Page 16 of Awakened Light

The transfer of our power was a tradition that went back over a thousand years, and they had groomed me since birth to take my place as the leader of our tribe. An honor I tried to remind myself every day to be grateful for, and not the burden I always felt it was.

My mother turned and looked down at me. “When it is your turn to sit here, you will be the one making decisions when your people come to you. Be fair, but not weak. Sometimes what they want is not what they need. It is important to know the difference.”

“Yes, Mother,” I answered.

“It’s a big responsibility.” Lifting her weathered hand, she pointed a finger in my direction. “They will be depending on you.”

“I know, Mother.” I lowered my eyes and bowed my head. “I will do my best to lead them.”

“I know you will, child. The Goddess will guide you.” She reached down and lifted my chin with her hand. Wise old eyes stared back at me, and her thin lips drew up into a slight smile. “I’m proud of the woman you’ve become. You will lead them well.”

“Thank you, Mother.” I smiled back.

I hoped she was right. I hoped that I had the skills to protect and guide our tribe. It wasn’t the life I’d have chosen for myself, but I respected our traditions and could only hope I was up to the task. Not that I had a choice. In less than six months, it would be done.

“That was the last tribesman to be heard today,” my sister said as she stood from her chair in the corner.

Even though as the oldest, I would inherit the throne, Alpia sat in for all our meetings and my trainings. Years from now, after my mother passed on, Alpia would become my adviser. She would replace my mother as the person I turned to when I needed to work through decisions, but in the end, once I ascended, the decisions would always be mine.

“Go work on your spells, and I’ll see you for dinner.” My mother nodded toward the door.

“I’ll see you soon, Mother.” I rose from my throne, kissed her hand, and then walked out of the hut, giving Alpia a brief nod as I passed. The cool evening air chilled my exposed skin. I wrapped my arms around my shoulders and walked to my hut to grab a fur blanket before heading down to watch the sunset from the beach.

With the fur wrapped tight around me, I passed through our village toward the path to the beach I walked every day. Members of our tribe bowed their heads as I walked by, and I greeted each one with a smile. Even as a child, it had been tradition to honor the heir to the throne with great respect, but it had also made me isolated from the very tribe I was supposed to lead.

As a child, instead of being invited to join in on the games the children had played, they stopped and bowed their heads when they saw me. As an adult, conversation stopped when I entered the dining hall, and no one ever invited me to sit with them. Their respect was my loneliness, and it wasn’t until Thorne arrived that I’d found someone that treated me like a person and not a queen.

He laughed with me. Teased me. Listened to me. Excited me.

For the first time in my life, someone saw me.

We’d only spent three days together, but it was the best three days of my life. And when he left, it only illuminated the loneliness I’d felt all along.

I felt more alone than ever now.

But I had no choice except to embrace my fate and the duties that lay ahead of me.

Cool sand squished between my toes while I walked down the beach. I made it to my favorite spot, then settled into the sand beside the water. I was just in time to see the orange orb before the last sliver slid beneath the horizon. When it disappeared, I closed my eyes and waited for the gust of wind I knew deep down wouldn’t come. Waited to hear Thorne’s voice and laughter when he joined me on the beach. But it had been over two weeks since the day we’d said goodbye, and it was time for me to accept I’d never see him again.

I heard footsteps behind me, and for a split second, my heart jumped in my chest, thinking somehow, someway, he’d found his way back to me. But when I turned around, it was my sister making her way toward me.

“Need some company?” she asked.

I shrugged and turned my attention back to the colorful horizon. “Sure.”

Alpia sat down beside me and dug her toes into the sand. “It’s chilly tonight.”

I looked over and met her blue eyes that looked like mine. Aside from our hair color difference, her dark to my light, we couldn’t have passed for twins, but we certainly looked like sisters. “Here, share my fur.”

“Thanks.” She scooted closer to me and pulled a corner of the fur over her shoulders. “You never miss a sunset, do you?”

I twirled one of the braids that dangled around my face. “Very rarely.”

“Why is that?”

“I don’t know. I just like them I guess.” I shrugged. “It’s peaceful and beautiful. I like looking out at the horizon... wondering what it’s like out there.”

“What’s the point? We’ll never go there. Our life is here.”