Where the Land meets the Sky

Chapter 14 Amelia

I'm so weak.

Tears roll freely down my cheeks as I bury myself into Kiraleth's grasp. Her flattened chest is firm against my face. I wish it was softer. Her clothing is doused in a musky cologne it's so masculine and strong that it makes my nose wrinkle. It doesn't smell anything like the Kiraleth I know. Back in the cloud city, she wore a delicate airy perfume. It was so faint, at times I thought I imagined the scent.

Remembering how things used to be only brings more tears to my eyes. I beg the them to stop, but they just keep coming.

I hate myself for crying over something so stupid. It's not as though my mother knows what she's saying. She's mad after all. Yet, her words cut through me like knives.

Kiraleth runs her fingers through my hair and sways gently. It reminds me of the way my mother used to cradle me to sleep when I was a hatchling. She was so tender and gentle and now her hatred chills me to the bone.

Kiraleth still hasn't said a word. I must be truly pathetic for even her to keep her mouth shut.

There it is again, that sense of guilt, rising up inside of me. For once, I just don't have the strength to push her away.

Eventually, my tears dry up all on their own. I take a deep breath and back away from Kiraleth, holding her wrists. I can't meet her gaze, but I can feel her eyes searching me.

Would it be too awkward to thank her? Or should I just silently accept her kindness? Despite my hours of wife-training, I still don't know how to behave around her.

"We should go back to the library," I say.

Kiraleth nods silently. I drop her wrists and walk quietly up the stairs. About ten minutes later, Samson joins us and the three of us return to the Royal Library.

The crying fit has left my entire body feeling weak. As tempting as it would be to collapse in my bed right now, there's still work to be done. We're already most of the way through the records. And with Samson helping us, we'll be finished by the end of the hour.

I honestly believe that if we were going to find something useful, we would have done so by now. I doubt we'll find anything in the remaining documents, but I refuse to give up until we know for certain.

Kiraleth returns to the corner adjacent to mine and continues reading from her stack. As I skim through tax records, I routinely pause to steal a glance at her.

When she catches my staring, I blush and look away. I sense her smiling at me. It's like she's teasing me. I can't stand it!

"I think I found something." Samson's voice snaps me back to reality. Kiraleth and I both lean toward him. I snatch the document out of his hands and begin reading out loud:

The Eight Summer Moon, the Year of our Lord, 221

King Xerxes of the Sky Draconids returned in Da'Irleth from Prevua and spoke with King Arnold III.

Our Great Nation has been chosen by the Sky Kingdom to forge an alliance.

The remainder of the document lists every visitor my father had throughout the month of that year. Near the end of the document there's a second entry mentioning King Xerxes's name:

The Ninth Summer Moon, the Year of our Lord, 221

King Xerxes and his heir, Princess Kiraleth visited Da'Irleth from the Sky Kingdom in order to chose a partner for marriage.

Princess Amelia has been chosen.

"That's it?" I ask.

"Seems like it." Samson says.