Palace of Moonlight

by Payton Taylor

  Nobody laughed except Jo. The same bloodied grin on her face.

  Sunny felt an arm come around her shoulder. "Are you okay?" Gordo asked.

  "Of course I am," she said and everyone started.

  Again, everyone except Jo.

  "She's talking to the ghost again," Westin said, still standing so close to her that their arms touched.

  She thought back to the situation that had happened minutes ago. She felt Westin's fear. Fear for her. Felt his urgency when he had pulled her back from the deep pit of rage she'd gotten lost in.

  After everything she'd put him through. . . He still cared. He still didn't want harm to come to her.

  Cool relief settled in her stomach, and Westin tensed. He moved, putting some distance between them.

  She tried not to let her disappointment show, but she knew Westin felt it. Just like she felt his guilt and confusion and anger every time she was near him.

  Gordo started checking over Sunny and Jo for cuts and bruises. When he lifted a piece of hair to inspect a spec of blood, Sunny saw Westin wrinkle his nose.

  She smiled at everyone. "Gordo is somewhat of a mother hen," she said in way of explanation. "He's making sure I'm not injured too badly."

  "Aw, I really am like your mother, huh?" "Please, Gordo, if anything I'm your mother." "Damn kids," Daiya said, "If anything, I'm the mother, heh. Now go clean up. Scrub 'hind them ears and in between your toes and eat your greens."

  Sunny grinned, "Wittle Sunny has had a long hard day. Will mother Daiya pweeze carry me to da bathy?"

  "Am I the only one weirded out by this?" Leo asked. "No," echoed the group.

  Sunny rolled her eyes.

  "Who, exactly, is Gordo?" Westin asked, distrust written all over his face, and also sadness. Sadness at seeing her so clearly talking with Daiya and Sunny cursed herself for hurting him once more.

  "Can we trust him?"

  "Oh, Wessy boy," Daiya butted in, "You're just a jealous ole fool, heh."

  Jo snorted while Sunny looked on blankly, though she felt a sliver of satisfaction.

  "What?" Westin said.

  Sunny shook her head, "Nothing," then, she continued, "Gordo is one of my best friends."

  At this declaration, Gordo teared up and let out a soft aww.

  "I trust him one hundred percent. He has helped Jo and me more times than we can count. If it weren't for him, Jo and I wouldn't have been able to defend ourselves like we just did."

  "He taught you how to fight like that?" Westin asked, trying to keep his voice neutral and failing.

  Jo threw her head back, laughing. "HEY!" Gordo yelled.

  "It's okay, Gordo," Sunny said ruffling his hair. Westin stared at the spot her hand rested with a clenched jaw.

  "Wes," Sunny said gently and his eyes flew up to hers at the nickname. "Gordo is a Necromancer. He didn't teach us how to fight, but he gave the other ghosts in the castle the ability to touch us so we could train." Sadness filled her voice as she whispered, "He's a seventy-five-year- old boy. The same age as Ariella. The king murdered him and his family."

  Gordo sniffled beside her and silence rang out as everyone looked down in sorrow. Westin lowered his eyes in shame.

  "I'm so sorry for your loss," Marzanna finally said.

  She took a deep breath and stepped forward.

  "I think we were all just a little," she moved her head back and forth as if trying to think of a word.

  "Shocked," Khione supplied.

  Marzanna smiled, but it wasn't her usual bright, cheery smile. This one was gentle, sad. A smile that said I don't judge you; I'm here for you, and I understand. "Yes. Shocked. But, thank you for saving our lives."

  She looked around the group with a look Sunny's mother used to give her when she wouldn't let the other kids take a turn on the slide at the playground.

  "Thank you," the group mumbled, and then Seren tapped his chest twice before putting his hand forward, palm up.

  “I am us.”

  And dammit if that wasn't enough to mist Jo and Sunny's eyes.

  Sunny cleared her throat. "Alright, so what's next?"

  Westin looked around before crouching down and going through one of the gang members' pockets. "Let's see if we can find anything useful, and then," he shrugged, "I suggest we get some water and take a bath."

