The back of my neck tingled. “Starborn? You talking about caelestias?” I asked, confused.
“No. Not them. They ain’t born from the stars.” She raised a hand, pointing a finger at me. “The stars don’t fall just for anyone, but they . . .” That spotted hand disappeared back into her sleeve as she lifted her cup with the other. “They used to say that when a star falls, a mortal is made divine.”
My brows inched up my forehead. “Divine?”
“Divine like my other grandbaby, girl.” She raised the cup in my direction as if she were saluting me. “Divine like you.”
“Me?” I squeaked. “I’m not a caelestia—”
“You ain’t no ordinary lowborn, now are you? With seeing the future. With peering into the minds of others. No, you ain’t. Old blood,” she repeated. “Once one is born, everyone that comes after has that chance. And there are more than you think.” Her stare turned shrewd as she drank. “Ain’t no one ever really questioning how conjurers got their knowledge, the know-how when it comes to Hyhborn parts. Old blood.” She laughed hoarsely. “Ain’t no one questioning anything.”
Surprise rolled through me. Conjurers had descended from Hyhborn? “I didn’t know . . .” I trailed off, a strangled sort of laugh leaving me. “Of course, I wouldn’t know.” Not if what she said was true. “My intuition has never been much help when it came to Hyhborn.”
“Strange, ain’t it?”
I nodded slowly. So many questions whirled about.
“Strange that we’ve all forgotten the truth.”
“The truth?”
Maven stared down at her cup, face hidden once more. “Good and evil are real. They always have been. Yet the weight of the realm has always fallen on those in between, ones neither good nor bad. That’s what my pa always said.” She lifted her drink again. “But he was also a drunk, so . . .”
I blinked slowly.
“There are Deminyens moving about this town, these walls, right?”
“Yes. A prince and two lords.”
“A prince.” She humphed. “It was bound to happen.”
“What was?”
“That he came.” Her head turned to me. “For what is his.”
CHAPTER 29
A sharp swirl of tingles erupted along the back of my neck. That he came for what is his. My heart thudded. That same feeling as before returned, settling in my chest. Rightness. Acceptance.
I leaned forward, clasping my knees. “Are you— ” A burst of nervous energy pounded through me. My body moved without will, turning on the stool, toward the door a second before it swung open, slamming into the table with enough force to rattle the candles.
Hymel stood there, eyes narrowed. “What are you doing in here?”
“Nothing.” I rose, wiping my palms on my thighs. “I was just returning the headpiece I wore last night.”
Hymel’s gaze shot to Maven. “And to do that you had to be sitting down?”
“Maven was a bit unsteady on her feet,” I quickly said, not so much instinct guiding me to lie but just my general distrust of the man. “I got her something to drink and was just making sure she was okay.”
Maven said nothing as she lifted her cup, finishing off the liquor I really hoped Hymel couldn’t smell.
“She looks fine to me,” Hymel growled.
“Yes. Thankfully.” I turned, nodding at Maven. The old woman gave no indication of seeing me or anyone else. I hesitated, wanting confirmation of what I suspected, but she was staring at the candles, and Hymel waited. Stamping down on my frustration, I left the chamber.
Hymel stalked out behind me, closing the door. “What were you in there talking about?”
“Talking? With Maven?” I forced a laugh. “We weren’t talking.”
His upper lip curled. “I heard someone talking.”
“You heard me speaking to myself,” I replied, focusing on him. “And what would it matter if we were talking?”
Hymel’s jaw clenched. “It doesn’t,” he said, glancing at the door and then back to me. “Don’t think you’re needed here.”
Hands opening and closing at my sides, I turned stiffly and walked out from the alcove and through the narrow servants’ corridor. When I reached the doors to the foyer, I looked back and saw that Hymel no longer stood there.
Since he most likely had gone back into Maven’s chamber, there was not a single doubt in my mind that he knew all of what Maven had shared.