Crystal Kingdoms • Book 1 Of The Crystal Trilogy | ✔️

-| 20 / the aftermath of a very long night |-

Caroline and Tristan carried Violet back to her room as fast and quietly as they could and then Tristan walked his sister to hers, even though she didn't immediately go to sleep.

She wasn't really in the mood for sleep, despite that night being a really intense one. She couldn't help but think of the things Scott's sister, Phoebe, told her.

Why am I even thinking about her?, she asked herself.

And that's pretty much how the rest of her night went.

As for Tristan, he fell asleep the moment his head touched the pillow, so there are two types of people, I guess.

Even though, there are three if you count Violet in.

The next morning absolutely everything went wrong, as Violet accompanied the two siblings to have breakfast. Alastor, who usually missed out on that meal, was waiting for them in the dining room and gave them a really angry look when they walked in. Violet didn't enter the room, so she didn't get to see his furious face, but she waited outside in case things got bad.

“You helped two fugitives escape.”, he sneered at them immediately.

Tristan was about to say something stupid, but Caroline gave him a subtle nudge at the ribs and spoke instead. “I don't know what you're talking about, father.”, she lied- pretty convincingly if I may add.

But Alastor was the one that had practically taught his children how to lie. He hadn't been a good father, but when it came to deceiving someone he was the best teacher. “Don't try to fool me, Carol! I know you got Scott Harrow and your sister out of their cell!”

Caroline didn't give up, though. As good as her father may have been at lying, she was just as good at keeping up a mask. “Father, you're confusing me... Who is Scott Harrow?”, she frowned.

“Drop the act, Caroline!”, he yelled at his daughter, making her flinch.

“What act? Even if my sister was in the palace, I doubt she'd come to me for help! She barely knows me. Trust me, if she'd asked for my help, you'd know. I'd have told you myself.”

“I doubt that.”, he sneered. “I have to give it to you, though. Your lying skills are exceptional; you were really close to fooling me.”

“I'm not lying.”, she gritted her teeth.

“We didn't help Crystal escape! We didn't even know she was in the palace until that guard came into Caroline's room to look for her!”, Tristan growled.

“Then how did they escape? They obviously had help from the inside!”, Alastor yelled at them both.

“It was me.”, Violet stepped in the room, the exact moment Lux entered from another door. They both froze for a second, but Violet got over it after Alastor turned to her.

“Who the hell are you?”, he raised an eyebrow.

“Violet?! What are you doing here?”, Lux yelled at her, sounding more worried than angry.

“Cheryl sent me.”, Violet growled. “I was here in case Crystal was brought in, just to get her out.”, she lied.

“Guards!”, Alastor barked.

“No! Wait! Let me take care of this!”, Lux rushed, looking paler than usual, if you can believe that. Tristan and Caroline exchanged an awkward glance.

“Violet, what the hell are you doing?”, Caroline hissed at her.

“Let me take care of this.”, Violet hissed back. “I don't want your help, Lux.”