The True Queen- Book Two

Chapter Five: Rayana

Rayana stares at her reflection in the mirror. Her whole body is shaking and tears stain her muddy and bloody cheeks. Behind her, Orianna paces.

"Why would they try and kill you?" she asks.

"I can't tell you," Rayana replies, her voice almost vacant as she stares at her reflection. Making note of the mud and blood. Of the way her hair is knotted and dishevelled. Orianna stops to look at her.

"What are you doing?" she asks. Rayana blinks and doesn't answer straight away.

"I..." she gulps and looks away from the mirror. "One day, I have to go back to that moment in time..." Orianna looks away and sighs. "I need to look exactly the same as when I left," Ray continues and looks back at the mirror.

"Why do you have to go back? Why can't you stay here, with me?"

"It's not my time," Ray replies as she continues to analyse every part of her. Locking the image in her memory. 

"That is a locked moment," she gulps. "Already, I can feel myself being pulled back to it." Finally, she looks away and turns to Orianna.

"But you haven't been dragged back yet?" Orianna asks.

"No," Ray replies. "I think I am needed here first," she frowns.

"What for?" Oriana asks. "Oh, you can't answer that..." she sighs and sits on her bed. "Go and bathe, Ray. I'll store your dress away for when you have to return," she sighs. Ray nods her head and starts to remove the torn and bloody dress. 

As she sits in the bath, the warm water soaking her skin, she can't help but think back to the events that had happened. It is strange to her. For they are her past, but also her future. She shakes her head and sinks beneath the surface. Her hair floats around her and the lets out some bubbles before rising up again, gasping for air. With a groan, she leans back and closes her eyes.

She is given a fresh dress and goes to find Orianna.

"If you are going to stay here for a while, we need to find some sort of story for you," Orianna tells her. Ray nods her head. The two fall silent as they think.

"You need to have a little bit of power here," she says. "I don't want my council bossing you around..." Rayana doesn't say anything. "They'll be curious about you and the fact you've never been here before..." she sighs. "Of course," she grins as she sits up. "You have combat training, don't you?" she asks. Ray nods. "Are you good?"

"Erm," Ray begins, thinking back to her failed combat trial. "Not as good as my sisters..."

"That doesn't matter. As long as you know how to fight," she smiles. "You can be my Spy Master."

"What?" Ray asks.

"Think about it. What better reason for my council and court to not know who you are? You can simply be known as Lady Ray. I can tell them that you've been a trusted member of my inner circle for years. Plus, with your ability over the Fae Gift, you can gather any information you need to pass as someone from this time!"

"I'm not sure..." Ray sighs. "If I am a spymaster, being kept secret all this time then why reveal me now?" Orianna frowns.

"We can pretend that you aren't needed any more..." she begins. "I have already outed a lot of corrupt members of my court. We can just pretend that I don't think there are any more." Ray continues to frown but doesn't say anything. "I can introduce you as the woman that helped me end corruption and hail you a hero. Use that to give you another position within the castle that outranks many of the snakes serving here," she grins. Rayana sighs.