I looked down at Liana's thin, pale hands. “Remember the nightmare you told me about?”
“The one with the angry mob chasing me,” she confirmed.
“Believe in what it’s telling you…it’s a message.”
“A message?”
“When you first told me about it, I wondered if it might be a prophecy.”
“And?”
“And, I was right…it was a prophecy.”
“What do you mean? Why do you say that?”
“Liana, the laws against the people of Shanty Row are cruel and unjust.”
“But I didn’t write them, Jade!”
“It doesn’t matter. You’re the queen now. You’re head of the system that continues to persecute my people!”
“Am I supposed to pay for his cruelties?”
“His cruelties are now yours, unless you do something about them.”
“What am I supposed to do?”
“Release the prisoners…ease the restrictions of our passage and allow us access to the folium vitae…return stolen lands…abolish the law that forbids us from getting an education.”
Liana pulled her hands away and pushed her body to the edge of the seat. “You don’t understand...I didn’t either until I became queen.” She threw her hands into the air. “I can’t just do whatever I please…the ministers have final say and they pressure me…they override my decisions. I’m not sure what power I have, if any.”
“Liana, listen. You must stay strong. You know in your heart that things have to change, and now it’s up to you to make those changes happen.”
“That’s easy for you to say, it comes naturally for you…you’re strong. I’m not.”
“It’s not easy for me at all! Do you know how many times I’ve felt weak and helpless?”
“But, I can’t!”
“Stop saying you can’t! You must, I’m telling you…or the nightmare will come true!”
“Do you think so?”
“Shhh…I’m certain of it,” I whispered, placing a finger to my lips.
“How do you know?” Liana’s voice also dropped to a whisper.
“The mob, chasing you?”
“Yes?”
“It exists.”
“What’re you saying?”
“I’m saying that you have many enemies down in Shanty Row…and maybe some of the merchants, the nobility even…I don’t know. I was called to one of their meetings, and they wanted me to…to…”
“To what?”
“To spy on you…to tell them when you might be alone.”
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?
“Yes. The mob is real, and it’s amassing as we speak….”
“No!” She leapt off the window seat. “You can’t mean that!”
“Yes, it’s true.”
What little color there was left drained instantly from her face. “So, my father was right? They want me dead?!”
***
My ears perked to a distant rumble.
“Guards!” shouted Liana.
But the guards were no longer there. Having heard the same thing, they’d raced to surround the castle.
The rumble increased. I flung open the doors off the library and dashed onto the patio. Oh, no! It was them…it was the rebels, thundering toward the castle.
I watched in horror as they burst through the gates and galloped across the grounds, thrusting the estate into sudden bedlam as the recently-released prisoners and the servants ran screaming for their lives.
There was Omar, spear in hand, leading the charge.
The war had begun…
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“The one with the angry mob chasing me,” she confirmed.
“Believe in what it’s telling you…it’s a message.”
“A message?”
“When you first told me about it, I wondered if it might be a prophecy.”
“And?”
“And, I was right…it was a prophecy.”
“What do you mean? Why do you say that?”
“Liana, the laws against the people of Shanty Row are cruel and unjust.”
“But I didn’t write them, Jade!”
“It doesn’t matter. You’re the queen now. You’re head of the system that continues to persecute my people!”
“Am I supposed to pay for his cruelties?”
“His cruelties are now yours, unless you do something about them.”
“What am I supposed to do?”
“Release the prisoners…ease the restrictions of our passage and allow us access to the folium vitae…return stolen lands…abolish the law that forbids us from getting an education.”
Liana pulled her hands away and pushed her body to the edge of the seat. “You don’t understand...I didn’t either until I became queen.” She threw her hands into the air. “I can’t just do whatever I please…the ministers have final say and they pressure me…they override my decisions. I’m not sure what power I have, if any.”
“Liana, listen. You must stay strong. You know in your heart that things have to change, and now it’s up to you to make those changes happen.”
“That’s easy for you to say, it comes naturally for you…you’re strong. I’m not.”
“It’s not easy for me at all! Do you know how many times I’ve felt weak and helpless?”
“But, I can’t!”
“Stop saying you can’t! You must, I’m telling you…or the nightmare will come true!”
“Do you think so?”
“Shhh…I’m certain of it,” I whispered, placing a finger to my lips.
“How do you know?” Liana’s voice also dropped to a whisper.
“The mob, chasing you?”
“Yes?”
“It exists.”
“What’re you saying?”
“I’m saying that you have many enemies down in Shanty Row…and maybe some of the merchants, the nobility even…I don’t know. I was called to one of their meetings, and they wanted me to…to…”
“To what?”
“To spy on you…to tell them when you might be alone.”
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?
“Yes. The mob is real, and it’s amassing as we speak….”
“No!” She leapt off the window seat. “You can’t mean that!”
“Yes, it’s true.”
What little color there was left drained instantly from her face. “So, my father was right? They want me dead?!”
***
My ears perked to a distant rumble.
“Guards!” shouted Liana.
But the guards were no longer there. Having heard the same thing, they’d raced to surround the castle.
The rumble increased. I flung open the doors off the library and dashed onto the patio. Oh, no! It was them…it was the rebels, thundering toward the castle.
I watched in horror as they burst through the gates and galloped across the grounds, thrusting the estate into sudden bedlam as the recently-released prisoners and the servants ran screaming for their lives.
There was Omar, spear in hand, leading the charge.
The war had begun…
Please click here to vote for me!