Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 132625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Konner frowns at me. “She’s worried about the alliance with King Misha.”
Sol told Konner about her plans, then. “Can you blame me?”
“But it was still worth it, right?” the female asks. “Seeing Leia one more time before we leave?” She stands and wraps one arm around Konner, leaning her head on his shoulder. The sight of him with a baby in his arms and his partner at his side makes me sentimental for a life that might’ve been—a life where I was close to my brother and friends with his wife, where I got to watch his children grow up. Tears prick at the back of my nose.
“Mom!” she says, stepping away from Konner and pulling me into her embrace. “Don’t cry. I’ll be fine, though I wish I could tell you where to find us.”
“Tulle, we talked about this,” Konner says.
“It’s better that I don’t know?” It comes out like a question. I’m off my game, but neither of them seems to notice.
“We’ll see each other again soon.” She looks to Konner. “Just as soon as someone meets her destiny.”
I squeeze her in return and let myself imagine that other life for just a beat longer than I should. When Sol realizes we made her miss this goodbye, she’ll hate us for sure. And I can’t even blame her.
Konner hands the child off to her mother and kisses her on the cheek. “I’ll be back in a few,” he says before leading me out of the room.
Once we’re several steps down the hall, he blows out a long breath. “I know we don’t really have a choice, but I don’t want her to go.”
“What else can you do?” I ask, because it seems like a safe response and because I want to know more. Is Leia the secret Squird mentioned? Is she the new variable?
“It was one thing to have them here when Leia was smaller and no one would question who their father was, but . . .” He gives a bashful shrug.
“She’s starting to look like you,” I say.
“Exactly. And Erith will be back soon.” He scrapes a hand over his face. “It’s better to hide them until this is all handled.”
“I . . .” I swallow hard. “You’re so young.” This is my twin brother. I can’t imagine thinking about children yet, and meanwhile he has one he has to keep hidden.
He coughs out a laugh and shakes his head at me. “I thought you were done with that lecture once Leia arrived.”
I flash what I hope looks like a concerned, maternal smile. “Call it motherly concern.”
“I wish we’d understood the prophecy better before. Wish we’d have taken the time to think about where his power came from. But we didn’t, and I can’t regret her.”
“Neither can I,” I say softly.
“I hate all of this. I wish I could’ve just talked to my sister when I had her. I wish there’d been a way to make her understand—to make her see it from my point of view.” He stops in front of the double doors of the library and shoves his hands into his pockets. “Thank you for meeting with Misha today. I would’ve gone with you, but after everything with Felicity . . .”
“I understand,” I lie.
“You go soon?”
“I’m supposed to be there already,” I say. “But he can wait.”
“I’ll be here when you return. I want to hear everything.”
“Of course.”
He steps out of the way, and I should let him go, but instead I hear myself call out, “Konner?”
He turns back to me and my heart swells. “Thank you for taking me to see her. I would’ve hated to miss that.”
“I know.” He winks and then strolls away, leaving me with nothing to do but return to my mission.
My head spins as I step into the library to cut through to the hall where Natan told me I’d find the Chronicles. I find the hidden stairwell behind the back row of books, and when I’m sure no one is watching, I climb up and duck inside the dark room at the top of the steps.
I feel the power in the room before I even find what I’m looking for. It pulses like a living thing and calls me toward the panel on the opposite wall. My hand shakes as I lift it to the screen, but a low hum buzzes through the room and the walls before me slide away, revealing another wall of books.
The Chronicles.
“What do you think you’re doing in here?”
I freeze, mid-reach, too scared to turn around. Sol wouldn’t be scared. She belongs here and has as much right to the information on these shelves as anyone else.
I make myself face the male behind me with confidence and fury in my eyes. I’m planning to give him a piece of my mind until I see who it is.