Page 20 of A Reign of Chromes & Shadows

With a confident smirk, he flicked his gaze toward the tray of water bottles lined up against the far wall. At his will, one lifted cleanly into the air and shot straight into his waiting palm. Snow exhaled in visible relief, clearly rattled by the possibility that he might have lost everything. Their powers might have seemed superficial to outsiders, but to them they were as intrinsic as eye colour or bone structure, part of who they were.

“Hey… do you have any update on the Red situation?” He asked. She glared back at him giving him a look loaded with meaning. He stared back blankly. Whatever she was trying to convey, he couldn’t grasp it. His dependence on his gift was becoming embarrassingly obvious, exposing just how underdeveloped his social instincts really were.

“Wow, you really can’t read me,” she leaned closer, her voice firming. “Rain, listen; I need you to be more careful. You can’t keep getting caught up in things like this. I’m worried about you and I know how hard it is for you, but it’s just as hard for me to watch you destroy yourself—and kill so many people.”

He flinched at the bluntness of it. She sighed, softening.

“I’m not trying to scold you. I love you and if anything happened to you…if you were truly gone…it would destroy me.” Her last words trembled out in a whisper. She paused, swallowing hard, fighting back a tear. Snow was the steadier of the two, the sensible one, less likely to express vulnerability. Seeing her like this twisted something in his chest.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “Are you okay? Truly? And what were you even doing in the Red Kingdom in the first place?”

Rain increased his pace on the pedals, searching for a way to answer without dragging himself back through the horrors of Verday. Snow watched him intently, waiting for the truth.

“I’m fine— or I will be, once my power comes back.” He exhaled sharply. “I won’t pretend I haven’t had moments where I wished someone would just… put me out of my misery and end this mess before I make things worse. But I feel a little less suicidal today. That counts for something, right?” He forced a tight-lipped smile, trying to reassure her even as her expression tightened with deeper worry.

“I wish you wouldn’t say things like that,” she whispered, her voice low and aching.

“I could lie to you, but you’d hate that even more.” He shrugged, trying for nonchalance. “So… how bad is it?”

“I see what you’re doing.” She folded her arms. “Can you really not admit that you recklessly crossed into Red territory to visit that Red boy?” Her sigh was heavy with exasperation. Rain remembered Ivy using similar phrasing. Although he knew the information originated from Snow, he decided it was best not to pursue the matter further. “Whatever! You know you messed up; I won’t make you feel worse about it. The situation with the Red Kingdom is terrible. They’re out for blood.” She met his eyes, both of them knowing exactly whose blood she meant. “Last I heard, they’re evicting every citizen who migrated from Blue, anyone born on our soil, anyone with ties to us on their identifier. Think of their families, Rain. We’re not exactly the most welcoming kingdom. What happens to the blended households?”

She shook her head. “You’re going to have to use your influence with the armed forces. They listen to you. Respect you. Just… be careful. Father cannot find out.” Another sigh escaped her. “Speaking of Father; he’s manic. Thriving on the political chaos. I suppose that means you’re spared his wrath, at least.”

“If I’m being spared anything, that’s a bad sign for the war brewing.” Rain rubbed his jaw. “You’re right. I’ll speak with the General first thing tomorrow. They trust my command more than Father’s. I can push for defensive strategy instead of an attack; depending on his current orders. I might still have time to intervene. If he sees this as a real threat, he’ll be focused on alliances anyway.”

He straightened slightly. “I’ll also ask the General to organise safe relief for those being sent back to us. Can you get the council to coordinate with the guard? They’ll need housing, supplies, and a plan for the influx.”

“Yes, of course—excellent idea!” Snow brightened, already shifting into action. “I’ll speak to the Ladies of Ribbon and organise a series of charity events. It’ll boost morale and raise funds for the returning families. And it’ll help sway the more stubborn council members; you know the three who refuse anything that touches government finances. Fundraising will shut them up nicely.”

She hopped off her bike, practically buzzing with purpose, and rummaged through her bag for a notepad. The princess had inherited her seat on the High Council; a tradition for those second in line to the throne, ensuring the ruling family had influence in every corner of governance. She had taken over the role from their second cousin a few years earlier, and she excelled at it. Organised, sharp-minded, unflappable in the face of ambitious men. Snow held her own with ease.

