The Key: Book 2 The Rose Tree Chronicles

Chapter Twenty: The Truth Comes Out

Back at the Obsidian Palace beneath the Aquamarine Ocean, Empress Renée had picked up a mussel shell and stormed into a garderobe for privacy before speaking with anyone. She required immediate answers before she could face any seafolk. There she urinated on the underside of the shell and set it aside for a minute to process. She paced dramatically in the tiny chamber, anxiously waiting for the time to pass quicker.

"Change color," she growled at the shell. "Change, change!"

Nothing happened to the color of the shell. Once the minute was up, the empress bashed and punched the walls of the garderobe. The Mystery Miracle Worker's theory had been proven accurate, at least in Renée's case.

"Curse you!" Renée cried. "You did this to me!"

After she had calmed down to some degree, Empress Renée explained to her husband everything that had happened during the last month and a half. Though of course, she tweaked the bit about healing her womb. Emperor Jaskaran sat in front of the ornate lavachamber in the large drawing room listening intently, though he took everything Renée said with a grain of sea-salt. Once she had finished speaking, he took a moment to process her words and stood to face the magma of the lavachamber, which was essentially the ocean's version of a fireplace.

"So what do you plan to do now, Renée?" he asked.

"What do I plan to do?" Renée was disgusted. "Don't you think it's time for you to do something?"

"I've tried," Jaskaran replied, striving desperately not to raise his voice. He turned to face his wife, placating his hands at his side. "I've asked you on multiple occasions what I could do to help you. But I'll ask you again: What do you need from me to make you feel better?"

Empress Renée stood beside the coral settee and dug deep within her for an answer. "I don't know," she choked. "I don't know anymore. It's hopeless."

Their Majesties both stood in silence wondering, what next? Then Renée realized that they only had three days left before the Rose Tree finished growing branches, and the miracle worker would come looking for Nadia.

"You must help me hide Nadia." The desperation was evident in her voice.

"Renée, I want to lose her as much as you do, but I don't find it wise to go against God."

"She's our child, not His! They can't take her from us!"

"Calm down, Renée. Listen, I never said that I was going to go down without a fight at all. I will speak with the miracle worker. Perhaps we can negotiate something."

"We can have her executed for treason! That's exactly what will happen! If she refuses to work with us, you will sentence her to death, or I will kill that witch myself."

Renée refused to speak further about the matter and stormed out of the drawing room leaving Jaskaran behind, torn and at a loss.

ξ

Emperor Jaskaran did not permit his wife to be present the following day when the miracle worker arrived to meet with him. He sat with the hag-eel hybrid in the same drawing room, and together they took tea in front of the lavachamber.

"Your wife is toxic, Your Majesty," the miracle worker said bluntly. "She lack in much, including self-control and encouragement."

"I understand this, but should I suffer as well?" asked Emperor Jaskaran. "There must be some room for negotiation. Nadia's health has improved since Renée's been gone for over a month. And is the curse really necessary?"

"You talk to your wife about the curse, sire," the miracle worker answered. "However, I can offer comfort. Your child will live with the king and queen of Noelle, and when your wife is no longer around, she will be able to visit."