The Second Generation: Journey to the Golden Kingdom

Chapter Seven

There's a door that no one has ever accessed. It's at the end of the corridor of the many royal suites in my castle, and I am happy to find that the lock to the door has the same design as the key that Aria gifted to me. The keyhole is made of the same grungy silver metal and is encrusted with the same gems. It looks ancient, unlike anything else in the castle. It stands out against the sleek white walls and the bright fluorescent lighting. I've always admired this door for its beauty and uniqueness. It's the one thing that Ms. Snyder has yet to plaster with white.

"We finally get to see what this leads to," Mia says. "I'm kind of nervous."

"I'm not," I reply. "Aria told me this key will lead me to something that I can use for transportation. I'm hoping it's a sports car."

"A sports car can't get you to Europe."

"That is not the positive attitude that this mission requires, Mia."

"Sorry," she says flatly. "I hope it's a sports car, too. So that you drown trying to drive it through the Atlantic Ocean."

I glare up at Mia. "That's just morbid."

Mia shrugs. "Just open the door already, dumbass."

I snap my head back at her as I insert the key into the lock. "I have given you too many privileges in this castle."

"Ah, shut up. You love me."

I don't respond. Maybe I do love her. I've never told her that I love her. I've never told anyone that I love them. I've never even told Ms. Snyder that I love her. Do I love her? She's never told me that she does, Ms. Snyder, that is. I don't think Mia has either. Has she wanted to?

My mind travels to last night at the ball when I was sitting with the royal family of Solia. I remember Queen Serena's tenderness towards her daughter, how my heart ached a bit watching the two of them interact. Had she felt that way for her son too? She must have. I remember Bianca crying over her brother, and her mother sobbing into Leon's shoulder. I think that's love.

Maybe that's why I'm doing this. There's so many reasons why I'm doing this, but they've all been jumbled up inside my brain. I want to travel. I want respect from my kingdom. I want revenge for what Juniper's mother did to my parents. But I can do all that through other means. This is the only way that I can make their family happy again.

"Wow, you're so close, Re," Mia says patronizingly. "Now you just have to turn the key!"

I blink back into reality. It's no use responding, so I give the key a quarter turn to the right.

The massive door moves without any force. Slowly, but surely, it opens into a narrow spiraling staircase. It looks ancient, made of cobblestones that have become the perfect home for patches of moss to sprout here and there. One by one, torches begin to automatically ignite with purple flames, illuminating the pathway.

I turn to Mia, who stands there wide-eyed. She extends her arm. "After you, Your Majesty."

Taking a deep breath, I step onto the staircase. Now I'm nervous. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't this. But then again, what else could it have been?

I keep myself stable by pressing my hand against the wall as I slowly move up the stairs. The stone is cold and wet. Not very pleasant, but I'd take it over tripping.

At the top is a large wooden door, which has remained unlocked all this time. I push it open and my face is met with a rush of cold air. I regret not bundling up beforehand. Hugging my shoulders makes the cold more bearable, but as I walk out onto the enormous balcony, something else distracts me from the temperature.