Page 14 of Wrath Of Suns And Shadows (The Osparia #2)

Chapter Eight

Kade

D espite the luxurious sheets and spacious bed in my grand room within the palace walls, I despised everything about this place. There wasn’t an ounce of comfort within these walls. Maybe for others, but not for me.

I rolled out of bed, running a hand through my messy black hair.

I made my way to the large, extravagant bathroom.

Doing a once-over in the mirror let me know I wasn’t getting any rest here.

I felt more at home on a warship in the middle of Draynua, surrounded by a crew of smelly men and sea beasts than I did in my childhood home.

I ran a hand over the marred part of my bare chest and then down my scarred arm.

The memories I had in this place were the furthest thing from what a child should have experienced in their home. I pushed them down.

I itched to get out of here and never return, but it had been weeks now and Valla still hadn’t moved.

She was attending all of Father’s luncheons and meetings like a good little princess, and I didn’t understand why she was staying within the palace walls, knowing the Peacebringer was still out there.

I had been monitoring the docks with no luck of any new ships leaving or returning.

I knew it was a pleasant reprieve for the men.

They weren’t all bad, like Seth and his disgusting friends, and I was sure they enjoyed the time home with their friends and family.

The thought of Seth made my knuckles go white.

My hands went hot with the flames wanting to burst out of my skin, but I held them back.

I calmed myself as my mind moved back to Valla. I didn’t understand her plan, but Valla wasn’t one to take breaks. Sitting and stirring on how her wicked mind worked only frustrated me further. I splashed cold water on my face and got dressed quickly.

I’d be meeting with Evereht for training, and then we’d head to the grand hall for breakfast to discuss what our next move would be.

I made long strides to get to the courtyard.

I walked through the extensive garden with an array of delicate flowers before I moved around the large pond littered with lily pads and small creatures that lived within it.

The otters were my personal favorite. One in particular always sauntered up to me whenever I ate lunch in the gardens to swipe some of my food.

He always thought he was being sneaky, but he didn’t do a very good job. The thought made me huff.

A ball of fire barely missed my face as I stumbled back and looked to see Rhet already in the small area we’d practiced at since we were boys.

It wasn’t a large practice ring, only ten large stepping stones wide both ways.

The perfect square. It especially helped us home in on our close combat skills.

If you looked close enough, you could see the stains of blood across the stones that the gardeners had desperately tried to wash away over the years.

“You’re late, brother. You’re the eldest. Shouldn’t you be setting the example?” he quipped with a wry grin, and I rolled my eyes.

“I’m not late. You’re five minutes early,” I defended.

“You’re late if I make it here before you,” he replied, wiping his brow with the rag he had sitting over his shoulder. I had a feeling he wasn’t getting much rest either.

“How long have you been here, Rhet?” I asked as I began unbuttoning my shirt, shaking it off quickly. I laid it over top of an arm of one of the two stone statues that sat on either side of the square fighting ring in the gardens. Both looked to be warriors preparing to battle in a dance of death.

“I’ve been here since before the sun, so a while,” he stated, his words breathy, before he took a long drink of water from his canteen.

I looked next to where he stood. He had discarded his shirt, and he had a few weapons lying there on the ground as if he had been practicing with all of them.

A set of twin swords I kept in my office on my ship lay there on the soft grass.

He knew they were my favorite. He must’ve grabbed them for me before coming out here to train this morning—or last night. Whenever the hell he had gotten here.

I picked up the twin swords and swung them methodically with both of my hands twisting and twirling them like I’d done for so many years effortlessly. They were like an extension of me now.

“It seems you’re not getting much sleep either, brother,” I said as he picked up a weapon of his own and prepared to lunge for me. “Is it this place keeping you up at night or thoughts of him?” I poked.

“Probably both.” He grunted out as he came for me.

I dodged his strikes one after the other before we both jerked back.

“And what’s plaguing your mind, brother?

Her? Or the dozens of other issues we need to deal with,” he prodded right back as he moved in for his next attack.

