Rise of the Warrior Queen (Kaia and Silver) novel Chapter 29

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

SILVER’S POV

That night, I drifted off with Kala on my mind again–thoughts of her smile, her laugh, even the creepy ass stories she told me at the library, and the little arguments we had. Those memories calmed me, made me feel like maybe things weren’t as messed up as they sometimes felt. Like maybe I could actually get some peace.

But the peace didn’t last.

It never did.

The nightmare came back again.

I was standing in the middle of a burning castle. The sky above was red, choked by thick black smoke. It burned my eyes, made it hard to breathe. All around me, flames tore through the buildings like wild beasts, swallowing stone and wood alike. Screams filled the air–sharp, panicked cries that made my skin crawl.

I turned my head and saw people running–mothers carrying children, elders sturnbling as they tried to escape. Warriors in black broke through doors, dragging out anyone they found. I saw blades flash, heard people begging for their lives, and blood splattering against walls.

Buildings collapsed one after the other as fire devoured them. Screams echoed through the night–men, women, and children running, falling, begging for help that never came.

Somewhere in the distance, I heard a child cry out, followed by silence.

Then a tower collapsed in the distance with a loud crash, shaking the ground under my feet.

My feet were frozen. I wanted to run, to help someone–anyone–but I couldn’t move. My feet were rooted to the spot. My hands were shaking, useless at my sides. I was just… there, watching it all fall apart.

My body wouldn’t respond. I just watched, helpless, as the world around me burned.

And then I noticed her.

A woman.

She stood across the courtyard, her long black hair flowing wildly in the wind. Her back was to the fire. She turned slowly, like she was hearing my thoughts. I tried to call out to her, but my voice wouldn’t come. Just as her face began to come into view-

I jolted awake.

I gasped and shot up in bed, my chest rising and falling quickly as if I had just run for miles. My shirt was soaked in sweat. My hands were trembling. And my heart felt like it would beat its way out of my chest.

I sat there in the dark, rubbing my face with both hands.

What the hell?

Why this dream? Why always the same dream?

And why did it feel so real–like a memory instead of just some twisted scene in my mind. same–the fire, the blood, the screams.

as always the

No matter how many times I had it, the horror never faded. I could still hear the screams. Smell the smoke.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

Feel the heat of the fire on my skin,

It was as fresh and terrifying as the first time. Always:

I didn’t know how long I sat there, trying to calm down. Maybe minutes. Maybe longer.

That’s when I heard it.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

At first, I thought it was in my head. Maybe part of the dream still clinging to me. But then I heard it again.

Тар. Тар. ТАР.

Frowning, I looked toward the window and blinked in surprise. There, perched on the sill, was a bird. A blackbird–maybe a crow. It tilted its head and stared straight at me. Then it struck the glass with its beak- once, twice, then over and over again like it was trying to get my attention.

My frown deepened. “What the hell…?”

The bird didn’t stop. It hit the window with its beak again and again, crying loudly like it was calling for me. Its wings flapped as it screamed, feathers puffing out like it was angry.

I groaned and flopped back down on the bed. “Go away,” I muttered into my pillow.

But the bird didn’t go. It didn’t give up. Instead, it got louder and angrier. The tapping got more intense, each strike louder than the last–the bird now flapping its wings and cawing sharply as if determined to break through the glass.

TAP! TAP! TAP!

“Ugh, seriously?” I hissed, dragging myself out of bed and stomping over to the window. I glared at it. “What do you want?” I asked, even though I knew how stupid it sounded. “You trying to drive me insane or something? I’m not frustrated enough for you?”

The bird didn’t move. It just sat there, staring at me with those small, beady eyes.

I shook my head. “Yeah, I’m really here talking to a bird now. Great. I must be really out of it.”

I turned to walk back to bed, but I barely took two steps before I heard it again.

TAP!

I stopped in my tracks.

TAP! TAP!

“Are you serious?” I muttered as I turned back around with a frustrated sigh. “You’re relentless, you know

that?”

The bird screamed again, louder this time, and slammed its beak into the glass like it was throwing a

tantrum.

“Fine!” I rolled my eyes and threw my arms up. “You win, buddy!”

I pushed the window open. “Now what?!”

The bird didn’t fly in like I had expected it to. It didn’t attack. It just looked at me for a second longer. Then, without a sound, it dropped something onto the windowsill.

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CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

I blinked as I looked at it.

A ring. A gold ring.

I stared at it, then slowly lifted my eyes back to the bird.

“What the hell is this?” I whispered in a mix of shock and confusion.

I opened my mouth to speak, but the bird was already spreading its wings. Before I could say another word, it tock off, disappearing into the night like a shadow.

My mouth hung open as I watched it leave. I picked up the ring carefully and nearly dropped it when I felt the burn. The metal was warm, almost too warm, like it had just come out of fire, which didn’t even make any sense. I didn’t think there was anyone around here forging rings, especially not at this time of night. And even if there were, why me? Why would they send it to me–and what for?

I looked at it and frowned. It had strange markings around the band–runes or symbols I didn’t understand.

I backed away from the window and closed it, still staring at the strange object in my hand. My thoughts were spinning.

Who sent this?

Why me?

And why a bird?

I had no answers. Just more questions.

I sat on the edge of my bed, still holding the ring. My fingers traced the markings, but none of it made any

sense. I felt like I was standing at the edge of something–like there was something I was missing that I

shouldn’t be. I felt like the nightmare and this moment were connected somehow–but I couldn’t for the life of

me figure out how.

For a long time, I just sat there in silence.

Then I stood and walked over to the desk in the corner of the room. I grabbed a cloth from the drawer and

wrapped the ring inside it. I didn’t want to look at it anymore tonight. I didn’t even want to think about it.

But I knew I’d have to.

This wasn’t some random bird dropping off junk.

That ring clearly meant something.

And I was going to find out what.

Maybe tomorrow… I’ll show Dr. Grayson. Or Kaia. Maybe they’ll recognize it. Maybe it’ll trigger a memory. Or

maybe… it’ll only lead to more questions.

One thing was clear:

This pack wasn’t as safe as I had thought. There was clearly something going on around here–something

big.

And I wonder if they’re aware.