Hated by her lineage, Iliya Dalaminai dwells in self isolation, awaiting the day her cousin marries so she might escape the Throne.
Feared by the Gods, Sorein Chakrine's crown is mainly a relic put on display at royal ceremonies to ward off evil.
Wh...
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She'd just wanted to be normal.
To experience Temple and the Ceremony of Lights one more time.
Iliya had managed to overcome every fear and anxiety just to see those lanterns drifting into the night.
She prayed to Aida for the skies to clear, if only to allow her one night of peace and joy.
But now her heart was racing, her hands shaking as she followed after the towering incarnate of Death leading her through the streets of her own city.
Iliya had, of course, noticed Noah Whitecross, the human male blessed by Taranis with Immortality. Three years too young to be the Heir of Nynoli. With him, Jeremy Tattone, second hand to Andrin Chakrine himself. Sorein's closest friends.
Her mouth went dry, realizing what she'd just asked him to do, what she had asked of him personally.
"Sorein..." she whispered.
He grunted, barely peering back to look at her. Sorein glared at the very air they took in, icing the world around them.
Iliya tried again, frowning. "Sorein..."
"What?" he muttered back.
"I'm sorry..."
He stopped moving so quickly that she ran face-first into his back. Gripping her nose, she pulled back to see him staring down at her.
"What for?"
Iliya blinked slowly, averting her gaze as she murmured back, "What everyone witnessed... They know now... They know you associate with me..."
Sorein's eyes narrowed, filtered anger streaming out in a tight, cold sentence. "You think I care what anyone else thinks?" He hissed.
She swallowed roughly but didn't pull away from the closeness, their war of sight. "I don't want your life getting any harder because of-"
"Don't finish that sentence," he snapped, turning away from her. Sorein gripped her by the elbow and began charging forward again, half leading her. "I'll associate with you, if I damn well please."
Iliya fought the tiny smile pulling at her lips, looking at the firm hand he kept gently holding her arm.
She could have sworn his eyes softened ever so slightly at the sight of it.
"Where are we going?" she found herself asking.
Iliya watched as Sorein's brow lifted, as if she could still hear those taunting, sarcastic thoughts. So long as she kept the conversation going, so long as there was no pause, they wouldn't have to address the awkward tension between them.
"Where do you think we're going?"
To be honest with herself, she didn't quite know. He could be leading her in any direction so long as it was straight. She hadn't looked at her surroundings in long enough.
