Raining Light (Fate's Intent Book 5)

by Bowles, April

  Chapter 3

  Troy

  We traveled all that first day towards the crossroads and the silence among us lasted for most of it. No one seemed to want to say a word and I started to notice that Darius was quite displeased that Trever was with us. His eyes remained on him riding ahead with Aleksander, probably just to watch out for anything that might happen. He’d be ready.

  At sundown, we stopped for our first break and the first words were spoken in hours.

  “We’ll be stopping for just a little while.” Aleksander said. “Use it to water the horses and sleep if you wish but know it will not be a full night. If you think just a few hours will leave you even more weary then I suggest you stay awake but rest as we’ll all need it.”

  We started getting down off our horses but Zayden did with a sigh. “That’s great but my horse doesn’t need water. He needs his dignity back.”

  “Fuck yeah.” Darius agreed. “We’re far away enough, right? Adele!”

  She turned from speaking briefly with her father. “What?”

  “I think they’ve suffered long enough.” Zayden said.

  He held his horse still by patting his neck with long steady strokes and Adele approached. His horse became uneasy when she lifted her hand to him.

  “Shh. You’re getting it back. I promised.”

  He became calm again and Adele touched his nose. The once blackened hair on its body began to turn as white and flawless as the first winter’s snow and even under the shadows of the trees, the horse shone with its brilliance.

  He stomped his foot and held his head high while Zayden smiled and looked him over. “There you are, my prized perfection of beauty.”

  “Why aren’t we so surprised?” Trever walked over while Adele went to our horses to change them back. “You brought your own horses.”

  “Well, of course.” Zayden said. “Would you ride on anything inferior to your own?”

  “Personally, no but you must have already knew that. Roslyn and Rajet are breeds of their own virtue who have been handed down through many generations.”

  “Many?” I wondered. “They must be old.”

  “Old indeed.” He shared a glance with Kole and he walked right off, leaving the conversation completely open.

  “Okay.” Ruby muttered. “So, how exactly are we going to do this?”

  “Well, I don’t think we should sleep.” Adele said. “I know how cranky you can get with just a couple hours when it’s not in the middle of the day.” Ruby laughed quietly to herself with a quick look up at Darius. “So, we should try to stay up and just rest for the time. Unless anyone else feels differently about that?”

  Darius’s eyes glanced up at Trever talking with Aleksander a distance away. “No problems here. I wouldn’t even dream about letting myself fall asleep around them out here.”

  “I agree.” Zayden said. “Staying up and just resting seems like the best way to go if it’s only for a few hours.”

  “Okay, then we’ll do that.”

  Adele bounced up on her toes so she could kiss his cheek and we settled our horses for the short break by taking off their gear and letting them get the rest they needed as well. Adele made her usual circle of chairs around a fire pit and we sat close next to each other, just trying to enjoy the time after getting out of all of our armor to truly rest ourselves.

  “I so wish it were going to be longer.” Ruby groaned, leaning her head back on the back of her chair.

  “It will be eventually, I’m sure.” Jaylyn said. “There’s no way we could make the full trip without any sleep at all, right, Adele?” She didn’t answer and we waited for her to say something but she was just staring off into what seemed like nothing in front of her. “Adele!”

  “Huh?”

  “I said we’ll be stopping at some point during this trip to sleep, right?”

  “Of course. That would be foolish to go in there completely exhausted from traveling.”

  “See?” Jaylyn smiled, looking over at Ruby. “You’ll get your chance. Maybe tomorrow night.”

  “You all right?” Zayden turned to Adele, seeing her start to stare off again.

  “Yeah, just wondering what they’re doing.” I looked up and saw that she was in fact watching her father and Trever talk privately away through the trees.

  “Who knows?” Ruby said.

  “Kole!”

  He was walking by about ten feet away and turned to look at Adele after hearing her call. “What?”

  “Do you know what they’re doing?”

  He turned his head and looked at where she pointed with her eyes. “Talking?”

  “Obviously.” Jaylyn sighed. “She wants to know what about?”

  “Well, if I were to guess, they’re probably talking about when they should tell you about some prophecy thing that involves all of you and this road to peace but more so about what you should know before they can actually do that.”

  “That was pretty specific.” Ruby said.

  “Thought you wanted to know?”

  “Is any of that even true?” Jaylyn asked.

  Kole just smiled and started to turn. “You didn’t hear it from me.”

  “Hey, wait!” Adele stopped him by getting out of her chair with a voice seeming urgent.

  “What?”

  “Where’s Ryon?”

  Kole smiled as his eyes glanced around at the rest of us and he took a step towards her. “Why do all of your bad ideas involve him, at least lately?”

  “I just wanted to know where he is.”

  “Don’t worry. He’s scouting the perimeter to make sure we’re not being followed by anyone or anything and don’t count on him joining you anyway. He doesn’t want to be here.”

  “Then why is he?”

  “We thought he’d make it fun for us but he’s thinking too much instead.”

  “About what?”

  “About what’s happening. He knows that once you get to the city—you’re not coming out.”

