The fallen ones

(Continued)

I watch the potential threads light up as they stretch between us, one beginning to solidify as she raises her hands. I reach out to touch it, to sense what this binding would yield, just as Taros steps in front of me. The threads unravel and fade. What a pity.

“That’s enough!” he yells, forearms thrown wide, palms raised at each of us, though he looks pointedly at me. His lower set remain clenched at his sides, creating an arcing line of tension through his frame.

“Come on! It was just gettin’ interestin’!” Callista calls from where he’s reclining in an ornate chair, one he has obviously conjured at some point for his own comfort and grandeur. His feet are propped up on the table, eyes bouncing avidly between Acara and I.

Even Aurelia has looked up to gape at us. I see she’s remoulded her form differently again, as she so often does. Her cloak of dense tawny feathers ripples around her shoulders where it would normally hang unmoving.

As I sharpen my focus to inspect its Bindings, a feather raises to reveal a yellow eye, which winks before concealing itself once more.

I look up at Aurelia to find her gazing nervously at me. I nod my head once in approval and she beams toothily before continuing to work on her current project, upper arms Weaving as the lower set scribble notes into a book on the table in front of her.

“Why not ask Ravello for confirmation of the rumours before showing them? What if you showed them for nothing and gave them new ideas to boot?” Taros asks worriedly.

At the sound of my name I look over to where he and Acara have resumed their discussion. Acara is leaning with one arm on the lectern, posture a touch too tense to be entirely casual, while Taros paces in front of her, lips pulled taut.

“Because I didn’t need to clarify their intent, if the words are out there then the sentiment behind them doesn’t matter.”

“Oh contraire Empress, intent is everything. But far be it for me to contradict you.” At that Acara’s expression sharpens and she opens her mouth only for Taros to come to a stop in front of her, crossing his arms.

“You should have consulted us before doing something so risky.”

Acara sighs, slumping forward and propping her face in her fore-hands. “Maybe, but I knew we’d only end up running in circles, and the final decision was always going to come down to me anyway.”

At this, Waverly reforms to pipe up from behind her legs, which easily eclipse his narrow form. “Well I think she made the right decision!”

“Nobody asked you pipsqueak,” I snarl, narrowing my eyes at him. “As her servant, and the only remaining Proponent, you don’t get a vote.”

“Besides,” Acara says, glancing at me in disapproval as she gently nudges Waverly deeper into her coat with her foot “I didn’t keep you here to talk about the Fallen Ones, or have you all question my decisions.”

“Let me guess, your adoring Overseer wishes to see how we are failing today.”

“If by that you mean they want a report,” she says pointedly, “then yes. Callista, what have you got?” She says pivoting towards where he is now staring absentmindedly into the distance.

It takes a minute of silence before Aurelia nudges Callista sharply in the torso with her writing hand, not bothering to look up from where her fore-hands are still adjusting new elements of her project. Callista almost goes sprawling to the floor from the unexpected blow, catching himself last minute by adjusting the gravity field to float him to his feet.

“What?” he whines, rubbing his side “What’d I miss?”