The rain poured relentlessly, drenching as I soared through the storm-filled sky. My cloak, woven with weatherproof enchantnts, kept dry everywhere except for my hair, which clung to my face in heavy, dripping strands. The cold air bit at my skin, but I barely felt it—I had only one thought in mind.
By the ti I reached Rune’s bedroom balcony, my hair was completely soaked, droplets tracing a cold path down my neck and spine. I barely had ti to shake off the chill before I saw him enter his room. His steps were quick, his shoulders tense with barely restrained fury. I stayed outside, watching as he dismissed the servants with a clipped tone, waiting until the door finally shut behind them.
Then, I knocked on the glass.
Rune’s head snapped toward the balcony, his eyes widening in shock. I reached up, disabling my invisibility spell, and the mont I ca into view, he gasped.
"Reina?!"
I used telekinesis to unlatch the balcony doors and stepped inside, the storm still howling behind . Rune was already rushing toward , his expression shifting from surprise to frustration as he took in my rain-drenched state.
"Wait—you’re dripping wet! Were you out in this storm?!" He ran his gaze up and down, assessing for any signs of discomfort.
I shook my head, droplets flying from my hair. "It’s fine," I reassured him. "I just didn’t have my hood up, so my hair got wet. I’m dry otherwise."
The idea I had back in Frosthail—designing a heat-resistant cloak—had eventually led to create a weatherproof fabric, which now made up most of my clothing. It would hit the markets soon, but that wasn’t important right now.
Rune wasn’t convinced, though. He had already grabbed a towel, his worry overriding his previous anger. "Gosh, Reina! How could you be out in a storm like this?" He reached up to dab at my hair.
I sighed, channeling a small pulse of mana to lift the excess water from my strands. With a flick of my fingers, I redirected the droplets into the potted plant near his desk. Rune huffed but didn’t protest further as I placed my hands firmly on his shoulders, rooting him in place.
"Brother," I said softly, my gaze locking onto his, "are you all right?"
His body stilled.
For a mont, he just stared at , as if my words had dragged him away from his previous distraction. Then, he lowered his gaze, and a smile curved his lips—but it was one of those forced smiles. A carefully placed mask to keep from worrying.
"I’m all right," he said, though the slight waver in his voice told otherwise. "But I... I’m sorry, Reina. I ssed up the political alliance with Duchess Konstantinos. She... well..."
He was fumbling for words.
I clenched my teeth, my mind going into overdrive. My Dragon’s Presence simred beneath my skin, thoughts spiraling in rapid succession.
Should I just kidnap Celestia?
Or should I show myself as a Dragon and arrange their marriage myself?
Or perhaps I should remove Nyria from the way entirely...
[Goddess of Wisdom warns you against any rash actions.]
[Defender of Divine Glory asks you not to be blinded by your emotions.]
[Giver of Gifts requests that you do not harm anyone unjustly.]
"Shut it," I muttered under my breath, my jaw tightening.
Rune, ever perceptive, placed his hands over mine, squeezing gently. His golden eyes were steady, tinged with a quiet sadness. "I’m fine, Reina," he murmured. "These things happen. I just feel... a little bad that I couldn’t do better."
My fists clenched. My heart twisted at the way he said that.
Without thinking, I pulled him into a tight embrace. Rune’s breath hitched slightly, but he didn’t resist. Instead, his hands clutched at my cloak, his grip firm, as if grounding himself.
I closed my eyes, focusing on steadying my rage. If I let go of him now, I might do sothing... irreversible.
"It wasn’t your fault," I whispered. "I heard everything."
Rune tensed.
"I was mistaken to think this would be a good match," I admitted, guilt twisting inside . "I’m sorry for getting your hopes up, Brother. Please forgive ." I buried my face into his shoulder, unable to look at him.
Rune exhaled softly. He tried to pull back, but I tightened my hold, unwilling to let go just yet. Sensing my stubbornness, he patted my back in silent reassurance.
"It wasn’t your fault either, Reina," he murmured. "If you were in her place, you might have done the sa thing."
I pulled back slightly, just enough to et his eyes. "I would never reject you," I said instantly, my voice firm with conviction.
Rune chuckled at that, a small, genuine sound. "Let’s just say it was a miscalculation," he suggested lightly. "And think of another way to fix this problem, hm?"
I sighed. "I was supposed to be the one consoling you, not the other way around, Brother."
He laughed again, this ti fully, the warmth in his voice easing so of my tension. "Well, I am your older brother, after all. It’s my duty to be there for you—whether you’re angry, sad, or happy."
His words only made my heart ache more. I had watched him fall in love. I had seen the spark in his eyes when he spoke of Celestia. And now...
[Goddess of Wisdom reminds you that not everything will always be in your control.]