Her work with the council had earned her recognition from the Ladies of Ribbon, an elite collective of human and Aetherial women responsible for orchestrating the kingdom’s major events; royal births, weddings, funerals, and everything in between. In Blue Kingdom high society, a seat on their committee was a profound honour.

“Right. I’ll start drafting a proposal immediately. Eleanour! Come, we have much to do!” She tapped her pen against the page, summoning her personal assistant, who had been waiting patiently in the hall.

Snow paused at the doorway, turning back to him. “I love you,” she said softly; a deliberate moment, making sure he heard it, felt it. She needed him to know he mattered, that she was grateful he was still here. Without him, she would wither; he was her anchor as surely as she was his.

Chapter 8

After speaking with his sister, Rain felt a renewed determination to begin the long work of reclaiming his powers. He knew better than to expect immediate results; healing would take time, patience, and surrender. If Isarion said this was the path, then he would follow it. The Elder’s guidance had never led him astray.

Fresh from a hot soak, still damp from the bath, Rain wore only a pair of dark blue muslin trousers. The fabric clung softly to his hips where water lingered, the silver-embroidered cuffs brushing his ankles as he padded barefoot across the blue-and-gold veined marble floor toward the meditation chamber.

He stepped through arched mahogany doors adorned with intricate gold filigree, and a warm golden glow embraced him. Above, the domed midnight ceiling, that was hand-painted and scattered with tiny, gilded constellations, shimmered gently in the candlelight. Neel had clearly taken great care when preparing the space: hundreds of tea lights flickered in clusters of varying heights, nestled within ornate lanterns that fractured the flames into radiant patterns. The room glowed softly, soothingly, like starlight rippling across water.

At the heart of the chamber, atop a plush circular rug of deep sapphire velvet embroidered with fine gold mandalas, rested a low meditation dais draped in sheer, flowing fabrics of midnight blue. Oversized silk and velvet cushions in royal blue and gold were scattered across it—sometufted, some tasselled, all decadently soft. Smaller pillows filled with crushed lavender and sandalwood released a faint, calming perfume into the air.

Around the perimeter, tall obelisks and polished podiums displayed geodes and crystals of every hue, each one catching the candlelight and refracting it in glistening shards. At the far curve of the room, a bubbling alabaster-and-gold fountain murmured gently, its sound a quiet invitation to harmony.

From hidden alcoves, ambient music drifted through the space—a meditative blend of harp, bells, soft chanting, and the occasional resonant note of a crystal singing bowl. The sound rose and fell like breath, offering a rhythm for his own to follow.

Every detail of the chamber had been crafted with intention: a sanctuary designed to draw him inward, toward stillness, toward sovereignty.

On the dais rested a decorative brass tray bearing a large copper bowl of steaming water, its surface scattered with fragrant herbs and soft petals. Beside it lay four of the prince’s personal palm stones forged of Labradorite, Obsidian, Nuummite, and Blue Aetherchrome and a golden goblet filled with fresh spring water.

Rain settled before the tray, adjusting the cushions beneath him until they supported his crossed-legged posture just right. After a hard workout and a long, hot bath, his muscles hummed pleasantly, a warm current of oxytocin still drifting through him. Positive energy vibrated through his body as he inhaled the aromatic vapours rising from the bowl. He clasped two stones, choosing Obsidian and Blue Aetherchrome and rested them against his thighs as he straightened his spine. Rolling his shoulders back, he let his head sway gently from side to side, releasing the tension that always gathered there. The movement travelled down his body as he drew in a deep breath, exhaling slowly, repeating the cycle until his eyes drifted shut and he felt his body’s rhythm melt into the room.

The next step was to clear his mind; to let thoughts drift in and out without attaching to them. But as if to prove how difficult that was for him, his mind immediately latched onto thoughts of Jay. First came a simple image: Jay’s soft, handsome face flickering in his mind’s eye, tugging a small smile to Rain’s lips. He let it float away, only for memories of their intimacy to rise in its place. A pang of guilt twisted sharply in his chest, dragging Ivy’s touch to the forefront of his thoughts. Her lips on his skin. Their bodies entwined.