Wind Wielder

Chapter 15 - The little light

The morning of Zephyr and Kazia's arrival, Zara was a bundle of highly caffeinated nerves. She had finished six cups of tea by breakfast, and spent the rest of her morning walking the entire Palace. Twice. Lunch came and went uneaten, and Rhys had not appeared with her father and Kazia. Zara had stared at the tattoo given to her in the mirror. It was massive. A vine of night blooming jasmine started at her hip and coiled around her leg, past her knee and all the way down to her ankle on her right leg. It was dainty and delicate, but still sprawled the entire length of her leg.

He is here. The winds hissed in Zara's ear, an odd sense of distaste and excitement rushed from them. Indeed Zara felt the shift in the air of the Palace, as if some powerful creature had landed and was now here. Rhys, she thought, and rushed from her room to the dining room. Zara slowed her run, an excited smile pulling at her lips as she straightened her dusky blue dress, her fathers favorite color, and walked around the corner to-

Zara stopped short.

Kazia was not here.

Zephyr and Rhys stood before Zara, between the balcony and the dining table. Azriel was with them, stationed at Rhys's side. His eyes were scanning Zephyr cautiously. With good reason. Zephyr's green eyes locked on Zara, and they beheld none of the warmth they usually did. They were cold, rimmed with red.

"Welcome to the Moonstone Palace, Zephyr." Rhys said, stretching his hands mockingly to either side of him. Zephyr did not even look at him, his eyes remained steady on Zara. Kazia was not here.

An icy silence filled the air. Rhys looked to Azriel, sensing the clear tension in the air, and motioned to the other room, separated by mere strips of gossamer curtains. Zara winced, realizing it would do nothing to hide the sounds of a screaming match if the look in her fathers eyes was anything to go off of.

"We shall be in the other room, if you have need of us." Rhys declared, glancing between the General and his daughter. Azriel's shadows were swirling as he walked away, next to Rhys.

Zara waited until they were gone from the room before walking towards her father. She held out her arms as she walked, a soft smile on her face.

"Father." Zara greeted.

A blinding pain erupted on the side of her face.

Zara gasped, holding her cheek tightly as she cried out, stumbling back a few steps. He had hit her. Her father had slapped Zara. He had never laid a hand on her before. Had never dared–

"You lied to me." He snarled, golden wings flared out wide. "You lied to us."

Zara forced a dry laugh. "Hello father. It is good to see you too. Yes I am alive, how are you? Where is Kazia?"

"How long have you been hiding these abilities from us?" He asked, taking a step closer, eyes blazing.

Zara stumbled a step back. He was enraged, it seemed, frothing at the mouth practically.

"My whole life, which you would have known had you been at the High Lord's meeting, like you were supposed to. I hid them to protect everyone. I had no use for them, unlike the wind wielding abilities–"

"Have you any idea the panic and disgrace you have caused!?" Zephyr roared, voice booming across the room. The soft conversation Rhys and Azriel had in the other room paused.

Anger crackled to life deep within Zara, a rage so great it frightened her. "Disgrace?" Zara asked incredulously.

"The people of Dawn are in disarray. Utterly terrified of you and the secrets you have kept from them! My own troops have attempted to disband me of my post due to my relations to you!" Zephyr hissed, teeth bared in an ugly snarl.