Page 83 of A Reign of Chromes & Shadows

Jay blushed. “I don’t normally have access to other kingdoms’ work. I would die for such an extensive collection.”

“Let me do the dying, dear. Perhaps your new king will allow you the honour of spending time in his library at the Rainbow Palace, when he inherits my life’s work.”

“There is a Rainbow Palace then?” Rain asked.

“Perhaps there is, perhaps there isn’t. It is your destiny to uncover the truth, not mine. Your chip, please, Rain.”

Rain rolled his eyes; more cryptic bullshit. He pulled out his pendant, letting her scan the embedded chip with a small square device.

“I’ve already said too much in my excitement. Shahariar made me promise to let you uncover things at your own pace. However, now that the isolation phase has passed, you should know you have many supporters waiting for you to rise. You are not alone.”

“Thank you, Ambrosia. I’m glad our paths crossed and even more glad to see you are nothing like my father.”

“The feeling couldn’t be more mutual,” she smiled. “Farewell, our true king.”

Rain left the store feeling lighter. What a serendipitous encounter.

Jay followed behind as Rain powered up the street, lost in thought, heading toward Greys Water Hotel two blocks away. If there is a Rainbow Palace, there is a Rainbow Kingdom, near a Rainbow source. Presumably the entire realm had once been a Rainbow Kingdom before it fractured.

His mind drifted back to the dream Isarion shared, recalling the son he embodied ordering his father back to the palace before the thorned walls trapped them.

He needed an exploration team. He needed to head south. He needed answers. No more waiting for information to trickle to him.

“Rain!” Jay called, snapping him back. He sounded too far away.

Rain looked around and found him standing on the opposite side of the road. He raised a brow apologetically and waited for Jay to cross.

“You’re in pain,” Rain said, shifting the books from his arms into the air. His new power required touch; he needed his hands free. Jay reluctantly let him absorb the pain. It was the kind of constant ache that made everything miserable.

Rain inhaled as he took it on. It was tolerable for him, but uncomfortable, nonetheless.

“Come on. You need to rest that rib.”

Chapter 30

The city noise faded the moment they stepped through the hotel’s glass doors, replaced by the soft hum of polished marble floors and perfumed air. Rain felt Jay’s energy shift beside him in a flurry of anticipation and nerves, with a flicker of awe, each emotion brushing against him like warm fingertips. After the chaos of the past few days, the quiet felt almost unreal.

They scanned into the building. The moment Rain’s chip registered, staff appeared with practiced efficiency, greeting them with a level of deference that made Jay straighten awkwardly. They were escorted through a private lift and down a silent corridor until they reached the penthouse suite.

Jay gasped the second the door opened.

Stone column statues of the Gods towered on either side of the entrance, stretching upward toward a ceiling made almost entirely of glass. Afternoon light spilled across the room in soft gold, illuminating marble floors and velvet furnishings.

Rain dismissed the hotel employee with a nod, setting the stack of books on a marble-framed glass table. He watched Jay quietly, soaking in his earnest wonder as he explored the space.

Jay wandered deeper into the suite, stopping dead when he saw the bed.

“That is bigger than my whole bedroom,” he laughed, finally turning to Rain.

“It’s the same size as my bed at home. Perhaps a little bigger,” Rain said, closing the distance between them.

Rain gently tugged at Jay’s hoodie, pulling him in for a kiss. Jay melted into him instantly, arms wrapping around Rain’s chest. Rain sighed softly, embracing him in return. At 6’2, he stood just tall enough that Jay fit perfectly against him, like he belonged there.

“You’re such a show-off,” Jay murmured against his chest.

“What did I do now?” Rain asked, feigning offence.

Jay laughed and patted his chest before reluctantly pulling away to lie down. Rain followed, settling on Jay’s right side to avoid his injury.