Warrior's Mind (Book 2 of The Warrior Chronicles)

Chapter 34

The gondola approached the shore just as the last light of day drained from the sky. Leyla ignored the the two Light guards who had escorted her from the White Gardens and lifted her gaze to take in the Dome.

When Raphael didn't turn up the evening before and there was no sign of him in the morning, Leyla had lost her patience and insisted on leaving for the keep. It wasn't only the need to see him that spurred her on, but she had also grown weary of the guilt that kept clawing at her. The adults and children in the White Gardens treated her with such excessive kindness that she couldn't bare lying to them anymore.

Of course, leaving had not been as easy as she thought. The only way the Consort would allow her departure was if she accepted two Light Guards as guardians to help her on the voyage. Guardians. Leyla wanted to laugh at the thought. The closest thing she had ever had to a guardian were the caretakers at the Warrior King's Orphanage, and even they had never paid attention to her safety. But these two Light Guards took their responsibilities far too seriously.

They followed at her heals, constantly asking if she was alright and barely giving her space to breath. After lying around for two days Leyla was itching to do some training, to get her hands on a weapon, but forget lending her a sword, her guardians wouldn't even allow her to reach down to feel the water while on the boat. "You could fall in," they said in worried tones.

It was a miracle that she had managed to suppress her desire to throw them both into the water. Barely.

Despite her irritation, Leyla had to admit that the ride down the river was enchanting. The waters ran through forests and past open lands framed by tall snowcapped mountains and fields of flowers. The Light People had also built rest stops where they kept supplies and food, making the ten hour journey as comfortable as possible. And once they reached the Inner Keep walls, the boat entered from a tunnel in the back which led straight into the waters that streamed between the islands of the High Thinkers.

Now as they finally docked alongside the central island, Leyla watched in admiration as hundreds of lit candles in the surrounding courtyards were reflected off the crystal Dome. Her eyes lifted to the third floor of the tower. Was Raphael resting in his rooms? Were his wounds all healed? Had he suffered while trying to carry her off the Rezeg bird and through the portal...

Now that he was within reach, Leyla's patience finally ran out.

Before the boat had come to a stop, she jumped onto land and ran. Her guardians called after her, but stopped following once they reached the bottom of the staircase that led to the private chambers of the Dome. 

Taking the steps two at a time, she climbed past the Book Keepers apartments telling herself she would visit Michael the minute she knew Raphael was safe. It took only a few more seconds for her to reach the Prorex's floor. There were two ornately carved doors on opposite ends of the hall. She turned to the larger one on the left which was slightly ajar and pushed it open without thinking.

And immediately regretted it.