Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 123779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 495(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 495(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
I barely recognize myself.
Unable to look at my reflection for a second longer, I turn around, an intense urge to scream building in my chest.
I walk closer to the bed, and sitting down on the edge, I press the towel to my mouth and scream into the fabric.
Holy fucking shit.
I can’t believe what’s happened.
It’s insane.
They just left me at a waterfall and made me believe I was thirteen. They left me completely defenseless.
Tears of anger burn my eyes as I clench my jaw, my entire body trembling.
And five years later Raighne just swoops in and rips me away from the life I had to build on my own.
He made me believe we were friends.
My heart clenches when I think of everything I lost in the blink of an eye.
And now they’re telling me Earth will be destroyed, and I have to save ten people.
God, I can barely keep myself alive. This is all too crazy.
Standing up, my fingers dig into the fabric of the towel as I start to pace up and down.
Holy shit.
What do I do?
How do I begin to process all of this?
Realizing my breathing has sped up, I inhale deeply and close my eyes.
Calm down. You need to think clearly about everything.
I take another deep breath and let it out slowly.
You’ve survived the past five years without them, you can survive whatever lies ahead as well.
When I open my eyes, movement by the door catches my attention. There’s a pretty blonde girl, her hair tied in two pigtails. She gives me a hesitant look as if she’s waiting for permission for something.
She’s at least a head taller than me. Her eyes are something else, though, sparkling like soft pink gems.
“Hey,” I say, tossing the towel onto the bed.
Her face instantly lights up with a friendly smile. “Peace be, Princess Alchera. I’m Fleur.” She takes a step into the room. “I’ll be your aide.”
“Just call me Alchera,” I mutter.
“I brought some food and thought we could eat together. You must be starving.”
She has a beautiful, open smile, but I’d rather be alone. Instead of declining, I say, “Yeah, I can eat.”
Following her out of the bedroom, I make myself comfortable on one of the chairs. When she hands me a bowl of something that looks like pot roast, I murmur, “Thanks.”
I watch as she sits down, giving me a cautious smile before she takes a bite of her food.
Overcome with all the chaotic emotions and memories, I stare down at the bowl in my hand.
“Don’t you want to eat?” Fleur asks.
Letting out a sigh, I scoop up some of the food into my spoon and take a bite.
It tastes much better than it looks, and realizing how hungry I am, I focus on finishing everything in the bowl.
When I place the empty bowl on the coffee table, Fleur gives me a satisfied smile, then says, “You can ask me anything. I’m here to help you while you adapt, and I’ll answer any questions you might have.”
Her features soften, then she adds, “I’m hoping we can be friends.”
Friends. I don’t think so. The last one hurt me enough, thank you very much.
When I keep quiet, she asks, “Do you have any questions?”
I’ve had enough information today to last me a lifetime, but there’s a lot I still don’t know.
I lift my eyes to hers and say, “My memory is very spotty. Can you tell me about the people on Vaalbara?”
Her smile widens again, and she seems relieved that I asked a question.
“We’re called immortalis. Janak and Aster are our elders. They’re also the oldest. Do you remember your parents?”
“Vaguely.”
“They’re our monarchs. You’re a daughter of House Regales.” She looks excited as she asks, “Did you know Raighne’s father is King Eryon’s guardian?”
A frown forms on my forehead as I search my memory, and I remember glimpses of my father and his guardian. “I don’t remember much about them,” I admit.
“Griffith’s his name. He’s our strongest guardian, and he trained Raighne, so you’re in good hands.”
“So Raighne’s whole family guards mine?” I ask.
“Pretty much. It’s their destiny.”
I nod, then ask, “I had normal green eyes when I left.”
“Oh, they changed because your talents are coming into effect.”
“So not everyone has sparkly eyes?”
“No, not everyone.” She lets out a burst of laughter. “Most guardians have purple eyes when they initially bond with a charge. Their eyes change as their powers grow. Griffith’s eye color is similar to that of the lapis lazuli stone, but it just means he can heal the King.”
“Oh, that’s a nice power to have,” I mutter.
She nods, then continues, “Your eyes are emerald, so I think part of your talent must have to do with nature. Brenna’s is onyx, as she is a warrior princess. But if you ask me, they should be ruby red and spitting fire because she has quite the temper.”