The Lost Kingdom (The Fifth Element Chronicles)

Chapter 7 [part 2]

The goblin flinched at the harshness of my voice, and even I was surprised by the way I treated him.

Maybe Caelus was right.

I had to stop acting like a frightened child and become the Queen everyone expected me to be.

For if I intended to save Bieno and bring about peace, I had to become strong, stronger than I thought myself capable of.

'As you command, my lady,' Beaca replied a few seconds later.

With just a snap of his fingers, the rocks shuddered again, but instead of attacking us, they formed seats for us to rest on.

'Please,' Beaca said to us.

Caelus rolled his eyes, but reluctantly agreed to sit down.

I sat as straight as I could.

I was going to try to be as Queen as possible.

Caelus noticed my posture and smiled at me.

Why was he so intent on making me feel ashamed of myself?

'It's been many years since anyone has asked me to open the portal.'

'Portal?' Caelus interrupted him almost instantly.

'It would be better if we let him speak, don't you think pal?'

'Whatever you say Majesty.'

I folded my arms and motioned for the goblin to continue.

'The Tree is not here, and neither is its path. The path is everywhere and nowhere.'

Milaia would never have reiterated how important it was to understand his words. But Gaia... Gaia was tired of guessing.

'Just tell us what we should do, we don't have time for riddles.'

Beaca was surprised again, and I noticed that Caelus had his gaze locked on me. The pressure in his eyes made me want to show him how much of a Queen I could be if I wanted to.

'What I mean is, the map shows the path between portals.'

'The path is everywhere. We have to go through all the Kingdoms,' this time it didn't feel like an interruption, but a way to process the information.

'So, to find the Tree, we must travel from Kingdom to Kingdom, through portals?' I made sure I understood.

'Exactly your Majesty,' said Beaca. 'I am only the humble guardian of the first portal.'

The first portal.

If what this goblin was saying was true, then the journey would be much more complicated than I thought.

'Each portal opens after the test is completed, except the first one, only I can open it.'

'Well then do it then, as her Majesty said, we don't have time,' now Caelus did interrupt by getting up.

'I can't do it.'

My eyes must have made some kind of strange movement, the way Beaca watched me, then clarified.

'I mean I can't do it now. The portal can be opened a few seconds before dawn, only when the sun is about to rise, before the Gods awaken the world.'

'We must wait until tomorrow?' I made sure again.

'Exactly.'

'Well, you could have started there shorty,' Caelus wanted to leave the cave, when the goblin's voice pulled him back.