They descended the stairs and arrived at a door. Gregory took a deep breath and looked down.
"Are you okay?" Charles asked.
"Scared. I'll be fine. Just give me a moment." Gregory placed his hands on the large double doors, then pushed them open. "You guys stay behind me." The room was about the size of an American football field, with tall ceilings made of glass. You could see fish swimming in the ocean above the ceiling. They were underwater. There's was a large throne at the end of the room, with a curtain around it. There was a long swirly piece of porcelain on the floor. Gregory walked down the room, his footsteps echoing on the opaque glass. He arrived five feet from the throne and the curtains parted, revealing a woman.
"Is that the Aquian Empress?" Michael whispered.
"I've never seen her before, how would I know?" Sasha hissed back.
"Um... g-greetings." Gregory said. He seemed paralyzed with fear.
"Gregory? Is that you? You certainly look different!" She stepped down from the throne and stood a foot away from him. Gregory took a step backwards.
"Andreas told me about this megalomaniacal sadist." Charles whispered. "Well, that's what he called her."
"Yeah. It's m-me." He said with a shaky voice.
"Oh, you've grown so much! What has it been? Ten years? You're thirteen now, right?" The empress asked.
"Y-you abandoned me... why are you acting so social?" Gregory backed up.
"Why are you acting so antisocial?" She looked behind him and stared at the others. "Oh, are you embarrassed of me?" She smirked. She stepped slowly towards the crowd, a skirt made of netting trailing behind her. "What an unusual crowd. Is that Irene?" She looked at Marsha.
"That's my mom." She stared back at the lady.
"Never would have guessed. What a lunatic." She then turned to Gemma. "And you're Jada Silver's I presume?"
"Gemma Silver." She nodded, confused as to what was happening.
"Adorable. Just like your mother." She said. Gemma couldn't tell if that was a good thing or not. Then she saw Charles.
"Go away." Charles hissed.
"Is this Andreas, or is it his brother? I can't tell anymore." She laughed.
"Leave me alone." He backed away.
"I'd tell you the same thing. I want nothing more to do with that guy." She narrowed her eyes. "But if Gregory likes you, I'll put up with you." She went back to Gregory and looked at his scarf. "Divine silk. Jada's creation." She said, running it through her fingers. Gregory closed his eyes and his breathing quickened. "If I remember correctly, this was Andreas's. Is that how you survived?" Gregory slapped her hand away and backed into Charles.
"You're making him upset. You have no right to be intruding on his privacy." Charles glared at her.
"Of course I do! Go on, Gregory. Do you want to say it or should I?" Gregory hid behind Charles. "No? Alright then. I'm Gregory's mother, the Empress of the Sea." There was a wet, popping noise. The sound of nine jaws dropping in unison. "I'm glad you came back. It's very important for me to be able to train you so you can become a proper Aquian Emperor."
"I don't want to." He whispered, shaking his head. "I don't want to be like you."
"That's too bad." The porcelain floor split in two, leaving mesh above an orchestra pit. A tuba player played the note sequence A, A flat, A flat, A, A flat, G. The Empress cleared her throat.
"She really likes musicals." Gregory groaned.
"It's been a few years, but I'm sure we'll catch up.
I'm sure that you probably got the stuff
To rule my kingdom with an iron fist,
Wanna know how, just listen to this!" Charles rolled his eyes.
"She really does like musicals."
"Now there's a little thing when you turn fourteen,
Something kicks in called the Tyrant Gene
Makes you a leader, makes you a legend,
So you can take my place when someone beats my head in."
"Violent." Sasha comments.
"You're the heir to the throne, leave these peasants alone! They don't know the Aquian you're gonna be," the Empress placed a small crown on Gregory's head. "When you accept your fate, let me tell all your mates, that you'll be a sight to see." Sasha raised an eyebrow. "You'll be a fine emperor when you realize, Gregory take it from me." 'Cuckoo' Mallory mouthed. "So don't get in my way, I forever will be, the Empress of the Sea." The orchestra stopped.
"Did you come up with that on the spot?" Nevin asked.
"Why, yes I did! Want me to autograph your knife?" She said proudly.
"No, I'm fine." He assured her.
"Can I have that violin?" Charles pointed into the orchestra pit. "I play."
"No-" the Empress started, but the violinist passed him the instrument and gave him a thumbs-up.
"Sweet." He nodded.
"Wait, I almost forgot to ask. What are you here for?" The Empress asked.
"Admittance to the Imperial Library." Gregory answered, taking off the crown.
"Oh. Sure." She tossed him a key. "Don't let Andreas Version Two go, though." She glared at Charles.
"Excuse me? Your son and I are sorta a thing, you know!" He raised an eyebrow. The empress paled.
"No... why would he ever do that! Terrible choice, Gregory. Shame on you." She wagged a finger at him. "Just visit the library and leave, okay?" She placed her head in her hand. Gregory marched down a hallway and let out a breath.
"Well that was traumatic." He sighed.
"Yeah." Charles nodded. Gregory unlocked a door and they entered the library. It had rows of shelves, and he pointed to the history aisle. There was an illuminated lectern in the back of the library.
"Search the place for anything about paradoxes. This'll be a lot of research." Gregory said.
YOU ARE READING
Flipside
FantasyWhy give a title to a book that shouldn't exist? That was a rhetorical question. Who would read a titleless book? But who would read a paradox? You, it appears. 12-year-old Marsha Smith comes home one day and notices her parents are missing. Despite...
