Green Skies

Chapter 15

I walked down the path as the sun set. Probably for the last time before my life changed for the worst. My friends knew it was best to let me be for the night. I was walking to the only place I knew no one knew where I'd be. There was a secret way to get up there.

As I arrived at a house on the second level. I looked up seeing the sky bright yellow as the sun grazed the last of what I could could see. The house had a water wheel out front along with a tree. I stepped and climbed on the tree and jumped from there onto the house's roof and went on from there until I reached the last tree. I climbed the very top then jumped onto the edge of the entrance to the kingdom.

There was someone there. In my secret place. The only place I could be alone when everything irritated me. I was already tired and irritated and I didn't wanna deal with someone now. I walked up and tapped them on the shoulder.

"Hey listen. This is my secret spot. You have to-" They turned around. It was Neptune. She was holding a small cup with tea.

"Oh sorry River. I didn't realize this was your spot. I usually come up here when I need a break from Kathy and Stella." I sighed and sat down next to her.

"Mint melon firewater?"

"You drink alcohol?"

"Do you want some or not?" I took the cup from her and sipped it. It burned my insides and cooled it at the same time. I took another sip then handed the cup back. She took a sip, not reacting to it. "Nervous? I was too you know."

"Really? Well you weren't born under a green moon."

"A black one." I looked at her. Black moons were also pretty bad. It was sort of a spectrum.

"Yeah. I was an outcast but Stella was always there for me." She cracked a grin which I never really saw her do much. "She would punch any kid who talked about or teased me. Everyone was scared of her but she was there for me." She took another sip and offered the cup to me. I took it. "I know it's scary. Trust me, I know."

"No, you don't. I went to see the Cardinals earlier." She glanced at me now. I kept my head down. "Ozzy- the granddaughter of Alfred Cardinal, revealed a prophecy. That tomorrow night it will all go to feathers and some weird lady named Kollia Oriole will come and kill everyone in our kingdom. It's up to me to save them. I can't do that, Neptune. It's horrible."

"You've faced challenges before haven't you? Who says you can't face some avian girl with tepin?" I gasped.

"How did you-?"

She smirked. "I read up on prophecies too you know."