Dimokre Chronicles Book 2: Sarah's Fate

Chapter 16 - Hope the Queen is in a Good Mood

"Hello, Your Majesty," Sarah said, lowering her head.

She glanced at Michael who bowed slightly as well. It had been a miserable week since Sarah left Julie at the library. Julie hadn't responded to any of Sarah's messages.

"Hello. And what do I owe this—" The spirit queen glanced at Michael, disgust scrunching up her nose. "—pleasure? Or, would it be more accurate to ask, 'what do you want?'"

Sarah bit her lip. She doesn't seem to be in a good mood. She glanced at Michael, who just shrugged and gestured for her to keep going.

"Well, I would like to start by saying I think I've become a good part of spirit world society, following in my grandmother's footsteps," Sarah began, going over the speech she rehearsed so much in her head. "I think the spirit world appreciates me, and I it. I've enjoyed learning about it, about my powers, about protecting myself. I want to help beat the Huntress. I've gone to the library, and I plan to go back and learn more on a consistent basis."

"Are you applying for a job?" the queen snipped.

"Please, let her finish," Michael said, his voice almost a growl. He added with a bowed head, "Your Majesty."

The queen rolled her eyes. "Excellent recovery. Sarah, what is all this about? Do you want me to write a song, praising you and your accomplishments? I don't know what Michael has told you, but I have things to do."

Sarah skipped to the end of her speech. "Please let me tell my best friend about the spirit world. I hate not being honest with her; she's like my sister. We've grown apart these past couple of months because she can tell I'm keeping some things from her. Please, Your Majesty. You wouldn't even need to do anything. We'd show her around, answer her questions, protect her. Please."

The spirit queen said nothing for a while. Only the skirt of her dress made any noise, fluttering in the breeze as she hovered in mid-air. Finally, the spirit queen sighed. "If I'm being honest, I am a bit impressed with how quickly you've learned. Granted, my bar for humankind adjusting to the spirit world is very, very low." She shot Michael a look, who remained unbothered, even smiling a bit. "Still not going to sing praises, but I'll meet her and decide then. What's your friend's name?"

"Julie. Julie Burke."

The queen's eyes squinted. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"What, no, I just wanted—please, Your Highness, she can keep a secret, and—"

"I know she can."

"... What?"

"Julie Burke has been involved in the spirit world for about a week now. I had no idea you two knew each other. She just asked to study under someone, that she wanted to know the ways of spirit magic."

The queen's words echoed in Sarah's mind. The forest dulled in color, noises except for the spirit queen's voice faded into the background. Sarah's mouth felt dry.

"She... she knows already?" Sarah asked, her voice breaking.

"Well, what I bothered to tell her. She's now the witch's second apprentice." She stopped, frowning a bit. She lowered herself until her feet graced the forest floor, red roses sprouting around her. "I'm..." she said slowly. "I'm sure everything will be alright after you talk. Just go see the witch."

Sarah nodded and walked away without saying a word. She could hear Michael and the spirit queen talking behind her, but the words blended together. She didn't care anyway. She cared about Julie and how perfectly Julie's discovery of the spirit world was going to be. And now that was all gone.