The uncontrollable power lurking beneath Princess Alethia's skin can either be the savior of the Four Kingdoms or its destruction.
Princess Alethia was raised on three principles: (1) Mercy is for the weak, (2) Emotions are an unwanted distraction...
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For hours they rode in silence aside from the sound of birds, swishing leaves and bushes, and buzzing flies and mosquitos. His headache had dimmed enough that he could ignore it. He'd even managed to eat a piece of bread, which had taken away the last remnants of the alcohol in his system. In its absence, the amusement and brief sense of contentment he'd had was stripped away, baring the irritation and festering anger within him.
Aydin slapped a particularly vicious mosquito on his neck as they climbed a high sloped hill, branches swatting at his face as the wind sped up. The heat of the sun was becoming increasingly unbearable, bordering on scorching. Even Nova had flown down to hop from branch to branch underneath the cooling shade of the trees.
He pulled his dry shirt away from his sweat plastered chest and fanned himself before releasing it.
"This reminds me of home," Sephirah cheerfully remarked, attempting to break the long silence for about the fourth time.
Aydin knew she was the type of person who enjoyed talking and interacting, but she failed to realize no one wanted to speak. Every time she had tried to start a conversation, Ren had merely grunted, Alethia remained a stone, and Aydin was too busy roasting alive to have the energy to discuss anything.
"Please, don't mention any hot places right now," Aydin said, wiping sweat from his forehead. It continued to spill down, dropping onto his eyelashes, blinding him until he was forced to rub his eyes repeatedly. On the other hand, Sephirah hadn't broken a sweat at all. He felt his irritation spike again, and he shoved it down. "I keep forgetting you were born in a damn flaming oven."
Ren grunted at his remark. It gave Aydin a great deal of gratification to see Ren perspiring as much as he was. At least they both were suffering. Aydin pulled on his magic, feeling it swell eagerly. He pushed the rushing sensation straight to his fingers, forming a long block of ice. Aydin nearly groaned with relief as he held it to his head, soothing his heated skin.
Until it began melting almost too quickly, water splattering down his shirt and on his trousers. He cursed under his breath. It would be a waste of energy to keep doing it.
"You will get used to the heat," Sephirah said, covering her mouth as a couple of chuckles escaped. He glared at her in frustration.
As he was debating forming one more ice block, Ren and Alethia paused at the top of the hill. Their horses were glossy with sweat, their tongues lolling out of their mouths. Aydin and Sephirah reached where they had stilled to stare out at their surroundings.
At the bottom of the hill, the trees were sparse out as sand overtook the rest of the horizon. An endless pile of it shaped in wavy dunes of various sizes reached to touch the sky in the distance. Aydin had never been close to the Dreary Wastes, most of his patrols being in the villages closer to the harbor or Misty Grove. He was astounded by the sheer mass of it.
