Children of the Gods - A Chosen Novel (5 page)

“I do not know. What do you think I should
eat?”

“Your Highness?”

The Sari had alluded to our position and the
ceremony I saw in Anaya’s memories should have prepared me, but
when he called me Your Highness I felt like I had been punched in
the stomach. It had not really clicked before, now the Sari’s
concern for me made sense. I was not picked for just any Luna. I
was the host for Haloran royalty.

“Sorry, that was not a fair question. What
would you eat if you could eat anything right now?”

“One of Marcel’s egg delights,” he responded,
without pause.

“I will take one of those, then.”

He turned to a short man with about six hairs
on his head.

“It would be my pleasure, my lady,” Marcel
said, bowing with his head and shoulders.

As Marcel set to making my breakfast and the
others went back to their work, Griff relaxed. He was watching the
whole situation, ready to intervene at any second. Now as I leaned
against the wall nearer to him, his demeanor changed and he felt
less like a guard and more like a trusted friend.

There were occasional glances by the staff as
I ate, and the boy who suggested the meal was smiling. Griff nudged
my arm.

“What?” I asked

“You are making noises while you eat.”

“It is really good.”

He smiled but said nothing else. I narrowed
my eyes. “Do not laugh at me.” I feigned seriousness.

“I am not.” His smile widened. I went back to
eating and ignored his grin.

“What was that young man’s name who suggested
this?” I whispered.

“Harlan, my lady.”

I took a few steps forward and an even
younger boy appeared and reached for my dishes, then disappeared
without looking up. I watched the door he vanished through for a
moment, in surprise.

“Thank you, Harlan, for suggesting such a
wonderful treat.” I tipped my head to him as he bowed with his
shoulders. “And thank you, Marcel, for making food so wonderful it
causes me to forget my manners.”

He tried to hide a grin as he bowed.

Griff introduced me to three new boys who did
dishes, and reminded me of the names of the three who had moved up
to food preparers, one of which was Harlan. Then we went into a
back room where several young girls and an older lady were in
various stages of bread making. They all paused and curtsied to
Griff and bowed to me as we entered.

“My lady, would you like to sample today’s
work?” the older woman asked. A memory flashed in my mind of Anaya
speaking her name.

“Oh yes, thank you, Lisal.”

Griff gave me a quick glance. I knew I
responded with too much enthusiasm, but I could not help it, fresh
bread was my favorite.

Lisal gave me a suspicious look as she handed
me the bread, avoiding eye contact. Anaya must have been really
horrible to these people. If I was stuck in this position, and of
any influence, then that was a practice I was going to change.

~o~

The walls all looked exactly the same. I was
glad I required an escort everywhere. I was unlikely to memorize
the identical curves of the ship any time soon. With no markings to
indicate where anything was, I would be lost.

“Griff, I know I am not supposed to be
wandering the ship, but do you think we might stop by my garden on
the way back to the room?”

He gave me a startled look, his eyes widening
with what looked like panic.

“I think that would be fine.” His tone did
not match his words.

“I do not want to get you in trouble.”

“You are the Keln, this is all yours. You can
go anywhere you wish.” He sounded proud. I touched his outstretched
arm.

“The room will do just fine.”

He held his arm out for me to take like a
proper gentleman rather than a guard.

“Come on,” he said, with a mischievous smile.
“I have something I would like to show you.”

The glass enclosure was frosted so I could
not see inside. I looked to Griff for some clue. He looked pleased
with himself. He pressed the wall next to the glass. There was no
tinkling bells or circular openings. A long slit opened, then
expanded to his height and width. He disappeared through it and it
closed immediately behind him.

I fought down the panic I felt and pressed my
hand to the same place he had. An opening my size and shape formed.
I slipped into it. There was a cool tingling sensation all across
my body. When I stepped out on the other side, I gasped.

“I know, it is always empty at this hour,”
Griff answered my awe.

