Chapter 56
Acool evening breeze swept over Rain’s bare chest as he discarded the grey t-shirt he had been wearing, letting it drop onto the terracotta roof tile beneath his knees.
He hastily pulled on the sleeves of an ill-fitting, garishly red shirt he had pilfered from somebody’s washing line.
It was a necessary precaution for venturing into Carminia; especially with the king currently visiting.
Security would be heightened, and the risk of being caught was far greater than usual, with much higher stakes to boot.
After buttoning the shirt, he carefully adjusted the collar, ensuring it sat properly around his neck.
He then tucked the shirt tails neatly into his trousers, his mouth twisting into a grimace as he stared down at the offensively bold colour.
It clashed with his complexion; this realisation only heightened his discomfort.
He reminded himself of the purpose of the shirt; the fact he looked so terrible probably added to his camouflage.
Nobody would suspect a Royal would be caught dead in this cheap polyester monstrosity.
With the garish red fabric clinging awkwardly to his frame and the night air prickling at his skin, Rain crept across the rooftop, each movement measured and deliberate.
He kept his gaze fixed ahead, the city’s glowing lights flickering in the distance and the muted sounds of Carminia stirring below.
Every step he took was a reminder of the last time he had entered the Red Kingdom and the terror that had unfolded that night.
He had experienced both ends of the spectrum of the heart: the contented innocence of new love, and the unforgiving agony of hatred.
He mentally boxed away the mournful memories as he dropped down onto the same streets, moving toward his ex-lover’s home even as anxiety gnawed at his insides.
He kept his channel open, reading the energies of the city, taking extra precautions to avoid crossing paths with the guards.
This became unavoidable once he reached the perimeter of the gated community where Jay lived; the area had been heavily fortified, as though the king himself resided within the walls.
He wasn’t nearby; Rain had scoured the area thoroughly.
There were aetherials present, but none of them were Drazier.
Based on their power strength, they were likely visiting lesser nobles, those unworthy of a room on the king’s estate.
Guards eyed him suspiciously as he crossed the road; not suspecting him to be an imposter, but cautious of his intentions. They clearly didn’t believe he was a resident of the community, which only fuelled his hatred toward the damned beacon of a shirt.
As Rain surveyed the area, it became apparent he couldn’t get to Jay’s home without being caught.
The number of guards and wandering eyes made infiltration impossible without attracting attention.
Despite the growing urgency and the flicker of protectiveness that surged whenever he considered Jay might be in danger, Rain forced himself to remain cautious.
He was prepared to do whatever was necessary to keep Jay safe, even if that meant resorting to violence, but his instincts told him not to act impulsively.
Instead, he kept his movements measured, resisting the urge to take risks that might jeopardise everything he had in motion.
Rounding the corner of the street just outside the gated boundary, Rain found himself as close to Jay’s property as he could safely get without crossing the walls.
The area was heavily guarded, with patrols weaving along the perimeter.
A group of four guards was heading directly towards him, their gazes already fixed and alert, their energy making it clear they intended to stop him for questioning and to ask for his identifier.
Rain’s pulse quickened as he surveyed the homes between himself and the approaching guards, urgently scanning energy signatures in hopes of finding an empty house; somewhere he could plausibly pretend to be returning to.
Exhaling in relief, he found one to his right.
He turned into the driveway, projecting a sense of casual belonging.
Approaching the front door, he discreetly used his power to unlock the mechanism.
As he twisted the handle and stepped inside, he offered the passing guards a friendly wave, hoping the gesture would dispel their suspicion.
Only once he was safely inside did he allow himself to relax, grateful for the narrow escape. Careful not to intrude on the home he had trespassed into, he stalked toward the back of the house, flicking on the kitchen light in passing to maintain the ruse of returning home from work.
From the back room, through the windowed doors that led onto a small patch of grass intended to simulate a garden, Rain could see the windows to Jay’s parents’ bedroom.
