Chapter 167: We are freaks
It seemed like the universe had frozen for Kieran... And Velor grabbed this opportunity without any hesitation.
Velor moved through the crowd,stepping right beside Kieran as the silence around him collected weight.
The guy hadn’t moved an inch. His mouth was parted slightly, but there was no sound.His eyes were locked on Autumn like he had just seen some demon swallow the sun... his sun.
Velor gave him a sharp elbow in the ribs...nothing. So he smiled instead and made a show of dusting imaginary dust from Kieran’s shoulder. Then he bowed too low at Autumn, the ends of his hair brushing the floor.
"He is just a freak, my lady," Velor said with almost a theatrical flair. "And so am I. We are here to entertain you. Keep you happy!"
Autumn tilted her head at him, her lips pursed thoughtfully. Her eyes lingered on his face...long enough for Velor’s smile to falter. A droplet of sweat rolled down the side of his neck.
What if she remembered him? That would be a good thing... it would be better than defeating Kieran in a thousand wars... But practically speaking, if she remembered him at that moment, it would be game over for Velor.
To Velor’s immense relief , she smiled. Not the haunted smile of someone who had seen too much... the smile she used to give him back at his castle... no.
This was light...innocent even.She literally smiled like a baby.
"How did you know I love the circus?" she asked, eyes sliding briefly to Thorgar before turning back to Velor.
Velor blinked. He hadn’t expected that.
Thorgar looked away, biting the inside of his cheek to keep the grin from spreading too obviously.
Autumn sat up slowly, her hands pressing into the mattress for balance. Her gaze returned to Velor.
"Tell me more," she asked with a soft curiosity, "what tricks do you perform? Can you show me?"
Velor laughed in relief...it was more breath than sound.
"Me? I charm snakes," he said with a wink, striking a flamboyant pose... arms spread wide and then moving them to copy the classic cobra pose!
He then pointed to the stiffened guy beside him. "And he breathes fire."
Autumn’s eyes lit up brighter. She straightened up, looking at him with excited eyes.
Velor puffed out his chest on cue, bowing again like a pompous court performer.
"My lady, I am not just a snake charmer," he declared. "I am also a dancer, illusionist, former part time pickpocket, and once...very briefly...a goat whisperer."
Autumn giggled. "A goat whisperer?"
"Oh, yes," Velor said with exaggerated seriousness, holding up a solemn finger. "They never quite listened, but I whispered nonetheless. Very passionately. That counts."
Orion rolled his eyes in the background, muttering something under his breath that suspiciously sounded like, "Idiot."
But Velor wasn’t done.
"I can juggle daggers. Badly. I can walk on tightropes. Badly. I can balance a chair on my head while reciting tragic poetry upside down in five languages...don’t ask how, it’s very cultural."
Autumn clapped, clearly amused. "That sounds amazing!"
"Well, someone once told me, everything sounds amazing if you say it fast enough," Velor whispered with a wink.
Even the maids coughed to hide a chuckle.
And yet...Kieran remained utterly unmoving, like a statue carved from stone( and...grief probably).
Velor had to physically grab his arm and haul him up. Kieran’s feet stumbled reluctantly into motion, as if the floor wanted to stick to him.
Velor looked back at Autumn, his voice laced with deliberate mischief. "Would you like a show this evening? We could light up the night for you."
Autumn’s eyes widened. She clapped her hands together like a delighted child.
"Oh yes! I have always wanted to see such things! Yes, please!"
Thorgar couldn’t hide his smile this time. It curled at the edges of his stern expression like sunlight melting frost.Honestly, he looked good while smiling. Very handsome indeed.
He turned his head slightly meeting Orion’s gaze,"Postpone the Hunt till tomorrow."
Orion, who had been silently lingering in the corner, stepped forward and bowed at once.
"As you wish, my Alpha."
Then he turned to Autumn with a grin that tugged at his scarred cheek."I am so glad you are back, little one. Let’s go to the market again when you are up for it, eh?"
Autumn smiled back at him gently. She reached forward as if to respond but paused midway, her fingers twitching in the air. Slowly, she retracted her hand.
Then, with a little wince, she leaned away from Thorgar and lay back down into the soft pile of cushions behind her. Her brows knit faintly as she blinked upward at the tapestry ceiling.
"...Why do I feel so tired?" she whispered. "I just woke up."
The witch healer stepped forward from the edge of the shadows before Thorgar could glare her to death.Her face was unreadable but calm. "I think it’s likely the potions, my dear.The elixirs we gave to restore your body...they can make one feel drowsy. Let your body rest. The more you sleep, the sooner you will feel like yourself again."
Autumn nodded slowly. Her motion grew more sluggish and heavy.
"I think I want to sleep again," she murmured. Her voice had lost its earlier sparkle, like a candle dimming at the end of its wick.
At once, Thorgar stood up and clapped his hands together."Clear the room!" he ordered, his voice echoed like a million wolves."Everyone , out of the room, right now! "
Everyone bowed. Velor gave one last flourish and tried to drag Kieran ( who was still frozen) towards the door. Kieran’s eyes were still trained on Autumn. It took several hard tugs before the guy moved at all.
The others retreated with soft steps and bowed heads. Soon, only Thorgar remained beside the bed. He bent low, adjusting her blankets tenderly. The way he tucked the corners under her chin could have belonged to a father, a lover, or a poet.
He brushed a lock of hair from her cheek. Then he leaned down and kissed her forehead, lingering a heartbeat longer than necessary.
"Dream well, sweet pea," he murmured against her skin.
Then he stepped away, slowly closing the heavy door behind him with a soft click.
Silence returned in the room...it fell like a veil.
Alone now, Autumn turned on her side. Her fingers curled around the blanket, pulling it close to her body. She pressed her cheek into the pillow, nuzzling into it like a baby deer. Her breath slowed down and grew heavier.
But just before sleep claimed her again...
She whispered to herself, barely audible...
"...Why does it feel like I forgot something important?"