Page 66 of Grounded (Convergence #1)

Liria barely slept that night. Every little sound woke her. Thax slept like the dead. Probably not the best analogy. Especially since Liria had wanted to murder him when he had woken up well-rested, cock hard, and reached for her.

“I need a shower.” Liria pushed him away.

“Liri, what's wrong?” Thax pulled her in against his chest and nestled into her hair. “Why are you upset with me?”

“I'm not,” she lied. “I just didn't sleep well.”

“Lie back.” He eased her onto the pillow. “You've taken care of me for months. Let me take care of you. Close your eyes.”

“I don't want to have sex, Thax.”

Thax chuckled. “Close your eyes, Liri. I'm going to watch over you while you sleep. Then you won't have to worry. I promise I'll be diligent.”

Liria closed her eyes.

Thax stroked her hair back from her face and then lightly massaged her temples as he hummed.

Repetitive and tender, his motions were soothing, and then his humming turned into a love song.

Something about a woman taking him higher than his wings could carry him.

The exhaustion weighing on Liria pushed down harder as fear released its claws.

Liria turned toward Thax, and his hand went to her back to rub her there in lazy circles.

The song continued, softening. Growing more and more quiet until it was merely a whisper in her mind.

Probably because she was asleep. The transition was so smooth that Liria thought she was still awake.

But then she was suddenly out of bed. Still in Thax's arms, but flying.

Above them was the massive collective of floating islands known as Icara City.

The converged engines formed conical supports beneath, tips pointed down.

Shining and churning with the converged power of magic and technology, the city's supports were beautiful on their own, lovely to look up at.

Even the bottoms of the bridges that connected the neighborhoods shone with golden metal designs.

There was no city ward tower to activate in case of an attack.

Instead, the air around Icara was guarded by several towers manned by Aethari warriors.

Those warriors hadn't stopped Thaxvarien Rennux. He and his destra had been invited to Icara.

Coming to the city level, Liria finally got her first good look at an Aethari city. From the ground, very little could be seen beyond a few gleaming walls and the tops of towers. Up here, she saw it all.

The architecture throughout the whole of the city was traditional.

No modern designs allowed. Liria had to admit there was beauty in that harmony.

And that was only the start. Traditional Aethari architecture meant crystal domes to let in the light, white marble columns supporting elaborate arches, and gold everywhere.

Upper levels were open to let the clouds drift through, their ceilings supported by clear crystal pillars full of sparkling light.

Floors weren't ignored either, with shimmering rivers of cerulean stone inlaid with crystals to mimic the night sky.

In some homes, the rivers were real, flowing around delicate, low-backed furniture.

Colors popped against the pale background, especially the multitude of plants that grew from trenches in the wall, curling down columns, and massive planters on the floor.

The streets were just as stunning, from the pristine roads of rough marble slabs to the trees that grew in golden floating planters chained to the sidewalks.

Fountains gushed their purified water into the air to fall upon delicate statues of Aethari women and warriors before collecting in rose quartz pools.

Everything was adorned, from the low railings of bridges and balconies to the golden frames supporting the crystal roofs.

Liria could hardly believe she was approaching Icara.

Thax had been right—the Aethari wanted to meet with him.

They wanted to see his power and test his voice.

Whatever that meant. As he brought them to a golden dock that jutted out into the air, Liria saw the Speaker of Icara stride forward, arms outstretched toward his son. He was smiling.

Until he wasn't.

Blood seeped from the Speaker's lips as his smile faded. Lady Elanianvia screamed and caught her husband as he fell forward. His back was blackened by a pulser hit; the hole in his flesh cauterized by the burning energy. Thax cried out, but Liria went into soldier-mode and scanned the crowd.

“There!” Liria pointed at a man weaving through the crowd, heading away from the dock.

Several Aethari ran after the man, but many more cut the pursuers off, sliding in from both sides.

It was a coup. Aethari turned on Aethari.

Blood sprayed. Flesh blackened. Bodies fell over the edge and plummeted to the ground, piercing the clouds as they went.

Elanianvia was still screaming. Thax landed beside his father, looked down into the Speaker's unseeing eyes, and then lifted his head.

Thaxvarien's roar shook the sky. Lightning arced down and struck the man who had killed Thax's father.

His scream was brief. His life was gone in an instant.

And then Thax stood up. Aethari drew back from the glow in his eyes.

Just his eyes. His skin did not shine. And yet, Liria knew he was about to speak.

“Thax!” Liria shouted.

Thax stepped past her and his mother. With them behind him, he extended his arms. And then, Thaxvarien, the new Speaker of Icara, decimated the revolution before it began.

Liria came awake screaming.

“Liri!” Thax rushed over to her from where he'd been sitting in an armchair near the loft's railing. “It's all right. It was just a dream.” He crawled onto the bed beside her and pulled her into his arms. “You're all right. You're safe.”

“Thax,” she whispered and searched his face. “A dream. It was just a dream.”

“Yes.”

“It felt so real.”

He stroked her cheek and settled against the headboard with her on his chest. “This is real. Go back to sleep, destra.”

“No. No, I can't.” Liria sat up. Staring ahead, she didn't see the spectacular ocean view through the wall of windows on the lower floor.

All she saw was Icara, its pale streets streaked red.

But something more than the horror of the dream was bothering her.

It was Thax. It felt more like a warning than a nightmare.

“Thax, I think we need to talk to your father.”

“I'll vid him soon.” Thax kissed her temple. “Don't worry, Liri. I know I scared you with my plans. But things like that take time. I'm not rushing up to Icara any day soon.”

“Oh. All right.” But as she snuggled in against him, she heard his mother screaming, saw his father's dead eyes, and smelled burning flesh. No, that was not a dream. It was a premonition. And Liria would heed it.