Page 216 of A Reign of Chromes & Shadows

Snow inhaled quickly, excitement sparking as she set her pen down and leaned in, ready to divulge court gossip.

“Of course—that’s all the ladies have talked about for the last two days. Honestly, I grew tired of their stupid, pitiful glances as they apologised to me and Mother every time they brought up the ball or Ivy’s bloody engagement. We really need an official announcement of your engagement to tip the scale of the gossip, Rain, because our reputations are taking a hit.” She scowled, frustration tightening her features. “Sorry, I know you’re not thrilled about yet another engagement, it’s just exasperating. We are the most powerful of the aetherial and we’re currently a laughingstock. We’re not even invited to the most anticipated occasion this season.”

She sighed, long and audible.

“Anyway—they say Drazier sent out invitations on Rozday, demanding all eligible aetherials attendance. Oh! And there’s speculation he’s using these balls to forge alliances through marriage. Lady Grassley… you should have seen her gloating. I imagine it’s supposed to remain a secret, but she couldn’t keep a secret if her life depended on it. Claims her husband was approached by the Red Kingdom to consider her son and daughter for such an agreement.”

Rain quickly sat upright, having been lying flat on his bed, his gaze fixed on the ceiling as he listened closely to the conversation. He knew that the Grassley’s held significant influence over Edmonds’ army. In the Green kingdom, the political landscape starkly contrasted that of the Blue kingdom, marked by distinct practices and power structures.

Conscription was strictly enforced in the Green kingdom; every male mortal citizen, upon reaching the age of eighteen, was required toundergo rigorous combat training and serve in the army for a period of five years. This policy alone made the Green kingdom’s alliance highly valuable, as their well-trained forces represented a substantial asset.

Despite Edmond holding the title of king, he did not exercise direct control over his military forces. Instead, command was distributed among several influential families, each responsible for governing their own territories. Among these, Lord Grassley stood out; not only for his considerable ambition and greed, but also for his reputation as a provocateur of civil wars, all orchestrated to expand his authority. Under his leadership, the Grassley family had come to possess most of the eastern and southern regions of the kingdom, areas where the majority of the Green kingdom’s army bases were located.

Rain released a sharp exhale, his mind racing as he considered the far-reaching consequences of the situation. The possibility of Grassley aligning himself with the Red king would place Edmond in an exceedingly difficult position. Such an alliance would disrupt the delicate balance of power, leaving Edmond vulnerable, potentially forcing his hand toward an undesirable outcome. In these turbulent times, Rain reflected, loyalty seemed to be a concept losing its meaning with each passing day, overshadowed by shifting allegiances and personal ambitions. All of which he would need to take advantage of—and just like that, he saw how this paved a way for his own aspirations.

“Drazier is playing with fire,” he said, letting out a huff of disbelief; the irony of his choice of words not lost on him. “And he is doing so boldly. Hosting his ball at our border, going after our closest alliances… I believe he has also infiltrated my friends. Wren specifically.”

Snow gasped, denial sharp in her voice, but Rain nodded solemnly.

“Trust me, I don’t want to believe it either. But it’s time I accepted the truth of the matter. When Jay and Wren didn’t show up for trainingtoday, it felt wrong. My instincts are telling me this is all connected. Now I’m really worried about Jay.”

His heart clenched as the truth of his confession settled in. Politics and war were things he would always have to navigate but the thought of his loved ones being caught in the crossfire terrified him more than anything.

Rain recounted to Snow the events that had led to his growing concern for Jay. That morning, as he approached the gate to meet his friends for their usual training session, Jay and Wren were nowhere to be seen. Rain’s intuition; always sharp when it came to those he cared about, screamed that something was amiss. His unease only deepened when Jasmine attempted to reassure him, explaining that Wren had been the one to send a message to the group. According to Wren, both she and Jay were unable to train because they needed to catch up on their coursework.

