Woodbridge Recollection : The Hidden Kingdom

Chapter 21: Serina the Gypsy.

  The plan of action was in motion quickly after I made a stop at Maximus' and Georgina's house. I put the cat inside my bedroom and closed him in after he scattered under the bed. Right after, I went back outside and got back on my horse.

Zacarias and I rode back to academy. We left our horses outside in the fields with the other horses and went inside. When we entered the mess hall, we parted ways.

I made my way over to Mathew when I spotted him by the food counters, and practically jogged over.

"Mathew," I called as I skipped over to his side.

Mathew looked up at me and put his plate down on the counter.

"Zelena," he said, smiling down at me. "How was patrolling today?"

I remembered my encounter with Zacarias this morning at the docks. It was fairly challenging, but I guess I got over it when he arrived in the training hall this evening.

"Tedious," I replied. "However, I've got some news."

"I'm all ears," he said.

"Zacarias was instructed to take me to Xenophil's house, again," I said. "I just got back from there, but there are a lot of questions arising in me. He mentioned a woman named Serina? A gypsy?"

"Mmm-hmm," he hummed.

"I want to speak to her," I said. "Find out if she has any clues for me. I want to go to her tonight, and I'm hoping you would go with us to her so we can use the restricted routes."

He breathed in deeply and cocked an eyebrow.

"By "us" I assume you mean Zacarias and you?" he said.

I nodded.

There was suddenly a look of discomfort on his face. Did he and Zacarias really not get on?

"You don't have to if it bothers you," I then said.

He shook his head and then smiled a little.

"No," he said. "It's alright. I'll go for you, as there is a bright side to this."

I smiled at him.

"What's that?" I asked.

"You're acting more like your old self," he said, giving me a small smile. "Spontaneous adventures after dark were a normal thing from you."

I let a chuckle slip through my teeth.

"Eat with me," he said as he picked up his plate.

I picked up a plate from the pile on the edge of the table and walked with him along the counters, dishing up several different foods onto it. At the wine fountains, I picked out a goblet of rosé and then we went to sit at an unoccupied space along the inner aisles of the tables.

"Hmm," I sighed. "I actually am hungry."

I immediately tucked into my plate. Mathew gave me a side glance and then cocked an eyebrow.

I smiled and then remembered that he hadn't been there with Zacarias and me when we had argued about eating supper before going to Xenophil's house.

"Never mind," I said to him.

He chuckled and then shook his head.

"I'll take your word for it," he said. "It's going to be a long ride before we get to Serina. I'll ask questions then."

"You don't have to, even then," I said.

"Does Serina know that we're going to her?" he asked.