A New Dilemma (Imitai Book 8)

Chapter Twenty-Three (Ashley)

Christmas Day 2043. It's been over a month since I managed to get myself in this mess. Imprisoned in a mansion as a supposed concubine for the prince. Pending crown princess of New Generia despite my marriage to Callisto.

I can only imagine what she's going through. Raising Callie and taking care of my label. Earth must be at a standstill again with this ongoing nightmare. Nerida must be at wits end based on the fact that she tried to stop her from knowing about me. That I'm currently staying in his place.

Empress Pedonia slipped in that afternoon as I sat in the living room watching the holiday news from Earth. Corsica was the headline as people gathered in Bastia for the commemorative anniversary of the Generian invasion. Nearly a decade had passed.

"Good afternoon Your Majesty!" I greeted her, standing up only to be prompted to sit back down. She then sat next to me. "You see that place on television? That's Corsica!"

"I know," she frankly replied. "The afterlife was watching."

"Was watching?"

"When the Generians arrived. I remember. Seventeen generations below me, basking under the Mediterranean sunlight. Playing ever so joyously on a lovely beach near Bastia! My young great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great granddaughters had absolutely no idea that their lives were soon to forever change.

"Walking in the sand brings back fond memories of my days on the beach in Ashan I frequented those places in my time."

My jaw was dropped throughout her entire dialogue. "Did you just say great fifteen times?"

She nodded with laughter. "My descendant, thou may hath little Ashanian blood, but did thee assume such vivacious entertainment was inherited by thy father's side? Such balderdash if one must say!"

Well, there goes another thing I learned about myself in this lifetime. My trickery came from her. Who ever thought I'd figure this out!

I laughed as well. "Well played my great times fifteen grandmother!"

Great times fifteen. I need to remember that one.

The news now shifted to Japan. Nerida could be seen walking beside Asami on the streets of Osaka. Casus was holding Princess Rin and Asami pushed Princess Akane in her stroller. Baratos was conversing with Casus while Nerida talked to Asami. All of them were happy as though they were on vacation together.

Cameras flashed as they went, but they ignored all the shouts and questions. Like A-list celebrities they kept it all professional. Just the way they were trained to handle this type of press.

"There they go," I said, shrugging. "Still in Japan I see."

"Princess Yumi is due to perform live at Times Square this year," Empress Pedonia told me. "I hath kept up with my young descendant. A spontaneous one like thyself."

"Taught her what I needed her to know," I said as I continued to watch the footage. They entered the high-rise and then the shot now featured Lisa partying in New Jersey. "What in the hell does she think she's doing out there?"

The newscaster spoke with a woman's voice made for the radio. Deep and clear. "Foster sister Lisa Stillwater is once again in a relationship after breaking up with her longtime boyfriend. Her new catch is none other than thirty-two-year-old Giovanni Milano, a transgender man from the major city of Newark, New Jersey."

Empress Pedonia scoffed in bewilderment. "Is this thy news?"

Reluctantly, I nodded. "Sad to see the news following people around. I know. They do it with me a lot too."