"Are you sure it's not because you underestimated me?" Kyran replied with a smile that did not meet his eyes.
The truth, when he warped all of them to his domain, he already knew someone else came with them. He could have warped them directly to his tower, but did not because of this stowaway passenger.
He had to prepare the tower's defenses in case the stowaway would not cooperate, after all. So while they were standing in the vast field, he was already working to change the tower's array.
Apparently, he was overly cautious, seeing how the stowaway had no intention of hiding further.
However, hearing that voice, Kyran could not let his guard down. After all, that was the voice who had spoken to him back at the cottage.
Kyran fixed his eyes on a spot a couple of meters above Ezra and Zuri's heads.
"I would never dare."
The spot where Kyran was looking cracked. Surprisingly, the crack was shaped like a giant lily and glowed with a faint silver glow.
Seeing this shape turned Stella's mood a little sour.
"White Lily," she said.
Ezra and Zuri stiffened upon hearing this name.
It was a name known to all mages aiming to be a Summoner. The name who ruled over all Spirits for more than a thousand years, the Queen of the Faes.
Silas was equally shocked. As a young boy, his elder sister would always tell him stories about the Queen of the Faes. It was easy to tell how much his sister revered the Queen of the Faes. She even dreamed of becoming an exemplary Summoner to get a chance to meet her.
Unfortunately, her life ended without realizing that dream. Yet... how ironic it was that Silas, who never dreamed of meeting the Queen, would get a chance to do so.
"Yes, my dear Time Keeper. Thank you for accompanying our beloved Void Master."
"T-Time Keeper?" Zuri gasped in fright as she looked at the 'woman' Kyran rudely told them to ignore.
Ezra's mind reeled at this revelation.
Once again, he heard a title that he only heard from his ancestors.
It was written on one of a crude account that the Time Keeper, Stella, was one of the Void Master's closest friends.
Ezra had not expected that the woman with Kyran, who looked to be only in her twenties was someone who had lived for a thousand years. Still, he felt relieved to know she was able to find the new Void Master. Because in the account they had, it appeared as if she had regretted a lot of things and had wanted to make amends if given the chance to meet again.
If Stella knew what Ezra was thinking she would have flipped an imaginary table... or probably tortured him the same way she did when Malek said misleading things that angered Kyran.
The crack overhead slowly turned into a real giant lily, seemingly carved from diamond crystals. Its petals creaked open looking like a flower about to bloom. At the center of the lily, a silhouette of a woman with flowing hair and a similarly, flowing white dress slowly emerge amidts its silvery glow.
Ezra and Zuri stood up, bracing themselves as they watched in great anticipationg.
Silas also held his breath. He might not dreamed of meeting the Queen of the Faes, but he was still part of the Svell Family and held great respect to the ruler of the Spirits.
The woman that emerged from the giant lily possessed an almost unparalleled beauty. A beauty that could not be defined in human words. Her skin glistened as if they were sprinkled with diamond dusts. Her lush lips were in a shade of coral and the sclera of her eyes were of the same color as her pupils, they were light pink and also appeared to be carved in diamonds.
The crown that decorated her long white hair was made from white gold with lilies carved in diamonds. Even her white flowing dress shimmer as if they were made of pure diamond dusts.
"I have shown myself, I believe it is only fitting for you to remove your disguise as well," White Lily said looking at Kyran with a somewhat playful smile.
Kyran returned her smile and cocked an eyebrow but did not say anything.
"Wait, disguise?" Zuri could not help but ask and turn toward Kyran. "You are in disguise?"
"Zuri," Ezra spoke with a warning tone.
Zuri immediately lowered her head, "I'm sorry."
Kyran glanced at them for a second before returning his attention back to White Lily. This time however, he was devoid of emotion as he looked straight at her.
"Don't go to that place again," he told her, his voice deepen and an almost palpable killing intent oozed from him. "Don't even go near it or have your people spy on her."
The others immediately felt the tension between them and fell silent.
Stella shot Kyran a sidelong glance, feeling somewhat conflicted.
She went to see him today to talk about that person whom White Lily warned her. However, Kyran managed to divert the discussion and she ended up saying something different.
In the end she failed to convince him of the danger it would bring him by keeping that person around. She also failed to understand how much Kyran care for that person.
But seeing him now, Stell could already guess how much that person already ingrained herself to him.
"This is the only warning I'll give you," Kyran told White Lily.
The smile on White Lily turned sober. He did not say it outright, but she understood that if they continue to keep an eye on that person, even if to observe only, he would not think twice to cut all ties with them.
That was something they could never afford. Whether Kyran was aware yet or not, the whole Spirit Realm rely on the Void Master's authority. Once they lose that, the whole Spirit Realm would fall.
White Lily gaze at Kyran for a few agonizing moments before finally replying with a soft sigh, "I hope you know what you're doing, beloved Void Master."
"I do."
White Lily took a deep breath and nodded slowly, "Very well. However, if she ever poses danger on you, no matter what you say, we will not stand by and let you experience the same fate as your predecessor."
Kyran did not respond, but the stubborn look in his eyes was enough to let her know his answer.
"Such a stubborn man... this trait you share with him... And while it is one of his good points, it had become his greatest weakness."
"It's assuring to know you're levelheaded. I was fretting over what to do with you if you see him in me, too."
Hearing him say this made Stella stomped her foot and scowl at Kyran, "Hey!"
White Lily chuckled, "I had warned her about it. Has my words gone on deaf ears?"
Stella looked at White Lily, "No. But I don't need you to tell me that, besides..." She looked at Kyran and continued, "I already told you it's different!"
A smile tugged at the corner of Kyran's lips but he did not look respond to her or look at her.
At one side, Ezra, Silas and Zuri who watched the exchange between them were at a loss.
Silas and Zuri could not follow their conversation. Especially at how the tensed atmosphere suddenly turned into a banter between friends.
Only Ezra had an idea of what transpired.
As a patriarch, he was privy to far more confidential information on the Spirits and the Void Master. Although, most of the information were taken from unreliable sources, such as written accounts by an unknown author, or broken plates written in ancient writings which was hard to decipher completely.
"Let's get down to business," Kyran changed the subject at once and looked at Ezra.
"I'm surprised you did not react to what she said about me wearing a disguise," Kyran commented.
Ezra shook his head, "I am. But I thought, it is reasonable. The Royal Family has already set their sights on you, so it is not wise to appear before them in your true identity."
"How much do you know about the Royal Family's situation?"
"Probably more than you do," Ezra paused for a second and shook his head, "No, maybe you already know everything and only needed confirmation which is why you are willing to meet us even at the risk of exposing yourself to possible danger."
Kyran regarded Ezra in silence. Just as he said, he did not find the older man a bad guy.
He treated Silas well and showed fear in front of the Queen of the Faes.
However, Kyran still had reservations, and one of the reasons was how the Montgomeray treated the Spirits as a whole.
If the Montgomeray treated the Spirits like magic tools, then he might have to resort in using a certain spell to 'change' their attitude a little.
Of course, that was only a thought. It would still depend on whether the Montgomeray were of use to him, or not.