There will be plenty of children in the castle to spoil. I am not so vain to think I can only love a child that comes from my seed.
Gazing at the face before her, she understood. The warm light of any child’s love could help fill the empty space in her heart.
“Kira, wake up.” An impatient voice echoed in Kira’s head. Half way out of her dream, she felt a tug on the sleeve of her gown and a rush of cold air as the covers flew off her body.
“Arela,” Kira complained. “Let me wake up, first.” She struggled to pry open her eyes, but the brightness of the sun coming through the opened window blinded her. As she tried to focus, Arela stepped between her and the sunlight. Its brilliance radiated from behind her yellow hair and white gown making her glow like an angel.
“Come see.” Arela grabbed Kira’s hand and pulled her out of bed. She barely got her feet planted on the floor when Arela jerked her forward. She stumbled to the window and tried to squint away the sun.
“Look.” Arela pointed off to one side of the lake where there were still a few storm clouds on the horizon. There-in all its brilliance-was a rainbow. Kira had never seen so much color. The hues were deep like the colored glass in the castle windows. One end came out of the lake and the other one disappeared out of view behind the mountain.
“It’s beautiful,” Kira said.
“It is a promise.”
Kira looked down to find Arela’s sparkling brown eyes. “What kind of promise?”
Arela seemed pleased with the question. She hopped up on the window seat and explained like she was a seasoned scholar.
“It always comes after a horrible storm. Mother says it is our promise that all is well and the beginning of a new day. It is like starting fresh. The rain has washed the sadness of the world away and all that is left is happiness. She says the rain drops are happy tears from the gods of Lor.”
“Your mother is very wise.”
“I am as well.” Arela looked at the rainbow again. “I believe today’s promise is for you, Kira.” She turned to look into Kira’s eyes and smiled.
“And why do you think that?” Kira felt tears burning her eyes as Arela smiled back at her.
“It washed your sadness away.” She reached for Kira’s face with her finger extended and touched the corner of her eye. When she drew back her hand, there was a single tear on the tip of her tiny finger. “See, happy tears.”
“You are right, Arela. You are very wise.” Kira picked her up and spun her around in a circle. Arela let out a squeal before Kira pulled her close and hugged her.
“Kira!” Ussay’s frightened voice came from Kira’s room and echoed through the castle.
Kira smirked at Arela. “I think I’m in trouble.”
Arela giggled. “Maybe I should tell her you jumped in the lake.”
“I fell, remember. And no, we won’t tell her that. Why don’t you get yourself dressed and I will go deal with Ussay?”
Arela’s bottom lip pushed out and her brow furrowed.
“What’s that face for?”
She shrugged.
“Arela, tell me.”
She over exaggerated a sigh. “Mother needs me to help take care of the other children. I hoped you might want to go with me.” She flashed her big brown eyes. They reminded Kira of a puppy begging for a treat.
“I’ll tell you what. I need to take a bath and get dressed. When I’m finished I will have Ussay bring me to see you. Does that sound all right?”
Arela suddenly became animated, jumping up and down, and clapping her hands. “Oh, yes. I cannot wait to tell the other children.” Then she skipped into her dressing chambers.
Kira took a deep breath and let it out slow. She was about to face the firing squad and deserved it. Maybe if she fell to her knees and begged Ussay’s forgiveness she might speak to her again.
Chapter Twenty Two
“We need to have Mara’s seamstress make you a few new dresses. You have become horribly thin.” Ussay pulled the laces tight in the back of Kira’s dress, but left plenty of room to breathe. Thank goodness they didn’t have corsets in this world.
“Don’t worry. I’m sure I’ll put the weight back on.”
Ussay had been very generous with her forgiveness, especially since Kira helped clean up the water mess. She wasn’t, however, happy about Cade getting hurt. Again. Even though Ussay managed to hold her tongue, her short answers and occasional silent treatment made it obvious that the idea of Cade being hurt saving Kira upset her.
“So, what’s the story between you and Cade?”
“Story? What do you mean?”
“You like Cade. Does he like you?”
“No, he does not like me.” Ussay finished with the dress and switched her focus to Kira’s hair. “Would you like it in a braid today?”
“No, it’s fine down. You’re avoiding my question.”
Ussay blushed. “There is nothing between us.”
Kira sighed. “I thought you were to be betrothed. Did you change your mind?”
Ussay’s head shot up. “No. I am not good enough for him.” She lowered her eyes again. “I thought he had feelings for me. . and then. . he has no need for me. It is that simple.”
“Well, maybe we should plan an outing and invite Cade to come with us. Maybe if you two spent some time together, he’d change his mind. That is, when he’s feeling better.”
Ussay didn’t say anything at first, her fingers busy detangling Kira’s hair. “Do you think he would come?” she finally asked.
“Of course. After all, I need protection and you must stay with me at all times.”
She giggled and then curtsied. “As you wish, my lady.”
Kira stood and twirled around. “Well, how do I look?” But before she could answer, the door flew open and Arela ran in.
“Lady Kira,” she cried, trying to catch her breath. “Mother received word. Octavion and Luka are arriving in the courtyard.” Then she disappeared.
Kira looked at where the little girl’s mist quickly faded away. She couldn’t move. Every emotion she’d hidden for the past few days came flooding back at once. She didn’t know if she should laugh or cry, but she was pretty sure by the look on Ussay’s face, regardless of what emotion she decided to show, it would be expressed as they ran for the stairs. Ussay grabbed Kira’s hand and pulled her out the door. At the top of the stairs, she let go and continued her descent alone, leaving Kira to pause about half way down. She watched expectantly as Luka walked through the door, his mother and father trailing close behind him.
Her heart leapt into her throat, waiting for Octavion to follow. They all fussed over a wound on Luka’s arm even though he insisted he was fine. When Luka looked up and their eyes met, he took in a deep breath and pushed the others aside.
“Kira,” he said, but there was something different in his voice. Regret? No, not regret. Pain. Sorrow.
Octavion. Kira put her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming. “No,” she whispered, as she collapsed onto the stairs and buried her face in her hands. “Al, he’s dead. He’s really dead.” The pressure living in her chest for days now caused her heart to race and she couldn’t breathe.
“Kira.” The voice unfamiliar, yet strong and kind.
She looked up to find Nestor and Luka on either side of her, concern in their eyes. All those days of not being able to cry and now she couldn’t stop. “I told him not to go. I pleaded with him.”
“Shh, Kira. He is not dead. Calm down and I will explain,” Luka said.
She tried to slow her breathing. “Then where is he?”
Luka took her hand. “He is fine. After we opened the doorway to our world, I stepped through. But Octavion thought he saw Shandira so he grabbed the journey stone and closed the portal.”
“You left him alone? You have to go back, she’ll kill him.”