The True Queen- Book Two

Chapter Sixteen: Illyana

I stand on one of the balconies, looking out at the remote deserts beyond the city. The sky flashes with lightning as the first storm of the autumn begins. The air is cool and wet and it isn't long before it is pouring with rain. A smile forms on my lips and I reach my hand up. It's been so long since I felt rain. I close my eyes and let the water drench me. It is so heavy and the droplets pound against my skin. Thunder booms overhead and the sky lights up with a bright white flash. That also lights up the red clouds in the darkness. Making it seem oddly eerie.

Night has already started to come earlier and I can't wait for this day to be over. I did start training with Zoran after breakfast. We had acted like nothing had happened. I had met him and Wyatt in their room and Zoran began teaching both of us the basics of the Mer language. After a few hours, we went out to train with the other warriors. It was awkward, to say the least. Not as awkward as dinner where Kai and the Starva weren't present. Neither were the Valmir's. Everyone had eaten in an uncomfortable silence and left as soon as they'd finished their food.

Zoran and Wyatt are back in their room but I'm not ready to go back to mine yet. Especially during my first desert thunderstorm. Another boom has me jumping as it shudders through my body. Lightning crackles across the red sky less than a second after. So quickly it dances and lights everything up before disappearing again.

"Illyana," a voice says behind me. I turn to see Kai. I look away from him again, still pissed about earlier. He walks out onto the balcony next to me.

"Good meeting?" I ask, having to raise my voice so I can be heard over the rain.

"Let's talk inside," he says, looking at me.

"I don't want to go inside yet," I say as my eyes widen with another flash of lightning. Kai sighs and leans against the wall next to me, watching the storm. The rain continues to pound against my skin and I shiver as it drips down the back of my neck. My hair sticks to my face and I can feel droplets falling off my lashes. I can't help but smile though, feeling refreshed. The thunder sounds above me, the loudest one yet that has my body vibrating. The lightning is so close that I can't even see the strands dance across the sky. It is just a blinding white flash and then darkness again. I blink a few times and lean over the railing to look up at the sky. I hold my hand out again, almost as though I could touch the lightning. I shiver again, starting to feel cold.

"Come on, you're getting cold," Kai says, his hand touching my shoulder. The castle shakes as another boom sounds overhead and again, we are blinded. I allow Kai to drag me out of the rain with a reluctant sigh. He shuts the doors and secures them. "The wind will come soon," he tells me. I nod my head. "Let's find somewhere private to talk," he sighs.

"Okay," I say.

Razan is already waiting outside my door as we head to my room. Nishka sits with him. I smile upon seeing my pup and ruffle his fur. We enter my room and I quickly reach for something to dry myself before I start to get colder. I pass something to Kai too. He wipes his face and arms before going to light a fire. I run the towel across my body before wrapping it around my hair. The wolves both jump on the bed and curl up and I can see it sink beneath their weight. I raise my brows and sigh, sitting on the floor and leaning against the wood at the end of the bed. Kai sits down next to me.

"So," I begin with a sigh, licking my lips nervously. 

"I wanted to apologise," he begins. I raise my brows and look at him. "I should have stopped Hadya from speaking," he tells me. I nod my head.

"You should have," I say.

"I'm sorry," he says, looking into my eyes. I smile softly.