Courage Comes From Lies

Chapter 40: Tara/Amanda (Part 1)

| 8:12 later that night, inside the Yolaris Palace in Devin's old room |

I woke up surrounded by Devin's scent and all I could think about was getting back to her. I sat up in her bed and looked around. The room was designed for a five year old. Three toy chests sitting beside a vanity table, colorful wallpaper, bad drawings and paintings hung up on the walls and a floral bright pink wardrobe. I smiled a bit looking around. "She was a cute kid." After getting my look at her room, I went to the balcony to get a look at the property. "Wow this place is huge. Imagine having been born into royal blood." I noticed guards standing at each entrance of the property. Which meant I wouldn't be able to slip out the obvious ways. But to get a better idea of how to escape, I need to be down there. So I went back into the room to the door and was about to open it before it swung open to reveal a man with a soft expression dressed in formal butler attire and holding a tray with a cover on it. I blinked stepping back in surprise and looked at him. "Uh.. hello." He bowed to me silently then stood again to look me in my eyes.
"Good evening Madam. I've come to deliver your dinner."
"My dinner? You mean that witch actually wants me to be fed?" He walked in and set the tray on the bedspread.
"Contrary to the popular belief, My Queen is actually very merciful, Madam." I watched him with my arms crossed.
"Merciful. Right. Is that why she brought me all the way here just to kill me?"
"Please attempt to look at it from her perspective Madam. You are the only threat to Her Majesty. If you had the chance to take out the only person or thing that could kill you, I'm sure you would seize the opportunity as well." I just rolled my eyes and held the door for him.
"I don't know how a fifteen year old Cerulean girl is a threat to a tyrant Queen and I'm not gonna hear about it either. It's absolute nonsense. Now please leave." I heard him sigh then watched him bow before leaving, making sure the door was closed behind him. I peeked out into the hallway before he closed the door then went to the furthest corner of the room before tapping one of the earrings. "Leo? You there?" I made sure to keep my voice low as I waited for a couple of seconds before hearing his voice.
"Hey Tara. I can hear you. Are you okay?"
I sighed relieved. "Yes I'm okay. One of the butlers just came to bring me my dinner. Have you caught up with the Cherry Blossom yet?"
"No. Actually your plan was significantly changed for the better."
"It was? How?" Everything was silent again before I blinked hearing a voice I didn't expect to hear for a while.
"Tara! Thank the stars- you're really okay!" It was Devin. I heard the ball in her throat as she teared up saying my name.
"Devin? Is that you?"
"Yes- yes its me Tara. It's really me. I'm here." I heard Leo chuckle before he spoke again.
"My aunt's husband and I found her in a ship crash on the outskirts of the Sagittarius Arrow's Tip. So we brought her back to my moms' house. She's recovering after one of my moms gave her an elixir for her injuries." I blinked a bit confused.
"Devin what were you doing to give you injuries so bad you needed to be healed?"
"I was trying to get to you dummy. Leo told me about your plan by the way. What in the cosmos are you thinking? You don't know the Queen like I do", Devin said said to me as if she was scolding me.
"I bet I don't, her being your mother and everything", I replied back defensively. She was silent for a bit before speaking again.
"I... I was gonna tell you Tara.. I swear I was. I was just waiting for the right moment." I just shook my head.
"I'm not upset that you didn't tell me Devin. Right now all I care about is taking this despot down. She took my entire family from me. My friends, my home. She took them all. She killed your father and your sister. So for us both, I'm gonna kill her."
"But you don't know her Tara. You don't know her power. You don't know her influence. You don't know what she's capable of. You said yourself. She killed her own daughter and husband. She's merciless. I can't lose you too. Please. Don't go through with this plan."
I sighed softly and sat down thinking to myself. She doesn't get it. I need to do this. She took everything from both of us. Everything we loved and held close is gone because of this monster. She needs to be defeated if anyone in any of the galaxies hopes to live peacefully and without fear.
"Tara..? Are you still there?"
Devin's voice snapped me out my thoughts and back to our conversation. "Yeah.. I'm still here. Look Devin. I'm not gonna promise I won't go through with my plan. Because she's taken too much from me for me to let her go. I don't care if I'm no match for her. I'm still gonna try. But I promise I'll try not to do anything until you get here. Right now I'm focused on finding a way out of here so thats all I'm gonna focus on. I was gonna wander the hallways and look around since she's keeping me comfortable." She sighed again before Leo chimed in.
"If you're going to do that then at least try not to look suspicious okay? Everyone in that place already knows what you're there for. If you draw more attention to yourself your death date could be pushed up."
"Got it. Devin? Are you going to say anything?"
"Please just... please be careful around her... I can't lose you Tara. I can't." I felt myself smile from this.
"I promise I'll be careful. I'll be in touch okay?" They simultaneously replied "okay" before the connection was cut. I sighed softly and stood back up. "Okay. Time to go." I walked to the door and opened it walking out, making sure to close the door as quietly as I could before I heard two voices then bumped into someone and fell back hitting my elbow. "Ow-"
"I'm so sorry Miss- are you okay?" The man I bumped into held his hand out to me worriedly. I looked up at him then up at the woman he was with, who was just staring at me.
"It's you.." She said looking at me. "Tara Koldem.. It's really you."
I tilted my head looking at her. She looked familiar. Then I blinked looking up at her, almost immediately recognizing her. "Amanda?!"