Spirit of the Light

Chapter Five

"It's clear. Let's go." Kilian was leaning against the stone wall beside her room, watching the door down the hall close shut. The prince had retired to his rooms.

Finally.

"Are you sure?" Seraph whispered back.

"Yes. Now hurry if you want to get a decent amount of training in tonight. You're going to need it when you leave."

Leave. She wasn't ready to leave. Not yet at least. It didn't seem real until it came out of Kilian's mouth.

She was going to be leaving the one place she had ever known. She was leaving. The blue oceans outside her bedroom window. The chirping birds, native to Ohren, would no longer wake her up in the morning. Kilian would be gone. She would be in her enemy's hands.

Her father must be happy at least.

"Seraph," he was getting impatient now.

She snapped out of her thoughts and came back to her reality, facing Kilian. She smiled at him. Appreciation for the boy who had always been there by her side. Loyal as anything. "Okay."

They stepped into the halls, rushing for the library before any other unwelcomed surprises stopped them. Once they were inside, they headed for the back of the library. Beside the forgotten picture frames there hid the door to the castle tunnels.

Seraph had discovered these tunnels when she was just a little girl. She never told anyone beside Kilian. Here they would explore and play. Now they used it for protection from the spying eyes around them.

Kilian grabbed Seraph's hand and steadied her in the dark. With her cloak covering over her shoes and hood sheltering much of her vision, his guiding hand took her through the dark, cob webbed walls.

They turned corners, brushed past forgotten scrolls, descended many cobblestoned stairs until they reached the opening, a warm breeze inviting them outside to the woods.

She inhaled the fresh air. The air of freedom. Her surroundings endless with no walls stopping her. She livedfor this feeling.

Kilian started for the trees. "I was thinking the ruins would be a good place tonight. We have a couple hours until you need to be back in your rooms."

Seraph followed after him, her face covered by the shadows of her hood. "Right. Have you heard much from my father's office? I won't be here much longer." Kilian's back tensed. "I need to find out as much as I can in the remaining weeks I have here."

"Not much," they slowed as they begun descending the slopes in the forest, nearing the ruins which had been here for as long as she could remember. "Just that there is great danger near the southern boarders of Dusk," he looked up at her. His expression hinting no signs of feelings. Just a guard reporting to his princess. "We need to get you ready for whatever may threaten you when you...move away." His throat bobbed as he spoke, as if swallowing his expressions.

Seraph just stared at him. Her best friend.

He was right though. She would need to train harder, preparing for whatever may come at her in Dusk. She felt like a convict readying to leave for her prison. A princess forced to follow Her King's instructions.

They stared at each other for a moment. A moment lost in each other's eyes.

Kilian gave her a small, encouraging smile, showing his understanding for her circumstances.

His eyes were so familiar to her. A warm honey-brown. Eyes that she had seen throughout her childhood. Every memory of hers had those eyes in it.

Soon her new memories would no longer hold him.