23 Chapter 22

It's been almost two months since the disaster of the council meeting, death of my father Isaac, and the oracle confirming I'm the heir Adaline.

The few people that have survived have spread the word that I have been found, also pledging loyalty to me. I insisted that I keep the name Acadia, that is the name I've known my whole life, and Adaline seems so unfamiliar to me, everyone agreed to my wishes.

The word has spread so fast that they decided to have a party in my honor coming up this week, so the people can see me for themselves. I'm actually happy about this, I'll do anything to take a break from all this training Buford and his mother Claudette has me doing every single day.

Speaking of, here she comes now with bottles of water in hand "Buford really needs to update this cellar, it has a dungeon feel to it, and training in it makes me feel barbaric" she says as she tosses me water.

"I agree, it's hot and I'm not sure I won't bring the whole house down if we keep it up" I laugh. She flashes a tiny stream of green fire at me, and I stop it with my newfound ability, it's pretty great for protection, all I have to do is see it coming, then put up an invisible shield to deflect it.

I've gotten pretty good at this one, not having to concentrate as hard anymore, but still do not like how I learned it the first time when she did something similar but bigger, I swear she was trying to kill me for real.

"You are getting better at that. I believe that is all I have for today, we need to get ready for dinner, Kelvin and Zaline are joining us tonight" she says as we are thankfully done for the day. I am grateful she has decided to stay on and train me until the others arrive, but it seems it's more for Buford than myself, she still gives me the cold shoulder without being disrespectful.

Heading upstairs to my room, Buford telling me I will always have a place here, and seeing I don't have my apartment anymore, I made this my new home. Taking a shower and choosing black shorts, a light blue top, with black sandals, I start on my hair. It's so long I decided to just brush it out, blow dry it, and leave it down for the night, the blackness of it, bringing out my yellow eyes and light blue shirt.

Gathering a breath and thanking the voodoo spirits that I can dress casually around them, I'm too sore to look regal, I head to join everyone for dinner.

Zaline is already here, dressed in her usual fashion, floor-length day dress with lots of patterns, talking with Buford. It never gets easy to look at that man without blushing, he's dressed casually as well in blue jeans and a black t-shirt, that reminds me of those delicious muscle's underneath.

Even though I've gotten close enough to touch him that way the one time we kissed, I haven't forgotten how they felt, or his lips.

"Good afternoon" I say as I walk towards the two, Zaline smiles and Buford looks like he always does since that day he found out I was the heir, with nothing but loyalty, no trace of that stolen moment that seemed forever ago.

Buford replies first "Good afternoon Acadia, dinner will be served soon, we are just waiting on Kelvin to arrive" at the mention of his name.

Zaline perks up just a bit "Oh, I wasn't aware he will be joining us for dinner". Smiling at her, only something her best friend would notice she has a thing for Kelvin, even though they have known each other for a long time, they were never in the same circles until recently.