“Queen Jasmine, do you really think that the Queen has declared peace or is it just another one of her lies?” Kelly asked.
“I can't say for sure but I sincerely hope that she meant it. We at least need time to clean up our kingdom and come up with a better plan of attack for next time if there is a need.”
“Yes, we definitely need to take care of our kingdom; the tunnels are a mess. I don't know if we are going to be able to repair some of them,” Simon said.
“We need to do the best we can. I think it is important that we get the Runners and the Guards and anyone else who can help with fixing the tunnels on it immediately. We need those tunnels back intact so that we could possibly use them for any future wars,” I explained.
“It sounds as though you think that she is going to attack fairly soon.”
“I can't say for sure but I think it better to be safe than sorry. I do know that she is not happy that we have Lilliana in our kingdom. I'm not sure if that's enough in her mind to warrant an attack on us but I want to be prepared.”
“What about the people of Jarnay? What if the Queen put in one of her people with that group with the intention of destroying us in some way?” Kelly asked nervously.
“I will need to speak with Selvin as soon as possible. I think he will be essential in weeding out who is here to truly seek safety or who is here to give information to our enemy.”
“He is an Other. Do you really think that he is going to be able to do something of that significance?” Simon asked skeptically.
“I'm not a hundred percent sure why you think of the Others as inferior to us. Selvin has very strong powers that I think will prove to be very important within the next few days. I think we should give Selvin the chance to prove himself. What can any of you tell me about the trip to the other kingdom? Cali and Sebastian have given me some information but I need to know all the details.”
“Only a few of us made it all the way to their palace,” Storm said. “They had their strongest Guards just outside their boundaries. The fight was fairly short but both sides lost many people. No-one from our kingdom was killed; however some had to be healed immediately and were too weak to continue.”
“Do you know of any of the powers they had?” Cali asked.
“One of them was able to make the ground shake and crack open.”
“Yes, we are already aware of him and he has been killed. He was the one who attacked Tyran in the forest.”
“Did Tyran just kill him with his powers?”
“No,” I said. “Tyran was trying to kill him, but for whatever reason, he was only being tortured.”
“So how was he able to kill him then?”
I thought carefully before saying, “He didn't kill him; I was the one who took his life. I slit his throat.”
“You did what?” Storm asked.
“I'm sure you heard me correctly. I wasn't about to let our most powerful Guard be killed in that battle.”
“Queen Jasmine,” Rebecca began. “That took a lot of strength. I'm amazed that someone without any powers managed to kill someone with such strong powers as he had.”
“I honestly don't think he saw me coming. I managed to go up there and kill him before he even recognized me.”
“So what do you think we should do now?”
“Right now I think you should all go back to your tier and tell the rest of your people what is going on. Please leave out any information about Lilliana. I will address that matter tonight at dinner.”
“We haven't been having regular dinners as we used to since the war began,” Cali pointed out. “Do the Commoners know to prepare a meal for the kingdom?”
“Yes, I told them when I asked them to bring us lunch here in the platinum room. I'm sure that tonight’s dinner won't be anything special considering all of our food has been dried or preserved in some way, but I think we should attempt to return to some normalcy. Do you all have a head count for me?”
They all gave us the numbers from their section of the tier and Cali figured out that after the deaths and the ones who abandoned Tamporlea, we were missing seventy-two people. They all said that there should have been a search for the people who took off after the battle, but I said that it would just lead to an even higher number of missing people. I wondered how much the missing people would affect our kingdom. Most of those left were Commoners, just as Sebastian had said, but there was a Reader as well as an Enchanter as well.
“Jasmine, there’s something else we need to discuss,” Cali said. “Before you came up for the meeting, the Heads and I were talking and we think it might be a good idea for you to have a Guard assigned to you.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary,” I argued.
“Your Highness, it’s not exactly a request,” Mykel said.
“What do you mean by that? I don’t have a say?”
“Not this time. It’s for your safety as well as for Tamporlea’s. With no future heir in line yet, we need to keep you as safe as possible.”
I tried to think of a way to argue their point but when I couldn’t come up with anything, I said, “That will be fine.”
“I recommend Sebastian,” Cali said. “We don’t know when Tyran will be healed and Mykel is taking over Tyran’s responsibilities right now. Sebastian would be the next in line.”
“Alright,” I said trying to hide my irritation. Although I agreed with the reasoning behind having my own personal Guard, I didn’t like it. I wasn’t unable to protect myself. I did kill Jack in the forest. However, if it weren’t for Lilliana, I probably wouldn’t have survived the attack by her Guard.
“Is there anything else we need to discuss?” Cali asked.
“No I think we're okay for now. I still do not want anyone leaving our kingdom at this time. I want to be sure that Queen Aella isn't planning an attack before we remove those restrictions. Storm, please let Selvin know that I will be seeking him shortly to discuss his abilities,” I added before dismissing them all.