[Defender of Divine Glory says that failure is a natural part of life.]
[Giver of Gifts prays that Rune will find a better match.]
No, I thought darkly.
"Nyria will pay for this. She made my brother sad, and I will make sure she regrets it."
[Defender of Divine Glory warns you against doing anything reckless.]
"Reckless or not, she will pay for breaking my brother’s heart."
[Goddess of Wisdom calls you yandere.]
"How do you even know that term—no, whatever."
Rune pulled back slightly, his expression growing thoughtful. "This changes things, doesn’t it?"
I inhaled sharply. He was right.
"Since the marriage won’t happen," he continued, "His Majesty might try to arrange my engagent with soone else. We should start thinking of another option."
I exhaled slowly, forcing my emotions to steady. "Don’t worry about that," I said, voice firm. "I’ll take care of it."
Lightning cracked behind , illuminating the room in a stark flash. Rune glanced toward the window. "That’s so storm out there," he murmured.
It’s violent because of , Brother. But I couldn’t tell him that.
Instead, I turned my gaze back to him. "What will you do, then? Talk to His Majesty?" he asked.
I nodded.
"Is there anything I can do?" he asked, his tone laced with sincerity.
I reached out, taking his hand in mine. "No," I said softly. "Just rest for a while. You’ve worked hard. You’ve survived, you’ve grown strong. You deserve a mont to breathe."
Rune smiled, his golden eyes warm as he reached out, touching my cheek gently. "I had to, Reina," he whispered. "I was dying to return to you and Father. It’s been so long... but now, it’s only a matter of days. Or maybe a couple of months at most. And then, we’ll finally be together again."
I placed my hand over his, grounding myself in his warmth.
I hated seeing him upset.
Rune was the first person in the world who had risked his life for without a second thought. He had stood by , supported , believed in —even when no one else did. He never questioned my decisions, never doubted my words. No matter how impossible things seed, Rune was always there, unwavering in his faith.
And now, I had to watch him force a smile to reassure .
I clenched my fists, suppressing the growing storm inside . I couldn’t just let him be sad.
[Goddess of Wisdom is against you murdering Duchess Nyria Konstantinos.]
"I won’t kill her," I muttered, my tone sharper than intended.
[Defender of Divine Glory warns you against the kidnapping of Princess Celestia.]
"Stop making those rules!"
Rune’s eyes flickered before settling on the pendant around my neck. Without a word, he reached out, clasping it gently in his palm. Warmth spread from his touch as he poured his mana into the pendant, strengthening its enchantnts.
I felt the pulse of his power intertwining with mine, reinforcing the protective spells he had placed long ago.
He sighed once he was done, then smiled at —genuinely this ti. And I swore to myself, right then and there, that I would keep that smile on his face.
"I should get going now," I said as I stood up.
Rune imdiately frowned. "Wait, where are you going? It’s still stormy out there!"
I smiled reassuringly. "Please don’t worry about , Brother. This cloak is waterproof—I won’t get wet."
"It’s not just the rain, Reina! It’s a violent storm with constant lightning. Stay put for a while."
I sighed. The storm was natural but it was influenced by my temperant. Because I had lost control of my emotions, the skies had mirrored my turmoil. The worst part? Since it was already there but beca violent because of my mood, I couldn’t even calm it down.
"Fine," I relented, and Rune finally relaxed.
"So, shall we play a ga of chess while we wait?" he asked with a small smile.
I nodded, and he quickly set up the board.
Within ten minutes, Rune lost.
He chuckled, shaking his head. "Wow, how long has it been since we played like this?"
I leaned back slightly, feeling lighter than I had in days. "Five years."
"Ti flies," he murmured, staring at the board as if lost in thought.
I nodded. Five years... Five long, brutal years where we hadn’t been able to sit like this—just existing together without any burdens weighing us down.
We played another round, and in between our moves, we talked—catching up on little things, things we had missed out on while separated by our duties and responsibilities.
It was comfortable.
But then, a knock on the door broke the mont.
Rune exhaled, looking toward the entrance as the servants announced their arrival. "Ah, it’s already that ti," he sighed.
The peace treaty signing.
I glanced at the window. The storm hadn’t fully cleared yet. Dark clouds still lood overhead, heavy with the promise of more rain, but for now, it had stopped pouring. The air was thick with humidity, the ground outside slick with water, but it seed like the weather would remain calm for a couple of hours.
Enough ti for to move undetected.
"I’ll see you later, then," I said, activating my invisibility spell once more.
Rune gave a small nod, his expression unreadable as the doors opened and the servants stepped in. I silently slipped past them, my presence unnoticed as I made my way down the hallway.
There was one more thing I needed to do before I left.
I turned toward Eric’s room.
It was ti to check on him.
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