Whispers Of Desires: A Sense Of Courage {Book 3}

❀ꗥ～ꗥ❀ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞: 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐨𝐭: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭 ❀ꗥ～ꗥ❀

Sunlight, filtered through the slightly thicker curtains Serena had insisted on, gently kissed Adanna's face, waking her from a fitful sleep filled with dreams of griffins and grand ballrooms. She yawned and stretched, the softness of the silk sheets wrapping around her like a warm embrace. The room was still, the morning's early light casting a serene glow over everything.

A smile played on her lips as she remembered the previous evening's struggle. Serena, could not handle the slightest sunlight disturbing her beauty sleep, had insisted on the extra layer of curtains. Adanna had teased her about it, but now she was grateful for the soft light that allowed her to ease into the day gently.

Adanna rose and gazed across the chamber. Serena, lost in slumber, had sprawled across her bed,. Adanna chuckled to herself before climbing off the bed and walking over to the windows.

Adanna carefully stepped behind the curtains, her eyes taking a moment to adjust to the dimmer light. She reached for the tiebacks that held the heavy drapes in place, her fingers fumbling slightly due to the early morning chill. With a gentle tug, she secured the fabric, ensuring that not a single ray of sunlight could enter the room as Serena slept peacefully.

She opened the window slowly and her breath caught at the sight before her. Aeronia bathed in the golden morning light was a sight most wondrous. Buildings shone with a gentle glow, vibrant flowers peeked out from every corner, and griffins soared majestically in the sky. As she observed, a glint of blue caught her eye. It was a griffin with the same striking blue crest that the griffin that had brought her and Serena to Aeronia wore.

And there, riding the griffin with practiced ease, was a figure dressed in amour. A knight, she presumed, as he wore a helmet that hid his face. He looked so at home in the sky, his body moving in perfect harmony with the creature's powerful wings.

Adanna watched in admiration as she watched his masterful command over the griffin. But then, something most unexpected occurred. The knight, seemingly without cause, turned his head in her direction. She froze, suddenly aware that she was being watched. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she could not pull her gaze away from the mysterious rider.

For a brief, terrifying moment, it appeared his movement startled the griffin, causing them both to stumble mid-air. A gasp escaped Adanna's lips. The knight, however, reacted with great haste. With a practiced maneuver, he regained control of the griffin just before it would have dropped him. Adanna felt a rush of adrenaline as she watched, her hand pressing against her chest as if to calm her racing heart.

But the excitement was not yet over. As the griffin landed with a graceful thud, the poor knight, seemingly still confused, tumbled clumsily from its back with a surprised thud. Adanna could not contain herself. A burst of laughter, stopped by her hand over her mouth, filled the room. Below, the knight scrambled to his feet, glancing up at her window for a fleeting moment before disappearing behind the griffin.

Laughter bubbled from Adanna's chest, and she had to lean against the windowsill to steady herself. The knight's clumsy dismount had been the most amusing thing she had seen in days. Just then, a firm knock upon the door startled her back to reality. Hurriedly, she closed the window and adjusted the curtains to their usual position just as the door creaked open to reveal two maids with bright smiles and an air of bustling efficiency.

"Good morning, Lady Adanna and Princess Serena," one of the maids said, bowing low. "I am Juana and this is Inés. We are come to prepare you for the first challenge!"

The first maid Juana had a darker compaction and short black curly hair and the second maid Inés had pale skin, brown hair and brown eyes. Adanna's laughter subsided, replaced by a nervous flutter in her stomach.