Page 21 of A Reign of Chromes & Shadows

Why are you such a dick?

Her voice echoed through his skull, sharp and merciless.

He exhaled in a huff, mentally scolding himself, shaking his head as though he could rattle the thoughts loose. Inhale. Exhale. Relax the shoulders. Thoughts come in. Thoughts go out. A mantra he repeated silently.

Thoughts barged their way in.

Why am I such a dick? Ivy was right. What kind of psychopath tells someone they love them and then, in the same breath, betrays them? With my betrothed, of all people. As if that excuses anything. You slaughter his people and then shatter every bit of trust he had in you, like he means nothing. Brilliant, Rain. Truly. And worst of all, you still cling to that pathetic sliver of hope that his forgiving nature will give you a free pass. You absolute Dickhead…

With a heavy sigh, he flopped backward onto the padded cushions, the stones slipping from his palms onto the sheer fabric. He punched the large pillow beside him, frustration billowing out in a hot wave. He had kept these thoughts boxed away, convincing himself he didn’t need to face them—as if ignoring them would make them disappear.

Staring up at the dotted constellations above, he remembered the hours—sometimes days—he had spent here as a teenager. He even had a favourite constellation. One, shaped like a rabbit, he had named Lazlo.He used to talk to it as though it were a real friend. In truth, it probably was the closest thing he had to one, aside from his twin.

His gaze lingered on Lazlo as sorrow filled his chest. He wasn’t a boy anymore. He couldn’t hide behind the illusion of innocence—not that he’d ever had much of it. Young by Aetherial standards, yes, but life had carved him early. Trauma had forced him to grow fast, to shoulder burdens far beyond his years. He had learned to navigate complex emotions long before he understood them, to survive situations that should never have belonged to someone so young. His heart had shattered into a thousand shards before he even grasped what love truly meant.

It wasn’t fair. No one should have to endure such a life.

Blinking away from the ceiling, he pushed himself upright again. He took a swig of water from the goblet, then set it down with a steadying breath. His fingers hovered over the Nuummite.

“I forgive myself,” he whispered, voice tight around the lump in his throat.

He gathered the fallen stones, re-positioned himself, and drew in another slow breath. This time, as he resumed the rhythm of his meditation, clarity settled over him—not because his problems had vanished, but because he understood that whatever challenges rose to meet him, he would endure them. He always had.

After several challenging minutes of observing his thoughts without attachment, Rain finally slipped into an elevated state of consciousness. A profound calm unfurled through him, vast and quiet, yet he remained faintly aware of the tether anchoring him to his physical form. Tranquillity filled his mind as he drifted deeper, freed from the weight of the waking world.

In the darkness, a faint white light flickered. Small at first, then swelling as it drifted closer, sharpening into a diamond-like shape.

Help me,it twitched, each syllable a trembling whisper.

Help me,the call came again, this time layered, many voices speaking as one, overlapping in discordant harmony. The light expanded until it burst apart, dissolving into millions of shimmering particles that rained down around his mind space. As they fell, the taunting plea faded, and a new scene took shape.

A young aetherial girl appeared, no older than ten, her deep auburn hair catching the sunlight as she giggled. Her bright green eyes glowed with unfiltered joy.

“That’s right, Skylar. You are destined to be the greatest queen this realm will ever know,” a male voice assured her.

The vision widened to reveal a lush garden overflowing with flowers and greenery. The male knelt beside her, dressed in regal attire that marked his importance.

“Not greater than you, Daddy!” she chirped, scrunching her nose.

“You will be magnificent, my darling. It has been foretold, just you wait and see.” He tapped her nose affectionately.

“Silly Daddy, who told you that?” she demanded, hands planted on her hips with theatrical flair.

Before he could answer, Skylar gasped. Her small body went limp. Her father lunged forward, catching her as her head snapped back, revealing eyes gone inky black. Horror carved itself across his features as her body convulsed violently.

“Guards!” he barked, voice sharp with fear. “Fetch Nora—now! Tell her it is happening again. The Princess is having another episode!”

Armoured footsteps clattered away. He cradled the trembling child closer.

“Skylar, if you can hear me, Daddy’s right here. Fear not, my little rainbow.”

Moments later, a delicate woman with vibrant red hair sprinted through the garden paths, falling to her knees beside them.

“Has she spoken yet?” she panted, her expression mirroring the father’s terror. She brushed a lock of hair from the girl’s face.

“Nothing. I called for you the moment it overtook her.”

They watched helplessly as Skylar’s body shook in his arms. Then, with a sickening twist, her head jerked unnaturally, and a voice that was not her own, spilled from her lips.