Waging War | The Amber Duology #1

6 | Queen's Are Never Late

Kai counted the trucks as they came in and noticed one didn't make it back. He got a nudge from Jay, telling him he noticed it too. As the trainee's got settled in on their seats in front of the slide projector—some being calmed down by the soldiers and some hastily drinking water from their bottles—Kai realized just how many people were there.

"I already checked in with communications," Jay said, lowering the radio-transmitter back into his belt. "They lost contact with the elemental assigned there."

Kai immediately knew what that meant and sighed. Another one was lost to the destructors of Ninjago.

Just as he said that, a truck came into view. It slowed down just a few inches away from the parking and came to a stop. The passengers jumped down from the end and onto the solid ground, backpacks and duffle bags in their arms.

"Maybe you should check the roads first before sending a bunch of kids into the desert!" A girl screamed from the distance as soldiers approached her. Kai raised an eyebrow at the sound, where has he heard that before? "That was the worst field trip ever!"

"Nya, calm down. It's okay, we're okay." Another voice tried to soothe the girl and Kai couldn't believe what he just heard.

"Okay?! We nearly died!"

"But we didn't."

Kai shut out the conversation, his mind racing with different thoughts. How long it had been since he'd last seen her. Pushing past through the new crowd, he followed the sound of bickering and complaining.

Some things never change.

He stopped his tracks in front of two girls. One with fiery red hair, the other with the same raven black hair his mother had. It was tied in a high ponytail, just like the last time he saw it. When he got to her face, it had gone through slight changes as she was starting to grow up but there was that one beauty mark on her right cheek that he always teased her for.

The girl seemed to notice his presence too. But judging by how she reacted, he could tell she was not pleased to see him.

"You." She started, her eyes traveling in all directions to take in his figure. "Y-you're alive?"

Kai smiled, his worries flushed away. "Hi, Nya."

His sister stood there with her mouth slightly open–a lot taller than he remembered–before pushing past him and dragging her friend along with her. Kai shook his head.

Did that just happen?

Before he could get his answer, another vehicle came speeding in, paving a way through the sand as it went. Kai narrowed his eyes to try and see who it was, no crazy person would drive into the desert without any soldiers.

A black limo came to a stop in front of him, drifting through the sand to park horizontally, and managed to capture every one else's attention. A man in a black and white suit opened the door and got out the limo. But when Kai went to greet him, the man held the door open for another person.

Jade green heels were the first ones out of the limo followed by a girl with hair so blonde it was practically white, who wore sunglasses over her eyes and held a Starbucks cup to her mouth. She was wearing a white dress with lace running through the front and covered her skirt.

"Hutchins! Did we pack any sunscreen?" Kai was already annoyed by her voice. "Why would daddy send me to the desert without any!"

Kai cleared his throat to get her attention. "Initiate. You're late."

"Am I? I like to think you're all early." The girl rested her hand on the side of her hip, clearly not having any of this. "After all," she lowered her shades enough for Kai to catch a glimpse of her sparkling blue eyes. "A Queen is never late."