a rich and beautiful part of Paegeia. We crossed a bridge and I tried to see if I could find any buildings. I only found stars. The city reminded me of Dragonia.
I would be scared too if I was King Caleb. To lose all of this would drive me insane. I wondered what he would do if he discovered the truth about my father being alive. Would he really change his mind as I thought he would, would he change his mind about me?
You promised, Elena, my dad’s voice played inside my head.
I know, I replied silently, but it was a hard promise to keep.
Ever since that piece of information was revealed to me, I’d been wondering about him constantly. What he must be going through. If he was still alive.
I held my head up high and was brought back to reality when Sir Robert opened the cab’s door for me. He mumbled something about this not being a princess ride again, but I waved it off. I was used to this, and it didn’t bother me as much as it bothered him. It didn’t matter if I was transported in a limo or on a dragon’s back. Just as long as I got to this stupid meeting.
I’d made up my mind, Master Longwei and Constance were right. I had their blood flowing inside my veins, it didn’t matter who they said I was. They could strip me of my title, just like they denied me my name on that brass plate with my mom’s when I exited the cavern. Both of them were just stupid titles, but I refused to let them take away who I really was. My mother died protecting me and my father still fought to protect everything, not just me, from the evil that lurked inside Etan. I am Elena Malone–Squire Watkins and nothing they said tonight would ever change that.
HE MAIN CITY of Areeth was beautiful. It was called Vicali and was built of white stone. We had to take a carriage to the entrance as Vicali was built high in the air. It almost seemed as if it was supported on a thousand pillars, if not more. The houses were huge, beautiful double stories with a modern Victorian structure. The streets were linked with bridges running between them. Cobblestone marbles lined the surface and I couldn’t stop looking at the street. When the path grew too small for the carriage we had to climb out and walk the rest of the way.
About a mile from the hall where the meeting was going to take place, people were lined up. They were more protesters.
Most of them spat in front of my feet, which riled Sir Robert. They started to spit at him too and words like ‘Traitor’ filled the air.
If only they knew the truth.
“Ignore it, we know it’s not the truth.” I tapped him on the arm and we carried on walking.
Some even yelled out the word ‘Blasphemy’ and said it was impossible to be who I said I was. One even said I looked nothing like either of them. Sir Robert walked faster and I had to run to keep up with him because my wrist was lodged inside of his grip.
More people who were protesting waited on the million steps that led up to the huge building.
I ignored them as I walked next to Sir Robert through the doors.
Constance and Master Longwei both kissed the side of my cheeks twice but the fear of what they experienced with us was lodged on their faces.
“Be strong, Elena. It doesn’t matter what they say, you will always be my princess.” Constance said and Master Longwei just smiled.
“This ought to be good,” he replied before he followed Constance to one of the hundred seats that were on both sides of what resembled a courtroom.
“I’m right here,” Sir Robert took one of the chairs that were stacked behind us against the wall.
I took a seat next to him. My eyes found five thrones way in the front, slightly elevated. I huffed thinking that everyone in this world wanted to be more important than the next, no wonder they treated me this way.
“Here, let me help you with your coat,” Sir Robert said, tugging on my sleeves and I took it off gently.
“Thank you for not doubting me.”
He chuckled. “Elena, I saw your father that first time I laid my eyes on you inside my kitchen. It was just hard to think of why he’d never