Tower of Dove

Chapter 17: The Rain Clouds

Tower of Dove Chapter 17: The Rain Clouds

It was the first thing of sunlight Lilyana had seen in three weeks, and it was streaked with rain clouds. She remembered how Posy loved rain clouds in the sunlight. She loved the way the gold rays would hit the edges and make the grey glow in a surreal way that no artist could capture, that no poet could describe. That’s what she always said.

Lilyana looked down from the sky and stared forward at her house across the street. She wasn’t going back inside anytime soon, though. After spending over a month locked inside that claustrophobic prison, the air outside was almost pleasant. Distracting, even. The tree trunk she sat against was far more welcoming than her bedroom. She’d spent days tearing her room apart, then putting it all back together and cleaning until there wasn’t even a smudge on the glass door to her balcony. Then she’d destroy it all and start again. That little routine had kept her thoughts away from Hiero and Posy, of what they were doing, or if they were alright.

She closed her eyes and pulled her knees up to her chest. She wrapped her arms around herself until she felt her muscles straining with the effort. She realized that the wind was blowing her hair about her, but she didn’t feel how cold it was. She didn’t really feel it at all.

She tried to let herself drift away for a while, but her mind only brought her back to her father. It showed her the memory of his white casket as it came into the village, drawn by a carriage, and she was eleven years old again and she was screaming at the casket, calling out for him and banging her fists against it until Ms. Corine finally managed to drag her away. She was still screaming when a cool hand shook her awake.

“Lilyana,” a man said.

She stopped her screams and opened her eyes, startled. At first she only saw green eyes and her heart thumped harder than it had in weeks. Then she noticed the blond hair which accompanied it, and the reality was so painful that she felt like she’d been smashed over the head with a club.

If only she could be so lucky.

“Lilyana,” Simeon said again, staring at her with almost frantic worry. This time she had enough sense to pull herself into a sitting position.

She was still at the base of the tree, although the rain clouds had consumed the entire sky and she could no longer feel the sunlight’s warmth. Actually, she was shivering so roughly that it was a wonder she hadn’t already woken from the shakes. She wondered why no one had come to find her. It had to nearly be dinnertime by now, but then she realized why and sighed to herself. Because she’d made herself so unreachable, just like she’d been before. She couldn’t even recall Miette’s last visit, although it couldn’t have been any further back than two days ago. What had they even talked about? Had they talked at all?

“You’re freezing,” Simeon said, kneeling next to her. He pulled off his jacket and put it over her like a blanket. She took the offer graciously, although she didn’t like the way Simeon stared at her. As if she was a ticking bomb. “Why are you out here alone?”

Lilyana looked at him for a long time before answering, “Why are you?”

Simeon opened his mouth as if to say something, but then closed it again and only watched her as she watched him. His eyes went downcast, and Lilyana couldn’t help but think of how troubled they seemed.

“Mind if I sit?” he finally asked, nudging his chin at the space next to her.

Lilyana scooted over a few inches in answer and he took a seat. They both stared towards her house, their backs pressed against the tree trunk. Neither of them spoke.

The wind blew colder, and Lilyana hugged Simeon’s jacket closer to her. From it she caught a faint scent of lemon. Weird for a guy. It wasn’t like his usual jackets either, she realized as she looked at the simple cotton lining and dark blue color. Then she glanced at him and noticed his jeans and t-shirt. She hadn’t seen him wear something so casual since they were ten.