Alexius: After Dinner

After Keenan's unexpected departure, and Lilith's less so, Alexius rose from his place. His eyes flickered over to what his remaining cousins were up to, and looked at the book in his hand.

Coming to a decision, he rose and headed toward an exit, intent on his self-directed errand as well as the positive side-effects his absence would bring.

The halls were nearly abandoned. Any servants still on duty were in the lower halls, deep in Kolvir. He was afforded a comfortable amount of privacy, and, on the way to the royal swuites, many nooks to duck into.

Alexius resisted the temptation for as long as possible, but in an alcove not far away from the royal suites, he paused on his errand and slid into it. Furtively, he began to finger for the more read passages and pages once again.

He spent a grand total of 10 minutes in such search before stopping. Closing the book with what nuggets he had gleamed, he continued on his progress to his brother's rooms to place the book therein.

There was one thing that didn't fit with his theory... One page was dappled with bloody fingerprints.

Quote: Oh, god, please don't let me die...

But... after that... a calm recollection was written from the bed of the his savoirs, the Techys... Meaning Brand had not gotten the journal before penning the Trump.

Quote: You'd love the food, here. It's nothing like in Rebma. It almost makes up for getting stabbed, you know?

I can't stay, though. And I can't go back. But I hope, whatever's happening in Amber, you're still safe.

Martin's suite was open, and empty.

Resistance was futile.

With the slivers of information burning in his brain like hot shards of glass, Alexius hurried to his brother's quarters. Remaining open so that the maids could keep it clean, he found little difficulty in gaining entry into the rooms and closing the door shut behind him.

He opened up the book again once safely in Martin's rooms, searching for more references to this odd woman. He had to learn more about her. Not just curiosity, but the conviction that she was important.

Very important.

The next real referance happened several entries later.

Quote: There's this road cutting through shadow... I found it not long after I left the Techys. It's black, and things move along it. Strange things. Dark things.

They're heading towards Amber.

I'm trying to follow them, but the wound opened up... I feel warm, feverish. You would have told me to stay with the Techys longer. I can almost hear you telling me to stop following the road, V--. You're the voice at reason at the back of my mind...

I wish I could really hear you...

Alexius considered the journal as he put it down, on a table. He could always visit and revisit it again, if he had to. There was no question that he *wanted* to do so, and would. Martin was awfully cautious in his book, not revealing the name to whom he was virtually writing.

At least it wasn't Dara. Unless the V was a complete misdirection. There had been rumors during the war they had "a thing", but Alexius was always skeptical of that. It just didn't seem to match up.

Finally he slipped out of his room to return to dinner. He had been gone almost too long already.