The Phoenix Stone

Chapter Seventeen

My stomach sank down into my toes when I saw her face and I dreaded what was going to come next with all my heart. Next to me Evander jumped to his feet to get a better, closer look at the girl. Disbelief was etched over every person's face I looked at. Everyone else was trying to get a better look at the girl but I was trying to sink as far into my seat as I could, hoping with my entire being that no one would notice me.

"Everybody please sit back down and be quiet!" Mari roared.

The crowd sank back into their chairs but there were audible whispers echoing around the hall. I sank further into my seat.

When everyone had quieted Mari continued, "Some of you may recognize this girl as one of our newer residents here at Magewell, however some of you may recognize this girl as the daughter of Emperor Havel."

Once again, there were audible gasps among the audience.

"Yes, that's right. Emperor Havel does have a daughter and this is her. Or at least, that's what you may think." She gestured towards the front row of the auditorium where the Efia doppelgänger was sitting.

All eyes went to her, including mine. Even though I knew the outcome of this I was sitting on the edge of my seat, desperately waiting for the next terrible reveal.

"Get her please, Clarence." Mari motioned for the red haired guard by the door to go and get the Efia doppelgänger.

Seeing the two Efia's standing side by side I could see that the Enchantiss girl, Vu, had done her job perfectly. There wasn't a single difference between the girls down to the very way they'd each styled their hair. Even their clothes were exactly the same.

Efia's eyes were fixated on one spot in the crowd and it seemed like she was staring straight at me. I looked around me, trying to find where she was looking but when I looked back at her I realized that she was staring at me. I gave a small smile, trying to encourage her a little. Her eyes stayed fixed on mine and we maintained eye contact.

"So," Mari asked the crowd, "who do you think the 'real' Efia is?"

The audience muttered amongst themselves. Nobody could agree on who the real one was.

"Shall we find out?"

She was answered by a loud roar from the crowd.

"Efia—er, Efia's, who is the real Efia?"

Both Efia and Vu stepped forward claiming that they were the real princess. Of course, I knew which one was the real one, but it was a bit trippy seeing them moving in exactly the same way, looking exactly the same, and hearing them speak in the same voice.

Mari sighed deeply. "Alright, what was your mother's name?"

Once again, they both answered with the same answer, "Verily."

I could see Mari muttering angrily to herself. Finally she asked, "What year was your mother born in?"

Vu was stumped but Efia stepped forward and said a little hesitantly, "She was born on Day 19 of Year 280."

"That is correct, we have found our real Efia, but the real question is who is the other Efia, really?"

The crowd was silent, hanging onto every word Mari uttered.

"Clarence, please escort the doppelgӓnger down to the dungeons. We have a few questions for Efia, here."

The red haired guard nodded, grabbed Vu's hand, and dragged her down the stage stairs and through the side door out of sight.