  “You underestimate our survival abilities, I think, Kole.”

  “That’s not what I mean. You will be staying there—with Zayden. He knows that and it’s already killed him.”

  We sat in silence, looking around at each other but Adele looked through the trees instead of at us. “Where is he?”

  “Just a quarter mile north. If you intend to go after him, know it’s at your own risk. I cannot protect you from him.”

  “Why?”

  His eyes shifted north. “He’s grown too powerful.”

  “From what?” Ruby asked.

  “Something terrible. It wouldn’t be a good idea.”

  “I don’t care what you say. I’m going.”

  “Fine but at least try and accomplish something and make him fun for me, okay?”

  Adele rolled her eyes as she started walking away.

  “Love, wait!” Zayden leaned forward in his chair, ready to go after her.

  Adele continued on without a glance back and Kole stepped in the way with his hand out so Zayden couldn’t continue. “No. Let her go.” Adele was out of sight quickly and Zayden started to sit back but the look on his face was obvious that he didn’t want to. “This falls under the ‘you can’t tell Adele anything’ rule. She doesn’t tolerate being controlled and whether you want to believe it, whether she even wants to admit it to herself, she loves him.”

  I couldn’t believe he just said that. It wasn’t going to make Zayden feel any better about them being alone.

  “How do you know?” Jaylyn asked.

  “Not obvious? Explain why she cares so much. You’re going to have her forever, Zayden. He did that for you so the least you could do is let him have her for five fucking minutes.”

  “That depends on how you mean.”

  “It shouldn’t matter. That will be her choice and you’re going to let her make it.”

  Kole turned towards the horses before anything else could be said and Zayden had his eyes on his back. He didn’t like t
he idea of it for sure but I could only wonder if Kole was right. Did Adele really love him? Is that why she always cared about how he was handling the situation?

  My questions were probably running through Zayden’s mind too while he moved is eyes out towards the trees where Adele vanished within them.

  The moment I thought about following with my vision, I looked at Zayden. He was looking right at me and I think he was thinking about asking me.

  “Are you sure?” I was curious to know if I should even attempt to use my gift or just let her be.

  “No. Forget it. Like he said, it’s her choice. I don’t even want to know.”

  I hoped that was true because I didn’t watch. It would have been harder to have to explain if I saw anything.

  Chapter 4

  Adele

  I traced through the trees, making just the slightest sound on the forest floor from my feet as I looked for Ryon. I couldn’t see him anywhere and visibility was getting low due to the setting sun. The sounds trickled to nothing from the campfire and I knew I was getting far away. My eyes moved around for any movement, keeping myself aware at all times.

  “Adele?”

  I jumped to the sound of Ryon’s wonderment voice and turned to my right to see him. “Oh, Ryon, you scared me.”

  “What are you doing out here? It’s dangerous alone.”

  “But I’m not alone.”

  He turned from me and started walking from the way he came. “Go back. You should be using this time to rest, not out here, getting yourself hurt.”

  “Wait!” I hopped over a fallen tree and jogged just slightly to catch back up with him but had to walk at his side when he wasn’t stopping. “I just wanted to find you. Are you okay?”

  He sighed and kept his eyes down on the ground like he was watching his step. “Don’t worry about me, all right? Just go back.”

  “Ryon!” I stopped by taking his arm and turning him so he would look at me. “I’m trying to talk to you!”

  “Why? You shouldn’t.”

  “Don’t do this again.”

  “What exactly are you trying to prove?”

  “Nothing. I just—you haven’t been by since I woke up and then you haven’t said a word to me all day. Did I do something wrong?”

  He let out another sigh as he lowered himself down onto a rock with his eyes trying to stay off mine. “No. You haven’t done anything. It’s just me. It’s what I did.”

  “What do you mean?” I was a little worried and kneeled down in front of him.

  He still avoided my eyes but his voice was clearly filling with emotion when he spoke. “I messed up and some things just can’t be changed. I shouldn’t even be here.”

  “I know you didn’t want to come but—”

  “No!” He was getting somewhat frustrated and lifted his head. “This isn’t about that! I lost you, Adele and I couldn’t take it! I mean, you almost died! That was hard enough but then—”

  “But I didn’t. I’m right here.”

  “I know.” His voice seemed calmer but he didn’t look away from my eyes. “But I can never have you again the way I want. I lost that. That’s something else I can never get back.”

  “Are we going to do this again?”

  “No.” He looked away. “I don’t want to make you feel bad about your choice. I know you’re with Zayden and I know he’s your future. I wouldn’t want to do anything to take that happiness away from you.” He was so sweet. I slid my hand up his thigh and my lips found their way to his but it startled him and he backed away quickly. “Adele! What are you doing?!”

  “Isn’t this what you wanted?”

  “Haven’t you been listening at all?” He sprung to his feet and his frustration was just hard for me to understand. “We’ve had our time, remember? This can’t be anymore.”

  “Ryon, I know you want—”

  “Yes, I do! I think about it all the time! That’s when everything went wrong! That’s when I couldn’t stand to watch you grow distant and I regret our last time together!”