I parried and knocked him back with my blow.

“Her—always her.” I growled out as I knocked him off his feet and raised one of my blades to his throat at breakneck speed.

I lowered my blade and offered him my hand. He took it and stood as I tossed my blades to the grass, and he did the same as we moved on to bending.

“Any news?” I asked, getting into position.

He didn’t answer before he charged for me.

His arms blazed with fire. As I blocked, my fire seeped out of my skin.

I reveled in the warmth of it. I could only compare it to the sensation of when your body craved the heat of the sun on a summer day after being in the dark for too long.

I moved, making whips of fire slash at Rhet.

He did his best to dodge my attacks, but I heard him hiss in pain as one of my whips of flame sliced into his arm, searing into his skin.

His fae healing began the moment the fire left his flesh, and I watched as the wound slowly closed.

The damage we inflicted on each other was never enough to kill or cause extended harm.

Most of the time, anyway. We were brothers, after all.

“Nothing yet.” Rhet grunted out as he charged for me.

The flames vanished, and we began hand-to-hand combat.

His skills were impressive, but I dodged every blow he sent my way before slamming a fist into his chest, knocking him off his feet.

His breath rushed out of his body as he lay flat on his back, trying to teach himself how to breathe again.

I could tell he had been here most of the night.

He had exhausted himself before I’d even arrived.

Everhet was only a few years younger than I was, but he was just as rehearsed in battle as I was after everything I had taught him, but his lack of rest weighed him down today.

“Gotta be quicker than that, little brother,” I murmured, straightening.

Raging heat came from behind me, silent and hot.

The sensation almost made me feel cold, as if the attack carried the icy rage of its wielder.

I shifted quickly to block it, shooting the roaring flames in the other direction away from Rhet and me. It was enough fire to kill a man.

Valla stood there with a cocked brow that matched her hip.

“You’ve gotten better since we were children, brother.

That’s a shame,” she crooned, but I only steeled my expression while Rhet bared his teeth at her with a hiss.

He took a step in her direction, but I lifted my arm and stopped him.

Valla only looked bored with a twisted grin before she turned away with her royal advisor.

“See you both for breakfast,” she said with a wave of her hand as she walked away. A lion playing with its food.

What the fuck was she up to? I was done playing nice.

I didn’t want to be here anymore, but I couldn’t leave without knowing what her plans were.

She had done nothing within the weeks of us being here.

Her armies hadn’t moved; her ships hadn’t left Iron Isle Harbor.

I had watched her moves closely day after day but . . . nothing.

I grabbed a white towel and wiped it down my face before I gathered my shirt and put it back on.

Everhet did the same as we made haste to the dining hall.

Servers were coming and going, preparing the large royal table with fruits, flaky pastries, and other morning delicacies.

I walked in, letting the double doors swing open in my wake.

“Leave us,” I demanded, making the rushed steps falter a moment before their directions changed and all the servers quickly left the room. I didn’t say another word until the double doors clicked closed behind me. Rhet walked up to my side.

“Oh, to what do I owe the pleasure, dear brothers?” Valla asked, grabbing a large slice of fruit and taking a bite then sitting at the end of the long table where my father normally would. “Hmm, the fruit’s delicious. You should have some.” She sounded sweetly out of place.

“Enough.” My voice was loud, but controlled.

It echoed around the room. If she had wanted to get a reaction out of me, I wouldn’t give her one.

“Why are you still in Ember after Father’s command?

” I asked, smoothing over my features, but she couldn’t hide the slightest curve of a victorious grin on her lips.

I knew the look. It was so brief—so small of a difference—but she already felt she had won. Whatever it was.

“Oh, Kade. ” She spoke to me like a misbehaving child.

“My game pieces are already in motion, little brother. Are yours?” she asked with that wicked twinkle in her eye as she picked up the plate of food in front of her and stood.

My knuckles went white as she passed me without another word.

Her heels tapped against the floors while her gown chased her as she walked out of the dining hall.