THE UNBREAKABLE PIECE (FIRST BOOK OF THE HIDDEN WORLD) English version

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: PREMONITION

My morning in Phoenix had been disastrous. An onpice who, for a moment, had lost her mind as I used to do, had tried to fill me with holes. Not to mention the conflicting feelings I had for Eamon circling in my head once again, clouding my thoughts. Now, I caressed the ink of the ancient history chapter of Alba —where I had left off the day before— while a fire flame created by Brandon bathed me with its warmth in that gloomy corner of the library. The lounge chairs in the main hall were not as comfortable as those in Albus, but their cushions cradled me enough as I read and sipped my coffee.

My guard had been sent to the dining room under my command, and Gerard silently prepared my class in the next room. Outside, the sky, capped with white clouds tinted with gray, let fall a light drizzle over the fertile land and the deep sea. And although I generally longed for this island's eternal summer, at that moment, I let myself be comforted by the peace offered by this weather beating against the windows.

Gerard had not asked for explanations after I had shown up completely wet at the library door, accompanied by his nephew. And although Gemma had tried to heal my injured cheek, I had kindly asked them to leave me alone. I wanted to rearrange my thoughts and fall uncontrollably into one of my old habits. Reading silently in the company of ancient books.

In my mind, I still replayed those eternal seconds when Lewa's sword descended in my direction. She had played with my life in her hands. It had taken me time to connect the dots, but here in silence, I remembered her face. Lewa was the same girl who had accused me of wearing the characteristic Beta shirt on the day of my episode in the auditorium. I had seen the same rage flooding her eyes, as on that morning. It was clear to me that many onpices did not agree with my return. Especially when my credibility was at stake. Why should they accept that I was the princess when years ago they had been told that I had died? The onpice people were in the same stage of irritable denial in which I had found myself weeks ago.

The creaking of the wood alerted me to their presence, even before they opened the door. On the other side, the colors blue and green found me with my nose in a book. Going over the same paragraph over and over without understanding a single word of it.

"Your Majesty," they inclined their torsos downward as a sign of respect. 

From there, both seemed to have been drawn from an old adventure novel. Ekaitz had been drawn with his freshly shaved face and his neat posture, while the stroke of Eamon was unkempt, enveloping his relaxed spirit.

"How are you, Amy?" the first one asked. "Does your cut hurt? If you want, I can ask Gemma to come to the library to heal you."

"I think Gemma knows it's better to stay away from me when my mind is clouded."

"I told you," Eamon whispered lowly, directed at Ekaitz, with the intention that I would hear it.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. We'll leave if you wish."

Ekaitz started to walk back towards the door. However, Eamon didn't move from his place, maintaining the firm contact of our gazes. I could see the muscles in his legs tensing, making the effort not to obey my order.

"No, Ekaitz, come back. Since you're here, it's best to use you."

Eamon and Ekaitz exchanged confused looks and returned to their places with their arms behind their backs, standing side by side.

"I need your help. I want to go to London this afternoon."

"Your father won't approve of it," Ekaitz replied.

"We'll tell him I wasn't feeling well and needed a change of air."

"Lying to the royalty is a crime," Eamon said, pacing around the room, circling around me. "But it's not the first time I've done it."