The War of Dusk and Dawn

Chapter One

She knew what they would do if they ever found out.

Found out what she was.

Lily gripped the sides of the wet, slippery balcony railing tighter, her knuckles white. Her kind possessed a perilous power, capable of killing everything in sight. That's precisely why the mandate was clear: eliminate them all, including her. Her lineage wouldn't shield her from the inevitable fate awaiting anyone like her in the four countries of Etheraile.

A shiver coursed through her as the rain intensified, its needle-like pricks tabbing at her arms, her hair, her neck. She inhaled the storm's scent- earthy, moist, and tinged with a metallic edge. Lily gazed out at the city before her, its majestic white arches and towering columns, pondering how much longer she could maintain this charade.

The image of the young boy's lifeless form sprawled on the crimson-stained tiles haunted her for the umpteenth time. Her father had shown no mercy to him, and he wouldn't spare her if he knew her secret.

"Lily? Lil- Ah! There you are!"

Startled, Lily whipped her head around, wincing at the sharp pain burning in the back of her neck.

"I- Uh-" She stammered.

"Are you... finished? Your father is requesting your presence in the Throne Room."

Lily sighed and rubbed her wet face with her hands. "Right. Of course. Thank you, Lainey."

Countess Coralaine, Lily's first cousin and closest friend, offered a small smile, extending a towel as she adjusted her umbrella on her shoulder.

"You're soaking, Lil. Dry off before you go inside, you'll catch a chill."

With Coralain's back turned, the rain engulfed Lily, smothering her. She had to show the lie demanded of her, for the consequences extended far beyond her own life, reaching her entire nation. It was her father's legacy, and it had to be hers.

She drew a deep breath, stood tall, and smiled.

The rain continued to fall.

"Presenting Her Royal Highness, Princess Lillian of Casaad."

The great oakwood doors of the throne room swung open, revealing a sight that never ceased to amaze Lily. Flanked by two rigid guards standing resplendent in gold and royal blue uniforms, she entered the room. Her gaze immediately fixated on the room's centrepiece- a bubbling stream running through it, its sapphire waters spanning its entire width before descending quietly at the other end.

The faint sound of water trickling down the mountain's side and splashing onto rocks below reached her ears as she traversed the elegant stone bridge. Below, the capital city sprawled like an intricately drawn map, small rivers and streams weaving through the city's beautiful architecture, a hallmark of Vylit, the capital.

The royal castle was no exception, with the Throne Room boasting towering white columns adorned with intricate gold patterns. On the back wall, portraits of previous royal generations stretched back centuries, beneath which rested a throne of dark wood and gold upon a dais.

Lily cursed to King Vane, her father, before mustering the courage to meet his piercing amber eyes - eyes she shared with him. Whenever she looked in the mirror, she saw him instead, his unreadable expression eternally etched on his face.

"Your Majesty," Lily greeted respectfully.

"Lillian," he replied.

"You wanted to speak to me?"

Her father looked at her, as if searching for something Lily wasn't sure she could provide as a sufficient answer for whatever he may be able to say next.