Page 61 of The Moon's Daughter
Layna nodded, her eyes on Soraya and Almeer, who stood, hands entwined, sharing a sorrowful goodbye.
Zarian followed her gaze. “After the war, maybe they’ll be reunited.”
Layna turned to Zarian, her hands finding his. He looked down at their joined hands. Layna couldn’t quite decipher the emotion that passed through his eyes, but it looked something like disbelief.
He squeezed her hands gently, as though needing the touch to convince himself she was truly there.
“Thank you,” Layna said. “I know this wasn’t easy for you, choosing between your duty and helping me. I’m eternally grateful, more than I can express.”
Zarian’s eyes darkened as he looked down at her.
“I no longer feel conflicted, Layna,” he confessed, his deep voice washing over her. “I am yours.” He glanced at Soraya and Almeer, then back at Layna, his eyes filled with meaning. “The rest is for you to decide, Princess.”
Before Layna could respond, Zarian signaled to Jamil, a subtle nod indicating it was time for them to head out.
Layna walked Soraya back to her chambers. After tucking her in, she nestled beside her sister in the large bed. With gentle, soothing motions, she rubbed Soraya’s back, whispering words of comfort until soft sniffles melted into the steady breaths of sleep.
Yet, sleep refused to claim Layna.
Her thoughts wandered to Zarian. He had risked everything—his standing with the Medjai, his duty, even his trust with Jamil. Zarian had chosenher, placing her sister’s happiness above the rigid codes that governed his life. The magnitude of his decision weighed heavily on her.
Hours passed by as Layna stared at the shadow-dance on the ceiling cast by the moonlight. The quiet of the night offered no comfort, her mind a whirlpool of thoughts about duty, love, and the uncertain future that awaited them all.
Zarian’s words echoed in her heart.I am yours.
Eventually, exhaustion overcame her, pulling her into a restless slumber. But Zarian found her even in her dreams—his bright hazel eyes, the gentleness of his touch, the silky softness of his unruly hair.
I am yours.I am yours. I am yours.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
In the heart of the Alzahran desert, under a canopy of stars that stretched infinite and eternal, Layna stood alone. The full moon bathed the sands in silver, casting long shadows across the tall dunes. An unnatural chill swept through the air. The stars dimmed as a creeping shadow enveloped the moon, staining the night an ominous red.
The sands beneath Layna’s feet began to whirl, forming towering figures of fearsome warriors and beasts. Encircled by this spectral army, her heart raced, breath catching as the figures advanced, their forms growing more defined, more threatening with each second.
Amidst the menacing growls of the beasts, a voice, clear and resonant, cut through the chaos.
“Rise, Daughter! Rise!” it commanded. The warriors and beasts halted, bowing in submission to the princess.
Layna felt an awakening, a surge of energy that coursed through her veins. She lifted her arms toward the blood-red moon, and the sands rose high, swirling into a maelstrom of power around her. An unearthly radiance emanated from her, her eyes glowing with a piercing white light, mirroring the brilliance of the moon itself.
Beneath her, the desert sands heeded her call, but it was Layna herself who transcended earthly bounds. She flew up in the night sky, her silhouette outlined against the moon. Her loose gown billowed like wings, swirling in a tempest of her own making. The wind wove through her hair, lifting it in a wild, majestic halo.
Gazing down, Layna’s heart clenched with a sudden rush of fear as she realized her towering height.
She began to plummet. The sands parted below to reveal a dark, gaping abyss, ready to engulf her in its shadowy depths.
The chasm yawned wide, its darkness so complete, so absolute, that it swallowed the very light of the moon. Her descent was timeless, an eternal fall through layers of oblivion that absorbed every thought, every fear, every hope.
Layna felt herself dissolving, her very essence unraveling, the darkness seeking to claim her completely.
Yet within her, the spark of power grew brighter still.
Layna jolted awake, shallow breaths escaping in sharp gasps, her nightgown clinging to her sweaty skin. Her heart pounded fiercely, lingering dread twisting around her lungs in an ice-cold vise.
Soraya stirred beside her. Her sleepy eyes crinkled with concern as she fixed on Layna’s pale, distressed face.
“Layna?” she rasped. “Was it the dream again?”