  "Yes! I would love a bath!" Zahra said.

  They picked through everyone's pockets only finding some more weapons. Their clothes were too bloody and destroyed to take.

  As they entered into the gang's land, they found huts, clothes, pots, and other odd souvenirs. But the greatest thing was the water.

  They all started to run for it.

  "Wait!" Westin said throwing a hand out across Sunny's chest as if to protect her, then letting it drop back into a clenched fist at his side.

  "Listen and look first. Make sure no one is there."

  There was something in his eyes that broke Sunny's heart. How many times had he had to fight just for water?

  Sunny could never hope for their Match bond to go back to the way it had once been, let alone for him to forgive her, but she couldn't help herself. She grabbed onto his hand. His head jerked down, meeting her gaze.

  She didn't say anything, just gave his hand one, friendly squeeze.

  "Nothing and no one are here," she said.

  They stayed like that for a moment before she felt it.

  It was so light she almost could've imagined it, but he had squeezed her hand back, and then walked toward the water.

  Sunny stared after him until she heard Daiya come up beside her. "Give him time. He'll come around," she said.

  "No," Sunny said as she started toward the water, "he won't."

  *****

  The cool liquid raced down Sunny's throat, causing her stomach to clench and thank her after depriving it of water for so long.

  Everyone took big greedy gulps, splashing water onto their already sweat-soaked faces.

  "Bath time!" Zahra said, stripping off her clothes, Kian stepping in front of her with a scowl.

  Sunny couldn't help but gawk at not only how beautiful Zahra was, but also her Mark.

  It covered her side from rib to hip completely. It was a humanoid figure, almost skeleton-like, holding what looked like a galaxy in its hands up to its chest. The figure was a pinkish gold color, its face smiling warmly as it held the round planet to its chest as destruction reigned down around it in the form of black embers burning. The figure was protecting what it held close to its heart from absolute destruction. It made sense. In this world, people prayed to the goddess, Liebbe, to protect soldiers at war. The goddess was also associated with Match bonds, love, kindness, and friendship.

  Fitting , Sunny thought.

  Zahra gave Sunny a confident look. "Yeah, I'm powerful, little Thief."

  Sunny huffed. "I'm taller than you."

  Seren laughed. "Zahra jokes," he said before taking a running jump into the water. Sunny caught a glimpse of the watchful eye between his muscular shoulder blades.

  Seren's Mark was one of the most realistic she'd ever seen. Two birds rounded over and above the eye like an outline, their insides meshing together with rope-like knots. The eye was in the center. As if it was always aware. Always staring. Always watching.

  As everyone stripped, ready to get the grime, dirt, blood, and days of travel scrubbed off their skin, Sunny checked on her sister.

  Jo didn't even wince as Marzanna rubbed some sort of healing salve onto her cut.

  Pain had become second nature to them. They were used to it. They knew how to take it now. And Sunny's heart broke a little more because of it.

  You doing okay?

  Jo's eyes were still dulled, she hadn't fully returned to the present yet, but she nodded. I'm okay.

  And then, Sunny felt something from her sister. Yearning.

  It was yearning and warmth.

  Sunny followed Jo's line of sight and saw that she was staring at a shirtless Leo.
<
br />   Jo's eyes darkened as she watched Leo run his fingers through his wet hair, his flexing bicep causing his Mark look like dancing flames in the sunlight. Sunny found herself feeling surprised as she realized how big Leo's Mark was. It took up his whole arm, like a sleeve tattoo.

  Like dark grey swirls of smoke gliding along his skin.

  When Sunny's attention returned to Jo, her sister's gaze was blank.

  Sunny sighed, giving Jo's shoulder a squeeze before she finally made her way into the water.

  Sunny dropped below the water, just letting her body drift a moment before coming back to the surface.

  Marzanna was handing out plants called soapwort to everyone. Apparently, the plants had naturally occurring soap-like substances, called saponins. And when Sunny grabbed ahold of it and it started to lather into a sudsy foam, she could've kissed Marzanna.

