They walked in tense silence, the wind slightly less harsh thanks to the many buildings. Presently, the Thendarian said:
"So, am I allowed to know your name? If we're to work together, we may as well know who the other is."
She cast a sideways glanced at him.
"This way," she said, and turned to the right.
The stranger seemed to think she wouldn't answer. Then, she said:
"Eliana."
"Khyros," he replied. "You said you thought you knew what was going on?"
She nodded.
"You probably never heard of the Sword in the Gray Sky."
"I have. Except I know it as Blood in the Grey Sky," he said.
Eliana raised an eyebrow.
"What makes you say they're the same story?"
"Earth gets sick, Cethiel and Thendaria each create one person to go to Earth's heart and heal it, Volcan and Phoebe, and they encounter a beast which Phoebe holds back while Volcan goes to the heart. But it doesn't work with just one, so he heads back to Phoebe."
"But she's fatally wounded. Enraged, Volcan slays the beast who injured his beloved, and she uses her last strength to help Volcan," Eliana completed, slightly surprised but keeping her face impassive.
The Thendarian snorted.
"What, is that what Cethiel claims the story says?"
"Well, what does Thendaria believe it to be, then?" Eliana retorted, rattled.
"That Phoebe was already dead and he used her body to heal the heart of Earth."
Eliana couldn't resist a grimace.
"That is just... sick."
"Says you. He had no choice, did he? And they never fell in love."
Eliana said nothing. That was one of her favorite parts of the story.
"We're at the palace."
They had reached a tall building with large white stone steps. She untied her sword and set it down.
"What are you doing?"
"We're not allowed to be armed in the Queen's palace," she said. "Cethielite or Thendarian."
She eyed the sword at his waist. He rolled his eyes.
"Fine."
He untied it and dropped it next to Eliana's.
"Though how you expect to get to the heart unarmed, I don't know."
"We'll ask permission to get our weapons," Eliana said.
Khyros snorted.
"And I thought Thendaria was a prison."
Eliana didn't answer. She looked to the sky and stepped inside.
The palace was empty. Eliana was uneasy as she peered around it. But she forced herself to keep calm. There had been no word of the queen being sick, but it was no secret she had been ruling Cethiel for many years. And where were the guards? She was almost sure some had been there for less than a year...
"Your Highness? Are you there? I need to speak with you..."
"Thendarian, step away from her at once!"
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No way in Heaven or Hell - Afterlife Series Book 1
Fantasy#14 in Fantasy - Now officially featured on Wattpad. She is Light. He is Darkness. They have no reason to trust each other. But they're the only ones who can stop three worlds from falling apart. Oh, and they're both dead. Added to TeenF...
