Hidden Heirs and Fallen Crowns (Complete)

Chapter 24

Thanks again to @Naiera__ for voting :) Much appreciated.

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OK, after a few hours I was really to admit that I may - possibly - have been a tiny bit stupid. Of course she would be paid to come here; it was her job. And of course the only reason she was teaching me and being friends with me was because it was her job.

I suddenly imagined what my mum would say in this situation. Go up there and apologise, Suzanne. You won't feel any better unless you do.

I sighed as I stared out of the large window and at the sunny world outside. Would I really have to go all the way ...

Just then someone knocked on the door. Well, at least they had good timing. I rushed to my bed and sat down with my back to the door, huddling my knees. With a small smile, I said, "It's open."

The door creaked open. Whoever it was paused for a moment, then walked hesitantly towards my bed. "Suzanne?" It was Jasmine. "I'm sorry, Suzanne."

I threw my head back and laughed. "Why are you sorry?" I asked, swivelling around. "Gosh, I should be the one apologizing."

She looked surprised.

"What?" I asked, seeing her expression.

"It's amazing how fast you can change your mood," she commented. "I mean, are you still mad at me?"

I sighed, debating whether to say sorry now or just pretend nothing happened. "Look, I'm sorry too," I gabbled. "I didn't mean to be mean but for some reason it just comes out like that a lot but it's just because ..." I faltered off, not wanting to explain really why.

"Yes?"

I shrugged. "I've just been a bit annoyed lately," I said truthfully.

She answered, "I know it's been rough, but the spaceships are being built as fast as they possibly can. Zed communicated with our Chief and told him of the situation we're in. So all we have to do know is wait and hope we can get there alive."

"Stop being so dramatic. It's not like a lot has been happening lately that would put our lives in danger ..." One look from her reminded me of what had happened just yesterday. "Oh, maybe not. You know, I don't really know anything about you. It's really weird, we're best friends and I have no idea about your past and stuff. Except that you lived in a swirly planet. And frankly," I added. "If I had known about your whole mission-rescue-spy life of yours it would have avoided this whole argument. So ..." I sat a bit nearer, grinning. "Tell me."

She smiled back. "Alright ... where to begin?"

"What about when and where you were born?"

She raised an eyebrow playfully. "You really want to know everything, don't you? OK, I was born in thirty-two-twenty-six, the same year you were born. I lived in Lylean, the capital. I went to school and played and did everything normally. Until I was eight."

"Uh-oh."

"When I was eight, we had an assembly in front of the whole school. The headteacher and all the parents were there, including mine. So anyway, they said I had a nice voice so I was meant to stand up in front of everyone and sing a poem about ... what was it about again? About the Earth moon's orbit or something."

"You what!? You sing about another planet's moon's orbit?"

She nodded. "Yep. So anyway, I was reciting a poem when my Transformation started ..."

"I thought you said it only happened to teens?"

"That's the thing," she said. "Normally it happens to teenagers, but for a few people it started earlier. That's a sure sign of high degree Talents. So I had my Transformation in front of the whole school; I went blind, my legs couldn't hold me anymore, my arms went dead and my voice stopped working. I was so shocked and scared that I fainted there and then, just like you did.