  She covered herself with suds from the roots of her hair to the tips of her toes.

  She felt Westin struggling to keep his eyes off her body. Felt herself struggle as well.

  Now is not the time , she chastised herself.

  She dipped under the water, rinsing off the suds, and when she rose to the surface, Westin was closer than before.

  Their gazes locked, words passing between them unspoken. The night they had almost let their attraction for one another win. As if this was just attraction.

  No. It was yearning and longing and the wish that everything could've happened differently, but it didn't.

  They would have to live with their choices. Their choices of the past, and their choices that were yet to come.

  Sunny searched Westin's gaze seeking for life behind his dead eyes.

  Were her eyes just as dead?

  Sunny wanted to make a vow to Westin that she would never break his trust again. Fight for them. Earn back his good graces. Prove to him that she was better. She missed his unyielding loyalty and the confidence he used to have in her.

  But how could she vow that to him, when she didn't even trust herself, didn't even love herself?

  Future Sunny, you've got to be better! If for no one, but yourself.

  "I don't remember that scar being there," Westin said softly nodding his head toward Sunny's side.

  Sunny looked down at the scar, fury igniting her core at the memory.

  "No, you wouldn't," Sunny growled before she sighed. "Sorry, it's just a bad memory. Didn't mean to take my anger out on you."

  When Westin didn't say anything, just kept staring at the scar emotionlessly, Sunny couldn't take it any longer.

  "It was a punishment."

  When Westin's eyes met her own, the sun was hitting them at just the right angle, making them look golden. They demanded the truth without asking.

  Sunny bit her lip, but one more look into Westin's eyes had her spilling everything. "A servant spilled a drink on me. She wasn't much younger than me. It was an obvious accident. But, the king, he didn't see it that way. 'What do we do to those who do not do their jobs correctly, Eleyna?' he had asked." Sunny shook her head and closed her eyes. "I told him no. I refused to punish an innocent.

  The thing is, the woman died anyway. He had killed her and made me watch as he'd drawn it out. I could've made it quick and painless. A mercy kill. He couldn't have me disobeying though, so he had killed the woman, then he stabbed me in the side. He made Jo watch that time. I liked it better that way. Sometimes, he would punish Jo and make me watch, but no, this time it was me," Sunny finished in a whisper.

  When she opened her eyes, Westin was glaring at the scar as if he could somehow take it away from her. The pain and the memories.

  "How did you survive?" His voice was a very low whisper.

  "He made the healers come in and heal me before I bled out."

  Now, Westin closed his eyes and let out a harsh breath. Despair filled him at the thought of her being hurt.

  Sunny looked down into the water at her reflection. She expected to feel immense sadness for what she'd been through. She needed to feel that way. In order to heal she needed to let herself feel things, to process them. But all she felt was complete numbness.

  Then she felt a little spark when Westin gently grabbed her chin, making her look up at him. "Listen, no matter how things are between us right now. . . You didn't deserve that."

  The air left her lungs in a rush, and she took a step back. She smiled up at Westin gently, a placating smile on her lips. "Oh, but don't you see? I did."

  Chapter 24

  Westin

  Writhia, 5220

  The Wastes

  Westin's body had responded to Noelani's immediately. Every inch of her golden skin revealed to him. As hard as he tried, he couldn't look away.

  As he watched her, the night they had spent together so long ago came to the forefront of his mind. Her body, slick with sweat, pressed against his. Her lips on his, his hands on her. The way he had hovered over her, ready to devour her. Unable to believe it was finally happening, the moment he'd tried for so long to convince himself he didn't crave his Match.

  It was almost hard for him to remember why he was so angry with her.

  Almost.

  But as the words she had said sunk in, the fire in his body doused. As he watched her walk away, he observed her with a critical eye. She had other scars, too, and she had lost some weight. Not to mention the newer bruises that circled her throat, courtesy of Azmodeous' new ability to dream walk.

  If he had been capable of that much damage during a dream, what had he done to her while he had her under his thumb?

