Waging War | The Amber Duology #1

19 | A Dark Flame

"Here's to a well deserved rest!"

"You do know we're still supervising, right?"

"Don't make me throw you overboard."

There was a gulp. "To a well deserved rest!"

"Cheers!"

Four coconut shells clinked against each other as the four boys enjoyed the little time they had to themselves. They were aboard a navy ship, sunbathing at the front deck while the recruits had swim training below them.

Kai Smith never liked the water—in fact, he was terrified of the ocean. There was just something about it that creeped him out more than it should. He quit navy training right after the first day and it had nothing to do with the fact that he couldn't swim, he was actually pretty good, it was all about what had happened to the boy beside him.

Eyeing Jay on his right, the memories immediately rushed back into his mind. He vowed to never go near the water again, even if he had to. However, with the trainee's out of his hands, given he wasn't exactly a navy soldier, he declared that the next three days were a vacation.

A very needed vacation.

"So, what's on the agenda for today?" Cole asked, taking a sip from the coconut shell he was drinking out of.

One of the perks of being near the shores was the local beach and the citizens of Nom who carried out the tradition of establishing tiki bars that served all kinds of beverages inside coconut shells with tiny umbrellas—which the boys were happy to invade.

Kai took a sip from his own cup. "We rest." He declared.

He laid back onto the deck chair, his head resting on top of his arm, and sunglasses over his eyes as he made himself comfortable. There were only a few times he had actually felt comfort in his life, most was when he spent time with his family in Ninjago City, but all of that faded away the second he stepped foot at the camps.

Despite his eagerness to go since he was a younger child, his expectations of what lies behind the walls never failed him. It was beautiful. The Sea of Sands was different up close than from his books, the smell of the air a mix of earth and heat, Kai liked it that way.

Of course, he would never admit that the only reason he was excited to get out of the city was for the view. No one would believe such a foolish thing. Which is why  when the rumors spread about how Kai had been excited to get away from his family—due to the wide smile on his face during the time of his reaping—he let it continue.

He made the most of his time at the camps, enjoying every little piece of the outside he had experienced. And now, as the sun's rays heated up his already tanned skin, Kai was enjoying it just a little more.

"Hmm, no it doesn't feel right." Jay protested and the boy let out a groan. "What? I'm just saying we were sent here to train the recruits not to have a good time."

From inside his shades, Kai rolled his eyes. "Seliel has got it covered."

Lloyd sat up to place his coconut drink onto the table next to him. Despite being the General's son, the boy had no second thoughts about changing into his own bathing suit and relaxing under the sun. His skin was tanned, compared to its usual pale color, and soon enough his bare back would be too.

"Do you think they would survive her?" He asked, laying on his chest with a relieved sigh.

Cole scoffed. "Doubt it."

"Hey now! We don't know that." Jay interjected, his belief solely on the trainee's below them.

"Uh, yes we do, bolt head. They couldn't even survive Kai!"