Finding Sunshine

Into the fog

Sunlight was hitting rains face and the birds seemed to be chirping louder today.

“Ahhhhh” Rain cried as she tried to sit up. Her head was pounding. It was too much to bare, so She curled up into a ball on her bed. Her throat felt swollen, her nostrils felt like they were on fire and she has the most horrible taste in her mouth.

*” yeah that happens but it’ll pass” a voice said in her mind.

Fear ran down her spine and she shot up. That was not Chad. The only person who she could telepathically talk to was her life-mate. And this was definitely not her room.

“Who are you?” She called out loud as a tall man walked towards her. His perfect brown skin covered with tribal tattoos. He was tall and had long dark hair that reached his shoulder blades.

“What do you want?” She asked fearing for her safety.

“I brought you water” he said with a quiet and calming tone. “Please, drink. I’m not going to hurt you”

“Who are you?” Rain repeated. Tears streamed down her face. What did he want with her? And how could he speak to her mind?

The man sat in-front of her slowly. His hazel eyes not once looking away from hers. Almost as if he had compassion for her and didn’t want to scare her even more. He tried reaching for her hand but she pulled away.

“Okay. Okay” he put up his hands to show he means no harm.

“I am zarack, Im from scarlet clan I mean you no harm Rain. I love you.” He said in a soft voice.

A stalker? Her heart was pounding. I’m gonna die, she thought.

“Your mother, she never told you?” He asked, confused. Clearly seeing the fear in her eyes.

“How dare you pretend you know my mom! You don’t know her.” She snapped. It was like a stab to her heart. “kidnapping is one thing but to get to my mind by using my mothers recent death is a whole other level of f****d up!” She screamed through her tears.

“Your mother, xara, is of this clan. You are part of this clan. Promised to me, to take as my wife at the age of 18. I’ve seen you in my mind my whole life.

“We are not beasts!” Rain snarled. The scarlet clan were well known for its wars. They ran our people out of scarlet city, before I was born and forced us to live in the dark forest. My people are loving and kind. We live as one with the earth.

Zarak smerked. “I can prove it” he said as he gestured for her to grab his hands.

Rain retracted further back and hugged her knees to her chest. Her eyes not leaving his. There was a calmness to him. Was he telling the truth?

“We have time. There’s no rush.” He backed up, once again showing his hands.

“Xara, born to the Snow clan king, was universally promised to my father. It is tradition that royalty take royalties, to show peace of all clans. After a short time,your mother fell sick and it came to pass that she was bearing a child. She knew the penalty was death for her committing adultery against the king. She pleaded with my father and promised that you would be married to his first born.” Zarak looked took a deep breath. “My father, waited for Xara his whole life, he loved her, loved her enough to let her go.” The passion burned behind his eyes and a tear almost dropped.

“He helped her fake her own death and sent her to live with your father.”

“My father?” Rain asked. “He passed away four years ago. He was a mean drunk. He drank my entire life and it finally caught up with him. My mother and I we’re finally free.”

“I know Rain.” He said looking into her eyes.

“Your mother came to my father after he died.”

“Look this would be way easier if you’d let me show you.” He put his hands up and then looked at hers.

“I have powers too. All royals have powers beyond what the people have.” He looked into her eyes. “You can feel intent through emotions correct?”

The color in rains face drained. How did he know that? She had never told anyone except her mother once when she was eight. There’s absolutely no way anyone could know that. Maybe he reads minds and when he was stalking her he read her mind. Rain side eyed Zarak. Or maybe her mother was held prisoner and that’s why she was missing for months. She started to panic.

“If you just take my hands, I can show you my memories.” Zarak said.

Rain needed to know what happened to her mother. She needed to know if what he’s saying is true. Slowly she reached her hands out, allowing Zarak to take them in his.

He cupped her hands and closed his eyes. “Do you give me permission to show you my memories?” He asked her.

Rain nodded. Zarak opened his eyes “you have to verbally verify, it’s a universe contract.” And he closed his eyes again.

“And close your eyes!” He said while peaking out of one eye.

For some reason that made Rain want to giggle.

She closed her eyes.

Zarak started over. “Do you give me permission to show you my memories?” He asked.

“I do” Rain said.

Suddenly they were both standing in a room looking down at the entrance of a castle. Rain looked up at Zarak with a confused look.

“This is four years ago, when Xara came to talk to my father. I was in my room, right here.”

Rain looked around the room. There were posters of bands on his walls and a lit up desk in the corner, with balls of paper around.

Rain attempted to take a step to pick up a piece of paper, Curious as to what he was writing that had to be just right but before she could Zarak stopped her.

“You can not step out of the memory. You must stay still or you’ll be stuck here. Do you understand? Promise me, my queen, that you’ll stay by my side.” Zarak called her his queen with so much affection behind his voice. Rain was almost convinced that he really did love her.

“Please don’t call me that!” Rain said with an attitude. “And yes, I understand.” She didn’t know anything about other powers. She barely understood her own powers and she definitely didn’t want to be stuck here.

Rain turned her attention back to the window where she saw a woman in a black cloak walk up to the castle entrance.

“Mom!” Rain whispered in disbelief.