Two
Alex didn’t see Kaiden the next day.
Or the next.
… Or the next.
In fact, she didn’t see him at all for the rest of the week. Not in the classes they shared, Combat and SAS, nor when she attempted to hunt him down, going so far as to ambush his roommate and closest friend, Declan, demanding he reveal Kaiden’s whereabouts. But all Declan knew was that Kaiden had been called away from the academy urgently, and he had no other details for her.
Perhaps it was for the best, since even without the paranoia of wondering what Kaiden knew—and how he knew it—Alex already had enough to deal with. Her meeting with the headmaster hadn’t gone very well, mostly because it wasn’t just Darrius, Hunter, Fletcher and Caspar Lennox who had been there. The entire academy’s teaching staff had been called to attend, many of whom point blank refused to accept Alex’s dire warnings. Most notably outspoken against her claims was the crotchety old librarian, who believed she was overdramatising the situation and it couldn’t possibly be as bad as she’d inferred. Professor Marmaduke had nodded emphatically along with him, but her pale features had indicated her solidarity was driven by fear and the hope that Alex might be wrong.
On the opposite end of the scale were those who believed immediate—and impulsive—action should be taken. Finn thought they should gather the human army and storm the city of Meya, arguing that a surprise attack would cripple Aven and his forces before he could rally his own defences. Varin was all for that plan, if only because it meant action, and the heavily armoured Species Distinction instructor wasn’t one to sit around waiting for disaster to appear on his doorstep.
There were also a number of teachers who were on the fence, accepting what Alex had to say but remaining unconvinced that Aven was an urgent threat. Professor Luranda, Fitzy, Doc, Tayla and Administrator Jarvis all believed more evidence was required before taking any action.
Alex had wanted to hit them over the head.
The only people who seemed to understand the gravity of the news were Darrius, Hunter, Caspar Lennox and Fletcher, as well as Karter and, surprisingly, Maggie.
Or… perhaps that wasn’t so surprising, given what Alex discovered about her Archery instructor the moment she’d stepped into the headmaster’s office.
Magdelina Llohilas was a Meyarin.
The teacher had always looked like an actress straight out of a fantasy movie, but Alex’s enhanced senses now allowed her to see that Maggie’s appearance was of the otherworldly, immortal kind, and not just blessed human genes.
Other than a swift inhale, Alex hadn’t outwardly revealed her shock. As for Maggie, aside from a slight widening of her eyes, the instructor had given no indication she’d noticed anything different about Alex—namely, her golden skin. For the entirety of the meeting, both were careful not to expose the other, but Alex had mentally scribbled Maggie’s name to the top of her follow-up list, knowing they would need to have a conversation—and soon.
“… know you have reasons, Alex, but I still think we should all come with you.”
Jolted from thinking about her teachers, Alex turned her attention to her friends. They’d been back from holidays for almost a week—a week where the academy staff continued to debate the pros and cons of various plans amongst themselves while Alex followed their order to attend classes as if there wasn’t a war brewing; a week where she spent every frustrated minute painfully aware of the time passing and what Aven might be doing while they sat around twiddling their thumbs; a week where she failed to find Kaiden and learn how he knew about her trip to the past; and a week where Alex didn’t hear anything from Niyx through their mental bond or in any other way. Despite her Meyarin friend having warned her that he was surrounded by mind readers and other gifted humans and he couldn’t risk discovery, his continued silence still put Alex on edge. But she wouldn’t endanger him by reaching out just to ease her anxiety—not when he was in such a perilous position.
Instead of dwelling on everything currently outside of her control, she focused on what she could do, and that was continuing her own plans to spread word about what was coming. While it hadn’t gone well with her teachers, Alex refused to give up. Now that the weekend had arrived, she would reach out to those with the real power in Medora—the royal family.
“It doesn’t make sense for anyone other than Dix to come,” Alex replied to Jordan, ordering an extra side of eggs from the food court menu. “And besides, once we’re done, I’ll be heading off to Draekora on my own, anyway.”
“I get that Zain and Kyia are protective of Roka,” Bear said, spreading peanut butter across his toast, “but surely they won’t mind if we tag along. It’s not like they don’t know us.”
Alex shook her head. “I’m guessing the surviving Meyarins will be really tense after everything that’s happened. I don’t want to risk upsetting them more, not until I make sure they’re okay with you coming next time. Better to be safe than sorry, especially if they’re all a bit… trigger happy.”
