Land of Light and Shadows

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

A little someone poked their head inside as soon as they approached the front doors to leave, his mismatched eyes meeting theirs. Elys was grinning sheepishly, like he was doing something he was supposed to be sneaky at and was intentionally failing at.

Lyv immediately knew what it was. "Jai sent you back to see what I was doing, didn't he?"

"Yep!" Elys exclaimed before he started running for her. He jumped into her arms, making her rock back on one heel at the sudden weight of him. He was getting too big too fast. He continued as he wrapped both arms around her neck. "Of course, he's been checking on you through your bond, but he still wanted me with you."

"Are you going to keep us safe with your dagger?" Lyv teased. "Make sure the damsels aren't in distress?"

"Pretty sure you two don't need saving...but I'm here if you need me!"

Both Lyv and Cleo started laughing at that with Elys's grin widening as he stared at Cleo.

"What's up, kid?" she asked him, raising a brow.

"Oh, nothing," he shrugged. "But is Kav able to come now? You're done talking to him, right?"

Cleo's face went blank. "I have a feeling you two are going to be really close, aren't you?"

"Yep! And me and you are, too...though I'll tell you more about that later. You know, when Lyvi's not around. We're gonna have a lot of fun in the future."

"Hey," Lyv complained halfheartedly. "You tell me everything. You can't help it either with all your rambles."

"I'm trying not to ramble, you know."

"And is it working?"

"So far, yes. There's lots of stuff I haven't told you and won't." He turned his full attention back to Cleo. "With my visions...it's kinda hard to see you when you have the dark magic. But yours is different from Lyv's and Jai's. You were born with it, so I still see more than with them. It's still easier to see you through others' futures, like Janan's and Urell's and...Kav's."

Once more, Cleo's one green eye narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

Elys gave her a knowing grin. "Oh, nothing. I told you. I need to control my rambles."

"Elys," Lyv warned.

But he just pretended to zip his lips and throw away the key...then looked behind them to see Kav stomping down the hallway, obviously having escaped the council room. When he saw them, his surly expression brightened...before his cheeks were stained once again with pink when he saw Cleo.

Except Cleo was watching him closely as he approached, too. Something like guilt flashed across her face, probably because all her anger before was directed at him and what his presence represented. Of course, he had no say in what his mother was wanting from Cleo and Arloerin, but it still affected him. The look he was giving her then...well, Lyv couldn't help but think he didn't want Cleo to be mad at him. She hardly looked as if she was now.

"Hi," Kav said shyly. He looked up at Cleo again, hazel eyes filled with hesitation and worry. "Can I say I'm sorry?"

She was quiet for a moment, weighing what she would say to the boy prince. "You know you don't have anything to be sorry for, don't you, kid? It's your brother I'm mad at. Not to mention your mother."

He clasped his hands behind his back, kicking at nothing on the ground. "But still, I'm sorry."

Elys grinned at his new friend, but still didn't say a word.