The True Queen- Book Two

Chapter Seven: Illyana

I lie in my bed, my body numb. My eyes sting from tears and a deep ache has settled into my muscles. Wyatt lies next to me. We both stare at the ceiling in silence. Razan rests his large head over my stomach, his large sad eyes looking up to me. I am not sure how long we lie there. My mind doesn't register Wyatt moving.

"Illyana, look at this..." I don't react. He shakes me and I let out a long groan. "Ana," he whispers softly and gently pulls me up from the bed. "You need to see this," he gulps. I manage to move my eyes to look at him. His face is pale and his own eyes are red-rimmed. I let out a long sigh and let him help me stand. We walk to the window and my eyes widen. Rayana's colours are gone. Instead, the sky is dark red. I frown and take a step closer.

"What?" I gulp.

"Why hasn't the sky turned back to normal?" he asks. I frown and gulp, reaching my hand out as if I could touch the deep red clouds. A strange feeling passes over me. A shudder almost and intense rage. My eyes fall on the ring that appeared on my finger in Ronzal mine after touching the glowing golden stone. The sparkling diamond like stone is now the same shade of red as the sky. I frown and bring it to my face to incpect closer.

"What?" I gulp, looking between it and the sky. Wyatt leans over as my hands run over the warm red stone. He shakes his head and lets out a sigh.

"What is going on?" he asks.  I clench my fists and breath heavily, looking away from the sky.

"Something has awoken," I gulp, looking up at Wyatt. He licks his lips nervously. "And it isn't happy," I continue before turning from the window and sitting back on my bed. Wyatt sits next to me.

"What?" he asks. "What could have awoken?" I shrug.

"I don't know. But it has something to do with this ring..." my voice trails off and I close my eyes, feeling a fresh wave of tears ready to spill. A sob leaves my mouth and Wyatt pulls me into his body, kissing me on the forehead. He doesn't say anything. He just holds me close. We ignore the knock on the door. Kai enters moments after, a grim expression on his face.

"Ana," he whispers as he walks toward me. I stand slowly, wiping away the tears. His arms wrap around me and I lean into him, holding him as close as I can. I start to cry again and his grip on me tightens. After a few minutes, I step back.

"Solavar," I gulp. He frowns.

"You don't have to call me that in private, Ana," he tells me. I look up at him, suddenly angry.

"Yes, I do," I tell him, stepping forward. "Don't you see? We can't do this," I gulp and turn away.

"Illyana," he begins and I turn to face him sharply.

"No," I growl, pointing my finger angrily at him. "No," I say again, shaking my head. "I've been here too long already. Playing games, making friends and actually being happy. Stalling on my responsibilities and thinking purely of myself whilst my sisters were back at the castle being tortured and murdered!" I shout. "And any work I have made, I risk jeopardising by pursuing any sort of relationship with you!" I snap, turning from him and taking deep breaths, feeling more tears trickle down my cheeks. "We both have responsibilities to our people," I sigh, turning to him again. "If we are seen together and lose Lupine support, all this is for nothing. Rayana died for nothing," I gulp. I close my eyes and clench my shaking fists. Guilt raging through me as I think of the last few months where I've been free and happy. Hardly thinking about what my sisters have been going through. I've been selfish.

"It isn't your fault, Illyana," Kai tells me as he takes another step forward. His hand reaching for mine.

"Stop," I growl, looking up at him, though I can't force myself to remove my hand from his just yet. I run my other hand through my hair and pull at the roots. "Just stop!" Shaking my head, I take deep breaths as my mind tries to figure everything out. All the politics and loyalties and games. It is all too much. I don't think I can continue playing it. I don't think I want to continue playing it. "I thought this place was different," I gulp, looking back up to Kai. "I thought it was a place of freedom!" I gulp. "But it isn't. It is exactly the same as the capital. Act a certain way. Be friends with certain people. Lie and manipulate. Betray and steal. Wherever there is power, there is cruelty. It's what killed my sister and now I have to play the same game here! I can't. I can't do it." I rip my hand from his and snap up my sword before jumping up onto Razan's back. My breathing frantic as it feels like the walls are closing in on me.