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“The realm needs us,” she continued. “But not yet.”
I turned around to face her. She was smiling, even though it was a sad smile.
“You want to go to her, to help,” she said. “You can. I can take care of things here until Jasmine is ready and she can come back here to live with us.”
“I am not sure if she wants to,” I replied. “The monster folk consider her their leader. She cannot leave them.”
Fiona nodded understandingly. Then, she stared at me, as though she wanted to read my emotions like she used to do.
But she didn’t. I didn’t feel her touch.
“What do you want?” she asked.
“I want to go to her,” I replied. “But I don’t want to leave you alone either.”
“I would love it if both of you could be with me,” Fiona said. “It would be best if you could rule and I could... I don’t know what I would do with that type of freedom. Travel?”
I didn’t reply. We both knew neither of us would ever be that free. We had never been.
“But I cannot,” she continued when I didn’t say anything. “We will figure it out. Perhaps we can take turns ruling, or set up an advisory council to take care of things while we are gone. Did you offer the monster folk a land to settle? That would be perfect. We can give Jasmine a title and they could live here...”
“They don’t consider themselves Seelie or Unseelie,” I replied. “They might not accept. But I can ask.”
“You should,” Fiona said. “But that’ll have to wait for a bit. We need to attend a meeting with...”
The door to my room burst open, making Fiona swallow the rest of that sentence.
A woman jolted inside, followed by two soldiers trying to catch up to her and oddly, Lord Tynan. He had a shocked look on his face and his focus was solely on the woman. He didn't even acknowledge my presence with a nod.
Surprisingly, they weren’t the only ones entering.
Brigid came in next. She wore a blank expression that quickly changed when she saw us.
“Fiona!” she said, running toward my sister to hug her. “Casja! Come. She’s fine.”
Casja followed Brigid into the room, wearing the same blank expression. As Brigid hugged Fiona, the stranger turned to me.
“Are you Prince Kieran?” she asked.
She was agitated. I didn’t know who she was or what she was doing in my room, but Brigid and Casja seemed casually calm around her.
“Yes,” I replied, turning to face her. “Who are you?”
“I am Jasmine’s mother, Amarra,” she said firmly as though she expected me to object to it. “Our camp was attacked by the Queen of Light. Jasmine used her mind magic on these two and the monster folk to send them away.”
She gestured at Brigid and Casja. The two seemed confused at the accusation but did not comment. The fact that they didn’t object or deny supported the woman’s words. Something about them was off.
“I think she’s going to surrender to the queen,” Amarra continued. “I need you to send soldiers. And army if you can... She is in danger.”
Her voice carried an air of authority. Although I did not want to believe her, I did.
Fiona took in a sharp breath.
“Is this true?” I asked, meeting Casja’s gaze since I could not do that with Brigid.
She cocked her head. “What?”
“The queen has Jasmine?” I asked.
