Chapter 132: [132] A Seat at the Table
Calypso stared at Lord Commander Alaric, her mind racing with possibilities. The timing matched perfectly with that strange, overwhelming sensation she’d experienced a few days ago—that inexplicable moment when pain had shot through her chest and tears had spilled down her cheeks without warning.
"This Thornslayer," she said, setting her spoon down carefully. "When exactly did this attack occur?"
Alaric’s weathered face showed surprise at her interest. "Three days past, according to the messenger. Just before sunset."
That was it. That exact moment I felt him. Calypso pressed a hand to her chest, remembering the phantom pain that had struck her while standing at her window. She hadn’t understood it then, but now it made perfect sense. Their connection—their divine entanglement—had allowed her to feel Xavier’s battle even across the distance separating them.
"Is something wrong, Selene?" Torval’s bushy eyebrows drew together, his spoon hovering halfway to his mouth.
Calypso composed herself, straightening her shoulders. "Not at all. I just find it fascinating. A single man defeating three Thornbeasts? Someone with such remarkable abilities could be invaluable to Hearthome’s defense, wouldn’t you agree, Uncle?"
Torval rubbed on his mustache. "Perhaps. If the stories are true."
"I’ve known Dalen for fifteen years," Alaric said, accepting a bowl of soup from a servant. "He’s not given to exaggeration. If anything, he understates matters."
Duke Haverford’s elegant fingers tapped against the table’s polished surface. "Even so, one successful encounter doesn’t make a man worth recruiting. Luck plays its part in battle."
"Three Thornbeasts isn’t luck," Calypso countered, leaning forward. Her wine-red braids swung with the motion. "That’s skill beyond anything we’ve seen. What if this is another sign from the Flame itself?"
The Duke’s eyebrow arched, the streak of silver at his temple catching the light. "First your illness, now this stranger? You seem eager to find divine messages, Lady Selene."
"The Flame speaks to those who listen," she replied, lifting her chin. It was a phrase she’d heard Agna use countless times, and it seemed to fit the moment.