Chapter 29

" Thanks a lot for accompanying us, I really had a great time, " Flame told Sheila as they dropped her off at her shop. In her hand were a new pair of shoes that Flame had gotten for her after she saw Sheila admiring them in one of the shops. 

" There's no need to thank me. I am the fortunate one, I can't wait to get home and tell everyone about today. Maia will not believe it! " Sheila said excitedly. 

Flame was glad that she now knew the term Maia meant mother in the Zalian tongue. And Sheila had even promised to teach her the language over time. 

They said their goodbyes and she got off the carriage, but not before she turned to Drexel and thanked him as well. 

" Have a peaceful evening, and give your parents my regards, "

" I will. Goodbye, "

" Goodbye, "

Flame wondered whether Sheila realised how many times she had to him bye already. But Sheila finally left, a beaming smile on her face. 

" She's nice, "

" Yes, she is. Her parents supply fresh vegetables for the Triecan. They are the best farmers in the entire kingdom, "

" Wow, so you must really know her family well then huh? "

Drexel nodded. He clearly had no idea that Sheila liked him. Or maybe he did but just chose to ignore it. Either way, Flame was glad to have met her. She asked if they were going back home and he asked her whether there was anything else she needed. And she assured him that she was okay. It was outrageous the number of things they had purchased. They were going to be delivered to the Triecan and she was sure they would lack space to put them. 

" In that case we will head back home, " 

Flame leaned on the small window of the carriage and stared out at the streets which were bursting with life. She watched as people walked in every direction. Walking in and out of the many shops. Most of them would stop and stare once they passed. And she even saw Anna, Sheila's little sister playing with a group of other children. She waved at the carriage and Flame waved back. Then she saw some other beings, dressed in the same armor she had seen the angels wear. There were two of them

Standing on a sort of raised platform and people were gathering around them as if waiting for some kind of announcement. And above the raised platform she saw Kael, doing cartwheels in the air, a child in his arms. 

They were a small distance away but she could see the delight in the child's face. Could hear it in her laughter as Kael spun her around. His Golden Wings too bright to look at in the sun. For she feared for her sight. 

" What's going on there? " She pointed at the scene and Drexel peeped through her window. Observing what she was referring to. 

" Oh, they must be informing the beings about the meeting. "

" What meeting? "

Drexel wondered whether he ought to tell her. She would most likely not react well if she knew there was a murdered on the loose. And it seemed more like Nuriels responsibility to explain the matter to her. 

" Just a meeting that Nuriel is holding at the town square. He wants to discuss matters of the kingdom, "

Flame bit her lip. Hearing the angels name made her miss him even more than she already was. It was strange. Throughout the day she had been thinking about him. It's like he was a very real memory stuck in her mind that she found herself replaying over and over. And she had actually been expecting to find him back at the house considering how long she had been away. But now she guessed it would be a while before she saw him again. Maybe she would not even get to see him until the next day. That saddened her a tremendous amount. 

" Are you okay? " Drexel asked. He had noticed how sad she looked. She faked a smile and nodded, leaning her head back on the window. 

" So... How long exactly is the meeting going to take? "She hoped she did not sound desperate. Because she was sure that she was not. She simply just missed him because he had been very kind to her. 

Yes... that was it. 

" I'm not sure. But it does not start until later today. The king still has a lot to do before then, "

" Oh, I see, " she exhaled deeply. Now she was going to be stuck at the house alone with no one to talk to. Maybe she would go to the kitchen and help out again. Not that Drexel wasn't good company, he was just too... focused. And he had been nothing but formal. 

" If you want, we could drop by where Nuriel is, "

" Really? " She asked excitedly. Then she cleared her throat and acted more civilized and unaffected by the proposition. But Drexel had noticed it. She clearly wanted to see the king. 

" Of course, It is on our way so we could make a quick stop, "

She nodded. Hating that the news made her want to smile. The last thing she needed was for anyone to think she was interested in the angel. He might say they were meant to be but that notion was still unfamiliar to her.

" But isn't he busy? " she also would not like to interrupt his work. Perhaps he had very urgent things to tend to and the last thing he needed was for her to just drop in and take up his time. All because she could not wait a few hours in order to see him again. 

"Even if he is, I'm certain he will always have time for his chosen. " Drexel casually stated. Then he gave the footman the instructions to stop by the preservatory. She had no idea what that was but she chose not to ask. And his remark made her feel happier than she should have been. It made her inwardly glad to know that Nuriel would not mind her company. 

                            ❇️✳️❇️✳️❇️

  " The fact that the affected gargoyles did not turn into stone after their death just proves that there is more involved in this, " Nuriel said. Crossing his arms as he tried to think of another possible explanation. 

They were still leaning towards the belief that it was the work of magic. But they would not be sure until they had proof of the witches involvement. 

" What will you tell the beings at the meeting? " Quillon asked. They were standing outside the preservatory where the bodies of the affected had been kept before they were claimed by their families. 

" To be honest, I myself am wondering the same thing. Apart from assuring them that were working on finding the perpetrator, I don't know what else to say. " Nuriel admitted. 

Quillon was standing beside a bush. And Nuriel realised just how hard it was to distinguish some of his feathers from the leaves of the bush itself. Because one of the layers was in a shade identical to the plant life. His wings definitely made for good camouflage in certain situations. Beside Quillon was the head of the preservatory. Kasir, a Dreimar, holding all the features that made him one. 

" I think your assurance will be sufficient. There's no use giving them information which we are not certain of, " Quillon adviced and Nuriel agreed. But he wanted to get to the bottom of the issue as fast as he could. And the only way to do that was to find out whether the witches truly were involved. And there was only one way to do that. The angels were still not on good terms with the witches, so it would be unwise to just show up at their kingdom and demand answers. 

But there was still one being in the entire kingdom who could manage to go there and come back unnoticed. Who could find the answers they were in desperate need of without the witches being the wiser.

" Bastian, I need you to do something for me, " 

" As you wish, my king. "

Kasir, the Dreimar, almost jumped from his spot. Not having realised that there was another being in their midst. 

And from the shadows stepped Bastian. 

Dressed as usual in his black leather armor, but one would not notice it because of the long knee-length leather coat he always wore over the outfit. The same way he always wore the bow and quiver of arrows on his back. Never in all the time Nuriel had known him had he seen him without the weapon. And it was the only one he carried. No swords, no daggers. Just the arrows. 

" Kasir, leave us. " Nuriel instructed and after a curt bow, the Dreimar stepped away and back into the preservatory. Bastian did not ask what Nuriel needed him to do. He waited to be told. They were countable the number of times he hand held a conversation with the angel. 

Actually, it was countable the number of times the angel had held a conversation with anyone .

He was the quiet one. And he was also Nuriels spymaster. With eyes of obsidian and wings such as those of a ravens. Darker than the deepest pits, and just like his eyes, they held shadows deep within. He took off the hood covering his face but there was no use, because his long dark hair took over the task. It seemed like a thick mass of flowing ink. Soft. And it fell to his shoulders on either side. 

" I want you to go to Umallen. Find out as much as you can and report back to me immediately. "