The Majors, Rebuild and Reunite (Book 3)

Chapter 10: Pearlescent

I raised one of my own, tightening my fingers on one another, my hands folded in front of me. But she was too far away for me to question her. 

As soon as I glanced away, towards my father beginning to approach Andrew, I caught her glare out of the corner of my eye. 

Rohan towered over the King of Gilded Helianthia, but the man's expression didn't waver much. "Thank you for inviting us to the mountains." He smiled, holding out a tanned and calloused hand for my father to shake. "We're very excited to see about this alliance. I believe it would be amazing for both our kingdoms." 

Rohan's hands remained clasped tightly behind his back, making no effort to meet King Andrew's. "It's a pleasure to have you." He replied in that stiff version of his voice, used whenever he spoke Grimmish. A forced compliment. But King Andrew showed no sign of noticing this, introducing Jesse quickly, before starting on discussing trade routes. 

"Come, come." Maddie said under her breath, beginning to usher me, Xornoth and Phoenix out the door. Per usual, we were just meant to appear for a few moments, do a couple fancy bows, and then leave the grown-ups to do all the "adulting" (I mean come on, I'm nearly twenty-three). 

I thought we were going to be a part of this meaning, but considering how yesterday's went, I'm not surprised we weren't. 

Maddie forced us out the door. My ears twitched, a jolt of fleeting panic shooting up my spine as Maddie whispered in my ear something along the lines of going to the lounge while our parents discussed the alliance, in case we were to be called again. 

"You're being very jumpy Scott, something the matter?" Xornoth leaned in to also whisper to me as we hurried down the hallway towards the rarely used living room, just quiet enough so that Phoenix couldn't hear him.

"Fine," I replied under my breath, speeding up. 

We walked the rest of the short distance in silence. I pulled at the edge of my robes, ruffling the perfect folds. I was sweating beneath all my layers, feeling the cloth stick to my skin. My breaths kept catching on something building in my throat. Nerves. 

As soon as Phoenix pushed open the dark-stained wooden door to the living room, I collapsed down onto one of the velvet sofas, sinking back into the cushions with a deep sigh. 

I had closed my eyes, but they shot back open as soon as I heard Phoenix reiterate my exclamation dramatically, just in time to see her flop onto the couch opposite. I gave her a look, before glaring at my brother at his snicker. "Well don't encourage her—" I started, scrunching my nose.

"Encourage what?" Phoenix's voice was muffled for a moment as she lifted her head, wearing a crooked grin. A few pieces of her bangs had frizzed up from pressing her face against the velvet, glasses awry. 

Gods, that smile was so similar yet so different from hers... but she was missing that odd little chip in her tooth that Erin loved to sport. 

I rolled my eyes, shifting to lay my head on the armrest. 

Xornoth just sat on the coffee table, ignoring the perfectly good armchair a few feet away, closer to the roaring fireplace. "So, what do we do while we wait? They probably won't need us." They asked, kicking their feet back and forth before sitting crisscross. 

"Dunno." I shrugged, closing my eyes again. " 'm going to take a nap though."

Phoenix snorted. "Don't let mother, father or Madeli catch youuu~" She sing-songed, a pillow landing on my stomach a second later. 

"HEY—" I rocketed upwards to launch the pillow back, but to our misfortune, the door swung open mid-throw.

Pearl stood in the doorway, sticking her head inside just in time to watch Phoenix get hit square in the face by the pillow.