Jordan, D.C. and Bear all grimaced, likely recalling their first encounter with the Meyarin race when Kyia had threatened to shoot them with her bow.
“I don’t like the idea of you going off on your own without us,” Jordan said, his eyes concerned. “You won’t have anyone with you for backup.”
“Dix’s parents know we’re coming,” Alex told him between mouthfuls. “It’ll just be the four of us having a quiet chat, so there won’t be any backup needed.”
“Then I don’t like the idea of you going to Draekora on your own,” Jordan said, relentless. “You have no idea what you’ll be walking into up there.”
“All the more reason for me to go alone.” Seeing his furrowed brow, Alex put down her fork and reached across to lay her hand over his. “I promise, Jordan. Nothing’s going to happen to me.”
Alex ignored the guilty churning of her stomach, hating that she couldn’t tell her friends the real reason she needed to be alone that afternoon. Normally she would take them with her to Draekora despite the edgy Meyarins, but at the end of her SOSAC class on Tuesday, Caspar Lennox had reminded Alex about his promise to contact someone who might be able to help her strengthen her willpower gift. The unknown man owed the Shadow Walker a favour and had grudgingly agreed to meet Alex and judge whether he thought her worthy of his time. But the only way he would see her was with a demand for secrecy. No one was to know about their clandestine meeting—not even the people she trusted most in the world.
If there were only one or two humans Claimed by Aven, then Alex wouldn’t need this stranger’s help. She could just hunt down the individuals and Release them the same way she’d freed Jordan. But there weren’t just a few humans Aven now controlled—there was a worrying number of them, as well as an entire city of Meyarins. So it was vital that she learn the scope of her gift and whether or not she could somehow amplify it and share it with others. Then perhaps everyone under Aven’s Claim could be liberated, all at once. That was her hope, at least, and the reason she was willing to meet with Caspar Lennox’s mysterious friend—to find out if it was even possible.
“Dix will be back for lunch and I’ll be back in time for dinner, I swear,” Alex said, before draining her apple juice and rising to her feet.
“If you’re not, we’re coming after you,” Jordan said, everything about him showing how serious he was.
“Even if we have no idea how we’ll do that,” Bear added, just as serious, “we’ll still find a way.”
D.C. stood and offered Alex a smile, which was enough to help settle her nerves, at least until the princess said, “Let’s go tell my parents about the end of the world.”
Alex couldn’t fathom how D.C. managed to sound so upbeat given her doomsday declaration.
Reading Alex’s look, D.C. laughed, and even Jordan and Bear managed to brush aside their sombre moods to chuckle with morbid humour.
Wondering if they’d overdosed on dillyberry juice without her realising, Alex headed for the exit with the still-snickering D.C. following behind her. Once outside, she reached into her coat for the authorised Bubbler vial Darrius had provided and threw it to the ground, watching as the glass disappeared and the colourful portal rose up in front of them.
“You want to go first?” Alex asked her friend, gesturing towards the bubble mass.
D.C.’s face was devoid of her previous humour when she replied, “What I want is to know the real reason you don’t want any of us to come with you to Draekora.”
Alex’s eyes flickered, but she wasn’t overly surprised. More than anyone, D.C. knew Alex well enough to sense when she was hiding something.
“I can’t tell you,” Alex said quietly, not wanting to lie to her best friend, but also not willing to risk forfeiting her opportunity to meet Caspar Lennox’s contact.
D.C. swallowed. “Is it—Is it because of Jordan? That you don’t trust him after… everything?”
Frowning, Alex said, “Of course not.” Then, seeing D.C. chew her bottom lip, something she only did when she was anxious, Alex asked, “Why would you even think that? What don’t I know?”
D.C. was quick to shake her head. Too quick.
“Dix,” Alex said, stepping closer. “Talk to me.”
Shaking her head again, D.C. said, “It’s nothing.”
Alex brushed her hair off her face and considered her next words carefully. Every night that week, she had awoken to find D.C.’s bed empty. The first time she hadn’t given it any thought, but when it continued, she’d been concerned enough to seek out the boys, only to discover Jordan missing as well. Worried, both Alex and Bear had stumbled out onto the snowy grounds long after curfew, finally spotting D.C. and Jordan huddled together beside the frosty lake. They had looked so peaceful that Alex and Bear had retreated without disturbing them, and Alex hadn’t brought up the midnight search to D.C. in the time since then.
