Alpha Zaelah | Book One: Realities Demise

FORTY-SIX

Z A E L A H

I sat up in the carriage with my companions after speaking to Kayela for a good hour and even though we were enjoying ourselves we had to cut it short seeing as we had more places to visit before the end of the day which Kayela understood, but she made us promise to visit again.

"We should go back there more often," Giana spoke, surprising Nina and me.

"I never thought I'd hear you say those words," I confessed and she rolled her eyes at my exaggeration.

"But she's right, we should go back again." Nina backed up.

"I don't know if I'll find time, but I'll do my best," I assured them.

"I'm holding you to that," Giana remarked, making me smile as I leaned back into the comforts of the carriage when suddenly my mind reminded me of information I had forgotten to pass on to Nina.

"Nina, I need to tell you something before I forget," I spoke aloud, catching her attention as well as Giana's.

"What is it?" Nina asked with curiosity that matched Giana's expression.

"When I was in Drago, Malik told me that he would inform Crescent about you and the other Alkebulans who have taken residence here." I voiced, placing the information before her.

I watched Nina's body immediately tense up when this statement greeted her ears, so it wasn't a surprise when she fell into her thoughts causing silence to erupt in the carriage.

"What did you tell him?" Giana questioned me with a frown which told me she wasn't very pleased about this statement either and this also didn't come as a shock since they were obviously in a relationship.

"I didn't say much since we got distracted," I told her and I could feel guilt rising in my chest because I knew I could have done more.

"Tell me you at least asked what would happen to her—I mean them."

"I did and he said something along the lines of, 'Crescent is the rational queen—meaning he doesn't think she would hurt them," I assured her, but it didn't seem to help a bit.

"You should have tried to stop him." She stated and my brows furrowed at this as the once calm mood was changing between us.

"Asking him to do that would be like...no it would be asking him to betray the Alkebulans and their treaty." I told her and I made sure to keep my voice at a respectable base because I knew Giana was just worried about Nina's safety.

"Wel—"

"It's okay." Nina voiced interrupting Giana's opening statement.

"What do mean it's okay? They could probably be planning your death as we speak." She argued, sounding more stressed than Nina, who actually looked unbothered by the whole situation.

"Don't worry."

"Why are you so calm about this?" Giana asked her, confusion overpowering her worry.

"Because I...I brought this on myself. I shouldn't have come here in the first place, I knew the consequences, let me accept them if needs be." She stated which only pulled a frown from Giana and me because I was beginning to grow close with Nina and I honestly couldn't imagine getting this far without her.

"I'm not going to let them come here and hurt you, Nina."

"But you can't protect me because that would start another war." Nina pointed out calmly, and this only seemed to frustrate Giana.

"There might be a way to prevent this," I announce drawing both their attention to me.

"And that is?" Nina inquired, showing me she was curious about what I had to say.