  “You regret it?”

  “Only because I didn’t make it special in the way that I would have hoped for it being my last time with you. It was just before you left and you wanted it quick because you had to go. I didn’t get the chance to say good-bye properly and you didn’t even give me that when you got back.”

  He was right, wasn’t he? I stepped in closer to him and gently touched his chest with my fingertips. “Because I don’t want you to say good-bye.”

  “You don’t know how hard I want that to be true but we’ll have to sometime.”

  “Not now.” My hand slid up his chest to his neck and I cuffed the back of it, lightly pulling his head down to me so he would listen and feel what I felt. “Not yet. Not before you show me.”

  “Show you what?”

  “How you would have done it.”

  He was looking into my eyes deeply and I thought he was going to let it happen but I was greeted with a cold rejection. “Adele, we can’t. You don’t know what you’re asking of me.”

  “I’m asking you to love me.”

  He turned away. “Don’t do this. What would Zayden think if he knew what you were offering me?”

  “Don’t worry about what Zayden thinks. He knows he’s going to get me if and when everything works out with his father, just like you do but that doesn’t mean I’m not free to make my own choices until then and I’m choosing this, right now. Ryon—” I hesitated my next words while I looked at the tenseness in his back but they still came out clear and without a doubt. “I love you. I really do.”

  There was a long pause before he even moved. I didn’t want to say anything until he did and I kept my eyes on him as he slowly turned just his head to the side like he was going to look at me but never did. “You’re too late. There’s nothing I can give you now to satisfy your insatiable need to keep me around. It’s pointless.”

  “I won’t make it pointless. I said I still wanted you a part of my life and I meant it.”

  “Just as friends but that life is over for me now. I can’t even have that.”

  “Ryon, look at me.” He paused but eventually gave in to my demand and turned his body so he could see straight into my eyes. “Don’t make me take this from you. I want what I want and I want it now.”

  A slow smile started to appear on his face and he never strayed his eyes from mine. “You’ve always been so persistent and I’ve always loved it but I don’t think you’re thinking clearly.”

  “I just want you to be you again. Fun and a pleasant company, not so distant like you’re making yourself.”

  “That would be doable without this but I’ve got to tell you, it won’t be easy. The closer we get there, the worse it gets and we’re not even a full days out yet.”

  “I know but we can get through it. If it has to be together then fine. It will be.”

  “Zayden won’t share you and especially not in the way you were just hoping for.”

  “But he’ll let me make my choices. He knows I care about you and there’s nothing he can do about that. So, will you at least come back with me? Nothing is out here to get us.”

  He took a step closer and touched the side of my face with the back of his hand. “If that’s what you want.”

  “It’s a start. Just don’t turn away from me again.” I put my hand over his, touching my face and squeezed his fingers with mine.

  It was reminding me of how we used to be. It seemed at times I almost forgot how beautiful he was. His sky blue eyes watched me while mine watched him and I stepped in a little closer.

  “I want you to.” I moved his hand down my mostly exposed body to my waist and let him clutch my bare back. He took a slow breath and had to swallow. Maybe he was being nervous or he was thinking I was right but he’s the one that leaned towards me this time.

  The moment he even moved the slightest, proving that he wasn’t going to turn away, I moved in even quicker and our lips found each other
’s again. I wanted to let it last as long as it could but it seemed he still felt differently. “Adele.”

  “Hmm?”

  “You should get back.” He pulled back so I couldn’t kiss him anymore. “I don’t want things to go too far. I know you’re with Zayden and he wouldn’t like it.”

  “You don’t want to then?”

  “I know we shouldn’t. I’m trying to do what’s right for you. Would you just let me?”

  “Well, are you going to come back with me?”

  “And do what?”

  “Kole hoped that I could make you fun again.”

  He laughed. “Yeah. I bet he did.”

  “Come on. Just amuse him, would you?”

  “Sure. As long as you don’t mind having everything like it used to be.”

  “How do you mean?”

  “You know, smart ass comments, rude and childish behavior. The usual stuff with Kole. I won’t let up a bit.”

  I smiled and hooked my arm through his. “As long as you’re happy, I’ll be—well, I’ll manage to tolerate it.”

  He smiled back and we started walking back south in the direction of the campsite. “Come on, Rift.”

  The little white wolf pup jumped over a log and started to follow.

  “How long have you had him?”

  “Since the night you got back from your mission.”

  “Is that why you went running off?”

  “Yeah. He’s the only survivor. I’ve tried to get him into another pack but the males have a problem with that. I don’t want them to kill him so he’s officially a pet, I guess.”

  “He likes you. That should be a good thing.”

  He was quiet for a moment. “Yeah. He likes Zayden too.”

  “Does he?”

  “Must be the animal in him or something because he started out being very cautious about humans but not with him.”

  All I could think about was that vision of Seth and the white wolf. It was this one, it had to be if Ryon was saying he was a pet. He’d never survive on his own. It was almost a hope now.

  The campfire was getting close. I could see the glow of the flames through the brush and Ryon casually pulled his arm out of mine.