  And the worst part was that she believed those words as she said them. She truly believed that she was unredeemable. That she deserved what had happened to her. Because of what she'd done to him.

  I shouldn't care. How could I not?

  She'll always have an effect on me.

  It's just the Match bond, he lied to himself.

  He dunked his head underwater again, giving his body a moment to calm down before he walked to the shore.

  Although, Westin was sure he wouldn't be the only one having that issue. Even though they were all tired, the sexual tension was ripe in the air.

  Westin had seen it happen before when emotions were high. They were heading into an uncertain future, one in which they might have to fight for their lives, and though Seren and the others had said they would all come out alive, everyone was still afraid.

  Fear did funny things to a person. It was good in some ways. If someone was trained properly, fear could make them alert, heightening their instincts, readying them for danger.

  Other times, it could be unhealthy causing one to lash out, not think before doing things. And then, there were the other things it did, like making someone feel aroused when they thought 'the end' was near. He remembered the way soldiers-before and after a mission-would come out of a bathroom, supply closet, transport, with messy hair and clothing askew.

  Fear could bring people together as easily as it ripped them apart.

  The sun was setting as Westin made his way back to the Nids' land. He heard Noelani's voice, loud enough for his sensitive ear, but quiet enough that it wouldn't alert any trouble.

  "I think we should stay here for a night or two. Regroup, rest. Water is readily available, and maybe we could hunt and get some more of those berries Marzanna found before we continue our journey."

  As she talked, the others were nodding their heads in approval. And Westin realized how much she had changed. She did seem more queenly now, more comfortable in the role of a leader. When she spoke her voice was calm, and she sounded as if she knew what she was talking about. She was someone who could be trusted. Her head was held high and her shoulders were set straight, and even though she had made it seem like she was asking everyone if that was the best idea, he knew she would've put her foot down if anyone disagreed.

  "Great," she smiled, "Marzanna and Khione, won't you two search for some food: berries, plants, and if there's anything you think could help like the soap
wort, and the herbal lotion. Anything you think could be of use."

  Marzanna smiled and Khione bowed her head and said, "Yes, Your Majesty."

  Noelani's eyes widened and color rose to both her and Khione's cheeks.

  "Right, then," Noelani said clearing her throat, and Khione hurried off.

  "Wait!" Noelani said, and Khione and Marzanna skidded to halt. "I'll come with you. I can keep us invisible." Noelani turned back to the group. "Seren, why don't you, Kian, and Leo go hunt? I'm sure you could find us some meat to eat."

  "I am quite the hunter," Leo said, grinning.

  Noelani rolled her eyes. "I figured you could be the lookout, and keep Kian and Seren invisible while they hunt."

  "Alright, I guess I can babysit them," Leo said shrugging, causing Kian to scowl.

  Again, her face was serious but calm. It was a face that said, "I will protect you no matter what." It was the face of a queen.

  But was it a trick? Would she use her mind control as she had on him? Would she end up like Azmodeous?

  Westin hated to think of her in that way, even after all they had been through, but she had been with the Dark King for the better part of a year. If he was the one who had taught her how to command a room, then-

  You're just looking for more reasons not to trust her.

  You're trying to make her your villain, a voice in the back of his mind interrupted his line of thinking.

  Noelani was staring at him. He glared back.

  Are you listening to my thoughts?! He yelled inside his mind and he saw her and Jo flinch. Jo's eyes narrowed, but Noelani's face was wiped of all emotion. He saw her hands clench at her sides.

  She ignored him and carried on. "Westin, Jo, and Zahra can stay here, try to store as much water as you can in our canteens, in pots, doesn't matter. Go through the camp and see if there's anything we can take with us, anything useful. Also, be on alert. I'm not sure if there are any more gang members coming home. Call for me or Jo if there's any trouble."

  With that, she walked off with Khione and Marzanna. At once, everyone turned invisible except Westin, Jo, and Zahra.

  Westin turned and barely stopped himself from flinching as he found himself face to face with Jo. Almost as tall as he was, she barely had to raise her chin to meet his gaze.