Realm of the Sun

Chapter 16

Roza sat silently in the barracks, inspecting the armory racks. They were pretty rusty, and weathered.

There was silence, but Roza knew she was there. "Back from your trip so soon, General?"

Gwen slunk into the dark room. "It turns out that super hearing provides me with an abundance of rumours circling the palace grounds."

"Really? I thought I crushed them all last time." Roza replied, switching her attention to her nails. Her polish was chipped- she would have to repaint them soon.

"Mm, well they're not exactly false." Gwen strolled over and sat down beside her, nudging her shoulder. Roza didn't flinch, only welcomed her.

The Storm Witch sighed. "Sunshine, you kind of make it obvious. I'm pretty sure Ashlee has been going crazy ever since she caught us."

"Don't call me sunshine."

"I think it's cute."

"And I don't."

"Do you, though?"

The general groaned. "Look at us. The most powerful Elites of this generation, and we can't even be together without someone screaming at us for impropriety. Oh, the consequences of power."

A beat of silence.

Roza muttered a curse under her breath. "Do you ever wonder what would happen if we had been born ordinary?"

Gwen looked into Roza's eyes. "Lots of times. But then I think about how I would've never met you, and gotten zapped because I was too quiet with my approach."

The other girl stifled a laugh. "I remember that. It was really funny. I'm surprised I wasn't given a penalty."

"I threw in a good word for you."

Roza let her head rest on Gwen's shoulder. "I have to ask. When did you start loving me?"

"From about the fifth time you zapped me because I kept sneaking up behind you and you couldn't hear my footsteps. You came to help me out in the infirmary, and you were never more beautiful until then."

"I actually learned your footsteps after the second time. I knew if I kept sending you to the infirmary that you would come back, so you could try to finally avoid the zap." Roza said quietly, closing her eyes. "Something about you was so alluring. It doesn't help that you're way too pretty to be in this universe. How were you only blessed by Arachnos' favour?"

Gwen smiled. "I could say the same about you." She planted a gentle kiss on Roza's forehead. "By the way, Ashlee's here again." she whispered.

Roza's eyes flew open and she sat up straight immediately. "Oh, do I scare her with lightning?" she whispered back, grinning mischievously.

"Or, you push her out with wind right in front of us and we can tell her to scram."

The Storm Witch smiled, twisting her hands and cracking her knuckles. With one swift motion, Ashlee tripped over herself, falling face-flat onto the floor in front of them.

"We know you're here, Ashlee." Gwen said.

"You really thought you could spy on someone with the gifts of Arachnos?" Roza continued, standing up. Gwen followed the gesture, placing her hands at her hips.

Ashlee dusted off her clothes and shook the dirt out of her hair. "Ugh... Why is everyone so secretive about this stuff? I just want a real life version of all the novels I read. Solarie and Sylas keep playing cat and mouse, and you two won't even let me sit in on this." she whined.