CHP40

Briel wound his way back to his quarters in silence, parting ways with Zaien. Their night of drinking had turned into much more than that. His heart filled with hope that maybe, just maybe, she’d be okay. Ever since he’d woken in this body and learned who and what he was, knowing Sai wasn’t there had brought him physical pain. Now, he knew, though, she was somewhere safe.

He closed his eyes in peaceful reverie and woke to the pounding of a fist on his door.

He climbed out of bed and stared Shythe dead in his pale eyes.

“Who am I saying good morning to?” Shythe asked.

“Yes,” Briel said before slamming the door in his face.

Shythe slung it open and barged in.

“You were in the palace again last night, weren’t you?”

Briel bobbed his head from side to side. “Perhaps?”

“Boy, they’re going to cause you so much trouble if you keep doing that. They’re not even renovating it yet.” Shythe closed his eyes and sighed.

“Well, tell them to get on it. I want to bring her home to something familiar.” Briel drew thick fingers through his unruly mane of hair.

“Acryan, I knew it. You’re sticking around more and more, aren’t you?” Hope flashed in Shythe’s eyes.

Briel ignored him and went about finding clean clothes for the day. He sifted through a closet full of identical sets of dark blue robes and grumbled. Briel wanted something paler in color, lighter for when he went to find her. He settled on the first clean one he could find, threw them over his shoulders, and cinched the waist.

“Comb your hair. You look a mess.” Shythe made a noise in his throat.

“I’m not out to impress anyone with my looks, you old swan,” Briel scoffed.

“Now you listen here….”

“Hmm? Praytell, did I say something wrong? Oh, right, a gehanni would actually know how to nurture a child!”

“It’s not my fault that Taluk made a bad decision!” Shythe fumed. “I’ve never been sober and loving even in my best days.”

“Had you been any real friend to me, Shythe, you would have starved me or done something to stunt me! Look at me!” he fumed.

Shythe stopped for a moment, his vindication gone. “What?”

“You let me get this tall!” Briel gnashed his teeth.

“YOU PICKED A TALL BODY!” Shythe spat back, “Seriously, stunting your growth… Sael’s over seven-foot-tall; your mother was close to it. Kael is over seven foot tall. Seraphs are tall by nature. You chose a seraph body.”

“Then how is she so small!?”

“I don’t know, Briel. Maybe she’s still yet young and growing!?” Shythe sighed in exasperation.

“Get out of my room.”

“Finally, you’re showing some spine. I’ve been waiting for the rebellious phase,” Shythe rolled his eyes and slouched out, “By the way, the council is gathered. Someone said the Afryth was sneaking about here last night.”

“Why would he be sneaking around out here?” Briel scoffed.

Shythe gave him a long stare. “Right.”

Briel slipped free of the room and headed towards the council chambers. Briel knew that problems would abound this day, but yesterday they had only been tomorrow’s problems and a gift for his tomorrow self. Now that they were here to pass…

Now, how to make them regret summoning me…