you know it, I already had a little place of my own here, so I started bringing in stuff and..." But Cedric cut in, his tone dry. "Mm, you'd only come here to sob because you had issues with your prince." Cedric said, his words laced with sarcasm. "Really, I didn't ask you to interfere; I was talking to Luna, not you." Araminti snapped, and with that, she turned and left. I looked at Cedric, who shrugged, and then followed her. At the right corner of Cedric's chamber, we moved down the hallway, which was covered in rich red rugs. A window on the right side of the hallway framed a view outside, and at the end, double doors led to a large room, elegantly decorated with red and black tapestries.

The room was dominated by a canopied bed, its red drapes and bedding a vibrant splash of color. The air was thick with the scent of rich Arabian spices. It seemed Araminti had a fondness for red, but something told me the Harbingers had a deeper affinity for black – even here, their signature color was evident in the accents that surrounded me. At the corner of the room, she handed me a black boot. "It gets cold up North," she said. Then, she tossed me a jubba. "You don't like them?" she asked, scanning my face for a reaction.

"No, no," I said, my hand raised in protest. "It's just the warm feeling I get from your family. Thank you for this." I said, Araminti smiled and replied, "Don't worry." But at that moment, the overwhelming aroma of spices in the air caught up with me, and I felt a wave of nausea wash over me. I clamped my hand over my mouth, desperate to hold it in, thinking to myself, "Not now, please." But it was too late. Araminti's question caught me off guard: "Luna, I've been wanting to ask you, are you pregnant?" I gasped for air, and my body betrayed me. Araminti swiftly dashed to a corner and returned with a potty. "Here," she said, handing it to me. I fell to my knees, and the contents of my stomach came rushing out – the entire meal from that morning.

"So, you're pregnant," Araminti stated, her tone neutral, accompanied by a thoughtful "hmm." I managed a weak chuckle. "I guess I can't say I ate something bad," I joked, but she just stared at me, unamused. I nodded, conceding. "You could tell?" I asked. Araminti's expression turned wry. "Just how long do you think I've lived?" she asked, her voice laced with amusement. She drew closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Or did Cedric not tell you... we don't age like normal people do?" I felt a surge of confusion. "What does that mean?" I asked, but Araminti just shook her head, getting up. "I guess he didn't tell you, Just how far gone are you?" she inquired. I hesitated before answering, "About two months." She handed me a handkerchief, her eyes lost in thought. "I thought you and Cedric had a thing... was I mistaken?" she mused, her words more a reflection of her own thoughts than a question.

I remained silent, hearing footsteps approach. I quickly decided to dispose of the potty's contents, hoping to avoid further questions about my sudden illness. As I reached the door, I collided with Cedric. Without breaking stride, I hurried past him, not daring to meet his gaze. "What was that about?" I heard him ask, his voice trailing behind me as I hastened away. "Please don't tell him," I muttered under my breath. First, it was Rosa, and now Araminti, Cedric's sister, knew my secret. I needed to find my father before things became even more complicated.

After disposing of the potty, I found myself strolling weakly to my chamber, my head reeling with thoughts. I gasped in surprise when I saw Bel still there, forgotten in my turmoil. "Oh, excuse me, my Lady... uh-huh," he said, pausing as if searching for my name. I felt a flutter in my chest as I realized he had forgotten. "I forgot your name," he admitted, and I stuttered, regaining composure, "It's... Luna." I asked, trying to sound calm, "Did you find what you're looking for?" Bel turned to me, shaking his head, no, his eyes sparkling. "Something romantic, folkloric," he said, running his hand through his hair – somewhat like Cedric. I couldn't help but smile.

"I remember seeing one on my way out of the chamber," I said, guiding him towards the outer chamber. He followed me quickly. "Are they for someone?" I asked, curious. I had a feeling this man wasn't the type to be into such books. "Yes," was all he replied. "Here," I smiled, pointing towards a section of the wall. At a glance, he smiled and thanked me as he busied himself with the books. He carried them by his side, cradled in both arms. "I'll be off, Luna. I'll be at the council meeting," he said, his voice low. "Don't tell Richer," he added, a conspiratorial glint in his eye. "It's a surprise." With a smile, he turned and left.