Old Promises, New Mysteries: Book 2 of The Kinstone series

The sounds of fluttering wings stirred me from my sleep, my eyes then opening to the sight of two massive ice-blue wolf eyes staring straight at me off the side of my bed. I smiled, reaching out to the wolf, stroking the side of his muzzle as it rested on my bed, “Morning Fenris.”

The wolf’s twin tails could be seen wagging from side to side as he felt my tiny fingers caressing his face, “Good morning, Aria. I hope you slept well as the previous day was rather long.”

I nodded, rising up on the bed, yawning deeply. My hair slapped against the back of my pajamas as it rested within the satchel. I stretched out my arms. Both feeling and hearing the joints pop as I twisted my body awake. I then slid out of my bed, eyeing the suitcase as it rested by the door. All set to go, letting out a sigh.

I unbuttoned my top, neatly tossing it into a hamper, and then pulled off my pants, doing the same. Finally undoing the satchel and freeing my hair from it, letting the long flowing strands flop and rest just above my butt. I smiled softly as my hair scratched against my back as I walked into my bathroom to get showered and ready for my flight.

After getting dried off, I walked over to my desk and flipped open my computer. I did a quick web search of what the weather was going to be. I did this, wanting to dress appropriately for my arrival in southern France.

Seeing that it would it the weather would be in the cool seventies, I nodded and rushed over to my wardrobe and dressed accordingly, throwing on light Capris, a denim smock and sneakers. Walking back over to my vanity, I ran a comb through my hair, grumbling as it snagged on a couple of knots.

Resting my hair free of them, I then tied the hair into a low ponytail, clipping it into place. I finally fluffed my thick bangs, which hovered over my face, smiling with satisfaction. A sudden knock on my door shook my slightly as I then leaned back in my chair.

“Yes?” I called out.

“Are you ready my love?” asked my mother from the other side of the door.

“All set to go Rachel. You can come in if you want.” I watched as the door slowly opened, revealing my mother as she slowly walked into the room, staring at me.

I smiled at her, “How do I look?”

Rachel beamed, “Lovely my dear, perfectly dressed for a tour of France.”

I took one more look at myself, “So…no issues then with my selection? I mean…we are visiting a castle and rubbing elbows with some upper-end folks.”

Rachel grinned softly as she walked over to me, “The attire you wear for the trip to the castle isn’t nearly as important as what is worn during the proceedings. Some would care differ on that topic, while others, not quite as much.” I nodded as I leaned back into my chair staring into my mirror, letting out a worried sigh.

She walked behind me and leaned over, wrapping her arms around me, “You shouldn’t worry about anything pertaining to our visit. With luck, this will be over and we will be home before you know it.”

I nodded softly, holding onto Rachel’s arms. She then placed a kiss onto my cheek, “It’s time for breakfast sweetheart. We leave for the airfield soon after.”

I smiled and nodded, “Got it.”

My mother smiled, placing another kiss onto my cheek and slowly walked off and out of my room. I took one last look at myself in the mirror and nodded. I rose from my seat, grabbing my satchel from my desk, filling it with books, notebooks, and a few other small trinkets.

I then walked over to the suitcase and wheeled it out of my room. The sound of my bed shifting caused me to smile as Fenris hopped off of it and followed after me.

As I neared the staircase, I was met by Abigale, head maid and leader of the combat maids. “Good morning Young Miss,” she greeted, bowing softly to me.

I smiled to the kikimora, “Morning Miss Abigale.”

The head maid smiled to me, “All packed and ready for your trip?”

I nodded, “Yeah…Thank you for doing most of it for me.”

Abigale nodded, “You are quite welcome Young Miss.” The maid then took notice as I began to cling tighter to the strap of my satchel, “Nervous?”

I looked to her and then towards to the front door down below, “Just…just anxious I think,”

I then giggled softly, “Gonna miss me?”

The maid grinned broadly “Of course we will miss you. To be honest, the Manor is becomes rather quiet and lonely without either you or your mother present.”

I smiled and then leaned into the maid, giving her a soft hug. Abigale smiled, holding me close to her chest, and stroking my hair, “We pray for the safe return of both of you Young Miss.”

I nodded, “Thank you Miss Abigale.”

The maid smiled, pulling back from her young mistress, and then the two of us walked down the stairs together. She grinned as she then gave me a swat against my butt with her tail.

