Page 20 of Realms of Shadow and Sun (A World of Sun and Shadow #3)

Selenia walked through the bustling market, completely surprised by the stark contrast from the day before.

Vendors lined every side of the street, peddling food and wares.

The entire marketplace was cloaked in a rich and spicy aroma, warm and comforting to her nose.

She passed the same stores she saw on her way in, but this time she could see fae inside, bartering and bickering, laughing and talking.

Selenia couldn't believe all of this was hidden by a blanket of magic.

Even the palace was inhabited, with maids and guards stationed at every post.

Her eyes caught on the dress store she admired from the street before, and she hesitated only a second before pushing the door open and walking inside.

Silk and muslin, cotton and brocades lined the shelves, with mannequins every few feet, draped in beautiful gowns.

"Can I help you?"

A sweet-sounding voice piped up from behind a counter. The girl was around Selenia's age, maybe a bit younger, and an intricate braid trailed to her waist.

"These gowns are exquisite,"

Selenia complimented, her fingers running over the lace trim on the green silk dress on the mannequin nearest to her. "Do you make them?"

The girl blushed and ducked her head. "I help with the trim work. My mother is the real seamstress. Are you looking for anything in particular?"

"I need a new hat."

The desert was harsh, and Selenia's nose was pink from the sun. She hoped a hat would help protect her better.

The girl nodded and led her over to a small display of hats. Selenia grabbed the first one she saw, a large-brimmed bonnet with a bow on the side. It wasn't what she usually preferred, but it should offer protection for her pale skin. The shop attendant grabbed the hat and boxed it up for Selenia while she rummaged through her pockets for some silver.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"No, that's everything..."

Selenia trailed off, her eye catching on a dress in the very back of the shop.

The gown was ivory white, with tiny peach-colored rosettes forming a strap up one shoulder. It had a sweetheart neckline with tiny pink gems outlining the bust. Embroidered flowers, in light pinks and various hues of pale orange cascaded down the bodice, leading to a set of full skirts. Selenia could just make out a peach petticoat underneath the dress.

She walked over to the mannequin, unable to take her eyes off of such a magnificent piece of craftsmanship. She lightly traced the tiny silk flowers at the waist, amazed at how intricate the sewing was.

The girl came over and stood next to Selenia. "It's one of a kind. A Sun Realm wedding dress. Are you getting married soon?"

Selenia inspected the full skirts before answering. "No. But I know someone who is."

"I want to help."

Selenia pushed out her lower lip and looked at her brother defiantly.

"No, Selenia. Not this time. Cyrus, Phillippe and I will rescue Renya. You and Sion will leave for the Snow Lands in the morning."

"But—"

"No buts,"

Grayden said sternly, pushing around the food on his plate with irritation.

"Selenia, I agree with Grayden. The Shadow Queen will be absolutely furious when we retrieve Renya. She'll attack us however she can, using whatever she can. I need you safe at the Snow Lands, far away from here."

Phillippe looked at Selenia, pleading. "Please understand."

Selenia grumbled and continued eating. She stabbed a piece of chicken with her fork a bit too roughly, and her plate slid a bit against the golden tablecloth.

Dinner at the Sun Realm was a lengthy event. Course after course came out, and Selenia had trouble staying interested in food that long. Maybe dessert, but definitely not all the dishes that came out of the kitchens.

"Do we have everything planned out?"

Phillippe asked, downing an entire glass of wine in one sip. Selenia knew her eldest brother could handle his drink well. Unlike Grayden, he spent much of his time in the winter encampment, drinking with his men well into the early hours of the morning.

"I think so,"

Grayden said, hardly touching his food. Selenia knew he must be nervous, now that the moment he had been waiting for was almost here. The last month was excruciating for him. Well, for all of them, Selenia thought. Grayden without Renya was an absolute pain in the ass. He was short-tempered, incredibly quick to yell, and grumpy all of the time. Selenia was glad they would be rescuing Renya in just a few days' time. Any longer, and Selenia would have gone herself just to save them all from the annoyance of her brother's mood swings.

"Cyrus will use his magic to transport Phillippe and I to Renya's room in the castle. Cressida has magic protecting her entire castle, but Cyrus said he can break it."

Cyrus bobbed his head in agreement. "Her magic leaves a trace, and since I am familiar with it, I can undo it."

Grayden continued. "Once we have her, we'll head to the Spring Lands at the border. They are expecting us, and will provide us shelter. Then, we will all head back to the Snow Lands and Cyrus will perform the protective magic on the lodge. Once that's done, he and Sion will go back through the portal to try and locate Agatha. The rest of us will continue to plan and train."

"Why do I have to leave tonight then?"

Selenia whined a bit, not eager to start the journey back.

"Because you need to take the horses back, and I don't want you or Sion anywhere near Cressida. Once she finds out the blood promises are broken, she will kill Sion on sight and use you as bait. Now, finish your dinner and go get ready."

Selenia slammed her fork down in annoyance. "Stop bossing me around,"

she threatened, storming out of the dining room. Before she reached the door, she decided to backhand Grayden on the back of his head. He jerked forward, but made no other response. Satisfied, Selenia left the room and made her way up the long staircase into the guest wing of the palace. Unlike the tower that contained Renya's room, the rest of the castle was in immaculate shape. Everything was dusted and polished, clean and orderly.

