Shadowseeker

chapter eight

A couple of nights later, Aelia was sat at her desk, her eyebrows furrowed as her gaze skimmed over the same line of writing over and over again.

A sudden knock on the door made her lose focus again. She sighed, slamming her book shut and leaning back in her chair.

"Come in!" she called, blinking away her weariness and pushing the book to one side.

Aelia glanced up as her mother entered and shut the door behind her with a soft click. Reina smiled softly at her daughter.

"May I sit down?" Reina asked, her voice low but gentle. At Aelia's nod, she glided over to the bed and sat down. She smoothed out the grey covers before folding her hands in her lap and tipping her head at Aelia. "Please, join me for a moment."

A chill went down Aelia's spine as she stood up, moving mechanically to sit next to her mother on the bed. Her mind raced with all the possibilities of what she could have done wrong. Her nightly training program made her jumpier than usual, especially as she could be discovered at any moment.

"Is everything alright?" Aelia tried to keep her voice level to stifle her panic, staring at her hands as she refused to meet her mother's eyes.

"I just came to check up on you. You haven't been yourself in the past couple of days, honey," Reina explained, "Is everything okay with you? You can talk to me about it. I'm here for you."

An uneasy combination of guilt and relief washed over Aelia as she lifted her chin, finally meeting Reina's gaze. She hadn't been caught - for now - but it would mean that she would have to lie to her mother. Or at least avoid the truth in some way.

"I'm fine, mother," Aelia plastered a wide smile on her face, hoping it was enough to satisfy Reina's concerns.

"I know everything is a bit overwhelming for you right now, with all the attention on you and Elior. I was the same when everyone was preparing for my wedding with your father, but it's honestly nothing to worry about." Reina continued, a tone of sympathy in her voice.

Aelia paused, taking a moment to comprehend her mother's words. Of course, the wedding could be her excuse.

"It is very exhausting," Aelia replied abruptly, "I'm sure it will be all over soon, though."

Reina didn't respond, regarding her daughter with a soft gaze. Instead, she reached out and tucked a stray piece of hair that had fallen in front of Aelia's face behind her ear. Her finger lingered on Aelia's cheek for a moment as she searched her eyes.

Seemingly satisfied, Reina withdrew her hand and stood up, moving towards the door. She paused with her fingertips on the door handle and glanced over her shoulder.

"I'll always be here for you, Aelia. You'll always be my daughter, no matter what happens."

Aelia nodded, forcing herself to smile again as her mother left and closed the door behind her. She let out a breath that she hadn't realised she was holding and wiped her eyes with her knuckles. Drawing her knees up to her chest, Aelia sighed and closed her eyes, running through the whole situation in her mind.

A sudden breeze made her look up sharply, goosebumps rising on her exposed skin as her eyes adjusted to the light.

"What's the matter with golden girl over here?" 

Selene's sharp voice cut through the silence, and Aelia squinted into the darkness, trying to make out the Seeker's tiny figure. Irritation built up in her as Selene's silhouette became more visible, and Aelia noticed that she crouched precariously on the windowsill.

"Not now, Selene. I'm not in the mood," Aelia muttered, instinctively glancing at the door as she stood up. "I wish you'd stop showing up at my window like that."