Sunny. Peaceful. It was a perfect day in the heaven realm.
That’s why it had to be ruined.
I sat on one of the benches scattered around my modest palace with my hands in my lap and a smile on my face. The high sun warmed my cheeks and tried to tan their unhealthy pallor. I raised one hand and turned it over. The muscles were still stiff and sore even after three long weeks of recuperating.
“Does it still hurt?”
I jumped and whipped my head to my right. Arian stood there with two cups in her hand and a worried look on her face. I dropped my hand into my lap and shrugged. “A little.”
“You would not give your hands so much attention for a little pain,” Arian countered as she took a seat beside me and held out the steaming cup of tea.
I gladly accepted the cup and clasped it between both hands. “I’m fine, really.”
She nodded down at my cup. “Then why are you using the warm tea to soothe the soreness in your hands?”
My face fell and I looked at my hands. The heat had indeed unconsciously tempted me to dampen the ache. I sighed and my shoulders drooped. “I guess it does bother me-”
“More than a little,” she finished for me.
“More than a little,” I repeated with a faint smile. “Anyway, I’m sure I’ll be better in a week or two. I only just got out of bed three days ago, after all. Everything’s still a little stiff from laying in bed for so long.”
“Lady Anna! Lady Anna!”
The shout came from the archway to my palace grounds, and a tiny shadow darted down the path and crashed into me. My arms shot up to prevent a terrible spill on the tiny creature that now hugged me about the waist.
“And a warm hello to you, too, Lia,” I returned with a faint laugh.
“You need to be more gentle with her, Lia,” Kean scolded her as he trotted down the path. “She’s still sick and needs to be treated like glass.”
“Who told you that?” I wondered as Lia wriggled her way onto the bench between Arain and me.
“Uncle Yushir,” Kean told me as he stopped before us. The young lad folded his arms over his chest and looked me over with as serious an expression as he could manage. “You look really pale.”
“You should have seen me a few days ago,” I replied as I took a sip of my tea. The warm drink soothed my recuperating stomach. “I could have passed as a ghost.”
The color drained from Lia’s face. “Did you die?”
I laughed and bopped a finger against her nose. “No, but I was very sad because I hadn’t seen you two for so long. What have you been up to?”
Her face drooped and she hung her head. “We popped all of your ‘boons.”
It took me a second to translate her child’s speak. “Well, I can make you more balloons, and more chocolates, too.”
Arian looked over Lia’s head and frowned at me. “You should save your strength.”
“Surely I can make a little chocolate bar,” I insisted.
Lia’s face perked up. “Chocolate! I want chocolate!”
“You should refrain from such magical arts.” The scolding voice came from the arch and Prince Yushir appeared. He strolled up to his nephew’s side and inclined his head to Arian and me. “Good morning to you, ladies. How are you both feeling this lovely day? Are you well-rested for your journey to your homeland, Lady Arian?”
My eyes widened and I whipped my head around to face my friend. “You’re going home?”
She dropped her gaze to her cup and sighed. “Father wishes for me to return, at least until the meeting of the clans in six months.”
“I will guarantee you the time will not be any longer than that,” Yushir swore to her as he placed a hand over his heart. “As the second son of the king of heaven, you have my promise that you will return in that time.”
“That is very kind of you to guarantee but you have not even ventured to the other clans to seek their agreement,” she pointed out.
His face fell and he sighed. “Unfortunately, I too will leave tomorrow for the turtle clan, and then to the others to seek their help in this matter. King Wearg and your father have promised to put in a good word for me among their allied clans which will greatly hasten my mission.”
My heart dropped as I realized the consequences of their responsibilities. “So I won’t see you guys for a while.”
“You might come home with me,” Arian offered.
Yushir closed his eyes and shook his head. “You are forgetting Lord Eastwei’s promise, Lady Arian. He is to take Lady Roberts to instruct her in how to use her unique skills.”
I gripped the cup tighter and bit my lower lip. Dadan. I hadn’t seen him since I left his palace four days prior.
A small hand tugged on my sleeve and I looked down to see Lia with a worried expression on her face. “Are you feeling alright, Lady Anna? You don’t look so good.”
I offered her a smile and tapped the rim of my cup. “My tea is a little warm and it didn’t go down very nicely, that’s all.” Lia didn’t look convinced, and neither did anyone else around me.
“We should get going, Lia,” Kean scolded her as he pointed at the arch. “The others are waiting for us at the park.”
Lia reluctantly slid off the bench but she turned and set her adorable hands one on top of the other on my knee. “Please take good care of yourself, Lady Anna. I’d be very sad to see you hurt again.”
I rubbed my hand on the top of her head. “I’ll take very good care of myself just for you.”
Her face brightened a little before Kean snatched one of her hands. He bowed his head to us as he pulled her along, and little Lia waved. “Goodbye!”
“Bye,” I called back while Arian waved.
Yushir clasped his hands behind his back and studied me. “Little Lia is quite right to worry. Your color is still not healthy.”
“It’s the lack of sun,” I mused as I blinked up at the bright sky. “A few days in this will brighten me back up.”
He didn’t look convinced but he bowed his head. “Then I will unfortunately take my leave of you ladies. There are preparations for my travels that must be made.”
“Good luck to you and I hope you return safely,” Arian told him.
Her good wishes perked up the prince. “Do you truly mean that, Lady Arian?”
Arian’s cheeks reddened slightly. “Of course I do. You are a good friend.”
I hid my smile in my cup of tea as Yushir’s face drooped. “A. . .a friend. Yes, of course. Well, if you will excuse me.” He hung his head and slouched out of the gardens.
I couldn’t suppress it any longer and had to snort into my cup. “I think he was looking for something more than being a friend.”
She sighed. “Yes, but I cannot give that to anyone, not while I worry about you.”
I nudged her arm with my elbow. “You can stop worrying about me. I’m fine, just a little tired, that’s all.”
“Perhaps you would like some food? Or maybe more tea?” Arian inquired as she leaned forward to peer into my cup.
I laughed and sloshed around the contents. “I think I’m good with this for a while, but you can get another cup for yourself.”
She bit her lower lip. “Are you sure?”
I clapped a hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eyes. “I think I’ll be fine for a few minutes alone again.”
Arian reluctantly stood and slipped back into the house. I sighed and dropped my gaze to the steaming cup of tea. The sweet aroma surrounded me, wrapping me in a comfortable fog of indifference.
Until a shadow fell over my tranquility. I frowned and whipped my head up.
And found myself staring into the handsome face of the former emperor of everything, Lord Eastwei.
“Are you ready?” he asked me.
I blinked at him. “Ready? Ready for what?
“For your training. We leave today.”