Cali decided to come along with me while I addressed Lilliana on what was going to happen to her. I wished that we didn't have to keep my sister a prisoner here but I didn't see any other way to keep both our kingdom and her safe for the time being. I hoped soon enough she would be able to prove herself and she would be able to be integrated into our palace without any discord between her and the other people of my kingdom.
When I told Lilliana where she was going to stay, she didn't look any happier than when we arrived. It was obvious that she felt she was a burden to our kingdom. Cali and I both tried to convince her otherwise but this only seemed to make her more depressed. I could tell that she felt as though she would never feel comfortable in Tamporlea.
I had Cali bring Lilliana to the guest quarters while I went to visit Tyran again in the hospital wing. He still looked the same as he did when I saw him earlier. I wondered if there was any way he would get better soon. Rebecca told me there is no way of knowing for sure, but that in her opinion he was showing no change at all.
I stayed with him for a long time. I wished that he could feel me there holding his hand and wishing he would come out of this coma-like state. I felt guilty that I couldn’t stay longer,but I still had to work on my responsibilities as Queen. Before I left, I checked to see if anyone was looking before I gave him a kiss on the cheek and asked him again to please come back to me.
Chapter 5
Selvin
Selvin was in the kitchen helping the Commoners when I went to find him. Everyone was taking on new roles within the palace since no one was able to do their own work without leaving the palace. I took Selvin to the gold room to discuss how strong his powers were. I was confident that he would be able to tell the true intentions of those who may arrive from Jarnay. I also knew I needed him to do something else for me.
“Selvin, I need you to evaluate some of the people from our kingdom as well. I have received some information that some of our people may have allowed Pyrencia’s troops
to enter through our boundaries.”
“Do you have any idea who?”
“I don’t really. My main concern is with the Enchanters, Runners and Guards. Do you think you could do this at dinner?”
“I can try. If you could tell everyone to bring a notebook and pen with them, it would help. That way I could write down my conclusions without looking suspicious.”
I told him that this information had to be only between him and me and no else. I stressed that if he somehow let this information slip to anyone, he could possibly be in danger from our kingdom. He did not look worried at all, which showed me that he was very confident that he could do this discreetly. He asked that we meet at midnight, which is when his wife would be fast asleep, and she would not suspect anything. Apparently, she was very worried for her family’s safety, which I could understand. I agreed that midnight would be fine and told him to meet me in the platinum room.
When I left the meeting with Selvin, Sebastian was standing outside the door. I tried not to roll my eyes at the absurdity of having a Guard by my side at all times and I wondered how quickly it would annoy me. Luckily, it was Sebastian and not someone I didn’t know at all.
“I guess Mykel told you?” I said.
“Yes. I will try not to be an annoyance; I know this isn’t something you want.”
I laughed and said, “Mykel told you that too?”
“No, I just put myself in your position and I don’t think I would like it very much either.”
I was glad he understood what I was thinking about the situation. “Well, I am just going to my room for now. That’s the most secure room in the palace. I don’t think you will need to stand outside my door.” I couldn’t exactly understand his expression when I said this. There was uncertainty, but I wondered if he was trying not to show disappointment. “Oh, come on then.”
Before dinner, I made it my purpose to unpack from my trip and to relax as much as possible. I had to somehow calm myself from everything that had been happening around me. It was important that the rest of the kingdom saw me with a positive attitude. I didn't want to give them any more reason to worry.
The dinner definitely was not anything special. It was vegetable soup, which we had seen over and over again in the last week or so. There was no dessert and we were served water instead of our usual iced tea. I wondered if we were already running out of supplies and made a mental note to ask about that later on. I wondered how we would survive with our farmland being destroyed by the war.
When I announced that Lilliana was in the palace, everyone seemed to have an opinion. I explained that she was being kept as though she was a prisoner with Enchantments on her room and a Guard outside the door. I told everyone that she saved my life, but didn’t give them the details I had given the Heads. I explained that this was why I felt so strongly about her staying with us and that no one should treat her with disrespect.
Some people arrived from Jarnay shortly after dinner. Selvin shook everyone’s hand and evaluated everyone who came through our doors. I knew that he would tell me if there was anything that he felt was suspicious. Zane was among them and he asked for a meeting with me immediately. I told him that we could go into the gold room with Cali to discuss everything.
Zane looked completely exhausted when we finally sat down in the gold room. He apologized for going along with the plan for Pyrencia to attack my kingdom. He said that he felt as though he had no other choice and only went along with it so that his kingdom would not be destroyed. It wasn’t long before he figured out that it was Queen Aella’s mission to destroy both Tamporlea and Jarnay in one swipe but that it was too late for him to back out. He informed me that parts of Jarnay were destroyed when he had returned. Apparently, while he and the rest of the kingdom were attacking Tamporlea, some of the people of Pyrencia went to Jarnay and destroyed as much as they could. There were several fires, but they managed to get them out before they left the kingdom. He looked completely devastated by the fact that he was no longer King and no longer had a place to call his own. He felt as though he had let down everyone in his kingdom. I knew exactly what he meant; I was still feeling the same anguish.
