Chapter Forty-One
The pace tower loomed rge, casting a long shadow iernoon sun. It hadn’t been so imposing when Harmony followed the line of initiates while inito for the Harvest of Talents. That had been before she’d received the queen's reition. The queen wasn't there now. Her public schedule had her out on business greeting dignitaries. The ining flow of authority was ing from elsewhere. You could almost use it as a pass.
There would be no doing this if the queen was here. Adric deserved better than that. It had already been too long since she'd visited. A little over two days, when was that too long? To bee so needy over a pet, yes, a friend too, but that felt lesser than a primal bond throbbing with a e inside her soul.
“Ahem.” Drew, the guild bodyguard ahead and to the left, cleared his throat.
They were blog traffic. Six bodyguards, one giant bck toad, a personal maid hiding at least one bird in her skirts, and the smallest of them all Lady Harmony White dressed head to toe in armor that could barely be sidered armor. Fi's time to move forward.
Up the stairs along with the crowds submittiions or entering for whatever fun was being held on the sed-floor ballroom or other more open to the wealthy public floors. From here there was arao the private royal floors, Adric was on the fifth. The group made their way in that dire.
At the private entrance, six pace guards waited. One ecial, their uniform had more decorations. The boss guard, then. They formed a wall.
Drew, Nick, Justin, and Jeff in their guild-beled attire stepped forward while the city guards covered the rear. Because this was an official visit they made their presenown loud and proud rather than in the background. They were all still a little heated about what happeo Harmony when she was st at the pace. Her vanguard met the paces’ defenders, faces so close, that everyone had better checked their breath today.
The one Harmony dubbed 'The Boss' stood separate as the mouthpiece. “Lady White, what a pleasure to see you. You’re wele to go up and visit Adri his room.”
So much was unsaid and implied in that statement. The man had to have a political-based profession. Courtier? Diplomat? Used carriage salesman? She was wele. But the others? Poor Adric wasn’t even referenced as the prince he was, authority and profession be damned. It was a miracle the temperature didn’t drop. Not a hint of frost leaked out. A testament to how stable she was since acquiriest skill, at least for now.
“Grrrrrrruuuupt,” Hyath spoke with a growl, so deep and menag, that the shadows around them seemed to tinge a little darker. It even held a little bit of the authority he carried for Harmony.
“Of course your familiar may apany you, same as any guest who has partnered with ohe boss guard stated a little nervously as he watched the toad use his too lick his lips. At Hyath's size swallowing the man wouldn't be a problem.
Harmony tilted her head and looked up at Ambrosia who waited at her side within arm's length as any good servant ready to assist, perhaps the least noticeable of the group due to a ck of visible ons. Her eyes locked back to the guard with a look that was clearly asking, “What about my personal maid?” without making a sound.
“A servant is often allowed for social visits. Yours is wele to join you.” The man tinued, crag a little more uhe silent pressure. “We don’t allow personal armsmen to apany guests to any of the higher floors.”
The bodyguards didn’t move an inch at that. Were they waiting to be told to stand down? And if they disobeyed?
“Good thing I don’t have any personal guards oathed to me. You’ll have to take any issues these fine folk up with the guild master and ander of the city guard. Their opinions on the prote the pace guard give me seem to be tainted after what happened during my st visit.”
[Recall] checked the guards' faces to her memories, two had beehe night she’d been stabbed through the back. One had joihe escort of her away. The other, a guardswoman who’d helped capture the rogue priest, and tried to heal her too te, face looking down in horror at the corpse left behind. Now they stood with the others staring down her assigned bodyguards.
“I have no say in them, but perhaps all of your fine anizations find a way to work together while I go up and visit Prince Adric.” With a final bit of authority added to her voice she finished. “But do it quickly as I have pces to be and my dear pet to visit.”
She strode forward towards the door to the private stairway. No point in giving them time to do anything but reaow will someone open the doors for her?
The pace guards did just that, dang out of the way. Harmony would have opehem herself. It’s not like she wouldn’t get her hands dirty. It was good for them their pce, though. Is this who Lady White is? It would have been simpler if they didn’t force the issue.
Stairs. Hyath groahrough their bond.
It’s not like I pick you up and carry you. You wao e, now hop to it and climb. She snapped back from her side of the bond. Maybe by the time they make it to the fifth floor, all those guards stop seeing who had the lo spears or sharpest swords.