I yelped softly as I looked up at Abigale, “Okay…was that for our sparring session from a couple days ago?”

Abigale peered down at me, hiding a smirk amongst her lips, “You pulled a rather dirty trick. Even Lyra was caught off-guard by it.”

I grinned, “All’s fair in love and war.” Abigale chuckled softly, swatting me once more, which made me giggle again.

The combat maids and I had grown share an interesting relationship with each other. We all had become close friends and even sparring partners whenever the chance arose. With Abigale and Lyra becoming my physical combat partners and then Marie and Bianca my magical counterparts.

This would often occur if ever Rachel or Silvi were either away from the Manor, leaving me alone or if I wanted a change in pace.

When we reached the breakfast room, Abigale turned to me and smiled, “Breakfast is served Young Miss. I hope you will have some wonderful stories to tell upon your return.”

I smiled and nodded, “Oh…I’m bound to have a couple.” The kikimora smiled and opened the door for me, watching as I entered.

“It is about time you arrived young lady. I was worried that your food would become cold,” spoke my mother, smiling.

“Well…Miss Abigale and I talked for a bit on the way down,” I replied, taking my seat beside Rachel.

My mother smiled at the maid, who in turn bowed softly to her. “I hope you had good long rest. As I said last night, you will need it.” I nodded, placing my satchel by my chair, letting out a soft yawn. She smiled and shook her head, “How many books did you bring with you for this trip?” eyeing my satchel.

I looked over to it, “At least six…I think. Was kinda hoping that the latest book of Dragon Wings was out,” I then sighed softly as she slumped into her chair, “really sucks that the author is ending the series.”

She smiled, “I am ever so glad that you fell in love with that novel series my dear. I am fairly certain the author would appreciate your support of her work.”

I looked up at my mother, curling my eyebrow, “You sound as though you actually know the author.”

Rachel smiled, “Eat your breakfast before it gets cold sweetheart.” I still looked at her, as I lifted the cover off of the plate and began eating.

After breakfast, Rachel rose from her seat and walked over to me, “Ready to leave my dear?”

I leaned over and pulled up my satchel, as I stood up from my chair, “Ready as I’ll ever be.” Rachel nodded and the two of them headed out for the front door, with Fenris close behind.

Waiting by the door stood Sebastian, who bowed to the both of us, “The car is waiting outside to take you both to the airfield.”

Rachel nodded as the door then slowly opened, “Thank you Sebastian. I do believe we won’t be gone for too long. But when dealing with the Court, one never truly knows.”

The butler nodded, “We pray for your safe returns my Ladies.”

My mother smiled, bowing her head to him before walking out the door. I walked past him, “I guess I’ll see you soon then.”

He nodded to me, “Until next we meet Young Miss.” I smiled and bounded out the door after my mother.

If there had always been one thing that I hated about traveling, it was the traveling part itself. Even before becoming who I was now, I had always hated long trips. I also hated peering out the back window and watching as my home slowly grew smaller and more distant.

“I don’t think I’ve ever gotten over how much I hate leaving home,” I said, sitting on my knees.

Rachel looked over and smiled softly, “We will be home before you know it, sweetheart.” I nodded, laying my head onto my arms, sighing softly.

My mother gently pulled me into her, wrapping me tightly into her arms, stroking my hair. I clung to her, laying my head onto Rachel’s chest, sighing once more. She smiled, kissing the top of my head, “Forever a child.”

I giggled softly, “Always and forever.” Rachel grinned as the car turned onto the private road and on towards the airfield.

I peered out the window and watched as the forests and fields fly past the car, eyeing the lake further out in the distance. Her eyes then caught the faint sight of the greenhouse as the car rounded the hillside, “Crap…didn’t say goodbye to Velhemina.”

Rachel chuckled softly, “I am sure she will understand,” she then grinned, looking down at me, “I suspect your sister will tease her incessantly about how she saw you off.”

I giggled softly, “No doubt she will.”

Silvi and Velhemina had always possessed a friendly rivalry between the both of them. The constant bickering between the alraune and the dragon was always a constant source of entertainment for me.

During one of their fights, I had even brought popcorn, snacking away as the two monsters bickered. When both noticed me snacking away, each took great delight “punishing” me. I stared on in silence as the Estate finally drifted out of sight.