“Zane,” I said. “I'm sorry for your loss, I know it must be hard. I want you to know that you are not weak for what has happened to you. I knew what her plans were when you warned us on the date and time that you were going to attack. I also know that you had no other choice but to go along with her. Orion, before he passed away, told me that you would not go against us if you didn't find it completely necessary.”
“Orion is dead?”
“Yes, he was killed in a fight during the first battle.”
“I'm so sorry. I know how important he was to this kingdom; he helped Queen Holly so much while she was Queen. I really can't imagine Tamporlea without him.”
“Thank you for your condolences. I am sorry for those you have lost as well. It seems as though this war has cost more than its worth.”
“Yes, it definitely has,” he agreed.
“Right now our Commoners are trying to find places to put all of your people. If you would like, I can find a private room for you.”
“I would appreciate that very much but it would only need to be for a night. I am leaving tomorrow. I cannot face those whom I have failed. I know you do not blame me but I don't think I’ll ever be looked at in the same way as before. I think it would be best if I leave now and not be condemned or hurt with the thoughts and words of my people.”
“Zane, you're being way too hard on yourself. I really think that you should stay here, where it safe. Well, okay, maybe it's not completely safe, but it’s at least safer than being in the real world.”
“No, Queen Jasmine. I thank you but I must go. If anyone asks, just let them know I will be okay. I don't want them to think that I don't have a plan.”
“Where will you go? What will you do? You have no idea what you're doing. You don't even know if Queen Aella will come after you. She may have ways of finding you that you don’t know about. I think you should stay, I really do.”
“I do have some skills that I can use in the real world if someone is willing to hire me. For now, I know someone who has been banished and lives in the real world now. I will be staying with him for the time being.”
“Okay Zane, I hope you will be okay. If there's anything I can do for you please feel free to come back to my kingdom.”
“I cannot thank you enough for your kindness. You have gone above and beyond any expectations for my kingdom.”
“Alright Zane, I'm going to have someone show you to your guest quarters for now. What time will you be setting off in the morning?”
“Very early, there will be no need to get up and see me go. I would rather leave on my own,” he said remorsefully.
As Cali took Zane to his room for the night, Sebastian and I made our way back to my room.
“This has to be incredibly boring for you,” I said.
“Oh, it’s not so bad.”
“Well, are you allowed to sleep in your own room or should I get you some blankets for outside my door?”
He laughed and said, “If you are retiring for the evening, I can go back to my room. I will be back here early in the morning of course.”
“Well, you have a good night then Sebastian. I will see you in the morning.”
“Goodnight.”
I knew that I was deceiving Sebastian, but I didn’t want him knowing about my meeting with Selvin. I only had about two hours before my meeting with him. I hadn't even told Cali about my meeting with him because I didn't want her to worry. I decided to wait until after the meeting to discuss with her what Selvin had to say. I really hoped that he wouldn't find anything on anyone within our palace walls. However, I knew that probably wasn't going to happen. I
went through the notes I had taken on all the people that were currently in the palace. From the information that I had been given from all the people within the palace there was no-one that I c
ould pinpoint myself.
While I was waiting for my meeting, I decided to write down any questions I may have for Selvin. While I was on my fifth question to ask, there was a knock on my door and I went to answer it. It was Rebecca who was smiling widely and I knew it was about Tyran.
“He is going to be okay,” she said.
I came out of my room and closed the door then followed her down to the hospital wing. I thought of getting Sebastian first, but I was too excited to see Tyran. When I made my way to his bed, I saw that he was sitting up looking just as though nothing had ever happened. When he saw me, he smiled and reached out his arms for a hug; I gladly embraced him.
“See,” he said. “I'm fine. I will never leave you Jasmine, I promise you that.”
“I'm so glad you're okay. I don't know what I would have done without you. You have saved my life and this whole kingdom time and time again.”
“Well I am fine now. Can you please ask Rebecca to let me get out of the hospital? All I want to do is get a good meal in my stomach and relax for a little bit.”
“And I told you that you can't leave until it's been at least twenty-four hours Tyran,” Rebecca said.
“I think she's right. I think you should stay.”
“I'm fine,” he stressed.
“Well you weren’t fine just an hour ago. Please stay here Tyran.”
“Fine, I'll stay here overnight but I'm leaving in the morning if that's okay.”
“Rebecca I think what he's asking is perfectly fair, don't you?”
“I suppose I shouldn't argue with you. We have never had a circumstance like this. I guess only you know how you are feeling. You may leave in the morning.”
“Thank you. However, just so you know, I could leave now if I really wanted to,” he said sarcastically. “So what's for dinner anyways?”
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