Picking Petals:

Chapter 27: Old Friends

After taking a second of my own to think, I found Berella wrapped in James arms in my old bedroom, which I was transferring back to apparently. Rone had ordered some maids to transfer all my belongings back beside his room during the coronation. Gregory and Orion were awkwardly shifting around the bedroom. "Why would Raven attack Berella and Orion?" James asked.

"Isn't it obvious? She's going after people she knows is important to Nadia," Orion said.

"How would she even know the first thing about Nadia?" Berella said finally shifting away from James and looking up to Orion.

"Ravens a very manipulative person, I'm sure the moment Nadia was reborn Raven's been planting her seeds," Orion said avoiding my gaze. There was a lot I still needed to talk about with Orion so many gnawing questions, but how does one even approach their son from a million lifetimes ago? A life I'll never know, a life thats long gone.

"Gregory can you retrieve Rone, and my parents? Tell them it's urgent," I asked. I needed to get Rones thoughts on letting Josephine contact her mother for a potential truce. I had no idea where Raven was, but I'm sure Josephine and her mother have been tracking Raven. After all they wanted her dead too, maybe it's stupid trying to set a truce with a woman intent on my death. I'm still trying to figure it all out, and honestly the more help I can't get, the greater my outcome might be.

Gregory nodded, his hand resting on his sword that was strapped to his waist as he exited my room. To my understanding the coronation was still going on, I had not even seen my parents in the crowd so I stayed well behind it. "We are going to have to take some precautions from now on till we find Raven. Berella you are going to be sleeping in here with me, Orion will be safe in his charmed room. My parents and brothers will stay across from us-"

"You can't possibly watch over all of us," Berella said shaking her head. "You are going to be too busy, as you should be. I'll be fine just worry about your family and Orion."

I was a bit taken back with her stubbornness, maybe in another circumstance I would find it adorable, but now was not the time."I'm sorry but this is not up for discussion, Raven was just outside of the palace walls. Until I find her we will be on complete lock down after I speak to Rone."

"You don't think you're being a little extreme?" Berella asked.

"Not at all, this is Valkris future and I don't know if I can do my part if anything was to happen to anyone I love. Not only could she easily snap your neck with a tilt of her head, but she can use you against me. I will not give her that satisfaction."

"She has a point Berella," James went to lay a hand on hers but she only withdrew. The disconnect between them was clear, and just like that I could feel everything. This must be what it's like for Rone, I must have taped into my other senses, empathy. James and Berellas colors practically pulled from each other. Berellas honey gold Hughes of fear running from James overbearing cast of smoke.

Somehow I snapped myself out of my new found senses, hating how intruding I was being. Berella was clearly detached from James and I was wondering when was the breaking point for her. A part of me felt bad for James, but then again what did he really expect.

"I'll let the two of you talk," I mumbled as Orion and I silently exited my bedroom, just in time to bump into Rone. His eyes were wide and blazing as they meet mine, alert and focused.

"Is Berella okay?" Rone asked as my parents and siblings stood behind him, curiously watching Rone and I.

I shot Gregory an accusing look but he only put his hands up in defense, "He's king now he ordered me to tell him what was going on, I had no choice."

"Yes she's fine, until then my parents and brothers should stay in the palace. I have no idea what Raven is up to but I might have a way to find her, and you won't like it," I said to Rone.