Aetherias Moon

by Aetherias Moon

Cover by Melyn-L-Kit

Soran hung his feet off of the edge of Arna, the lapping sounds of Alia a quiet balm on his heart.

She wasn’t gone.

He rubbed his face, massaging his eyes until they hurt. They already burned from the tears he hid from everyone. His mother had called for him, but his emotions had been too strong for her to overwhelm his needs to be away. Even her command had its limits. Likely, the Queen was distraught, but he didn’t want to see that. He didn’t want to see her tears mirroring his own.

Anwei was fine.

He shivered as wind pressed up against his skin. Today, even the sun’s warmth failed him.

I need to do something.

He knew the truth of the matter, that something had to be done, but in doing so he would be admitting to something that couldn’t be real. He couldn’t allow it to coalesce. It had to stay ethereal, the idea ephemeral. Anwei would walk in any moment.

His breath caught.

He glanced at the set of smooth rocks that peaked out of the water near the edge. He could almost see a small Anwei hopping between them without any care in the world. The court called her reserved, boring, but they didn’t know the truth about her. The whirlwind she buried deep in her core because she didn’t believe people were ready yet to perceive her.

Maybe she had been right.

A tear dropped into the abyss.

He tenderly rubbed a silver feather in between his fingertips. Every second he looked at it, the more he was certain. Its iridescent sheen, the way it shimmered in the light, he had never seen another feather like it.

Except on Anwei.

Dona had had it.

Like a prize.

Rage built in him, slowly consuming his denial.

Soran tucked the feather away and then stood up. His whole body trembled, and he clenched his fists. He had to do something. Not because Anwei was gone…but because she was missing. Surely, it would all be for nothing, but he’d rather be safe than sorry.

That meant doing something unpleasant.

It didn’t take long to find Dona. Clangs of swords and sweat preceded him as the burly man clashed against another warrior. Sand caught up in the wind as they danced from the ground to the air as they tried to get the advantage over one another. Dona would win. The other man, though larger, had less maneuverability. In a battle in all three dimensions, that mattered more than sheer strength…besides, Dona had enough power in his own right.

“You’re here,” Dona grunted.

Soran stopped. His body felt limp as he watched. Normally duels energized him, made him ready for his own combat, but today his body felt held up on puppet strings.

“I thought you were sending out a search party for Anwei.” Soran said through gritted teeth.

“Everything’s in the works.” Dona bashed his sword into the man’s face, a shield flickered around his head, flaring red as the mans eyes went wide in shock. “I assure you.”

“You should be out there,” Soran growled.

“Things don’t happen as quickly as you’d might like.”

“She’s missing-“

“Soran, she’s gone.” Dona knocked the sword out of the man’s hand and strangely threw his own one away. He grappled the man by the shoulders. “The Queen may have lost it in her sickness, but you need to keep your head on your shoulders.”

“You’re mistaken.”

Dona launched the man across the arena. “No one would survive that.”

Soran appeared next to Dona in a flash of wind. His fingers wrapped around Dona’s thick neck. “Shut up.”

Dona bared his teeth, his eyes wild. “Do. You. Want. To. Fight…Cousin?” He grunted.

Wind curled around the pair of them, violent and ready to act.

Did he want to fight? No. He wanted to fucking kill him.

Dona had done something.

Wind slashed into Dona, sending him flying. The man grunted as he shot into the wall of the arena. Blood pooled down his shoulder where the slash had hit.

“What did you do?” Soran hissed.

“What are you talking about?” Dona smirked and pressed a hand against his wound.

“This is Anwei’s.” Soran pulled out the silver feather.

“I just found it.”

“You didn’t.”

“Cousin isn’t the only one with silver wings, Soran.”

Wind hissed around them. The other man backed away as wind clashed against one another, forming a horrible pressure in the air.

Anwei had special silver wings, almost platinum and iridescent, a feature of being part of the royal family. Her wings were beautiful, and he could spot her feathers from a mile away.

Dona had done something.

He pressed wind against him back; he hovered over the ground and shot over to Dona in an instant. He grabbed the man by his dreads and shoved him against the wall. He moved faster than Dona could react.

“What. Did. You. Do.”

Dona chuckled.

“I understand that you’re worked up, but you must know I’d never hurt Prince Reno.”

“How were you just conveniently around to see her get attacked?”

“I like early morning flights.”

“Why didn’t you do something?”

“Of course I tried.”

“Liar.” Soran shoved him further into the wall. Anger pulsed in his chest, he wanted to cut the man apart. He couldn’t process anything, everything stained red.

“I did all I could.”

“Who did it then?”

“I promise to find him.”

“I’ll deal with it,” Soran said.

“You’re too distressed,” Dona grunted.

Soran turned wind into blades. Dona had done something. Soran could tear him apart. Sure there would be consequences. But he was second prince…well first prince now.

He hated that. It wasn’t true.

Anwei was alive.

The only answers he could were was from Dona.

“Where did it happen?”

Dona said nothing

Soran shoved him further into the wall. Wind pressing deep against him and keeping him in place.

“Tell me.”

“To the north of Alia, a couple of streaks out.”

The urge to end Dona’s life hung over his mind like a cloud. He knew Dona was involved in Anwei’s disappearance, but the feather was his only proof. Killing him would cause problems, and right now he needed to focus on finding Anwei. Dona wouldn’t do a proper search.

If he had to go to the depths of the abyss to find her, he would.

He raked wind across Dona’s back, leaving what looked like claw marks. Dona screeched.

“I’ll kill you,” Soran whispered.

“Your majesties,” a hesitant voice said.

Soran turned around and loosened his hold on Dona. Dona stepped aside. The messenger looked uncomfortable as he took in Dona’s bloody form.

“We captured the abyssal celestial who hurt Prince Reno.”

A chill ran down Soran’s spine. Soran glanced at Dona, who looked triumphant.

Soran hissed.

“We are going to interrogate him-“

“Take me to him,” Soran said.

“See, cousin. You were overreacting.” Dona grunted as the sun shone around him, already healing the slashes Soran had left in him.

Soran clicked his teeth. He threw Dona into the wall with one final blast of wind.

Dona grunted in pain.

Soran walked away. He still knew Dona had done something, but he would hold off on killing him for now.

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