She had no idea why her two friends visited the lake every night, nor what they did while out there. And given everything Jordan had been through, Alex couldn’t help feeling as if their time together was… important. A time of healing for him, where D.C. offered whatever he needed to get through the darkness of what Aven had done to him.
But D.C.’s line of questioning had Alex wondering—did she really think Alex didn’t trust Jordan? Or… was D.C. perhaps fighting her own inner battle, dealing with uncertainty and fear when it came to the boy she cared so deeply for?
The princess rarely brought up her childhood; rarely shared any details about her past. Alex knew D.C. had grown up building walls around her heart, and her trust issues were beyond compare. But with Jordan… if there was any hope of D.C. getting through to him, she would have to be vulnerable with him—something the princess was no doubt struggling with.
While Alex felt like the worst friend ever since she was so focused on her plans to rally the mortal races against Aven, she still wanted to offer whatever support she could. No matter how scarred Jordan was, Alex knew D.C. was perhaps the only person who could help him heal—just as long as D.C. didn’t surrender to her own insecurities before she could get through to him.
“I know you’re missing sleep to be with Jordan,” Alex said quietly, meeting D.C.’s surprised gaze. “I can’t imagine what it must have been like for him, spending so much time trapped under Aven’s command. I know his pain must run deep, even if every time I ask how he’s doing, he laughs it off and says he’s fine. I’m so glad—” Her voice broke, but she cleared her throat and tried again, “—I’m so glad you’re out with him every night. I’m so glad he’s not alone in this, even if he might want to be.”
Tears welled in D.C.’s eyes as she whispered, “I don’t know if I’m helping him. I don’t even know how to help him.”
Alex reached for D.C.’s gloved hands and gave them a firm squeeze. “It’s enough that you want to,” she whispered back. “I’m not sure what’s going through Jordan’s head these days, but I do know how he feels about you. Aven may have stolen his will, but he couldn’t steal his heart. Don’t ever doubt that, Dix.”
A tear leaked down D.C.’s cheek, dropping off her chin and onto the snow. “It’s just—it’s so hard, Alex. I hate seeing him like this. I hate not knowing how to make it better. I hate not knowing if I even can.” Even quieter, she admitted, “And I hate being afraid of why I so badly want to try.”
Alex wished she knew what to say to ease D.C.’s mind, to ease her heart. She called to mind the wizened old Lady Mystique and the counsel she might offer. “Nothing worth anything is ever easy,” Alex said. “If you open yourself to him, we both know you won’t regret it. Give him time, give him comfort… give him you. And whatever you do, don’t give up.”
A final tear escaped before D.C. straightened her spine, her blue-green eyes steeling with resolve. “I’m not going anywhere. Even if that means I have to freeze my backside off every night from now until summer.”
That’s my girl, Alex thought, prouder than she could say. She offered a smile and another hand squeeze before releasing her grip. “Warmth is overrated.” She wiggled her brows and added, “And besides, you could always use him as a human-sized hot water bottle. A little snuggling might be just what the doctor ordered.”
D.C. snorted, wiping her glove across her face to dry the remaining wetness. “Maybe you should listen to your own advice and find someone to—”
“We’re not talking about me,” Alex hastily cut in, not wanting to hear whatever her friend might have been about to say.
“You’re no fun,” D.C. teased, her humour returning. She did, however, let Alex off the hook, and instead went on to say, “Now that my emotional crisis has been dealt with, how about we go and have that chat with my parents?” She gestured to the waiting Bubbledoor and invited, “After you.”
Moving forward, Alex made sure to imagine the palace’s receiving room clearly in her mind before she stepped into the portal. Within seconds, she was transported thousands of miles away to Medora’s capital city.
“Right on time.”
Alex spun around and grinned at the young woman waiting for her. “Jeera. Good to see you.”
The Warden smiled back, the resemblance between her and Kaiden startlingly obvious now that Alex knew they were related.
“You as well, Alex,” Jeera said. “Though, I have a suspicion I won’t be feeling that way when you leave.”
Alex looked at her in question.
Jeera’s lips rose up at the corners. “Call it intuition.”
Before Alex could ask, D.C. stepped out of the Bubbledoor and Jeera bowed deeply.
“Princess Delucia,” the Warden greeted.
“Jeera, how many times have I told you to call me Dix?”
“About as many times as I’ve said how inappropriate that would be,” Jeera returned, her blue eyes sparkling. D.C. only had time to utter a longsuffering sigh before the Warden continued, “Don’t shoot the messenger, Your Highness, but I have some bad news.”
