The Realm Protectors

Chapter 25 - Ciana

Enya told me last night to make sure I went to bed early. She said that Coronaugurations are tiring, and that the parties can last for hours. Turns out that our party wasn't so lucky. I'm still tired, since it's nearing ten thirty and we still haven't heard any news from Nik, Avani, and Nile.

Enya and I are sitting in our seats. I have the nervous energy to keep pacing, but Enya doesn't want me to worry the senators. They're sitting around one of the tables that got left out from dinner. News crews have been waiting outside Arch Hall for the past two hours. Enya finally took pity on them and let them in to escape the chill about an hour ago. Tucker comes over with three paper cups, hopefully with some type of caffeine inside.

"Coffee?" He asks us. Enya nods and takes it, blowing the steam off before taking a sip. I take the cup slowly and look inside.

"I've never had it before," I admit. I smell it and recoil.

"There's cream and sugar over there," Tucker tilts his head towards the table where servants have laid out a tea and coffee bar, along with some dinner rolls and small containers of butter and jam.

I nod and get up, walking over to the table. I grab the pitcher of cream and take off the lid of my cup, pouring some inside. I take a sip, tasting the balance, and then decide to add more.

"Here," someone says behind me. I spin around to see Senator Sagira. The Tijd senator, I remind myself. "Allow me." She holds out her hand and I hand her the pitcher. She pours some more into my cup, adds some sugar, and stirs it up. She looks around the table and grabs another pitcher from a tub of ice. She pours it into my coffee, shaking it as she goes, making a swirly pattern on top.

"Wow," I laugh. "That's cool!"

She smiles. "My mom used to own a little coffee shop before I moved to the Realm. She taught me all kinds of neat tips and tricks." She hands me the cup. "Try it."

I take a sip, eyes widening at the rich, creamy taste. "That's so much better!" I laugh, wiping the foam from my top lip. "Thank you. Now I can stay awake a little easier."

"Your welcome, your Highness." Sagira replies. "Have you heard any news from the gateway yet? Some of the other senators are getting a little antsy."

"Unfortunately, no." I admit. "But we're expecting some any minute."

"Ciana!" Enya calls from the dais. I nod to Senator Sagira and hurry over there, doing my best to avoid stepping on my dress and spilling my coffee.

"What?" I ask, stepping up the stairs.

"Nile just messaged." She says. "Lyra confirmed that the gateway can't be reopened, and all the evidence they got back shows that it must have been a group of darkness elementals, and at least one of them had space abilities."

"A darkness elemental with space abilities? That's possible?" I'm confused at the possibility.

"Powers are genetic." Enya explains. "If two different elementals have a kid, that kid will only have one of their abilities, but it's not uncommon for mixed children to have some aspect of the other parental element."

"It's probably a good idea to organize some kind of press release." Tucker pipes in. "The public will be expecting you to address them, Enya."

"I'll set up a press conference for when Nile and the others return." Enya nods. "He'll be the one to address, since he conducted the investigation."

"So what do we do now?" I ask her.

"We continue as if nothing happened, I guess." She shrugs. "We find a way to deal with the gateway and we inform the public of what happened." The media crews from earlier are still hanging around by the door, as if unsure what to do. Enya walks over to them, and notice as she does that the edges of her face her slightly sparkling, almost like they're on fire.