Crystal clear

Chapter 16

Kimberly

Alexander guides me down a long slender corridor that leads to two ginormous, heavy looking doors. "The Queen wishes to speak with you about why you have not as of yet met your siblings, and why you should hope you never do." His long strides Make me run to keep pace with him.

Could you slow down, God you walk fast. I think to myself.

"My apologies Kimberly. I didn't intend to get on your bad side this morning." He says slowing down.

"Did I say that out loud?" I ask feeling the blood rush to my cheeks.

"No, you spoke within my mind." He says calmly matching my pace.

"Oh." I scowl at the ground, "I can do that?"

"You can do many different things, like read minds, control other people's actions, fly, and a whole slew of others. However I suggest you ask your mother. By the way, your father will be away for the next few days. A battle broke out between the Célestì and the Terûshæ. Your father must now go to negotiate a peace treaty. He will be gone most likely until next Wednesday." He bows slightly as he opens the large wooden doors, that squeal on their hinges.

"Will he be safe?" I ask, concerned for the father I just found out was my own.

"No idea," Alexander says, a slight smile twitching at the corner of his mouth. I don't know what to say. Why would he want my father dead?

"Come!" The Queen calls. I hesitate before walking through the doorway and into the chilly room behind. The ceiling is arched so high I'm amazed that there aren't clouds in here. Of corse that's not possible when you think about that statement logically, but still...wow. The back wall is lined with huge floor to ceiling windows, making the room seem that much larger. The Queen sits behind her desk in an office chair that looks so ridiculously comfortable I don't know how she ever leaves this room. The large oak desk that sits in front of her has gold engrained in wild strands. Copper twists around the legs of silver that lead straight up to the top of the gorgeous desk.

The floor has a thin gold line embroidered that connects to a few different designs that lie scattered around the aquamarine coloured carpet. A snowflake resides in the far left hand corner, a bright shine reflects off of the thin strips of metal. A water droplet falls to the right of the snowflake, a bright brilliant blue smiling back at me. Below that is a tree, a soft happy green staring up at me. The symbols must represent each ability. I look to the left and see a similar pattern, with a cloud, to represent air, a wolf, to represent the ability to morph I guess. A large brilliant red flame encircles the desk and the Queen, while a large bird rests in the center of the fire ring.

"Is everything alright, Princess?" She asks gently, her eyes betraying her voice. She knows I'm amazed my the room.

"Yes. Of corse. I just...this room is amazing." I feel so breathless about it. Outside of the windows I realize it isn't air and grass, it was a waterfall. How I was just noticing I'm not too sure. How did I get into this castle? Where's the entrance? How do I have a skylight in my room?

"Thank you. Now sit, we have things to discuss." Avril says softly.

I walk up to her desk and pull the chair away from the front of her desk so I can sit down. The chair feels soft as I become cradled between the large back and the two arms. The black leather is far to hot against my skin for this room. It feels as though someone had a blowtorch constantly being held at my back.

"Now, your father is away, etcetera. He won't be back for a few days, who knows how long." She sighs looking at the mile high stack of papers on her desk, "princess, I honestly don't think the king is coming back. It's a suicide mission but I couldn't change his mind. If he comes back he will die within days. He will have obtained serious injuries, ones even you at full strength cannot help." She sighs deeply shaking her head, "this kingdom will be the death of me."

"Why did he go?" I ask, curious if she'll tell me.

"Let me get to that," She rolls up the paper that lays sprawled across her desk, "now to your siblings. You have four. However should you be unfortunate enough to ever cross paths with them...I wish you the best of luck. They all defected from Férœn when they found out that you are the child out of the five of you, that deserves the throne, seeing as you are to be most powerful. They went their separate ways, each choosing a different branch of the tribes. Your oldest sibling, Loraine fled to the Célestì. They're association is with the air, and fire. They have no other talents. Your brother, Jackson, who was the next in line after you, left to Terûshæ. They're in control of the water and the earth. Your sister Caroline simply left I'm not to sure where she is. Lastly your sister Beth," Avril sighs and shakes her head, "she never wanted the crown or to harm you. She is so swept up in your siblings actions, she defected so she would be rid of any possibility of them trying to blackmail her into hurting you. She fled to the Yurgöar I believe. They're masters of disguise and most of the other minor powers. However recently I have intel to believe that Beth may be after you to stop the squabble among her siblings."

"If you would like to know, they're the other reason that I hid you. They have no clue where you were hidden. That is until Jackson and Loraine sent Damien and Cheyenne to collect you." She pulls out a warn at the edges photo and hands it to me, "these are your siblings. If you ever recognize them, turn and run the other way. Whatever you do, DONT stand your ground."

I take the fragile picture from her and feel the blood drain from my face. The boy and the oldest girl look exactly like the people who t-boned my parents and I. As for the two younger girls, the youngest must be Beth. She looks exactly like the girl who was at the hospital with Cheyenne and Damien. However the last girl...I don't know. She has raven black hair like Beth, but looks like the others, all with ghost-like complexions. I haven't seen her other then this photo. "You know how there was that car accident that left so my...adopted parents dead and Bart seriously injured? The one I have the scar on my left leg from...um to say the least, I know exactly where I recognize two of them from. And the other girl, Beth, she was there when Cheyenne and Damien were trying to kidnap me." I look up at her to see her blank expression. I could tell she was hiding something.

"I think it's best if I get Alexander in here so he can take you to your training. If they've already made two attempts on your life, and Chayenne and Damien know that your not back in the human world...then we will have some problems, and the sooner they realize that your no longer there, the sooner they wage and all out war on us. So the sooner you can defend yourself, the better.

"You haven't told me where the king went!" I say, urgently hoping she would tell me.

"He went to break up a fight between Jackson and Loraine." She sighs, leaning back in her chair.

"So that's why you think he's going to die? Because he went to talk to them?" I ask as Alexander walks into the room.

"Yes princess," she says looking up at me, "and that's also why I know he's going to die.