Esme and Tristan, on the other hand, seemed eager to attend such events. Nethissis was smiling, too, and I had a feeling Amal was already counting the hours till nightfall. Derek and I had been through similar motions before, meeting new civilizations, attending dinner parties, and making friends with the locals. For our younger teammates, however, all this was more or less new—and strikingly different from all the events that had plagued GASP over the past couple of years.
Whichever way this whole affair led, I owed it to Tristan, Esme, Amal, and Nethissis to let them experience the social parts of this mission. They’d put their lives at risk to come here, not knowing exactly what they were getting themselves into.
The Aeternae made me feel a little uneasy, but our crew had been right. They required further in-depth studies of their customs and society before we could draw any conclusions. Since we were going to be here for at least a couple of days, I knew Esme and Tristan would do whatever it took to get the intel we needed about these people and their food sources.
Tristan
Kalon and Valaine gave us a brief tour of the palace, which became even more impressive with every room and hall we walked through. It was truly an imposing masterpiece, each corner artfully designed to take one’s breath away. As the sun vanished beyond the western horizon, all the candles were lit inside.
The Gothic-like vibe was impossible to ignore. Threads of romantism and cold elegance were woven through the fabric of this place, from the painted ceilings to the gilded details and the sumptuous furniture. The color palettes and the antique decorative objects further served to prove that someone had gone to painstaking lengths in order to procure and create these arrangements. I could write a massive thesis based on the interior decor alone.
But my attention was brutally spliced between the actual tour and Valaine Crimson—I was beyond stricken. She’d left me close to dumbfounded before she’d even uttered those first words. Deep down, her reluctance to be around us had been a tad disappointing, but I’d done my best to understand her position. Not everyone was eager to let strangers into their world.
There was something about Valaine that made it difficult for me to think, and I wasn’t the only one. The others in my crew were equally fascinated, though I doubted their hearts pounded as viciously as mine.
She walked by my side, while Kalon stayed to my far left, next to Esme. Derek, Sofia, Nethissis, and Amal were right behind us, but we were spread wide enough to easily look at one another, if we had to. We’d left Corbin, Zoltan, Petra, and the captain of the guards with Acheron and Danika, and part of me would’ve given anything to be a fly on the throne room’s wall. They were probably exchanging impressions of us. Petra was probably telling them about the similarities between our species, too.
If we’d been smart in our delivery of information, chances were that the Lord and Lady Supreme of Visio would suggest blood tests before we even brought it up, thus making it easier for us to mention the possibility of a day-walking cure.
“How many people live in the palace?” Esme asked as we stopped inside a massive trophy room. Its walls were covered with wooden shelves, on which hundreds of shiny awards, medals, and sculptural trophies had been displayed. We couldn’t see the writing on their plaques from here, but judging by the full suits of combat armor also exhibited here, along the walls, they probably had something to do with the tournaments Kalon had mentioned.
“Roughly around two thousand,” Valaine replied.
“How many of them—”
“One thousand Aeternae, approximately six hundred Rimians, and four hundred Naloreans.” Valaine cut Esme off before she could complete her follow-up question. I wondered if she’d already heard about our conversation with her father and the others on the welcoming committee, somehow. Word must’ve traveled fast.
“All of them servants?” I wondered.
Kalon shook his head. “No. There are noble families living here, part of the lord and lady’s court. When the rulers ascend to the throne, they’re given the opportunity to ask certain people to live with them. To keep them company. To make the crown feel a little less heavy, so to speak.”
“All who call the Nasani palace their home are the most fortunate of Visio,” Valaine said. “They never miss anything. The kitchen is always working; the pantries are permanently full. We have recreational activities, as well, along with unfettered access to the palace gardens. The lord and lady supreme open their home to those they deem worthy of such an honor.”
That sounded rather beautiful, actually. Maybe Petra was right. Maybe they had found some kind of balance between the conquerors and the conquered. I nodded at the trophies to my left. “What room is this, exactly? What does it celebrate?”
“Ah. It’s where the seven dynasties keep their most prized trophies from the Blood Arena,” Kalon said, lighting up like the sun. “Of course, the winners can take them home, as well, but out here they can be admired by palace visitors all the time. I’ve brought all of mine here.”
“And now he’s going to show us how many he’s won,” Valaine muttered, rolling her eyes. It earned her a scowl from Kalon, but it didn’t seem hostile. Judging by the looks they exchanged, these two were close. I wondered how close, exactly.
“This entire thing, here,” Kalon said, pointing at a tall glass case with more than a dozen trophies and medals neatly displayed on its shelves. “About a hundred years’ worth. I keep the rest at home, though I’ll have to expand the room. I’m running out of space.”
“Yes, he keeps winning.” Valaine sighed, not at all impressed.
Her blasé demeanor made me want to laugh, but I worried it might offend Kalon. So far, he’d seemed the most candid among the nobles with whom we’d had meaningful interactions.
“At least I’m proud of my achievements. You hide yours in the basement,” Kalon retorted, raising an eyebrow at her.
“You participate in these deadly tournaments, as well?” I asked, my voice shakier than expected, prompting me to clear my throat, hoping the next sentence that came out of my mouth would sound a lot better. Valaine seemed to have this effect on me.
“All first children of the seven dynasties fight in the Blood Arena,” Valaine replied.
“And you’re a first child, yourself,” Sofia said. Valaine nodded. “Do you have any siblings?”
She shook her head. “No. My mother died when I was born, and my father has not had the heart to remarry since.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said. “How long were they together?”
“About fifty thousand years.” Valaine sighed, staring at one of Kalon’s trophies. “This one you got last year, didn’t you?”
Kalon nodded. “The year I almost got myself truly and irreparably killed.”
“If you were the first child… what exactly is the birth rate here?” I asked, unwilling to let her change the subject so easily. I could smell avoidance from a mile away.
She gave me a dark stare. “Petra didn’t give you details?”
“She did not, I’m afraid. We had a lot to talk about. It must’ve slipped through the cracks.”
“No, she just didn’t want to tell you,” Kalon replied. “My mother might come across as forthcoming, but don’t let that fool you.”
“Will you tell us, then?” Esme retorted.
Behind her, Derek and Sofia stifled their smiles. I could see why they’d be amused. My sister was a relentless firecracker, and Kalon had poked and prodded her enough times, already.
“If they’re lucky, an Aeternae couple can welcome their first child after five thousand years,” Valaine said. “That is a very loose average. Some are blessed much earlier. Others are nearly hopeless before the good news is given by our physicians. It’s a bit of a gamble.”
“Do you have siblings, Kalon?” Esme replied.
He smiled, and I could swear he was impressed. I figured not many dared to ask him things which the Aeternae clearly deemed deeply personal and delicate, given their difficulty in procreating. “I have four brothers,” Kalon said. “All younger than me. The youngest enjoys the tournaments, though not as much as me.”
