Rain of Shadows and Endings — Chapter no 18

18

TESSA

T he balcony she stood on was high above the ground, overlooking fields of green and gold. Grasses swayed gently in a breeze under a grey sky that somehow didn’t feel gloomy considering the color. In one direction, far off in the distance, she could make out mountains, lightning flashing periodically as if a never-ending storm hovered. In the other direction, there was a sprawling city. Buildings obscured the skyline, and she couldn’t tell where the city ended. This was clearly a country manor of some kind.

A noise behind her had her spinning around, and she found a stunning female emerging from a set of double doors. Tessa went still, unsure of where she was or what she was supposed to do. The female’s hair was nearly the exact shade of her own. Loose and wavy, it flowed down around her shoulders, reaching nearly to her navel, the tips of her arched ears peeking through the strands. Her lips were painted blood red, and she moved with an ethereal grace not even the Legacy possessed. She was dressed in an elegant ivory dress that was sheer to the point of indecency. Gold jewelry adorned her ears and neck, matching the gold belt slung around her hips. Even her fingers had gold rings. Except one.

That one was silver and onyx.

The female moved to stand beside her, leaning on her arms she had folded along the balcony railing. She stared out across the expanse before them, and Tessa wondered if the female even knew she was there. She hadn’t acknowledged her. She hadn’t even looked at her.

Her question was answered a moment later, when the female turned and eyes of grey settled onto Tessa. Tessa could swear there were even glimmers of gold swirling faintly in her eyes. She did not speak. Just looked at Tessa as if she could see through to her very soul.

Another female appeared, as if she stepped from the air. If the first female was stunning, this female was beautiful in a terrifying sort of way. Her dark skin seemed to glow with a silver aura, and her raven black hair floated around her on phantom winds. She had vivid violet eyes and wore a white gown that was stark against her complexion.

“It worked,” the second female said, her voice both melodic and dark as night all at once.

“It appears it did,” the first answered. Her eyes did not leave Tessa, as if she physically couldn’t drag them away from her.

Tessa still couldn’t wrap her mind around what was happening. Should she speak?

Drop to a knee? Move? Stay still?

“Does he know?” the second asked, tilting her head as she studied Tessa.

“I sent word with Altaria,” the first answered in confirmation. “He was unhappy.”

The second tsked under her breath. “This is why I do not mess around with males.”

The first smirked at her. “After his temper tantrum, he agreed that the reasoning was warranted.”

“Of course he did,” the second replied, rolling her eyes. Then she added, “You do not have much time, Akira. I can only hold her here for so long.”

“She called the Hunters today,” the first, Akira, said suddenly, an emotion Tessa didn’t know how to read flickering in her eyes. Pride? Maybe. No one had ever looked at her like that.

“Did she now? And they responded? How interesting.” The second female’s curiosity seemed to triple as she continued to study Tessa. “And the Huntresses?”

Akira’s features darkened. “They only answer to him. No one else can summon them.

But he will send them. Like he did for me.” There was a short pause, and then, “The wild and untamed answered her call as well.”

“Her father’s daughter,” the second said. “She will be powerful.”

“She already is. It will only grow. My father thought he could use her against me. Use her to seek his petty revenge. She will be an unyielding storm in that world. A tempest of wrath and vengeance.”

“It is time, Akira,” the second said. “The enchantment fades. Anala is entertaining him, but he will sense her presence any moment.”

Akira took a step forward, and Tessa gasped when she reached out and took her face between her hands.

“Know that sometimes we must break to be forged into who we were meant to be,” she said, streaks of violet flickering in her eyes like lightning cutting through the flecks of gold. Then she bent and pressed her lips to Tessa’s brow. “You will break, Tessalyn. Make sure you get back up and take what is yours.”