He is heir to the throne... And she is the broken rule he must erase...
***
In the Kingdom of Vakythia, power cleaves the populace into two distinct classes: the Blessed, wielding gifts granted by the Ember, and the ordinary citizens, devoid of such...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Arwyn, seriously, what the Heavens were you thinking?" Leigh's voice reached me as she wrung out a rag in the compact kitchen.
I stumbled home, worn out and battered, and Leigh wasted no time bombarding me with questions and scolding remarks. I was exhausted from hearing her lectures about the disastrous idea of dealing with Pete. All I wanted was to collapse and tend to these cuts.
She strolled over, bowl of water and fresh rag in hand. The chair in the corner protested loudly as she dragged it over, settling down with a purpose. Her golden hair, secured by one of her simple knitted bands, framed her face. Leigh didn't own a ton of hair accessories, but the few she had did little to diminish her natural beauty.
In the cozy corner of our small apartment, Lilith played with dolls crafted by Leigh from our old clothes.
Leigh muttered to herself, "Stay away from that Pete, but you never listen. Nope, not at all." It was adorable how much she cared, and I couldn't help but smile.
"For the hundredth time, I'm fine." I pressed the bowl between my palms, set it in front of me, dipped my hand, and waited for the power that always surfaced when I willed it.
"Lilith, close that window!" Leigh snapped at her younger sister, crowned with golden hair and sporting ocean-blue eyes. Over the rolling years, these sisters had become everything to me. Obediently, Lilith dropped the curtain and joined us, her little hand in Leigh's own.
"Is Arwyn going to shimmer-shine?" Her tiny voice chirped.
"Wanna witness the glow glow?" I echoed her with a gentle grin, and she enthusiastically nodded.
"Do it quickly before someone spots you, or you'll be joining the Embers," a concerned frown creased Leigh's forehead. She could be quite motherly, but I understood – she'd been looking after Lilith and me for a long time, even Kale whenever he was home.
"Is Arwyn leaving?" Lilith's eyes blinked at me.
"Never, Goldy," I reassured, pouting before wiggling my hand in the water a couple of times, turning it a brilliant blue that outshone Leigh's eyes. Lilith's mouth formed an O shape as she stared in awe, even though she's seen this a dozen times before.
After feeling enough of myself merge with the water, I pulled my hand out and pressed it to my side. The cut. I cursed a little as a slight tinge ran through me.
Leigh clutched Lilith's hand tightly. "You'll vanish if you keep dealing with Pete," her eyes locked onto mine as a mysterious light emanated from my side. I withdrew my hand, and the cut had disappeared – no blood, no wound. My skin had mended itself as if the incident never occurred.
"Pete pays me well. It's how we survive in this house." With the process complete, I carried the bowl, lifted the curtains, and tossed the water into the street, where it mingled with muddy puddles on the cobblestones.