Without hesitating, he began focusing on the energies within the home, finding Jay within seconds; his energy so familiar it tugged at him magnetically.
He was safe. Calm, but frustrated. Wren was there with him, so the frustration was understandable, Rain thought with a smile.
He lingered on Jay’s energy for a moment, allowing it to soothe his nerves. He had been convinced Jay was in harm’s way and hadn’t trusted any alternative.
After a long moment, he pulled away, shifting through the other signatures within the house.
That was when he realised there was an aetherial downstairs accompanied by four other persons; the rest mortal, two of them guards, the others belonging to Jay’s parents.
The guards made sense if there was an aetherial visiting…
but why was there an aetherial visiting?
His mother was riddled with nerves; fear, duty, and dread battling inconsistently through her thoughts. His father, however, was calm, his mind steady, engaged in friendly conversation; likely political, based on the dull narrative filtering through Rain’s awareness as he locked onto him.
Rain’s focus settled on the aetherial among the group.
The visitor’s arrogance was undeniable; an almost tangible air of superiority radiated from him as he sat opposite Mr Rouge.
The male seemed put out by his very presence there, as though he believed the setting beneath him.
Rain probed the aetherial’s power; the energy was wholly unrecognisable; unlike anything he had encountered before.
It pressed at the edges of his awareness, invasive and unsettling, and for a fleeting moment Rain felt as though the stranger’s power had latched onto his own.
Instinctively, he recoiled, heart quickening; a reflexive withdrawal that left him uneasy.
Though he tried to convince himself it was impossible for the aetherial to have sensed him, doubt lingered.
Wariness held him back from delving any deeper into the visitor’s power, unwilling to risk drawing further attention to himself.
Instead, Rain redirected his attention to Jay, reaching out to the energy he knew so intimately.
He could sense a current of turbulence within Jay’s aura; irritation and anger simmered beneath the surface, but there was nothing to suggest he was in any immediate danger or in need of rescuing.
Yet, interwoven with the frustration, Rain detected deeper, more vulnerable emotions: a longing and heartache that were unmistakable, feelings he instinctively knew were meant for him.
It was the familiar struggle of Jay wanting what he stubbornly refused to allow himself—Rain.
With a touch of mischief, Rain channelled a heartfelt wave of loving emotion towards Jay.
It was a brief, gentle surge; a quick energetic hug, just enough to let Jay know he was there, leaving a subtle mark of his presence.
Rain hadn’t expected Jay to acknowledge him, but he caught the flicker of awareness within Jay; even so, Jay suppressed his reaction, likely wanting to conceal it from Wren, who was with him.
In that instant, Rain was enveloped by the familiar, comforting sense of home—an overwhelming joy wrapped in hope and love.
He smiled to himself, recognising this as the essence of Jay, the energy he adored, and the feelings that his presence always seemed to draw out in the man he had given his heart to.
Getting to the Blue border had been straightforward; the journey itself posed little resistance.
However, the true difficulty emerged at the crossing point.
Red troops were entrenched for miles along the perimeter, their camp sprawling with countless tents pitched in stark rows along the wide tarmac divide.
Heavy artillery was positioned, ominously trained on the tall building of the Blue kingdom; a constant threat and a clear display of force.
On the opposite side, small squads of Blue troops stood vigilant, stationed and prepared for any incursion.
Their small numbers were a tactic of the Blues; to make the enemy feel they had the advantage, allowing them to underestimate their forces.
Let them charge to their deaths for having the audacity to think they could overpower their unbeatable nation.
What the enemy couldn’t see was the defence hidden among the trees and buildings; if they made a move against the Blues, they wouldn’t get far into their territory.
Rain perched atop a familiar building, parallel to the one he had leapt from during his last infiltration attempt.
The memory of that previous escape lingered, and a part of him questioned whether he should have retreated to the safety of the Grey territory before crossing into Blue.
Still, he was drawn by a sense of nostalgia; a yearning for the thrill and spontaneity of breaking rules, when adventure had been a constant companion.