Despite multiple reassurances from the team, who wholeheartedly believed the excuse, Rain couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Jay had always been meticulous with his studies, taking pride in his academic achievements and rarely falling behind. The situation felt unusual; especially since Jay’s parting words had been a promise to see Rain the next day. Nobody had heard from Jay, relying solely on Wren’s explanation.

Rain no longer trusted her word.

Yet with everyone else seemingly unconcerned about their absence, he had suppressed his worry, convincing himself he was simply overthinking. He reasoned that his lingering anxiety was probably a residue from the ominous dream that continued to trouble his thoughts.

After reciting his dream, Snow shifted uneasily, grabbing her pen again and tapping it frantically against her desk. “It does feel like an omen,” she admitted, adding kindling to the blaze of worry burning in the pit ofhis stomach. He had no choice but to check in on Jay; even if it meant trespassing on enemy soil to do so.

Sensing his rising anxiety, Snow shifted the conversation toward her mission during her stay at the Green palace. She hadn’t been successful in retrieving any green aetherchrome, though she was working on a lead. Much to Rain’s dismay, that lead came in the form of Sebastian; who he knew had designs on his sister. Though he wasn’t opposed to utilising the weakness against the prince, he didn’t like the idea of Snow becoming close with him; he would rather kill Sebastian than allow him the privilege.

“Alright, I get it, I just don’t like it,” he muttered as she doubled down on her reasoning for maintaining a relationship with Sebastian. “Before you give me heart palpitations over any more daunting news, let’s discuss the reason I asked you to call me back today.”

He picked up the Connekt and moved her to the dresser for a better vantage point, then scooted the large crate from the bookstore into the centre of the room.

“I revisited Aunt’s bookshop. She has passed away now, and the store is boarded up. I hoped to find tomes that date back to the first kings, or anything that could help decipher my dreams. However, when I entered, there was a strange magic that led me to a crate,” he paused, tapping his fingers against the crate in front of him, “this crate. Inside is a book encased in a magical force field. Now, when I tell you it was calling to me; it is such an immense pull. The book feels like it is calling to my very soul, I swear. If there hadn’t been a dead body, I would likely have dived right in before reading the warning label that cautions an untimely death.”

Snow’s eyes widened as she leaned forward to get a better view of the crate. “A dead body? Who was it? Aunty? Wait—what is the title of the book? Can yousee? Show me.”

Rain let out a light laugh, her intrigue reigniting his own excitement over the discovery, giving him a brief reprieve from his worries.

“The Prism Codex. No author. And get this; it’s covered in iridescent rainbow Aetherchrome.”

The twins widened their eyes together, Snow mirroring Rain’s excitement. With a dismissive wave of his hand he continued, “The body isn’t relevant; just some unrecognisable human. The placard states that it was once property of King Ryant, our first King, which I find quite intriguing. It had to be intended for us, right?”

He pried the lid off the crate using his power. The moment it lifted, the undeniable thirst returned—humming beneath his skin, coiling through his veins. He set the lid aside and immediately shoved his hands into his pockets to keep from reaching into the protective shield.

Through gritted teeth he explained the sensation to Snow. “It is taking everything in me not to just reach in and grab the book. A weaker person would have succumbed to its pressure for sure. It’s frustrating that I have nobody around to test the theory of it calling to my blood because that’s exactly what it feels like. I believe only me and you would be affected by the magic. I don’t think the human felt it at all; more likely they were enticed by something magical.”

He couldn’t look away from the book. Now that it was unsealed, it consumed him; begging to be released from its prison. Snow cleared her throat uneasily, watching the rigidness in his posture, the way he visibly fought the pull.

“I don’t like this, what if it’s a trap?” she cautioned, ever the sensible one. “Whatever you do, please don’t touch it until we figure out how to release the force field. We have many enchantment books in the library; I’ll have Eleanor pull some for us”

He sighed impatiently and began pacing around the room.