Hudson tapped his long vampiric fingers on the armrest of the couch in his sitting room within the grand palace. He sighed, his gaze drifting to the ornate wall clock, which indicated that it was nearing the hour of two at noon.
"Is he not coming?" His eyes remained fixed on the clock, yet his question was directed at Hade, his loyal right-hand man standing beside him.
"He never comes when you invite him, My King. This should not be new," Hade replied, his voice steady and matter-of-fact.
"It shouldn't, right?" Hudson echoed, a statement rather than a question. He nodded slowly, allowing his gaze to fall to the closed door, a hint of frustration flickering across his features.
The sitting room exuded opulence, its spaciousness filled with five plush brown couches arranged around a delicate ceramic table at the center. Small tables sat idly beside each couch, while an elaborate chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting a warm ambient glow over the room.
"My King," Hade ventured cautiously, "is Lincoln quite certain that another Goddess of Life has been born?" He kept his eyes lowered to Hudson's hand, for to meet the king's gaze was considered treasonous in Kingdom Prela.
"The witch has confirmed it, Hade," Hudson replied with an air of authority. "Lincoln claimed he saw her with his own eyes. He wouldn't lie now that his family is involved, would he?" A low chuckle escaped him. At sixty-seven years of age, he remained strikingly handsome; few wrinkles marred his pale skin—a testament to his pureblooded lineage.
"But it is strange," Hade continued thoughtfully. "Lincoln mentioned that the girl should be between eight and ten years old. Yet it typically takes fifteen years for another Goddess of Life to be born after the previous one's demise. If it indeed took fifteen years, she should be eleven—but Lincoln did not mention that detail. Unless he was lying."
King Hudson narrowed his eyes at this revelation. "True enough," he conceded as he resumed tapping his fingers rhythmically on the armrest. "Lincoln wouldn't dare lie when his precious pregnant sister is involved." Rising from his seat, he strode past Hade but paused momentarily. "Send a letter to him for him to find out her particular age, and while you're at it, inform him that my patience is wearing thin." With those final words echoing in the air, he exited the sitting room with Hade close behind.
★
Eleven groaned at the sensation of something soft and wet against her face and immediately recognized her furry assailant. "Nita, let me sleep," she grumbled, thrashing her small hands against the bed in an attempt to push the wolf pup away. Yet Nita had already been lifted off her face by a gentle hand before she could make contact. Squinting her eyes open, she found Zeiss standing by her window, cradling Nita and petting her affectionately. The pup had never appeared so content as she did in Zeiss's arms.
"Zeiss," Eleven called softly as she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed before climbing down with her tiny feet. The bed was low to the ground for safe descents.
"Nita wouldn't let you sleep, would she?" Zeiss asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Mm. She won't," Eleven agreed with a shake of her head before giggling—a sound so small and soft that it tugged at Zeiss's nonexistent heartstrings. "She looks so comfortable being petted by you, Zeiss. Look how she's turning."
Zeiss chuckled lightly as he glanced down at Nita in his arms; indeed, the pup appeared utterly relaxed. "What did you do today, El?" he asked as she approached him and nearly glued herself to his long legs—his height forcing him to bend slightly to meet her gaze.
"Uh… I read with Gianna. She showed me something cool!" Eleven's eyes sparkled with excitement as she recalled their earlier adventures.
"She did?" Eleven nodded. "What did Gianna show you?" Zeiss set Nita down and watched as she scampered off in search of something more intriguing. Leaning against the window frame, he listened intently as Eleven rambled on about Gianna transforming into a bat. A smile crept across his face as he admired her animated expressions; she bore an uncanny resemblance to someone from his past—his mother, Celestina.
He had known this moment would come after his mother's death; a prophet whom his father consulted had foretold that a new Goddess of Life would be born fifteen years after the previous one perished. Though Eleven was not yet eleven years old—she had come into existence far earlier than anticipated—he had learned of her existence even before King Hudson's witch confirmed it. He had rescued her from those who would have harmed her because he feared she might suffer a fate similar to that which befell Celestina.
He had saved Eleven believing he might reclaim a piece of his mother's spirit; what he did not realize then—but now understood—was that after a Goddess of Life dies, her reincarnation remains blissfully unaware of her predecessor's legacy.