The ride to the airfield took less than an hour and was, upon arrival, met with a gleeful sigh as I stepped out of the car, eyeing the plane as it stood parked on the tarmac. The area was relatively quiet aside from the humming engines of the plane.

Fenris, who had been lying on the seat opposite of Rachel and me, hopped out of the car and stood beside me, “Ready Aria?” I nodded, stroking the wolf behind his ears, giggling as the wolf groaned happily.

We walked over to the plane, eyeing as our luggage was carefully hoisted into the plane’s cargo compartment. I held onto the strap of my satchel as I then ascended the stairs into the plane’s cabin, quickly finding my seat and buckled in.

Fenris then walked in front of me, shrinking to the size of the normal sized wolf, and lied down at her feet. I then opened my satchel and pulled out one of the books I had brought along, that being the fourth book of the Stellarus Overture series.

My eyes eagerly scanned over the pages, often met with the sound of pages turning one after the other. Rachel soon took her seat across from me, peering over to me, “Ready my love?”

I nodded while my nose was heavily buried into my book. My mother smiled, knowing that once her daughter had become lost within the pages of a book, I would be hard-pressed to be pried from it.

Rachel then leaned back into her seat, and followed my lead and reached for a book, as it rested within a fold out book case. Rachel had learned to keep books stored away on the plane in the case of long flights.

As the cabin door was finally shut and locked, the captain reported the final pre-flight checks to us as the plane then slowly taxied itself onto the runway. After a few moments of pause, the engines roared to live, propelling the plane down the tarmac.

We continued on with reading as if nothing were happening, feeling our bodies slowly growing heavier as the plane lifted off of the runway, and steadily rising into the air.

. . .

Roughly three and a half hours had passed as I looked over to see the plane as it began its slow descent into Norfolk, Virginia. It was the only stop along the flight in order to refuel before pushing onto towards Europe. I sighed softly as I closed my book, having just finished it.

I peered out the window, watching as the streets below steadily grew larger and more detailed. I then leaned back into my seat, feeling something move under my feet.

Fenris’ head perked up from the floorboard and stared calmly at me. I smiled as she leaned over to scratch him behind his ears.

The plane shook as it touched down, hearing the tires roaring as the plane began to slow down. When the plane finally came to a stop, I unbuckled myself and stood up, groaning as I stretched the stiffness from my body.

I looked over to see my mother fast asleep with a book lying open across her chest. I smiled, thinking that I might join in her idea during the long flight over the Atlantic. I remembered the first time Rachel had flown me halfway across the world.

Rachel wanted to show me where she was born and to tour around London. I also remembered it to being a long and rather boring flight, knowing that this was going to be no different, if not slightly longer. I then winced slightly as I then rushed back to the rear cabin, and piled into the bathroom, quickly locking it.

Rachel slowly awoke to the sound of the door slamming shut, looking over to see that her daughter was out of her seat. She gave a soft smile, also seeing the book on my seat, closed and completed.

A couple minutes later, I emerged from the rear cabin, letting out a sigh of relief, and retaking my seat. “Just another eight hours before we arrive in France,” said my mother.

I tapped my feet slightly, “So the meeting starts tomorrow right?”

She shook her head, “The day after. Given how several members will often travel a great distance, such as we are, the attending members are given at least one full day of rest before the meeting.”

I sunk into my seat, “Well that’s good at least.”

She nodded and then looked over to the small kitchenette at the bow of the plane, before looking back towards me, “Hungry dear?”

I shook my head, “I’m okay. I think I might go back and grab some sleep once we’re over the ocean.”

“I believe that to be a good idea my love.”

I smiled softly, opening my satchel again, pouring through the books I had brought with me, “Question, does the castle have a library?”

My mother chuckled softly, shaking her head, “That it does my love.” I grinned as I looked at her. She leaned in closer, “You truly have started to become a bibliophile haven’t you?”

I giggled as she leaned back into my seat. Fenris appeared next to me, licking my hand. I smiled, stroking his head.

Once the plane was fully refueled, the pilot began to rev up the engines and prepared for takeoff. I sighed softly as I looked out the window, slowly feeling my eyes growing heavier. Sleep finally took me just as the plane was taxied back onto the runway, again feeling it jolt forward as it began to rush down the runway, and slowly rising into air.