A Promised Prophecy

Chapter Forty-Three

I stood outside the door, my ear positioned against the door, hoping to hear more than muffled sounds. The action was futile and I heard nothing, not even a raised voice out of anger. It was surprising—not that I'd hoped James or anyone would get mad, but in times of crisis, I'd never seen people interact so calmly, especially when the Lizari were cloaking themselves.

That thought made me pull away from the door. Were there Lizari with me right now? How many Lizari had managed to escape before Eris destroyed their kingdom? They could easily co-exist with the people of Coralis. And, at the same time, the Lizari were cunning enough to conquer Coralis and take it as their own, especially if it nearly guaranteed their safety. They constantly pushed boundaries in Silverleaf even when we were arguably the stronger foe. It wouldn't be unlike them, unless they owed a debt to the people of Coralis for their protection. Being in isolation during a time of war made it hard to keep track of what happened and why it happened. I didn't see, read or hear about the fall of the Lizari, so there were a lot of blanks that I'd need to fill in before I could determine how they would move forward.

Next to the double doors to the throne room was a circular window with no glass covering it. I stepped closer, looking outside and feeling the breeze in the dome. It was amazing what the people of Coralis had done in terms of weather. It not only allowed for plants to exist in the darkness of the ocean depths, but it also brought the realistic and calm feeling of serotonin I'd only experience with actual sunlight.

"Enjoying the weather?" A woman's voice asked from behind me. I turned to face her. She was beautiful, her mature skin indicated she was older in age, but her vibrancy also spoke to a youthfulness. Long hair trailed down to the floor and the robes she wore were similar to that of Cetus's.

"Yes." I smiled. A part of me began to bow and then I stopped myself, unsure who I was speaking to.

She let out a small giggle before announcing herself, "I am queen Thalassia."

I took that as my opportunity to bow fully. "I'm sorry I didn't bow sooner."

"No need to apologize. Please, walk with me?" She turned her body as if she expected me to follow. I stood still, not leaving James when he specifically asked me to stay near the doors.

"I can't do that," I answered her. "My friend is in there."

"Certainly." She acknowledged before joining me near the window. "The weather is lovely, is it not?"

I looked back out the window and leaned against the wall, staring at the gardens of the castle. "It's amazing how you've manipulated the weather. With the feeling of the sun and the smell of the salt water, I feel like I'm sitting on a beach."

"It's not as extraordinary as you make it seem." She smiled bashfully as if she was both proud of herself but didn't want to gloat. "We simply use the elements to our advantage. Anyone who practices magic can manipulate the weather if they just learn how."