The True Queen- Book Two

Chapter Three- Shaelyn

Shaelyn wakes in her room in the cave. Her head hurts and she winces.

"Shae..." Evie whispers as her eyes flutter open. Shae groans and then rubs her sore head.

"What happened?" Shae asks, then suddenly jumps up as she remembers. Her heart leaps into her throat and she forces the dizziness away. 

"You should rest..." Evie says as Shae barges past her and into the corridor. 

"Ren!" Evie shouts behind Shae as she storms into the cavern. Shae doesn't even look at them. She makes a move for the exit.

"Shae!" Ren calls and soon, she is surrounded by the Knights.

"Let me go," she snarls with a shaking voice. "I need to get to my sisters," she tells him. The ground begins to shake and dust falls from the cavern.

"Shae," Ren begins holding up his palms. Her body shakes with panic and her breathing quickens. The feeling that something is wrong fills her whole body, making her feel sick.

"Ren," her shaking voice says. "I need to get to them," she pleads. He takes a step closer to her and looks into her eyes.

"Shae," he says softly this time. "The city..." he shakes his head. "None of us can go out for a while."

"Why?" She gulps.

"There are soldiers everywhere," he gulps. "Searching for us and anyone associating themselves with the rebellion. They are kicking in houses, killing..." he gulps. "It's a bloodbath. Half the slums are already on fire." Shae looks down, a single tear falling down her cheeks.

What a mess. A terrifying mess.

"What do we do?" she asks. He opens his mouth to speak but words don't come out. Finally, he manages to say something.

"I..." he gulps. "I don't know," he whispers. She gulps and licks her dry lips. 

BOOM.

Shae's heart stops. Silence falls across the whole hall. Her chest tightens and she struggles to breathe. Heavily, she starts to walk to the exit. This time, no one stops her. She climbs the ladder quickly, her hands and feet shaking against the rungs. Her breathing is fast in her ears as tears spill down her face.

She leaves the small house to stand outside and look at the sky.

BOOM.

The sky changes to a dark and angry red. Shae brings a shaking hand to her mouth. Murder. Red means murder. Hands gently touch her shoulders and she jumps, looking up to see Ren looking down at her. He doesn't cry, but his eyes water. She could see in his expression that he has been expecting this. Shae looks up at the red sky and deep in her guts, she realises that she has been expecting it too.

BOOM.

Rayana's colours of blues, purples and green's fill the sky. Shae's whole body clenches. At the same time, the city roars with screams of horror and sadness. Shae can't make a sound. She can's stop looking at the colours in the sky.

"I'm so sorry," Ren says next to her. She doesn't even process his words. Her body remains frozen as the cries and shouts continue in the city around her. The image of Rayana being dragged away plays over and over in her mind. Of course, this was what was going to happen. But, she can't quite wrap her head around it. Rayana is gone? Her Grandfather actually did it. He killed a princess.

It hits Shaelyn suddenly and she falls to the floor, a sob leaving her. Her breathing quickens as she struggles to take in air between her sobs. The ground begins to shake violently beneath them. Ren leans down, pulling Shae into a tight hug. She cries into his chest and he doesn't speak. He doesn't tell her to calm down or to stop shaking the ground. He lets it shudder.