Chapter 6

• Twice he’d had to answer why he wouldn’t witness what the Veiltide Prince would do. Seeing someone ‘magically’ manipulate something because it was made with water went beyond his scope of acceptance. He was still working on the latest thing, that the residents from Solrelm could remove someone’s soul. For most of his life, he was the one that was an anomaly and so far from normal—but now, he was just plain boring. He smirked and turned the corner to go to his sister’s office, it was amusing that his age, red eyes, and fangs fell into the ‘boring’ category in his new life.
• Mitz came out of Rena’s office carrying a tray of dishes. She stopped and smiled at him, glancing at the pendant that now hung around his neck. “That belongs there.”
• Every time Abe was around Mitz, he had the urge to pick her up and hug her. “I was surprised when they gave it to me.” He knew his brother and sister didn’t have one.
• “You earned the position.” She patted his chest, “This family doesn’t hand out titles and jobs based on who you are.”
• Jamming his hands in his pocket, he could only nod his agreement. Her motherly vibes were strong today, and he was sure the rest of the family wouldn’t take kindly if he hugged her like a raggedy Ann doll. Abe could barely remember his own mother now, after all this time, which, he thought, was likely why it hit him each time he was around Mitz.
• “You’re not even listening,” she smirked at him, “always lost in your head.”
• Abe blinked. Had he faded into his mind again? “Sorry.”
• “It’s fine, love. I was saying your new things are in your room.” She smiled, “You need to look the part when all of them go over to Solrelm later.”
• She’d been in his room and seen his mess. He frowned, “Solrelm?”
• She nodded, “Yes, King Osbert reinstated Alterealm’s policing rights. There is a group that is going over shortly.”
• That made him forget about the mess in his room. “How soon?”
• “I’d imagine it will be this morning. They’re waiting until Prince Artesiam’s visit is over.” She smiled at him again, “Let me know if everything fits, love.”
• Abe watched until she went in through the door at the end of the hall.
• “Are you going to come in or just stand there like a statue outside my door?”
• He turned to see his sister at her desk, grinning at him. His smile was slow, “it’s been a strange day.”
• She laughed, “Aren’t they all now?”
• “I suppose they are.” Going in, he sat in the chair beside her desk. “I’m on the team, or whatever it’s called, with our crazy family.”
• She closed the folder and then leaned on it, “I love our crazy family. It was just the four of us for so long.”
• “And now you can’t walk three feet without seeing an aunt or uncle.”
• Her grin was big, and even her eyes reflected it, “it’s wonderful.”
• He snorted, “You’re just happy to have so many to order around.”
• “I don’t,” she smiled, “Okay, when it comes to administrative things, I do.” She took a deep breath and blew it out, “it keeps my mind off other things.”
• The moment sobered that fast. “Have you spoken to anyone about that yet?” He’d been pushing her to take the counseling offered to her for what she’d gone through on that island.
• She looked at him for a moment, her eyes assessing him very thoroughly, “have you?” She leveled him with a hard look. Abe held it, knowing she would answer without him saying a word, “I’ll go talk to someone when you do.”
• He cocked an eyebrow at her, “My mind issues don’t compare—”
• “Shush. You’ve had this happening as long as I can remember.”
• He shrugged it off, “overactive imagination.”
• Rena sighed. Reaching with jerky motions; she pulled her snow-white hair up into a very messy bun. He knew no comment was the best route when it came to his sister’s appearance. Her moods were all over the place, and setting her off lately could happen all too quickly. “Just don’t let it distract you while you’re out doing,” she grimaced, “violent things.”
• Abe had to fight to not smirk. “They don’t get to me like that anymore.” It was almost the truth, they still plagued him at the oddest times, but he was able to tell which were real and what was inside his head now.
• “You could tell Uncle Troy to look in your head,” she opened the folder again, “maybe he could see something.”
• Abe stood up, understanding that she was done with this conversation. “Pass. Some things still creep me out about all this,” he waved his hand around, “Right now, a prince from Veiltide is magically reassembling broken pottery because he can manipulate the water it was made with.”
• Her eyebrows went up, “that would be interesting to see.”
• Abe frowned at her. “I still can’t wrap my head around half of it.”
• She gave him a teasing smile, “Maybe you’re just getting old.”
• He spun around and started for the door, giving her a hard look, “Make sure you take a break and rest.” He didn’t look back to see the look she’d be giving him. If there was one thing she hated, it was being told what to do, especially by a younger brother.
• He walked quickly down the corridor. Yes, he could have used his porter and gone to his room in the underground chambers, but he loved walking through the palace. The palace. His family lived in a palace. Aunt Alona was still working on decorating it, but he didn’t care. Just walking through it made him think of how long it had been there and how many other relatives had walked where he was.
• Opening the front entrance, he stepped outside and looked over the landscape. He couldn’t help the grin on his face, it was a million miles from where he’d started. For years his father, siblings, and he had lived in remote, cramped spaces to stay off the radar. Now, he turned and looked up at the grey stone, a palace.
• He had to get ready to go to another realm. A million miles. Shaking his head, he opened his porter and pushed the button to go to his room.