"Zella," Master Akai said, keeping his voice low. He reached for me, lightly gripping my arms as I steeled myself against the feel of his fingers digging into my flesh. They never did. Instead, he leaned forward, mimicking a kiss on my cheek as he whispered, "Be careful. I fear this has more facets than he says."
Imperceptibly, I nodded, and he returned to his space at the end of the line.
"So good of you to come, Healani, Mannix," the King said as he waved his skeletal hand around. His eyes scanned the four of us.
As if we had an actual choice. "Thank you for the invitation, Your Majesty," I offered, pushing down the urge to turn my words into weapons. "It's always lovely."
A sensation of bitterness swirled within a vision of crumbling blocks, leaving me blinded for a moment before it disappeared as swiftly as it came. Shadow's ability to transfer her thoughts was becoming more complex the more she practiced. It was increasingly difficult to tell what was an intrusion and what belonged to my brain.
"Yes. Well, I'm sure you all are wondering why you were summoned here. We've been meeting as I promised the people. I believe we've come up with an excellent solution to this minor problem that we have." King Lorian paused, his gaze sweeping over his desk, and waved his Aide over. "Why is there nothing to drink here?"
The Aide didn't bother to answer. He just rushed off, his light purple robe fluttering behind him as he hurried to grab whatever he thought would appease his boss.
The room descended into an awkward silence that grew heavier the longer we waited. I used the time to study the line of the unannounced. The Masters and Assemblians took little of my attention since I mostly knew them. It was the Angels I concentrated on.
Eight of the white-robed fuckers stood behind the King, seven of them clustered together with their noses in the air. I suspected that they were the Angel versions of Masters and Assemblians, called Powers and Seraphs. The eighth appeared to be of a lower rank, judging by the plain robes and timid demeanor. She was a puzzle, but eventually, I concluded she must have been an assistant of some sort.
Finally, the Aide burst into the office with a large mug and placed it in exactly the right spot, taking care to turn the handle just so. The King took a drink, cleared his throat, and picked up his speech as if he hadn't wasted everyone's time.
"We've decided to form a temporary division in our government. I've just signed an order that will add the Office of the Ministry of Investigations, Earth Branch as a working, valid Office." He dusted an invisible piece of lint off his heavy deep-purple robes before looking up and staring directly at me. His next words sent my stomach rocketing towards my feet. "You, Elite Grim Reaper Healani will head the Office, which means taking on the position of Master."
He kept talking, but all I heard was indistinct sounds as everything became a buzz. My thoughts swirled, and my monster tried to claw its way out of its cage in reaction to the sudden change. Another brick came loose and skipped across the red and purple covered ground that surrounded the well. Snatches of his ridiculous speech wormed themselves in, such as 'Master' and 'immediately' and 'within the set.'
No. My fingernails pierced my palm, and my monster nodded before taking a single claw and raking it along my center. The pain propelled me back into myself, and I found the others in the room staring at me, waiting for something. I realized they were my audience, and I needed to choose my words very carefully.
I don't want this. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I will endeavor to uphold the principles of our birthright and our ordained place within the universe," I said, my voice stronger than I expected. I fucking hate you. "With the lifetime I've spent under Master Akai's tutelage, I'm confident that this will be a branch that gives all of Delon pride."
"Be sure it does, Master Healani," the King bit out. "Word has already reached Oscal, and we will not allow them to take this from us. We discovered it. We will show the entire world that Enyre leads everyone, and that even without the additional power boost new souls provide, we are not hampered by a full planet of souls. I want this