In front of me was a perfect pond, complete
with fog hanging gently over the crystal water. As I approached the
water, the purple tint of the ship reflected in the pond making it
seem magical.

The beauty of it erased the shock caused by
the wall changing my clothes from the form fitting leathers to
revealing swimwear.

I dipped a toe in. The water was warm enough
that I did not need to wade in slowly to adjust to the temperature.
I turned to see Griff watching me with interest.

I spun back around and waded in before he
could see my blush. The water was like salve, washing away all my
fears and doubts about what I was doing there. I almost felt guilty
because I was actually enjoying myself.

Griff swam past in the water below me. Not to
be outdone, I dove under and chased after him, but he was like a
fish with his long arms and legs.

~o~

I hated to leave the freedom I felt in the
pond, but as soon as Griff mentioned lunch, I realized I was
actually starving.

There were no clothes to dry off with. Griff
stepped through the wall completely wet. I followed and was greeted
by a warm tingling. When I stepped out on the other side, I was dry
and fully clothed, only my hair remained slightly damp.

The lighter than air feeling vanished as soon
as we entered the dining room. Griff led me to my place at the head
of the room. Every eye tracked my movement across the hall, while
working hard not to acknowledge me.

A young girl appeared the moment I was
settled, holding water and a steaming cloth to wipe my hands
with.

“What shall I order for you, my lady?” she
asked, then dropped her eyes.

“What would you have?”

Her eyes popped up immediately. “Me?”

“Yes.”

“The Sansifar is delicious, and you love the
lamb, or a fruit platter—”

I held a finger up and she immediately fell
silent. “I would like to know what you would eat if you could have
anything.”

She stared at me, surely frightened to say
the wrong thing.

“You will not get in any trouble, this I
vow.”

“I have always wanted to try the lamb,” she
said in a rush. Her eyes widened like she could not believe what
she had done.

“Good. I will have two orders and I would
like you to bring them to me.”

She nodded, bowed, and turned to Griff, whose
expression was unreadable. I turned away, sure it was disapproval I
saw.

I expected a scolding the minute she
disappeared into the kitchen but he was silent, though his look was
appraising, judging maybe? I busied myself sipping my water and
pretending to survey the room.

“Do you enjoy it?” His question startled
me.

“What?”

“Making people nervous.”

“No, I do not mean to. They are all so afraid
of me.” I glanced in the direction of the kitchen. “I would like to
change that.”

“I did not mean her.”

I looked over at him.

“You are so unpredictable. I never know what
you are going to do next. It is a bit unnerving.” He was smiling,
though his tone implied he was serious.

“I fear you know far more than you let on.” I
looked away unable to keep the color from my cheeks. He made no
attempt to deny it.

The girl returned with our food. She laid
Griff’s plate in front of him then carefully placed both plates of
lamb in front of me. I pushed the second plate to the side.

“Sit.” I patted the seat next to me. She
froze and stared at me with an expression of horror. The corner of
Griff’s mouth was turned up in a grin, but he kept his eyes on his
plate.

“Sit with you?” she asked.

“If you would be so kind.”

She slowly walked around the table and sat,
looking uncomfortable.

“Eat.” I motioned to the plate. She hesitated
but scooted forward and took a bite.

“I am sorry, I have been so rude. I have
forgotten your name?”

“Katy,” she replied.

“Is it everything you imagined, Katy?” She
nodded enthusiastically. I could tell she was sincere by the slow
way she chewed and occasionally paused to close her eyes, like she
was savoring the moment.

“May I return to work, my lady?” she asked
when she was finished eating.

I nodded. “Thank you for eating with us,
Katy.”

She bowed, took her plate and disappeared.
With her gone the glares were no longer easy to ignore.

“They really do hate me?” I asked, nodding in
the direction of the room.

“They do not know you.”

I choked a little on my lamb. Griff patted my
back lightly. “They have had a thousand years with me, how could
they not know me?”

“You do not let people see you.”

“You see me. Jaxson sees me?”

