Game Of Lightning

Chapter Twenty-Four

Ari's POV-

The queen can't be dead! I look over at Ember to see her wrapped in Rafi's arms, him shielding her from the sight. Aria is laying on her bed, looking like she was just asleep. Since everyone is just standing around, I take charge. "We need to start getting ready," I say and everyone looks up at me.

"Can't we mourn for Aria?" Scarlet asks unkindly.

"We can," I say, "when its time. This country needs a leader and that leader is rightfully Jade's. She needs to be crowned tonight."

"You're right," Nailea says, wiping her tears away. "Jade, come with me. I know what to do since I was almost crowned all those years ago."

They leave together, Shun following. Ember follows him with her eyes and then looks at me. I motion that I'll tell her later and she nods. "Damien and Annie, can you go find some royal advisors? Scarlet, go with them so they don't get lost."

Scarlet nods, taking a deep breath, and left with Annie and Damien. "Light, watch Aralynn in our old rooms. Make sure she doesn't do anything to harm anyone."

"Yes ma'am," Lightning says, taking her sisters hand and pulling her away. Before Aralynn left, she gives me a dirty look.

"Rafi, comfort Ember," I say and he nods. "Go to the throne room and stay there."

"Come on Ember," Rafi says, taking her hand. She looks back at her moms body, breaking down into more tears as Rafi pulls her away.

"What are we going to do?" Aaron asks, coming up to me. His blue eyes look distraught.

"We'll stay here to watch over Aria's body," I say, looking at the beautiful queens dead face.

I wipe my eyes and stand at the foot of her bed. Aaron stands next to me, bowing his head. 

"Are you okay?" I ask him. 

"No," he says in a choked voice. "She was my queen, but she was more important than that. She was like a mother to all of her Elite Warriors." He takes a deep breath. "We all either have no family or we left them behind when we joined."

"What's your story?" I ask him. 

"I have no family." He looks at Aria with a painful smile. "She took me in younger than most. I was running around my home town and she was visiting. I was a thief and she was the queen, so major jackpot there. I tried to steal from her but she caught me. I explained why was stealing and she took me in, bringing me back here. I was seven at the time that happened and now I'm seventeen." 

I wrap an arm around his shoulders and pull him closer. "I had the same thing happen to me. My family is gone too. We were driving. I have no idea where to but I know that we were driving. Dad was behind the wheel, with Mom in the passenger seat. Me and my little sister, Rosa was in the back, playing with each other. She laughs at a joke I said as Dad gasps and Mom screams. I didn't have time to look up to see what was happening because the car jerks to the side, and then flips multiple times. I somehow survived but my family didn't."

"My family was killed by a plague," Aaron says. "I was the only who didn't get it. I don't know how, but they all died. I watched as all my brothers and sisters died one by one and then my parents. I didn't know what was happening until one day my neighbors told me. That was the day I realized I was alone. Alone and young and scared. Really scared."

"Gosh, we have some sad stories, huh?" I say and Aaron laughs slightly. 

"I guess we do," he answers. "But that makes us special."

"Special how?" I ask, pulling away from his arms. 

"We know how to survive on our own."

"Actually, I was sent to an orphanage after that. No one wanted me, so I stayed there. I went to school, meeting Shun, Ember, Annie, and Light, and they were with me. One day, I had a visitor and it was Olliar, Annie's father. He told me that I was special and had powers. I think that's how we all became friends; because we were pulled to each other."