Tempest (The Chronicles of Winterset #2) - K.G. Reuss Page 0,1
whimpered. “Not a dream,” I croaked out, staring into his bright blue eyes.
“No, my dear sister, it’s not a dream,” Soran, my brother, murmured, gazing down at me with concern as he took me to my bed and laid me down in it, making sure to cover my body with the heavy blanket.
“Calix,” I whimpered, my throat on fire. “Water.”
“Get water,” Soran shouted.
More footsteps rushed around. A moment later, a glass of water was thrust into Soran’s hand. He reached out and lifted my head up then pressed the glass to my lips. I gulped the cool contents down gratefully, finishing it in moments.
“More,” I rasped.
Soran nodded to someone I couldn’t see, and another glass was shoved into his outstretched hand. He placed it to my lips once more.
I drank until I couldn’t drink anymore. Then Soran let my head fall back onto my soft pillow.
“I’m so happy you’re awake,” Soran murmured, staring fondly down at me, brushing my hair away from my face. “I was so worried you never would. It’s been weeks since we brought you here.”
“I don’t want to be awake,” I whispered. “If I’m awake and where I think I am, then that means everything is real—that it all happened.”
Soran reached out and squeezed my hand gently and gave me a sad, watery smile.
“It’s all real, baby sister. It all happened.”
“No.” I shook my head, the very idea making me crazy with grief. “No.”
My voice cracked, and my body shuddered with my cries as I struggled against the truth. He really was gone. It hadn’t been a bad vision. It had all been real. Calix really was dead, and I was to blame. He died for me.
“Analia,” my brother said painfully, reaching out to comfort me.
I pushed him away, my muscles screaming at me to stop, but I wouldn’t.
“No. No. No.” I screamed over and over, each cry becoming louder than the last, my body trembling violently with the truth. A rush of heat flowed through me, and I let it out, knowing the damage it could cause but not caring.
The thunder rolled, and the wind howled outside the castle. Lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating my dimly lit room. The room shook, causing trinkets and furniture to tremble across the stone floor.
“Get the Left Hand. Quick,” Soran shouted to someone.
I ignored the hurried footsteps as they rushed from my room. I screamed and screamed despite my brother’s attempts to calm me.
“Father,” Soran shouted as footsteps rushed to my bedside.
“Analia,” my father, the king, called out to me as the wind blew harder, causing the windows to fling open and the curtains to billow across the room.
“What’s happening?” my father demanded, his voice filled with worry.
I ignored it. I ignored him, unable to stop the grief flowing out of me.
“She only just woke. I found her on the floor by her door,” Soran explained in a rush, reaching down to hold me to the bed as I struggled beneath him.
I gnashed and bucked against his strong arms, my grief pouring freely from me as I continued to wail in pain and anguish at Calix’s death.
More footsteps rushed into the room, and my father shouted commands.
“Ana,” that familiar accented voice breathed out. He sank down next to me, effectively pushing Soran away, who didn’t fight the intrusion. “Look at me, Ana.” His calm voice echoed all around me and was even in my head.
I focused my wide eyes on him and took in the familiar blond locks that fell across his forehead, his full lips, his bright blue eyes—Kellin.
“Ana,” he whispered my name again, his eyes intent on mine. “It’s OK. It’s going to be OK. I’m here.”
“Kellin,” I choked out, the storm continuing to rage, the room trembling from the onslaught.
“It’s me,” he murmured, reaching out to brush the tears away. “It’s me, Ana. Be calm.”
“Calix?” I asked, hoping for a different truth.
He shook his head sadly at me, tears brimming his brilliant eyes.
“No.” I shook my head. “No.”
I yelled out again, the storm strengthening. Glass shattered, and the hurried footsteps sounded out around me as those in the room tried to avoid getting pelted by things whipping around by the wind rushing in through the windows.
Kellin reached out and lifted me into his arms then held me against his hard chest.
“Leave us,” he commanded the others in the room. “It’s unsafe for you in here.”
“Do as he says,” my father shouted.
The click of the door sounded behind them as they exited in a rush.