He looked at his hands. “You let Jaxson in
the least.”

I thought about what he said as I finished my
food. What a terrible arrangement they had. I could feel Anaya
bristle and push back against my thoughts.

“You look tired.” Griff’s eyes looked too
kind. How could he look at me like that after living with Anaya for
so long. “I should get you back,” he pressed.

“The garden?”

I clasped my hands together in response to
his hesitation. He fought the smile I could see forming. I did my
best doe eyed, pleading look.

“Fine, we can go if you stop that.” He
grinned. I nearly clapped my hands in excitement, then I remembered
where I was and tried to act dignified.

He led me in a big circle back past what I
thought was the kitchen. Was he trying to keep me confused? We
stopped just before a large curve. He put his hand to the wall.
Instead of a tinkling of bells there was a low whine.

“It is locked,” he announced, with genuine
annoyance. “I will check with SI.”

I nodded, pretending I understood what that
meant.

We continued on, stopping just around the
corner. He opened the wall to my room.

“If you would like to relax.” He held his
hand out toward the opening.

“Thank you,” I responded, knowing he was only
following orders.

“Jaxson will be back for dinner, call if you
need anything before then.”

I stepped inside and watched through the
closing wall as he turned and walked back the way we had come. Was
he heading back to the garden?

The room seemed both enormous and
claustrophobic at the same time. I placed my hand on the bureau. I
could not help the squeal that escaped when a drawer slid open.
Though I had watched it done so often in the past few days, I had
yet to try it.

The drawer slid closed of its own volition
when it was clear I was not using it. The novelty of it did not
wear off quickly. Next I tried Jaxson’s drawer. I was no less
pleased when it slid open revealing his clothing.

I stared at them for a moment, unprepared for
the emotions a drawer of clothing belonging to him next to a drawer
of mine would elicit. Growing up with the uncertainty of life in
the City, I never actually imaged what life would be like if I were
to make it past the Choosing, eventually pairing with a man.

I sat on the bed and looked at the drawer.
Each time it closed I quickly opened it again so I could stare at
the contents. As I was returning to the bed after many times
re-opening the drawer, I noticed the bed. Nothing was my own. It
too, was a symbol of the life I now shared with a man. Everything
in this room was a symbol that I shared
myself
with him.
There was no me or him, there was we and us now.

Suddenly the room seemed tiny and
suffocating. I pressed my hand to the wall and as it opened,
remotely I registered that it still thrilled me to be able to
command the walls. I stumbled out into the hallway and stood
helpless for a moment, staring back into the room that was both a
prison and a sanctuary.

I did not know of anywhere to go. I stared at
the room feeling safe close to it but free just outside its walls.
Where would I go? I had no idea how to get anywhere, not the
kitchen, nor the pond? Would I even want to be there if I could get
there? I knew the answer and it was the reason I stood staring back
into the room.

No, I did not want to be anywhere near those
people. Not without Jaxson. He had a way of making them seem
tolerable. Even Griff couldn’t manage that. I only felt
unthreatened with him present, but not comfortable. Not like I
belonged at the head of the room, like I did when I sat next to
Jaxson there.

The room was even less acceptable now that I
had admitted such things to myself. I hated him, but I felt safer
with him than I ever had. Safety was an intoxicating seductress. I
had to be more careful around him if I was to retain who I was.

The door closed, freeing me of the safety of
the room. I lifted my hand to open the door when I remembered how
close the garden was.

Glancing back and forth, I set off toward the
curve in the hallway. Just around it was safety and freedom. I
peeked around the corner. No one was in sight. I pressed my hand to
the door, hoping Griff had checked with SI.

I was rewarded with the tinkling of bells.
The hole slowly opened. Griff turned as I stepped through the wall.
He froze mid turn.

“Anaya!”

My mind registered his shock but it was
quieted by the reverence I felt.

“Did you—” I spun in a slow circle. “Did you
do this?” I asked finally able to form the full question.