Chapter 166

Hydrangea still clung to Bastian as they were brought back through the rain in the litter. She was still processing all that had happened.

The priestess' words still rang in her head. It was all sickening.

She looked up to see Bastian sharing her look of consternation. Placing her hand on his shoulder, "Are you alright?"

He looked pale and jumpy; like a startled rabbit.

He looked down at her and his eyes softened with affection. She smiled tenderly. "I am fine, my flower." He replied, his low, hushed baritone voice soothing her anxieties and yet increasing her heart rate at the same moment. "It is you I'm worried for."

Her shy smile grew, "I will be alright," She wrapped her arms around him gently, "I have you."

She could hear him chuckle faintly at her words and felt his chest move with the intake of breath.

"And you always will." He replied softly and her chest filled with a warmth that spread throughout her entire being. She loved him so much. Closing her eyes as the comfort that had come from his words relaxed her. She would always have him…

His presence and the drumming of the rain must've lulled her to sleep, for the next thing she was aware of was Bastian whispering for her to wake.

She opened her eyelids begrudgingly and the first thing that came into her line of vision was her husband. His eyes stared at her with an unceasing amount of admiration. Blood instantly rushed to her cheeks.

He smiled and whispered as his eyes trailed around her face, "I was surely blessed to have been given a wife such as you…"

She smiled, "Well…"

His eyes darkened, "Well, what?"

She pursed her lips nervously, "Well…" She thought better of it and changed her answer, "I suppose the Primals did bring us together through that disaster."

He smiled sadly and she felt something within her twinge. "I suppose they did." He remained quiet and she in that time took in their surroundings.

It was still raining; the sound now a familiar one and Hydrangea struggled to remember what the world sounded like without rain. But it was dark. No light glimpsed through the clouds and lightened the dreary mood. She had no idea what time of night it was, but from the slight lethargy she felt, it was most likely late.

"But it was all for the better," Bastian finally said, "And you, my flower," He held her gaze with an ardent passion hidden just beneath the surface of those brown eyes, "You have created a new person in me, one capable of seeing his past wrongs." Another flash of sadness appeared in his eyes. "You, Hydrangea, are all I will ever need."

"Oh, Bastian…" She exclaimed softly, her eyes watering. She covered her mouth with her hand, hiding the watery smile on her lips.

She couldn't resist anymore and she threw her arms around him. He stifled a groan and she grimaced, he was still healing. She leaned back, "Are you alright?"

He chuckled, his eyes crinkling in the corners, "I am fine. I'm not made of glass, my flower. As I've said many times this evening, I'm only worried about you."

She frowned, "You should care about yourself on some level."

He gave her a gentle chiding smirk and hummed.

"Queen Hydrangea, it is late." Ahuic's voice shouted through the rain.

Hydrangea raised her brows, "We're coming!"

She stepped out of the litter and into the rain, Bastian following after her.

Ahuic greeted them on the steps. Hydrangea nodded to her as she stepped past her. She looked back when the woman said, "I must speak to you, Sovereign Bastian."

Hydrangea met his eyes through the rain. He nodded to her and she took the last step up the stairs. What was wrong that Ahuic had to speak with Bastian?

She glanced one last time and saw Bastian speaking to Ahuic, but she couldn't hear their conversation over the rain. The frown remained etched in her forehead as her sandals splashed through the small courtyard and into their room.

Shutting the door behind her she rested her back on it for a moment. Closing her eyes she hunched her shoulders as her mind flickered through everything that had happened that night.

"Oh, come on, darling. It wasn't all bad."

Her eyes snapped open at the sound of a voice. An unfamiliar voice.

"Who's there?" She stepped away from the door and walked further into the room.

She heard an amused sigh from her right and swivelled on her heel. But saw nothing. Her skin crawled as apprehension overwhelmed her.

"No reason to be afraid, dear Hydrangea. I'm just here for a little chat."

With her breath increasing she slowly turned in a circle, her eyes searching for the speaker.

"Why don't you show your face? Who are you?" She asked, happy that her voice didn't waver. This scenario felt oddly familiar.

"Well…" The stranger teased, "I suppose this fun can't last forever."

Hydrangea jumped back when a full-grown woman stepped from thin air before her. Her lips parted open as she stared at her in confusion.

She wore a loose white dress that draped to her ankles. The light fabric was tight around her neck but cut off so that her shoulders were free. She took one step forward and revealed a split in the fabric that showed her leg. The most noticeable thing about her was that the woman's hair appeared to be burning, bright flames lit the tips of her brown hair.

"Are you a Primal?"

The woman smiled, revealing a dazzlingly white teeth beneath her warm brown skin that glinted gold in the firelight. "I am called that in some places," She began walking around Hydrangea and the younger woman took notice of the gold crown on her head, "I am called many things. One of which is the Sun."

The woman stopped and Hydrangea narrowed her eyes at her as her thoughts came together, "You're the Sun? The one these people worship? The one they sacrificed that man to?" Her voice rose in outrage as she spoke.

The Sun waved her hand in remiss, "I have no quarrel with Bosque, or the Jungle, as he is called. It is the people who don't like the people. They simply use me and Bosque as pieces to their advantage." She explained calmly. Her dry voice held no accent.

"So… what is your name?" Hydrangea asked.

The Sun looked at her with a curious regard. After a few more seconds of silence she answered, "My name is Tonali. Bosque is known as Wan in your country."

Hydrangea blinked at recognizing the name, he was the Primal of forests. Rowan often joked about him.

"And I am known as Timir-mask."