Warrior's Mind (Book 2 of The Warrior Chronicles)

Chapter 11

Leyla stepped into the bright sunshine as she tightened the string that held back her long black hair. It would have been easier to braid it back, but since the moment she realised she would never be a Warrior officer again, making braids had felt...wrong.

"Utan La-La!" The Bird Rider she recognized as Jara's right hand man, Siti, saluted her as he approached. "Mahsap is preparing your Rezeg, if you will follow me?"

"You go ahead, Siti. I am waiting for someone," she glanced back at the entrance of the Jade Palace, wondering when Raphael would turn up. After the angry words she said yesterday evening, Asya took Raphael to eat while Leyla proceeded to spend the rest of the night going over security measures with Jara.

By the time she made her way to the rooms Jara had re-opened for their use, the door to the bedroom Michael used to use was firmly closed. Assuming Raphael was asleep, Leyla had gone to her own bed.

It was only early this morning, when she knocked on his door and found the room empty, that Leyla felt a prickle of guilt. Alright, the Prorex could take care of himself, but his wellbeing was her responsibility; she should have checked on him and made sure he was alright.

"Ah, you are waiting for your brother!" Siti's face lit up with understanding as he fiddled with the red helmet in his hands. "Then we will wait for you behind the stables."

Leyla nodded as the man took his leave. Brother. Information travelled fast in the Jade Palace rumour mill and when they returned from the desert, Jara would be feeding that very same mill with news of their engagement.

"Did I make you wait?"

Leyla turned to see Raphael walking out between the giant bird statues at the entrance of the Palace. He was wearing the dark green formal attire of Aqua royals, the high cut jacket and tapered trousers fitting him to perfection. Asya must have provided him with the clothing...Leyla should have thought to do it. Guilt nagged at her once again. He was stuck here because of her and she wasn't taking care of him like she should.

"No, Prorex." Leyla spoke quickly. "Did you sleep well?"

Raphael looked amused as he came to stop beside her, "I did indeed."

Did you sleep in Michael's room or somewhere else? The question popped into her head, but she pushed it aside. That was not pertinent now that she knew he was fine.

"I sent a guard to find you so that I could inform you of my departure. I will accompany Jara  to the Misty desert. It should not take long and I've informed security to make sure you are well protected in my absence." 

"This suits you." Ignoring her words, Raphael looked at the red Bird Rider uniform she was wearing. "Although you're prettier in white."

Prettier? Leyla narrowed her eyes on the man in front of her, trying to gage what he was about.

"Don't look at me with suspicion, Lieutenant, it's merely an observation." He looked over her shoulder towards the stables, then smiled back at her. "Will we be travelling on Rezeg birds?"

Leyla's brows shot up in surprise, "You wish to come?"

"Of course," he said the words as if it should have been obvious to her. Leyla did acknowledge that a visit to the Perka tribe would likely intrigue him, but he had not taken to flying...

"You don't wish me to come?" That arrogant brow was up again.

Alright, if he wanted to fly, they would fly. "Not at all, please follow me."

Three stable boys leading horses saluted her as she crossed over grass and onto the sand covered grounds of the Palace back yard. In front of them, five massive Razegs towered over the four riders  and their helpers who were securing harnesses. At the center of the commotion, Jara stood with his back to them, stroking Kizari's beak.