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jillatwater · 3 years

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The Queen of Souls CHAPTER 1

I’ve been here before. The feeling of the wet earth beneath my bare feet, the mist against my face, the silk of my nightgown brushing my skin as I ran. I ran until I couldn’t run any longer until my thoughts were no longer there and until the tears no longer came.

I’ve been here before.

And my parents were dead.

“Reina, Reina! Wake up”

The sound of Nadia's voice was in the distance, my eyes opened and I woke up drowning in a pool of my own sweat. Nadia was hovering above me, her eyes wide and looking at me with concern and fear. I followed her gaze and looked to where her eyes met my hand. The mark. The mark of vines that tattooed my left palm was glowing. “Well, this is new''. I got out of bed and began undressing as I made my way to the bath. Nadia stood there looking at me, speechless as if I had not just witnessed the same thing she did. We are mortals, mortals don’t have glowy skin, this was something I should be freaking out about. But not me. Not right now. I couldn’t allow myself to freak out, because if I freaked out about this then the wall I have worked so hard on building around myself would come crumbling down. I couldn’t let that happen. So I bathed.

Eleven years ago today my parents died. I was only seven. I remember it so vividly. It was my birthday, we were sitting on the floor opening gifts. My father handed me a necklace with a single ivory charm. The charm was simple, a tree carved in the center. It was everything.

"You are my life Reina, don't ever forget it. Let this necklace be a reminder of everything you are to your mother and me, you are our life." Those were my father’s last words before the screams started before they begged me to run, before everything changed. I’ve had that mark tattooed on my skin since that night.

I got out of the bath and started getting dressed. Nadia was sitting on the edge of my bed waiting for me, her facial expression not much different than what it was moments ago. Nadia was my best friend, she found me in the field I ran to the night my parents were killed. Her parents took me in and we have been in each other’s lives ever since.

“ Are we not going to talk about what all of that was?”

“ Look Nadia, I really don’t want to talk about it.”

“What the hell Reina, your palm was glowing. Are we just going to pretend that this is normal? After everything that happened...” Nadia’s voice trailed off, she didn’t finish what she was saying because she knew where this was going already. She’s known me all my life. She knew how stubborn I was, if I didn’t want to talk then I simply wouldn’t.

“As much as I love that you care, just drop it.”

“Fine. only because it’s your birthday, and because we are going to be late.”

I knew she wouldn’t drop it, but for today she would, and I needed today. A distraction from everything else.

❖

Every year on the twenty-second of September the town held an autumn festival to welcome the season. It was my favorite time of year and just so happened to fall on my birthday. The festival was full of vendors from the market, games, and music. Nadia and I loved going together. This is an event that everyone in Asavar attended. The one day a year where people let their guard down, the castles and gardens were empty, and the markets closed in preparation for the events to follow.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror. My gown was the color of the midnight sky, a stark contrast to my pale skin. The fabric hugged my curves which were fuller than most women my age, the neckline dipped just above my breasts which was more skin than I was usually comfortable with, but today was special. My dark hair, like waves of chocolate with strands of gold, fell just at my shoulders. My eyes were the most different of all, my right eye was the color of winter, an icy silver, while the other was like a pot of honey, a golden brown like my mother's. I hated my eyes. My mother used to say it was a gift from the gods which made me the most special of them all, but it was a lie and I was a freak. It made me the center of attention each time I walked into a room, I despised every moment. But it was a part of who I was and for that, I learned to love them.

Nadia waited for me downstairs, she looked stunning in her emerald gown that flattered her slender and petite figure perfectly. Her golden locks were long and flowy and framed her face beautifully. Her deep teal eyes were the color of the sea and her warm skin was the sand.

“Ready to go?” Nadia spoke eagerly, she loved the autumn festival and wanted to revel in every moment of it, as did I. Our guard stood beside her, he looked like a giant next to her. Ezra was dressed in the typical Asavar uniform, his knives and daggers sheathed in his belt. His dark curls fell above his brows and his golden eyes were a pool of warmth.

“Good evening, Ezra”

“Hello, Lady Reina. I will be escorting you and Lady Nadia to the festival tonight, shall we?”

“We shall.”

We stepped outside and made our way across the courtyard and out into the main road which led to every part of Asavar. The gate to Asavar was heavily guarded tonight, more than it usually is. The gate separated our world from Amaranthius which was a world infested with beasts and creatures from one’s nightmares. Creatures and beasts that killed my parents that night 11 years ago. Our former Queen Anabelle had created the gate a century ago to keep them out and away from our people on which they prey. The beasts terrorize our people and deserve to stay behind the gates for eternity. I felt the rage starting to boil inside of me, the thoughts of my dead parents and that night and everything after started to flood. I closed my eyes tightly and tried to push the thoughts back, I was not going to let this ruin my favorite night of the year. I looked at my best friend and held her hand tight and felt my rage subside.

We arrived at the festival and suddenly my body felt light and a smile crept on my face. Hundreds of lanterns lit the way, vendors at every corner and people scattered throughout full of cheer and ale. Tonight was about celebration and distraction. Ezra kept his pace not too far behind Nadia and me. We explored and drank until the giggles practically poured out of our mouths. I was happy. It was perfect. Was. I stood still, I could feel the blood leave my face making my already pale skin even paler. Nadia turned to face me.

“Are you okay?”

A few seconds passed before I spoke, noticeable enough that Nadia repeated her question. “Yea.. I’m fine, just too much to drink.”

I was not okay. The voice in my head appeared again, a voice that did not belong to me.

“Find me”

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