Chapter 147: Princess of Calyndor Kingdom

Leon shook his head. "Nobody knows exactly. That’s part of the problem... He was there at the start of the week and then at some point he just wasn’t. No one noticed right away because everyone thought he was training somewhere else."

Nicholas looked at him steadily. "They found his room empty. His training gear was still there. Whoever took him or whatever happened didn’t give him time to take anything with him."

Alden was quiet for another moment.

Outside the window the last of the daylight was going and the academy lights were coming on one by one across the grounds. Down in the central courtyard he could hear the distant sounds of the gathering being set up. Voices and movement and the clinking of formal table settings.

All of that felt very far away right now.

Alden let out a quiet sigh. "Worrying about something that happened while we weren’t even here isn’t going to help us right now."

Leon said nothing but his jaw was tight.

"I want to find him too," Alden said. "But without any idea of where he went or what happened we’d just be walking around in circles. And Legion isn’t weak. If he left on his own then he had a reason for it. The only thing we can do right now is trust that he knows what he’s doing and focus on what’s in front of us."

Leon clenched his fist. He wasn’t happy about it. But after a long moment he gave a slow nod. "Alright."

Alden gave him a small smile. "Good."

Nicholas’s eyes had moved to Alden’s formal coat during the silence. "You actually look decent in that."

Alden blinked. "Huh?" He glanced down at the silver embroidered collar and then back up. "Oh. Thanks." A grin came through. "You’re not looking bad either. Neither of you are."

Leon tugged at his vest and looked toward the door. "We should get going. This gathering has probably already started."

"Yeah," Alden agreed. "Give me one second."

The three of them left the dorm and crossed the academy grounds toward the central estate.

The hall was enormous.

Crystal chandeliers hung from a ceiling so high up it looked distant and the light they threw down caught every polished marble surface and every piece of silverware on the long banquet tables in a way that made the whole room glow.

Nobles from both the Astern and Calyndor Kingdoms were already seated or standing in clusters talking in low voices. The air smelled like warm candles and expensive food.

Leon slowed down the moment he stepped inside. He looked around at the ceiling and the chandeliers and the table arrangements and the sheer scale of the room.

"This place is incredible," he said.

Nicholas nudged Alden with his elbow. "Look at him. He’s already imagining owning something like this."

Leon spun around. "I would never wish for something like tha—"

"Leon?"

The voice stopped him cold.

A young woman was walking toward them from across the hall. Long blue hair over an elegant white and blue gown trimmed with silver and a gleaming emerald ornament at her chest. Her clear blue eyes were fixed entirely on Leon.

Leon went very still.

"...Princess Aurelia?"

She smiled softly when she reached them. "You haven’t changed much since I last saw you." She reached up naturally and ruffled his hair.

For one second Leon just stood there.

Then he stepped back.

His whole face had shifted into something cold and formal and far away from the Leon who had been laughing in the dorm room two minutes ago.

"Aurelia." His voice had no warmth in it at all. "Please don’t do that. You’re a princess. Not a little girl." He gave her a clean formal bow and straightened back up.

Aurelia’s hand hung in the air for a moment before she slowly lowered it. The smile had gone. "Oh. I’m sorry."

Alden exchanged a quick look with Nicholas. Something heavy had just happened in this room and neither of them were sure what exactly it was.

Aurelia gathered herself and looked at the other two with polite curiosity. "Are they your friends?"

"Yes," Leon said simply.

Nicholas stepped forward and gave a respectful bow. "Greetings Your Highness. I’m Nicholas Ashford. And this is Alden."

"It’s nice to meet you both," she said. Her eyes kept drifting back to Leon though. He was looking at a spot somewhere past her left shoulder.

’Something is wrong here,’ Alden thought.

"Aurelia!" A cheerful voice cut through the hall.

A young man in ornate formal attire was heading toward them with the easy confidence of someone who had never worried about a room in his life. He stopped beside Aurelia and his eyes landed on Leon with a smile that was a little too comfortable.

"What’s going on here? Did I interrupt something interesting?" He looked at Leon pleasantly. "Oh right. Congratulations on becoming a Spire. Fellow Spires should properly acknowledge each other." He extended his hand toward Leon. "I’m Arvendis as you know. Welcome."

Leon looked at the hand.

He didn’t take it.

Aurelia’s eyes went wide. "Leon became a Spire? That’s incredible! Why didn’t you say anything?"

Silence.

"Leon?"

He turned slightly toward Alden and Nicholas. "Let me show you both where our seats are. We’re late."

He started to walk away.

Arvendis’s hand shot out and grabbed Leon firmly by the collar.

"Not so fast." The pleasant tone was still there but the edge underneath it wasn’t hiding anymore. "Don’t you think that’s a little disrespectful? Ignoring a princess? Not acknowledging a fellow Spire? Did the rank go to your head that quickly?"

"Arvendis please stop—" Aurelia started.

Nicholas’s hand clamped around Arvendis’s forearm before he could finish the sentence. His grip was calm but completely immovable. "Please let him go."

Alden stepped up on the other side. "He’s clearly not comfortable. There’s no reason to force anything here."

Arvendis looked between the two of them. His eyes caught the crest on Alden’s coat and something moved behind his expression. "Windsky," he said. He let go of Leon’s collar and smoothed the fabric down with exaggerated politeness. "We’ll have a proper conversation another time Leon."

He turned back to Aurelia and offered his arm with a clean easy smile. "Shall I?"

Aurelia hesitated. She looked at Leon one more time.

He still wasn’t looking at her.

Quietly she placed her hand on Arvendis’s arm and let him lead her away. She glanced back once over her shoulder before the crowd swallowed them.

Once they were completely out of earshot Nicholas put a hand on Leon’s shoulder. "You alright?"

Leon’s smile was thin. "Yeah. I’m fine."

"You’re not," Nicholas said. Not unkindly but not with any softness either. "The moment you saw her you changed completely."

"It’s nothing." Leon looked sideways at the floor. "Old stuff. Bad memories. Don’t ask about it."

Nicholas held it for a second then let it go. "Alright. I won’t."

"Thanks," Leon said quietly.