"Queens and commoners, princes and peasants, welcome to the party of the quincentury!"
For most people, receiving an invitation to the White King's Masquerade is an honor. Even attempting to attend is a chance to go down in history. But for Sol of M...
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He stepped towards me hesitantly, brown eyes crinkling as he smiled.
"I never thought I'd get to see you grow up," he said, his voice breaking a little bit.
I took in his mahogany skin, and his grey stubble, the crow's feet around his eyes, and the way those eyes disappeared when he smiled. Like mine.
To see him here in front of me, was an emotion I could not describe. There was disbelief, of course, and an unadulterated sadness but most of all there was joy.
"I missed you so much dad," I said, trying and failing to hold back my tears as I threw my arms around him.
"I know, Sol, I know."
"No, you have to take care of us." Fyn's voice drifted over to me. But I was with my dad again, I was happy.
Still the voices came. "Aren't you happy for us, Fyn? For your siblings?"
"I am- I want to be. But- but you have to take care of us..."
"We can stay if you want us to," the man said kindly, "if that will make you happy."
Fyn was quiet for a while, her eyebrows furrowed even deeper, her green eyes dull.
"This isn't real," she whispered suddenly.
"This isn't real," she repeated, gazing at her grandparents sadly.
I burrowed my head deeper into my dad's chest, ignoring her.
I could hear anguished cries as my dad sat me down. "How have you been?" he asked warmly, then he chuckled. "Big question, now that I think about it."
I smiled as I began to answer but now something was bugging me. Fyn wouldn't shut up. Wasn't she happy for me?
"Sol," she said as she dragged me to face her, "this is not real."
I glared at her, irritated, then turned back to my dad who was waiting patiently.
"What do you mean, Fyn?" I huffed.
"We're in Evamore," she said, her green eyes pleading, "this might as well be a dream."
"No," I replied, smiling as I shook my head. But I couldn't shake the odd feeling that had settled over me. Evamore? The name sounded familiar, but I was awake so this couldn't be a dream.
Then I heard Aleph's voice as I remembered his warning. 'The worst part about Evamore is that like all dreams, it ends.'
Like all dreams.
Dream.
I swiveled to Fyn, unwilling to believe it, and then back to my dad who smiled when my eyes met his.
I bit back the beginnings of fresh tears, as I turned to face him.
"Dad," I croaked, "it's been- it's been really great seeing you." The tears obstructed my vision and flavored my words, as his brows furrowed.
