Grace's POV
After leaving the orphanage, we headed home. On the drive back, I talked to the girls about having a fun girls night and they both agreed. Skyla called her mom and her mom thought it was a great idea. Rose offered to host since her room was the biggest and I instantly agreed. Part of me wanted to open the mystery package but another part was terrified of what I would find. But, both parts wanted Emmett to be at my side when I decided to peek inside the box. We stopped at Skyla's house first so she could pack a bag. As we waited, Rose got to know Norae a little bit better. Rose asked lots of questions and Norae, with the patience of a saint, answered them all.
The next stop was my house. Bella was inside but instead of making conversation she sort of glared at me. I could tell she was trying to be subtle but she was definitely irked by our conversation earlier. I just bolted up to my room to pack a bag. Thankfully, I had most everything at Rose's house from our other sleepovers.
One short drive later, we arrived at the Cullen residence. Rose quickly led us up to her room which was already decorated for a sleepover. Her pullout couch was already in bed form and there were blankets and pillows galore.
I looked at Rose in question. "I might've texted Esme and told her. She must've set all this up," Rose answered. I knew if she could, she would be blushing right now.
"It's perfect," I said, placing a hand on her arm.
We quickly set up our stuff and got dressed in our pajamas. I got dressed in a pair of black constellation shorts and a black mountain bralette. Rose got dressed in a matching blue silk set with white and gold stars. Skyla got dressed in a pair of red shorts covered in stars and crescent moons with a black bralette that said 'Dream.' I also grabbed one of Emmett's sweatshirts, just to snuggle with though. The entire day has been emotional and I wanted the comfort.
A little while later, Esme brought up an array of snacks. She had popcorn, M&M's, Doritos, and sour gummy worms. She also had three wine glasses. One was filled with animal blood for Rose while the other two had sparkling apple juice for Skyla and me.
"Do you want to open the box?" Skyla asked. A deep sigh left my lips. "It's the only way you will get your answers."
She's right. The only way I will ever find out why I was abandoned is if I open the box. I grabbed the pair of scissors sitting on Rose's desk and cut the tape. I took another deep breath before pulling the flaps open. Inside the box sat many things; a baby blanket, a small wooden box, a book, a jewelry box, and a letter addressed to me. I carefully pulled everything out. I turned the book over and the cover looked familiar. The tan leather looked worn as if it's been around for generations. I opened the cover and read the words "Book of Shadows," I muttered.
"What?" Skyla asked. She reached over and grabbed the book. "This is insane. I've never even heard of these spells before."
"What does it mean?" Rose asked.
"It means, this book is super old. Definitely older than mine. What's in the jewelry box?"
I opened the lid and found an array of antique rings, bracelets, and necklaces. One necklace stood out. It was a simple blue stone with a brown cord wrapped around the top. I touched the gem and a beam of light emitted from the box. A weird feeling took over as I carefully lifted the necklace. It felt so familiar like I had seen it before.
"What was that?" Rose asked.
"I don't know but it feels so familiar. Like I've seen it glow before," I said.
"Maybe you saw your mother wearing it," Skyla offered. "Put it on."
I clasped the necklace around my neck and as soon as it settled a rush of energy filled my body. I looked down at my chest only to find the gem glowing a bright blue. It only glowed for a minute before settling down.
"Whoa," a deeper voice said from behind. I whipped around to find Emmett standing in the doorway. "What was that?"
"Oh my god!" Skyla shouted. "You're the missing princess. I always knew she was real. I mean there hasn't been; and proof for the last decade about the Princess, and Mother refuses to talk about her, but I always hoped that she was real."
"Skyla, what missing princess?" Emmett asked.
"The missing Princess. It's only the best bedtime story ever. Mom used to tell it to me every night. So the story goes that there was this very kind and fair noble family known as the Acqua witches. They ruled over all the water witches. They made the rules about revealing ourselves to humans and rules about how we could get involved with different supernatural species. Supposedly they were on this supernatural council to reign fairly over the supernatural world. When the princess was born, her parents held this huge celebration. Families from around the world were invited. Some brought gifts, others blessings, but it was more about the King and Queen telling the world about their daughter. About a month later, the palace was attacked. There were rumors that the Queen and Princess made it out alive but the King died giving them time to escape."
"What does that have to do with me?" I asked.
"The Acqua witches wore that symbol," Skyla said, pointing to the necklace I was wearing.
There's no way, I'm a princess, I thought. I'm an orphan for crying out loud. I dug in the box and pulled out the wooden chest. I carefully opened the wooden chest and found a lot of letters. Some of them were addressed to me and others were addressed to my mother.
My Darling Grace,
It is on this most joyous day that you have finally come to your Mother and myself. I am writing this to you as you sleep peacefully beside your mother. I am very proud to be your Father. I know you will do wonderful things in your life and I can only hope to be a part of them. When I married your Mother, I promised myself that I would never pressure our children to take the throne. But I fear you will not have the option. Please know that no matter your path, I will support you, always. I must admit that I am worried about your future. I fear something will happen to our family.
Your powers will not come in until you are ready for them. This is an unfortunate side effect of the Acqua bloodline. Trust your instincts and your powers. Remember, you were born to wield them. Never forget that I love you.
Your Father, King Amosa
Pictures of what was in the box
Jewelry box
Wooden box - Pretend it has an A on it for Acqua
Book of Shadows
Necklace
Blanket - It says Grace instead of Emma
Pajamas
Grace
Skyla
Rosalie