Both Alex and D.C. looked warily at Jeera.
“The king and queen wish to speak to Alex alone,” she said, pulling a Bubbler vial from the folds of her fitted black uniform and holding it out.
D.C. didn’t take the vial. “My parents… don’t want to see me?”
While Alex knew little about her friend’s upbringing, the one thing she did know was that her family loved her more than anything. There was no way they—
“Of course they want to see you,” Jeera quickly reassured D.C. “It’s just… Given the nature of this meeting, they want to be careful to avoid any distractions.”
D.C.’s eyes narrowed. “I’m a distraction?”
When others might have swiftly backpedalled, perhaps even begged forgiveness, Jeera instead held D.C.’s stare and said, “Think about it, Princess. You’re their beloved daughter and the news they anticipate hearing won’t bode well for anyone. They need to focus on solutions rather than fearing how the ensuing discussion might affect you.”
Alex wondered how the king and queen had any idea what she was there to share, since to the humans of Medora, Meya and its inhabitants were still nothing but a myth; a legend long lost to the past. While the mortal rulers knew more than most—thanks to Alex’s misadventures and their daughter’s role in them—she doubted the news she brought had yet reached their ears. But she couldn’t think of that now, not when D.C. looked seconds away from storming through the palace and demanding answers from her parents.
Alex placed a hand on her friend’s arm and said, “It’s fine, Dix. I’ve spent enough time around royals to be comfortable speaking with them on my own.”
D.C. looked as if she wanted to argue, but then she loosed a deep, frustrated exhale and grumbled, “I’ll definitely be talking to them about this later. Feel free to tell them that.”
Alex nodded despite having no intention of doing so and watched as D.C. took the Bubbler vial, smashed it on the ground—with considerably more force than was necessary—and stepped through.
Hearing a chuckle, Alex turned to find a smirk on Jeera’s face.
“Jordan’s going to have his hands full with that one,” the Warden said, prompting Alex to wonder just how much Jeera knew about their lives—and how.
Before she could ask, the Warden turned and began leading the way through the palace’s opulent hallways. The home of Medora’s royal family was beautiful, but it didn’t come close to competing with the brilliance of the Meyarin palace. Where once the golden staircases and crystal chandeliers of the Tryllin palace would have wowed Alex, she now felt only a stab of nostalgia for all she’d left behind.
… And for who she had left behind.
The very reason she was even striding through the Tryllin palace was because Aven was no longer the friend she had once known. He was now her enemy. And if he ever discovered that she was Aeylia, he would never stop until she and everyone she loved were dead. She’d seen it. And she was determined to do everything in her power to prevent that future, even if it meant forgetting the Aven who once was and seeing him only as the enemy she needed to defeat.
But that didn’t mean her heart hurt any less, knowing what was ahead. And what was behind.
Lost in her melancholy, Alex didn’t realise Jeera had been speaking, only focusing in time to catch the Warden’s last words, “… and they’re all ready to hear what you have to say.”
“All?” Alex repeated as they turned a corner and stopped in front of a large, gilded door. “It’s just the king and queen, right?”
Alex couldn’t read the look on Jeera’s face, just that it was partly amused, partly sympathetic and partly something else entirely. And when the Warden opened the doors, Alex understood why.
The circular room was bordered by arching gold panels reaching high up to the ceiling like stained-glass windows. The walls were covered in maps and ancient scrolls—some written in languages Alex had never seen before—and displayed an array of bejewelled weapons that would have had Jordan and Bear whimpering with glee. But Alex didn’t have time to marvel, since she was frozen in the doorway and gaping at the people within—all of whom were seated around an oval table and staring directly at her.
“Alex, welcome,” King Aurileous said, motioning her over to him. As he rose, the rest of those at the table stood as well, their chairs scraping back as they took to their feet.
Eyes wild and heart pounding, it took a pointed shove from Jeera to propel Alex into the apparent war room and approach the king.
“Hello, Your Majesty,” she said with a respectful curtsy. She repeated the gesture to the smiling queen who, unlike the others, remained seated by his side. “I, um… Am I interrupting? I can wait outside until you’re done here.”
The king’s eyes, as unique as his daughter’s, were kind and steady as he looked at Alex, but they were also darkened by shadows that hadn’t been there the last time she’d seen him.
“I understand you wished to speak with the queen and myself, but it has come to my attention that what you intend to share today should be heard by key members of my council,” the king explained, moving his arm to indicate the table. “Those in this room are my most trusted inner circle of advisors, the ranking human leaders of Medora.”
