IN ANOTHER LIFE , josie saltzman ✔️

46. Circle of shadows

Sophia sat down next to me after I'd stormed off into my room. "What is it about Astoria that makes people like you lose their minds and run off into the dark blue moonlight with them?" Sophia shook her head and looked down at her hands, folded on her lap. I laughed. "Because they're right." I whispered and Sophia jerked away as if she'd been burned. "Astoria is right to want to abolish the monarchy. Especially if it concerns the elders still." I said and put my head in my hands. "They're not a good person, Amaya. You cannot trust them." Sophia spoke and straightened up as she walked around the room.
"Sophia, god! You know, I love you, but this is me. I'm talking to you. I'm saying this might be still connected to the elders and you're just telling me Astoria can't be trusted? If there are no more kings and queens, we can form a circle, like the one they used to have, independent from the elders. As soon as the monarchy dies, we can start an independent life. Let the circle be responsible for everything that's going on. One person representing one country. One circle." I told her and got on my feet.
I left my room and walked down the hallway until I reached the staircase. Sophia was already walking up to me.
"You want one circle? Fine." I didn't stop to say something and the next thing I knew was that I walked right into an open portal.
Now in the throne room surrounded by mists of green clouds, several people found themselves around me. "Amaya? What the hell is going on? I am not healed enough to go through portals, certainly not unwillingly." Eve said next to me and I looked to the left. „I'm sorry, but it wasn't me. Sophia summoned everyone," Setting one foot from the other, I held my head up high as I looked around. „So, we've got Ruby Hale representing the unhabitable, icy Polarae, John Craven representing the once toxic Nemea, Eve Blackwood and her regent representing blossoming Callipso, Charlotte Grayhallow representing far away Myria and myself and Sophia Chamberlain representing capital Meridial. Any questions?" Two arms shot up and Eve spoke again, letting her arm fall to her side, „Like I already asked. What the hell is going on?" Eve's blue eyes shone fiery.
„Amaya wants a new circle of shadows. As well as she should," A voice piped up behind me and I turned around to see Astoria, as well as Josie and Hope walking into the room. But Hope and Josie weren't as much walking, as they were floating. „Hope here was snooping around," Astoria set their eyes on Sophia, „Don't worry, sis, your guards aren't dead. They are resting, though," Astoria's raised fist came undone and her arm fell to her side as Hope and Josie gasped, falling to the floor.
    „Astoria, stop! They're innocent," I stepped forward. Astoria laughed, a melodic, loud laughter sounding from her lips. „Innocent? No one is innocent. Certainly not in this situation," They spoke and stepped forward as Hope and Josie scrambled to their feet behind them.
    „Astoria, you're supposed to be back in Polarae, not here. Certainly not around all of us in the same place." Sophia spoke softly and I watched her move forward. „You really are scared of me, aren't you, Sophia?" Astoria raised their hand to touch Sophia's face and smiled ruefully.
„You know, while the lot of you plan to form a circle, don't you think that you missed a person?" Astoria's hand dropped and they turned to the rest of us.
Eve looked at me from behind John, who had positioned himself to protect his protégé and spoke up.
„Astoria, is it?" Eve came forward from behind John, who was fast to get ahold of Eve. „I'll be fine," The younger whispered and stepped forward.
„Come forward, child," They said, smiling at the blonde teenager, „Tell me your truth." Astoria added curiously.
„If you would like a seat on the circle, the new and high council if you will, you should get one, as leader of the fae." Eve told them, talking and holding herself the way everyone else in this room was, and Astoria's reaction was to look around the room, searching for our permission.
I stepped next to Eve and nodded, „It wouldn't be fair to you and all other faes otherwise."
John, followed by Charlotte, stepped to Eve's right side.
I turned around, looking at Sophia, „Trust me." I said and Sophia held herself back, only looking to the others before her green blue eyes met mine. Then she stepped forward and sighed.
„I don't like this," Sophia spoke, talking to Astoria, „but I'm willing to try and trust that you won't stab me in the back again."