“Perfect.” I stepped back as he started to stand. “Thank you.”
“Amazing.” He snickered softly. “It actually sounded like you meant that.” Standing next to me, he flicked his finger at Roselle then Reese. “Both of you come with me.”
I followed at a respectful distance when Reese shouldered his way to stand next to the One. Fortunately for me, instead of leaving the way I had come, the One took us out a door directly behind the thrones. I shut it behind me with gentle care, following as we walked down a wide, white sanded hallway lit in a homey nature by stars’ fire instead of light fixtures. The One blew a few breaths in the air, and twinkling stars dangled in the exhales. My brows puckered in confusion until I saw those stars fly away in different directions. It took a second, but I remembered from my time here that the One had many ways of communicating with people. I wondered if that was his way of making a phone call.
After a few twisting turns down various other hallways, the One opened a door to what looked to be his private office. The room, much like his bedroom, was open and airy, with windows all along one wall, and the decor of teaks and white and silver. The bookshelf filled with ancient tomes completely surprised me. I gaped at all of the books for a beat too long, but I quickly averted my attention to where the One was gesturing to the long conference table made of white marble.
I took the seat he had mutely indicated to, my gaze flying to the other side of the room. There was a handsome but modest white marble desk at the other end with two chairs in front of it. The long couch looked pretty damn comfortable, a coffee table in front of it. The seating was positioned in the middle of the room to look out the windows. Books littered the coffee table.
Nothing in this room was what I would have expected for his office.
“Ms Jules,” the One stated loudly.
My attention snapped around to his nose. He sat directly across from me, and I kind of got the hint he may have said my name a few times. My tone was composed. “Yes?”
Roselle cleared her throat, glancing at the One, but said nothing. She reclined on her chair, sitting on the right side of him. Reese was on his other side.
The One’s eyebrow raised the barest bit as he stared back at me, even as he asked steadily, “Would you like to wait for the others to arrive or would you like to proceed now?”
I bit at my bottom lip, my gaze going to his opened door. “Will it be long?”
“No,” he murmured as he also relaxed on his chair, his long silk shirt gaping open a bit to reveal his amazing chest and his flexing abs. “They should be here momentarily.”
I nodded once, focusing my gaze on my purse as I positioned it on the table. “I’d like to wait. I have a few notes I need to read over, anyway.” I had to see what the hell type of questions the Kings and Elders had put together for me to ask.
I pulled the notepad out, trying to unwind on my chair. I would have normally enjoyed the plush white leather, but I was damn fidgety now. I adjusted…readjusted…and then my brows came together. I stuck my hand behind me and dug down into the crevice of the seat. I pulled out a—I stared at it and blinked. I glanced around the room, trying to find the television the remote went to. When I couldn’t find one, I shrugged it off and set the remote on the conference table then continued reading the first question repeatedly. I eyed the letters but they didn’t make words, my attention elsewhere.
The three of them spoke quietly about some business having to do with someone’s pigs. Their babble utterly confused me as they spoke of zoning ordinances being in effect or not. I finally breathed a sigh of relief as the others started coming in less than five minutes later. I was somewhat—oddly—pleased to see Mr Damon and Mrs Damon appear exactly as their Walkers. Right when Mrs Damon went to shut the door, Tristan barreled into the room before she got it closed. I muttered a silent curse, keeping my attention off the damn tiger and hoping he didn’t come my way while the One’s parents began taking their seats.
The One opened his right palm in my direction. “Mom, Dad, this is Caro Jules, the Prodigy Elemental, the next Queen Elemental.”
There was a possibility crickets were chirping somewhere as they eyed me.
Unable to take their stares any longer, I placed the unread notes face down on the table and started digging for my pencil to give my hands something to do. “It’s nice to meet you all. I asked the One for a private meeting with you because of what’s happened recently.” Finally having found my pencil, I placed my purse on the ground, out of line of sight of everyone’s staring. I leaned and placed my forearms on the table, tapping my pencil lightly on the pad of paper. “First, I would like to ask each of you if you suddenly felt an extra jolt of energy a week ago.”