A Clash Of Light And Thunder (War Of The Forgotten Lovers Book 1)

A Break In The Storm

This moment was perfect. Peaceful.

The white leaves brushed gently back and forth to the call of the wind, casting shadows of protection over Aria and Lily. The youngest and most kind of the two, rested calmly in the arms of her older sister, Aria. She, in turn, leaned against the rough bumps of the dark bark of the tree. But that was okay, for as long as Lily was well, everything was—

Perfectly peaceful.

"How go your lessons with your art master?" Aria asked her paint-loving sister. She once found her on the floor, legs plastered with paint from pulling her body from spot to spot, just to decorate her room to her heart's delight. Lily was Aria's once source of light, in a palace full of bad memories.

Silence.

"Lily?" Aria brushed her fingers through golden hair, trying to nudge Lily into awakeness.

Silence.

"Have you fallen asleep?" Aria chuckled, amused at her sister's ability to slip into sleep so easily. She envied it to a certain extent. Fingers decorated with golden rings sneaked with playful intent to pinch Lily into awakeness—

Lily's head wobbled back at the movement, and dead blue eyes pierced Aria's soul. The tree began to dried, suffocating the air out of the atmosphere, ripping the air from Aria's lungs. She wheezed, and her pupils dilated. She was trapped. Caught between suffocating and life.

"Aria, it's not real. Wake up." A low and steady voice rumbled throughout the clearing. Grey clouds spread over her. With the thundering of lightning, she awoke.

Silver eyes looked down on Aria as she snapped into reality. Elvin's hair cascaded wildly like strands of melted steel all around his broad shoulders. He propped himself up on the bed with one arm while the other reached across and rested gently at the side of her waist.

Aria's eyes dipped how his long neck and found her fingers clinging to his light green tunic. The fabric turned to ash as magic danced at her fingertips.

They gazed at each other in silence as Aria tried to reclaim her breath. Eventually, her gasping stopped, matching his steady one.

"How is that possible?" Aria searched his stormy eyes for answers. He had spent the entire night pulling her from the deadly claws of her dreams. It was always his voice she heard in her mind. With it came a calm that washed over her, but that wasn't quite hers. The mystery had loitered in her mind all night, how? Why?

"What exactly?" The fae prince feigned ignorance, and if Aria didn't know him better, she might have believed him.

"How can I hear your voice in my head?" Aria's fingers traced where his tunic should have covered his heart. Her finger drifted against his firm tattoo covered skin. Although his face was blank, his heart palpitated violently at the beckoning of her touch. "It's fading now, but when I use my powers, I can feel your calm. Your turmoil... I can feel you."

Elvin's gaze narrowed as Aria spoke those words. "I know not." He began to rise, a move to flee, but Aria's nails launched onto his shirt. She made sure her grip was strong enough to keep him in place.

"You once said not to thank you because you had your own motives for helping me. What are those?" Aria prodded, knowing the ever elusive silver prince knew more than he let on. Stormy eyes drifted to the right, and Aria could tell he was contemplating silence. She reached forwards, touching his chiseled cheek, and guided his unsure gaze back to her. "You owe me that much, don't you?"

His neck tilted, and Aria wondered if he knew that he was leaning into her hold. "My mother told me to search for a girl with redwood hair and caramel eyes. That she would be important in a great war to come. I think that is you."