DEVYN POV
I walk into my father's office to find Sage already sitting with him.
"I didn't think you'd be back home today." Father says as he looks up from his document.
"Me and Andrea were out and got late so we thought we'd just crash here."
"Andrea...? The one-"
"Yeah the one who came over before."
"I see. Well, sit down." He points to a chair. As I sit, Sloane walks into the room as well.
"What did I miss?" She says.
"Just that Dev here has the worst friend choices." Sage replies while still reading. We all look at her and she doesn't budge.
"What do you mean?" I ask in confusion.
"This Andrea girl... how much do you know about her?" She closes her book to stare at me.
"I know enough to know that she's a good person. She's a good friend."
"Hmph, even the devil was once an angel."
"What do you even want?"
"I looked her up using our databases, there is no trace of her." This catches my father's attention as he raises his eyebrow.
"So? She told me her parents died-"
"How'd the die?"
"I- I don't know." I stammered.
"Where did she go to school before Arden? How is she so highly skilled? She's beat every Arden student so far-even you."
"Sage, relax," Sloane butts in, " Maybe she just wasn't accounted for. Her family could have been refugees or something. Stop being so uptight."
"I just want her to be careful. Things are not looking good for us. We need to be on high alert."
"What does that have to do with my friends?" I ask.
"Enough of this nonsense." Father interrupts.
"Sorry, father." Sage replies.
Father walks over to the map table and calls us over.
"There have been an increase in Rune attacks. Civilians are having trouble tending their farm animals because they keep going missing. The Rahls have been threatening to start another war. They've closed the northern pass. The pass that we both agreed to leave open for mutual benefit. So no aid, supplies, and trade will be coming in from the North."
"Why would they do that? And why can't we just send military down there to take it back?" I ask.
"The only reason they've gotten confident with their attacks is because of the Runes. We're getting double teamed here." Sage explains.
"There's revolution stirring between the districts as well. People are not happy with the government." Sloane adds.
"We've won against both the Rahls and the Runes before, why are we so stressed now?"
"That's when we were stronger, we barely had enemies. Those were the times of the summoners. Now, everyone wants a piece of us."
"Well, maybe you shouldn't have made so many enemies."
Everyone looks at me with an annoyed look.
"Sorry."
"The thing is, I don't want you guys fooling around anymore. Anything can happen at any moment. You all need to fulfill your duties as members of this family. Be role models, be leaders, be my daughters."
"We will." We say almost at the same time.
"Sage, I want you to talk to the military officials and figure out a new plan. Sloane, I need you to get me all the documents I asked for from the databases."
"What about me?" I ask.
"You lay low, don't bring attention to yourself and be careful. Get that spot in school, and hurry up and graduate. We need you here now."
"Wait, I can't help but realize that you didn't even call me here. I came as a coincidence. Does that mean if I hadn't come today you wouldn't even talk to me?"
Father is silent and looks over at Sage for help.
"You think too much-" She starts but I stop her.
"Father I'm asking you. And what documents are you asking Sloane to bring? Why don't I know anything ever?"
"You're young. Your time will come." He gets up and exits the room leaving the three of us there.
"The documents are just property papers. It just shows what belongs to who.He's giving us our parts of the throne."
"What do you mean?"
"It's like a will. He's anxious that something will happen to him." Sloane says.
"Let me see." I take the paper off of his desk.
"That's just a rough draft so don't-" Sage goes on to say.
"Where am I in this?" I skim the paper but I'm no where on this. It stated that in the circumstance of my father's death, Sage would be queen while Sloane would still have a title in the North and when Riley comes of age she would have a title in the South. I didn't have anything.
"Maybe he's still thinking." Sloane suggests.
"You know damn well that's not the case. I'm not his blood, so he's not giving me a title. That's bullshit." I slam the file back on the table and storm out of the room. The lights are out in the palace, but I can hear footsteps. I follow them closely. Two shadow figures loom over the forbidden wing.