Once again, Alex wondered how he could possibly have any idea of what she needed to tell him—let alone who would need to hear it. Darrius had sworn not to breathe a word when he’d given her the Bubbler vial, just as D.C. had promised to be vague when she’d contacted her parents to arrange the meeting.
“If you’re certain, Your Majesty,” Alex said, if hesitantly. It was one thing to convince the king and queen of the impending threat—and now without D.C.’s support—but another entirely to convince a group of strangers.
But as Alex glanced around the room, she realised most of them weren’t strangers. Aside from the king, queen and Jeera, there were five others in attendance, only two of whom Alex didn’t already know.
“If you would like to take your seat, I’ll make the introductions and you can get started,” King Aurileous said.
Jeera touched her fingers to Alex’s elbow and motioned for her to follow towards the far end of the table. As they moved, Alex couldn’t help making eye contact with those she had met before. Major Tyson was there, as was General Drock, whose scorching gaze narrowed dangerously as she passed him.
Alex knew the general’s ire was well deserved, thanks to the ruse she had pulled when she and her classmates had infiltrated the Soori Outpost during Hunter’s overnight SAS trip. As for Major Tyson, being Hunter’s inside man meant he’d known Alex wasn’t the princess she’d claimed to be—a feat he still found amusing, if his poorly concealed grin was anything to go by.
Moving her eyes quickly past them lest she start blurting out apologies and excuses, she fixed her attention on the last familiar person in the room—a welcome face, thankfully.
“William,” she greeted, surprised—and relieved—to see Bear’s father in attendance.
“Long time, no see, Alex,” he joked. To his mind, he’d seen her just a week ago. Regardless, he still wrapped her in a quick but warm embrace, his casual affection—and lack of formality—soothing her nerves. When he let her go, he kept his hands on her shoulders and his eyes roamed her face. “You must’ve been in the sun a lot this week. You’re much more tanned than when I last saw you.”
Alex forced out an awkward-sounding laugh in an attempt to deflect any further observations from the keen-eyed Warden. She then took the seat between William and Jeera at the opposite end of the oval to King Aurileous and Queen Osmada.
Not wasting any time, as soon as everyone was seated, Aurileous began his introductions. He gestured to the woman seated next to the queen who, like Jeera and William, was dressed in the familiar Warden uniform—head to toe in black with the golden emblem of two swords crossed behind a crown stitched over her heart.
“This is Commander Nisha James,” Aurileous said, “who is in charge of Medora’s armed human forces—both the Wardens and the standard military.”
Alex examined the commander. “James?” she repeated, her gaze flicking between Jeera and Nisha as she noted the similarities between them, from the bright blue eyes to the dark hair, fading slowly as it was to grey in the older woman.
“I believe you’re well acquainted with my niece and nephew.” Nisha’s face remained stoic, but there was a familiar spark in her eyes as she looked at Alex. “They both speak very highly of you, Alexandra Jennings.” That spark brightened as she finished, “My nephew in particular.”
Feeling heat flood her cheeks for no logical reason, Alex stammered out her thanks and turned back to the king.
“Next is General Alan Drock who heads up the western half of Medora’s active military. I believe you’re… acquainted.”
Alex bit her lip as she took in the king’s twinkling gaze before turning to the general. “Uh, hello, General. It’s… good to see you again.”
Drock’s eyes were narrowed. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t drag you out of here and have you imprisoned for fraudulent misconduct, trespassing upon a high-security military base and identity theft—of a royal, no less.”
Alex curled her fingers under the table, her nails pressing into her palms. “I can’t give you one,” she admitted quietly. “But I can say it’s in your best interest that you don’t.”
Drock crossed his arms over his chest. “Confident little bugger, aren’t you?”
Despite the situation, Alex still found humour in his response. “I see your language hasn’t improved since we last spoke.”
Wonder of all wonders, Drock’s mouth twitched. “If you remember, Princess,” he mocked, sounding amused rather than remaining enraged, “I seem to recall owning up to my bad habits.”
“And I recall you agreeing to refrain from such habits when I’m around,” Alex returned light-heartedly.
“Unfortunately for you, that agreement was for Princess Delucia, not Alexandra Jennings.”
Alex dipped her head in acceptance, mostly to avoid letting him see the hope in her eyes. Despite the cantankerous general being an intimidating man, Alex had come to see him more as a kind of uncle figure. She only hoped he might move past her deceit and give her another chance to earn his forgiveness—and his respect.
