Page 14 of Onyx Queen
“Last I saw him he was speaking with Captain Hanson.”
“Oh… is everything alright?”
“As far as I know. He is just trying to be useful. He cares a great deal about you.”
Onika tucked the books she’d been reading into the desk drawer. She hadn’t learned anything yet, other than her mother, grandmother, and great-great grandmother all controlled darkness – which was nothing she didn’t already know.
Luca met her at the foyer, “Heard we’re taking a trip.”
“You don’t have to come. I just figured it was time to talk to Sarifena and Emersyn.”
“You're right. I don’t have to come, but I want to. You know your safety is important, so where you go, I go.”
She shook her dark hair, the loose tendrils moving against her cheeks, “Fine. Thank you.”
Tapping her foot, as her nerves got to her, they rode in silence in the car. Luca placed his hand on her knee, attempting to quell the restless energy.
“It will be ok, take a breath, sweetheart.”
Onika forced a smile, “I know.”
Emersyn was just getting out of her car when they pulled into the drive. She rushed to the car to greet them, Drake not too far behind her.
“Onika!” Emersyn pulled the Onyx Queen into a hug, “Thank you for meeting with us sooner. Sarifena is out by the water. Shall we go down to see her?”
“Sure, Luca,” she turned, looking him in the eye, “Why don’t you and Drake catch up.”
“Absolutely not. You will be vulnerable down by the ocean alone.”
“Um,” Emersyn stammered, “I’ll just meet you down there while you figure this out.”
Onika watched as Drake escorted his wife into the castle. Once they were alone on the sidewalk, “I am capable of taking care of myself. Besides, we are inside the castle walls.”
“Onika,” Luca ran his fingers through her hair, holding her head still as he gazed into her eyes, “If something happened to you, I would cease to exist.”
“Luca… nothing will happen. How about if you wait on the balcony? That way you’ll be close enough to help but far enough away to give us a moment.”
His lips found hers in a searing kiss, pulling back, “Fine. Let’s go. I really want you alone.”
Chapter 14
Onika headed down the path towards Sarifena and Emersyn who were near the waters edge. Sarifena, being a water elemental, felt her best near the ocean or a body of water. It was fitting that her castle was built at the ocean’s edge.
“Onika,” Emersyn turned, “I’m so glad to see you.”
“You may not be when I tell you what I’ve learned.” Onika growled, eyes pinning Emersyn in a deadly stare.
“Well… I didn’t figure you were coming to announce your nuptials.” Emersyn snapped.
“Crap, I'm sorry. I told myself I wasn’t going to handle this poorly, yet here I am biting your head off. Can we sit down?” Onika pointed toward the sandy beach, “I think you’ll want to be sitting for this.”
The women plopped down into the warm sand, “Onika, whatever it is, you can tell us.” Sarifena smiled, “Hell… what could be worse than me finding out my father wasn’t the man I’d believed to be all these years? Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled that Emersyn is my sister, but it sucked to learn about it now.”
“So, you’re not angry you have a half-sister?” Onika questioned Sarifena, “What about you, Emersyn? Are you mad that your dad fathered other children?”
“I’m mad I didn’t have the chance to grow up with her. But,” she paused, “My mother seemed to love him regardless of his affair, and with them gone I can’t ask. Holding on to that anger doesn’t do me any good. Besides, with them gone I thought I had no family left.” She pulled Sarifena’s hand into hers, “now I know that’s not true. I have Sarifena.”
Onika glanced toward the ocean, “When the journal showed up, I didn’t know what to think. I knew it didn’t hold anything good, but I wasn’t prepared for…” her voice trailed off.
