Golden Dawn

|Chapter 29 ~ Thrilling Intoxication|

I immediately turned my eyes away from his intense gaze and rather focused on the sight beyond the pane-less windows. The desert metropolis seemed so at ease I could stare at it forever...

"Good evening. I see you have received our gifts well." 

The sudden reappearance of the female Lesphares surprised all of us and made me almost jump out of my skin. She did not change her attire as we had, her feline eyes still as expressionless as before. Her greeting was swift as she immediately guided us out of the chamber and into the hallway again. Her rose scent tickled my nose as we walked, my heart a beating drum in my chest. I didn't know what to expect nor how the dinner with Faîzal Gaîllot would go. The mere thought of being the centre of attention in a room full of Lepshares, made me absolutely terrified. Their opinions were probably not the least friendly.

It felt as if time passed too soon when we finally came to a stop in front of two grand doors that glowed with soft luminance. The monotonous voice of the female servant suddenly shook me out of my worried thoughts, causing me to focus on reality again. Her hand rested on the door.

"We have arrived. I ask that you please refrain from any reckless behaviour whilst in the company of our master Faîzal and the Defender." She said as means of subtle warning and then opened the doors, standing aside for us to pass. My eyes widened.

A great hall opened up in front of us, every space illuminated with firelight that burned in latches against the walls. The space was the shape of an oval, the walls radiating bronze and flaxen colours all along the expanse. The floor was cold beneath my bare feet and seemed almost metallic, my own amazed face staring right back at me from the bronze depths. In the middle of the great hall stood a long table, situated to form a circular shape. Behind it loomed great pillars that held up the ceiling above. Each structure was encircled with beautiful designs that intertwined into one another like the feathers in a bird's wings.

When my eyes finally took in each last detail of the magnificent expanse, they landed on the figures seated at the main table and I forgot to breathe. Angelus sat next to Faîzal at the head of the table. The Defender - to my great surprise - not clothed in his usual armoured regalia, but simple dark leggings and a satin sleeved shirt that revealed an inch of his broad chest. The shirt seemed to follow the same design as Jacob's, but fit perfectly to Angelus' chiseled body. It was as if his entire being radiated pure power and surreal grace. 

Electricity raced through my body. Angelus' eyes and dark hair was striking in comparison to all the other Lesphares as well as the room's light features. When I at last managed to tear my eyes away from him, my gaze went to Faîzal Gaîllot. The Lepshares was clothed in the same garment as earlier, but managed to still look surprisingly influential from next to the Defender.

I then noticed Quîncîn and Ferîan further down the table, both clothed in comfortable attires. Ferîan's white hair looked strange in contrast to the other flaxen shades and almost made me laugh. The Lepshares was clothed in light blues and whites, the hues blinding beneath the firelight. Quîncîn looked bored as usual, his mouth screwed in an irritated glower. His arms were folded against his chest, muscles bulging through his silk brown tunic. 

As we entered, I felt the entire room stare at us. Every pair of feline eyes, like flashlights. Their gazes burned into my skull, the attention making me feel dizzy. I was also shocked to find Angelus' crimson gaze on my face, but I did not meet his eyes. I was too scared how I would react on it.

Faîzal almost immediately noticed our party and gestured towards the far end of the table. There were four empty spaces next to Quîncîn and Ferîan. "Welcome Aliums! Take a seat at my table and enjoy this evening with us." He announced, making me feel even more out of place. My friends looked just as uncomfortable as I was, Christa biting her lip as she took a seat next to Ferîan and Jacob, warily scanning the Lesphares congregated. His eyes were dark.