“Perhaps one day Alexandra Jennings might wrestle the same agreement from you, General,” Alex said softly. “Until then, sometimes a combination of letters can be more powerful than a sword, so I’ll look forward to hearing some of your more… creative descriptions and expanding my own arsenal of words. You never know when a well-placed expletive will come in handy.”
General Drock surprised Alex with a chuckle, his fierce features softening. “Get ready to take notes, kid. I’ll have your ears burning in no time.”
Alex grinned at him and then the king spoke up again, continuing his introductions.
“Warden Jeera, you already know,” Aurileous nodded towards the woman seated to Alex’s right. “She’s here to represent the Swords branch of the Wardens.” The king repeated the gesture to Bear’s father, adding, “And Warden William is here on behalf of the Shields.” The king paused. “Do I need to explain…?”
Alex shook her head and assured him, “I already know the difference.” She called to mind what Kaiden had once told her—that the Shields were responsible for intelligence gathering and analysis, while the Swords were field agents who acted on that intelligence and neutralised any threats to the kingdom.
Aurileous accepted her response and moved to the next person along. “General Tyson is another acquaintance of yours, or so I hear.”
Alex raised her eyebrows at the new title.
Catching her look, Tyson offered a humble smile and said, “Promotion.”
“Indeed, General Tyson has recently been promoted and now oversees the eastern half of Medora’s military,” the king confirmed.
“Congratulations,” Alex said, returning Tyson’s smile. She then winced and added, “I think.” When Tyson cocked his head in question, she shrugged and avoided his eyes while saying, “Now’s not the best time to be a soldier—leader or otherwise.”
Unable to repress the memory of the future she’d seen, Alex shuddered as she recalled the Library’s vision of both his and Drock’s deaths.
“You’re wrong, Alex,” Tyson said, his voice quiet but firm. “Now is the most important time to be a soldier.”
He had a point. But she still couldn’t ignore the mental image of him lying amid a pile of the dead.
“Lastly, we have the advisor to the throne, Jaxon Stirling.” The king indicated the elderly man seated at his side, his grey hair coupled with a thick moustache leading into a bushy beard, all of which covered a wrinkly, weathered face.
“Any relation to Declan Stirling?” Alex asked.
“He is my grandson. And I’ll thank you to leave out any personal anecdotes regarding him, as you’ve already wasted enough of our time today.”
Alex recoiled at his caustic words. But judging by the way everyone else suddenly looked away and attempted to hide their smiles, it seemed he was an abrasive man by nature. She decided to roll with it and follow the lead of those around the table—those of whom she actually liked.
“Your loss,” she said, determined to keep her voice casual. “But if you change your mind, I have loads of entertaining stories about him.”
Jaxon’s eyes narrowed into slits. “Duly noted.”
Coughing slightly—to hide what Alex was certain was a laugh—the king jumped in again. “Now that the introductions have been made, I believe it’s your turn, Alex.”
Leaning forward, Alex placed her hands on the table as she scanned their faces. “Since you’re all here, I gather you’ve already heard something about what I have to say.” She waited for their nods before she continued, “Then I’m sorry to confirm that last Sunday, Aven Dalmarta took control of Meya and all those who didn’t manage to flee in time.”
Murmurs rippled around the room, but Alex pressed on.
“King Astophe was killed,” she said quietly, hearing gasps in response. “And Prince Roka has been…” She looked down and had to take a steadying breath before she managed to finish, “He’s indisposed. Indefinitely.” She raised her eyes again. “I’m sure I don’t need to explain just how dire the circumstances are, but it gets worse. Worse than you could possibly imagine. And that’s why I’m here today—because I need your help.”
The room was silent and brimming with tension. Finally, the queen spoke, her voice a calming balm against the raging storm within Alex.
“Why don’t you start at the beginning, sweetheart,” Osmada said. “None of us will interrupt you. And once you’re finished, we’ll come up with a plan to make everything better. Don’t you worry, Alex. Everything will be all right.”
Alex had to blink back tears in the face of the queen’s kindness. But despite Osmada’s words, Alex knew no such assurances could be made. Because unless she found a way to change the future, nothing would be all right.
Start at the beginning, Alex repeated in her mind. That was asking a lot, given the many secrets she held. But in order for them to trust her, she needed to be as honest as she could. So she took yet another deep breath, opened her mouth and began her unlikely tale.