there's a fire starting in my heart
reaching a fever pitch
The summoner happily healed whatever needed to be healed before taking another long drink straight from the bottle. It was starting to burn more pleasantly now as it slid down his throat. The combination of relief that no one had died (except Cera, who they couldn’t help), the afterglow of what had been a battle no matter how short and relatively uneventful it had been, and the first stirrings of the alcohol in his stomach and veins were a potent and heady combination, making him looser and more relaxed than he otherwise might’ve been. Indeed, it was good to be alive.Perhaps that’s why the small smile lurking on Loren's lips morphed into a full blown grown grin at Lusea’s question. Setting the bottle between his knees, he rolled up said sleeves, then held his palms up. Three balls appeared, two in one hand, one in the other, and he started juggling them deftly. ”Stick around and find out.” Then he picked up the juggling with his telekinesis, lowering his hands to take another swig from the bottle. The grin just widened at the woman’s next comment. ”I’m sure he has some uses. All that fur he grew probably keeps you both pretty warm.” He sent a questioning look at the other man. Somehow, the Launceleyn had missed the fact that Sunjata was an Attuned.
At the other man’s response regarding Lusea, Loren smiled and held up his hand in a placating gesture. ”I stand corrected.” However, somehow the other two had completely missed the fact that Wessex was in charge, so at least the summoner felt like less of an idiot for not knowing about the other man’s race. Their's was a way bigger oversight. ”She’s the queen.” His voice held a feigned cheerfulness before he snorted. ”Not taking that bet. But it wouldn't be the first time she got her knickers in a twist when I disagreed with her.” Too bad was right: the queen, however, was an issue for when he’d calmed down from his brush with death. He could probably talk his way out of this given enough time.
Setting the balls on the table with his magic as he took another drink, the summoner’s eyes grew haunted for a moment as the conversation swung around to his family. He glanced down, turning the bottle slowly in his hands. ”It’s alright. We weren’t that close, to be honest, and it was a while ago now.” Last season, really, but way longer for him, so it felt way longer and the ache was duller now than when he’d first found out upon his return. He tried not to think too hard about the fact that Zariah was coming back soon.
Lusea’s question about why Loren wasn’t in charge earned her a huff of laughter. ”Nah. Only one princeling here.” He tipped his bottle at Sunjata. ”I’m relatively new here, so folks don't trust me. Don't trust mosts Outlanders, really." Plus, Zariah's shadow lingered, especially around an unknown Launceleyn, even now. "And I’m hardly the sort of person you want in charge around here.” Granted, no one really seemed suitable, but he was far from the top of the list.
and it's bringing me out the dark
LOREN