"Who's there?"
"It's me." Riley walks out under the moonlight from the window.
"With?"
"Andrea."
"You know you can't go there. Nobody goes there, especially people who are not a part of the family." I scold her while Andrea steps out of the shadows.
"It's okay, it's not her fault. I told her I wanted to see it. I didn't know." Riley walks over and holds her hand.
"We're spies!Can we please go?" Riley exclaims.
I sigh as I look at Andrea's pleading eyes. Out of the anger I felt for my Father I agreed. I led them into the passageway.
"Only Ackermans know the password, step away." Riley says. Andrea and I laugh as we let her open the door, but it doesn't budge.
"Why isn't it working?" Riley asks.
"Watch and learn. And Andrea, you can't tell anyone about this. Not one soul." Andrea mimes a zip on her lip. I walk over to the wall a few feet away from the door, trying to remember the correct combination.
"The door is a false entrance made to confuse thieves. If they get through that door, they'll hit a dead end. The real door opens up with this wall. Watch." I hold out my hand and press on the bricks in a specific order that my father taught me. I step away and wait for a second.
"I don't think-" The wall starts to split and a passage emerges. I walk in first, ushering them to follow. I turn on the lights as we enter.
"Whoa." Andrea looks amazed.
"It's kind of like our secret archives. Nothing too valuable in here, just history."
"Still awesome." Andrea walks around the room and observes everything on display.
"This was our great- grandfather's sword." Riley shows Andrea a sword with a broken hilt.
"Wow."
We show her around and tell her stories about the past. She takes them all in with interest. We show her all the artifacts collected over the years, and necklaces made out of Rune bones. Then something catches her eye.
"What's this?" She points at a box that's locked in a glass compartment.
"Some say that this may be our prized possession, but I don't believe any of it. It's been sitting here for years. It's one of the four rings that belonged to the summoners." At this, Andrea's face lights up.
"The summoners? You have a ring? No way! Can I see? Please?" Me and Riley exchange glances.
"I guess, it's really not as crazy as they folktales. It's just a family heirloom. But my dad never lets me near it. But he's not here so... here goes nothing." To be honest it's been years since I've had any contact with the ring, I hardly remember what it looks like. I just know that my father forbid that I go near it. I open the lock on the glass compartment and the the two locks on the box.
"You ready?"
"Yes."
I open the box and in it sits the ring. It's black but so beautiful. The small red jewel in it shines like it was polished everyday.
"Wow. This is crazy." We admire the ring some more, until Sage walks in after us. She looks furious.
"Get out. All of you. Right now." Her voice is threatening.
"Sorry, we were just-"
"Shut up Devyn." My cheeks started to burn with heat. Sage walks over and closes the box.
"Get out. Go."
We leave the forbidden wing and walk back to our rooms. I change and sit on my bed. I was still mad at my father. Does he not consider me family still? I lie down in frustration, until I hear a knock on the door. I punch the sheets as I get up to see who it is.
"Stop fucking annoying-" It's Andrea.
"Oh sorry, I was just-"
"No sorry. I thought it was Sage. Come in." I let her in.
"I couldn't sleep. Do you mind?"
"I don't I couldn't sleep either." She sits on the bed with me and then lays down as I watch her.
"Are you okay Dev?"
"Yeah why?"
"Your eyebrows are all furrowed and your ears are red."
"Just my father."
"Hmm. Do you want me to fight him. I think I can take him." She says with a laugh. I lie down next to her staring up at the ceiling.
We sit in silence until I hear her yawn.
"Devyn?"
"Yeah?"
"You're a good person. I'm glad we're friends. I'm happy I met you."
"I'm glad too-" I sit up to see her already asleep. Smiling to myself I move her hair away from her face. She was probably the most beautiful person I'd ever seen. I didn't want to fall asleep, because I was afraid that if I woke up, she wouldn't be there anymore.