Of Winds And Quakes

42. The Shriek

Year of the Roses
Floral Season
The Hall, Palace
Altsas

Kyan

I LEAVE ALYSIA IN ROSA'S care asking the maid to get her out of the wet dress and tuck her in but the stubborn girl refuses and says that after her has changed, she will be back to the party.

If Rosa thinks it is strange that Alysia is wet and shivering and I brought her into the room in my arms, then she doesn't show or say it.

She curtseys respectfully at our arrival and my departure. Now sitting next to my drunk sister, I wish I had remained in the orchard with Alysia. I don't know what spell she placed on me at the river but I'll try to evade it next time, if there will be a next time. I told her what I had done, and that was so stupid of me. I hope she was too giddy with the wine to remember it later.

Lysia doesn't say much to me. She continues to drink wine and drawl songs and thankfully no one pays close attention to her. She belches then clamps her hand over her mouth.

"Did you hear that?" She slurs with a giggle.

I force a smile. "Not a thing."

"You should have more wine," she pushes her goblet to me, "it is Aunt's birthday after all!"

I moist my lip with my tongue and struggle to keep myself under control. I want to drag her and lock her upstairs in her room. It's a pity she'll have to suffer in the morning.

"Thanks. Already had some," I tell her. She stares at my face like I have spoken in another language then she shrugs her shoulders and gulps noisy from the goblet.

My father's wheezy cough gets my attention. He is bent over coughing while my mother rubs her back with a worried look on her face.

I doubt that the best doctors in the Kingdom have failed to identify what's wrong with him. Is it a rare sickness they have not heard about? Maybe there are other symptoms I don't know about.

Something moves in my peripheral vision and I turn to see Alysia traipse in with a slight stagger and sway in her steps. Lysia sees her too and jumps from beside me to Alysia.

I run my eyes over her, she has changed into another kaftan, black in colour. She seems to be dazed and stares right over Lysia's head at... Me. My hand reaches up to smooth my hair and I catch myself, what is wrong with me? Didn't I spend almost an hour with her outside just a while ago?

She walks around Lysia and walks to me. I suck in a breath and release it.

"Kyan." She sits in the seat Lysia has recently vacated.

I bob my head at her. "Alysia."

There is excitement in her voice, she leans in closer and I can smell the wine in her breath as it hits my face in small waves. "I've never been this... Lightheaded before. I like it." She reaches for a jug to pour out more wine but I catch her hand.

"Please don't. I know it feels good but trust me you won't want to take any more."

She considers this for a second. "All right."

A dull clanging is heard. Alysia winces and covers her ears, Lysia comes to sit at the unoccupied seat beside me and buries her head in her arms. Father uses a steel fork to beat against a tray. A shush falls across the room and everyone falls silent.

"Everyone I have an important announcement to make,"  my father says once he has gotten everybody's attention.

I feel someone watching me, my eyes dart to Rakar's glare. I hold the stare until he looks away. Satisfied, I give my father my rapt attention.