Selenia found her room and closed the door tightly. She didn't fear retaliation from Grayden; she knew she hadn't hit him hard enough to cause any sort of significant pain, but she wanted to be left alone with her thoughts.

It annoyed her to no end that Grayden thought he was responsible for her in all things. She was nineteen now, and fully capable of caring for herself and making her own decisions.

She collapsed on the soft bed, feeling the mattress sink down a bit with her weight. She stared up at the ceiling, and like most nights, she thought of Jurel. The days kept her busy enough that she didn't dwell on it all the time like she did at the Twilight Kingdom, but the nights were harder. Quietly tucked away, she remembered the look on his face, the one that haunted her dreams. His mouth slightly agape as his life's essence pooled behind his back. Selenia could still smell the blood, and sometimes it was so thick in her dreams that it choked her, and she woke up breathing hard, trying to pull air into her greedy lungs. If only there was a way to forget about him. A way to break the spell he had over her.

A knock on the door pulled her away from her thoughts. She opened the door, expecting to see Grayden. Instead, Phillippe stood there, bulky as ever, with a concerned look on his face.

"What do you want?"

she said, a bit harsher than she meant to.

"Selenia, I just wanted to let you know that Grayden and I care about you deeply. We couldn't bear to see anything happen to you. We've already lost our parents, we can't lose each other too."

Selenia's face reddened slightly with shame and embarrassment. She knew her brothers considered themselves to be her caretakers. While they were overbearing at times, Selenia knew they had her best interests at heart.

She sighed deeply, wanting to collapse onto the bed and put this day behind her. "I understand. Tell Grayden I'm packing and I'll be ready to go in a couple of hours."

Phillippe nodded and shut the door behind him. She could hear his boots thump against the stone floor as he stomped back to his room.

She glanced at the small traveling trunk she brought with her. She left most of her things at the Twilight Kingdom with Julietta, knowing that they'd be traveling light to the Sun Realm. It didn't take her long to toss in the few clothes she brought with her. She had tucked in her cloak and gloves, knowing she'd need them once they crossed into the Snow Lands. Finally, she carefully placed Renya's wedding dress inside the trunk. As soon as she was finished, she dressed in the lightest gown she could find, and headed downstairs, lugging the trunk behind her.

She found Grayden in the entrance hall, looking into the fountain absentmindedly. He didn't even see her approach.

"Are you okay, Grayden? I'm sorry I hit you."

He looked up at her, and Selenia could see the heaviness in his eyes.

"I'm just...eager to get going. The closer I get to getting her back, the more nervous I get. I've also...been feeling her more."

"That's great, Grayden!"

But the look on his face was not one of happiness. "What is it?"

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "She's...happy, at times. I'm not sure why or how, but there hasn't been as much sadness coming through. And a few nights ago, I woke up and I could feel her..."

he trailed off and looked down, embarrassed.

Selenia understood his meaning, and while she wasn't exactly sure what transpired, she imagined that the physical loss of Renya was taking its toll on him.

"Do you want her to be miserable, Grayden?"

He looked at Selenia, struggling to vocalize his complex emotions. "No, of course not. But, Selenia...what if she wants to stay?"

"Stay? Grayden, of course she won't want to stay."

"Her mother...it's her family. She's always envied us for our family, and now she has one."

"You're right, Grayden. She does have a family. But it's us. You, me and Phillippe. We are Renya's family. She's just there, playing a role. As soon as she sees you, she'll run into your arms and it'll be like you've never been apart."

Grayden looked at her, emotion right underneath the surface. His eyes softened. "You're right, Selenia. I'm just being crazy..."

"No argument there."

She playfully slugged him, and he chuckled.

"Do you have everything you need?"

Selenia patted her trunk. "Yes. I also wrote to Julietta to ask her to send the rest of our things home to the lodge. I included Renya's as well."

"That was thoughtful of you, dear one."

They both turned as they heard someone approaching from the other side of the room. Sion strode towards them, no longer in the flowing garb he arrived in. Instead, he was wearing loose-fitting pants and a shirt that was completely opened, but tied together with a cord of lace.

"Looking good there, Sion,"

Grayden teased.

"Cyrus gave me these. They are traditional Sun Realm clothing."

"I don't think I've ever...seen so much of you,"

Grayden continued, enjoying roasting his friend a bit.

Sion ignored him, and looked at Selenia. "Are you going to be comfortable in that?"

He gestured to Selenia's riding outfit, which consisted of a thick, long skirt and a silk top, buttoned all the way up the neck. Selenia loved the way that the hunter-green color complimented her hair, but agreed that it wasn't ideal.

"It's all I have,"

she said, pulling out the sun hat she purchased. "But I'll be fine."

Without another word, Sion headed out the door to the stables, where they had moved their horses.

Grayden looked down at Selenia. "Phillippe wanted to say goodbye, but he's with Cyrus in the armory, gathering up whatever weapons we'll need. I think goodbyes are hard for him too, but he won't admit it."

Selenia wrapped her arms around Grayden. "Goodbye, Brother. And good luck. Renya will be back where she belongs before you know it."

As she pulled away, she saw a mix of determination and vulnerability in Grayden's eyes. "Be safe, Selenia. And...thank you. For everything."

Selenia nodded, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. She picked up her trunk and walked towards the stables, her heart heavy with the weight of leaving her brothers behind but hopeful for what lay ahead. As she mounted her horse, she cast one last glance at the Sun Realm palace, silently praying for the success of their mission and the safe return of Renya.