The Eternal Flame

Chapter 22

The heat was almost unbearable. My throat hurt from all the screaming that I had done that previous night. I look down at my hands, they were filthy. What I could only identify as blood and something else, dirt maybe caked my hands. Shakily, I reached for the bars of my cell. Using all the strength I could muster, I pulled my body up, leaning heavily, against the disgusting bars for support. However, a few seconds I couldn't keep my strength and fell, screaming as I did, the pain in my body only intensified, I felt the tears build in my eyes, it took all the pride I had left not to cry.

Slowly footsteps started approaching my cage. Looking around, I tried to find where the footsteps were coming from, however, it only seemed that they were coming from everywhere. Without warning, I felt a presence behind me and I quickly turned and scrambled backward. My body screaming in protest at the swift action. Nevertheless, I continued to back up till I was in the far back corner of the cell. It was a silhouette of a little girl, the only color she had was her glowing icy blue eyes and her white smile. She cocked her head to the side, and as she continued to look at me, I shivered in fear. Unexpectedly, the little girl morphed into a Wallee, and its lean body, slinked its self in between the bars, its icy blue eyes glared at me and it bared its jagged white teeth dripping with blood. Slowly, it advanced toward me, I looked around for somewhere to run or something to throw at it. But there was nowhere to run and nothing to throw.

Suddenly, there was an intense heat behind me. I looked back to see a Wallee made out entirely of fire, slipping itself between the bars, standing between me and the dark Wallee. The Wallee made of fire bared its teeth, and it lunged. Its massive jaw was wrapped around the shadow Wallee's throat and when it snapped its jaw closed, the shadow Wallee disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Slowly, the fire Wallee turned its head toward me and gave me what looked like a resemble of a smile. Then, it was engulfed in a flame so bright I had to look away from it. When the light finally died down, there standing in its place was my beloved Flame.

Carefully, as to not frighten me further, he bent down and cradled my face every so gently.

"There now, there is no longer need for you to be afraid Lulu. I will always protect you from the darkness." He said landing a soft kiss on my lips.

I jerked away. Breathing heavily, I placed my hand over my heart. Ula hopped on the bed and curled herself into my lap.

"Are you alright Lunatris?" She asked softly, her beautiful eyes searching my own. I nodded.

"Yes, it was just a nightmare. I'm fine now." A moment later, a knock was at my door.

"Enter," I said and sat up completely, making sure that I was completely covered. Rain poked his head in, tilted it, and gave me a wide smile. I smiled back and beaconed him inside. He pushed the door open wider and pushed in a hover tray of food inside with him, along with ­­­­Storm.

I raised my eyebrows. "What's all this?" He shrugged and looked away embarrassed.

"I thought you would like to stay in bed and have breakfast," he said pushing the tray toward the bed, while he sat at the edge of the bed. I smiled at him.

"Turn around," I told him as I slid myself out of the bed without taking the sheet with me because I knew that he would not turn around to look at me as he did as we were children. Quickly throwing on something appropriate to wear, I climbed back into the bed and patted to the left of me.

"Why are you standing so far away, I assumed that we would be sharing this together," I said as I picked up a fork. He looked at me for a moment before coming to my side. Taking his own fork in his hand, we began eating in silence. It was a good silence, one that was so comfortable to fall into that it seemed like second nature to us. After a few more seconds, I finally spoke.

"So, Rain. What is the real reason you wanted to have breakfast together? Without my family." I said, finishing my food and looking at him fully.

"I wanted to ask you about why you have been sneaking out of the palace, almost every night. Where exactly have you been going? And don't say its somewhere on the planet. I searched the flight records." I looked at him stunned for a moment. For a moment, I think of lying to him, then I come to realize that even if I did tell him the truth, he would not believe me.

"I have been sneaking off almost every night to meet my secret lover," I said looking him dead in the eye. Ula looks at me stunned.

Are you insane?

He won't believe me.

"If you don't want to tell me fine. But you don't have to poke fun." He says a little annoyed. I repress an eye roll at him.

"I just need space is all." He nodded taking that as a good answer.

"But that's not the only thing you wanted to know is it. I'm sorry about not talking to you about this till now, it's been a busy few weeks." I said to him, placing a hand on his. He turns over his own and squeezes mine. A ping with through my heart. I hated that he didn't believe me, but I was in no position to tell him that I really was going off to see a secret lover almost every night. Not right now anyway.

"I'm sorry that my father ambushed you the way he did. Nix had it in her head that I was in love with someone and she told father without even seeing if it was true or not. Because we are best friends, he just assumed it would be you." I said. He looks at his empty plate for a few minutes. For a moment, I thought he would not give me a response. But he looks into my eyes, and I am stunned by what I see. There was a seriousness in his eyes. I had never seen him like this even with his longest filings.

"So, you don't love me?" He asked. I saw a flick of something; was it hope?

"You are my oldest friend, and you are like a brother to me, of course, I love you," I said lightly. He shook his head fiercely.

"Lunatris-" He started to say, but Nix walked in sighing when she saw us.

"Luna, there you are, do you mind coming to help me with something?" She said before walking off, not giving me time to respond. Without a word, Rain leaves without looking back at me. I couldn't help but feel like I hadn't given him the right response.