When the Rain Falls Silent

Chapter 4

The next morning, sleep eluded me. This journey would be dangerous, especially with the uncertainty of when the rain might strike again. I double-checked my backpack to make sure we had everything we needed. With a small movement, I extended a vine from my fingertips, lifting the backpack to follow behind me as I headed toward the kitchen.

In the hallway, I saw Juniper flying ahead, struggling with her own heavy pack. "Here, let me help with that," I chuckled, extending another vine to relieve her load.

"Phew, thank you, Evie," she sighed, lowering herself to the ground. "Are you ready for this?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," I replied with a nod.

We set off from Cas's parents' house shortly after. Not wanting Juniper to strain her wings, we began on foot. "I have a friend in Emberfall we can stay with," she said, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.

"You mean your girlfriend?" I teased, raising an eyebrow. "I'm still trying to figure out how you managed to start dating Queen Kaida."

She grinned, her cheeks pinker now. "Me too, honestly. But it gives me a good excuse to see her." Her smile was infectious, and I couldn't help but smile back. "If I fly us the rest of the way, we could get there before nightfall."

We walked a while longer before switching to flying. About twenty minutes later, we landed at the gates of Emberfall. The heat enveloped us, but it was breathtaking, with the palace silhouetted against a brilliant sky. Two guards greeted us at the entrance.

"What is your business here?" one asked.

"We're here to see Queen Kaida," Juniper replied.

"Come with us," he instructed, opening the gates to let us in.

The guard escorted us into the palace's grand throne room, where a striking figure sat—half-dragon, half-woman. Her eyes sparkled, and a smirk appeared on her lips as she rose from her throne.

"Juniper! I didn't know you were coming," she said, stepping forward. Juniper's excitement spilled over as her wings fluttered, and she flew straight into Kaida's arms.

"I've missed you, love," Juniper murmured against her shoulder.

"I've missed you too, darling." Kaida smiled, then turned her attention to me. "And this must be Evangeline. JJ has told me a lot about you." She leaned over, pressing a kiss to Juni's cheek.

"Thank you for having us, Queen Kaida," I said with a bow.

She laughed. "Oh, get up! Just call me Kaida—my friends do." She turned back to Juniper, stealing a kiss, and I couldn't help but feel a warmth for her. Juniper had found someone special, her forever person. I realized I'd never thought much about finding that one person myself.

Kaida showed us to our rooms, though it was only one for me; she and Juniper, of course, would share hers. We needed a good night's rest before the next leg of our journey.