The Secret Singer

Chapter 29-Part 3

A/N: Hello! I have a very short message for you guys this time. So, the watty awards start June 20th, and I've been debating back and forth with myself on whether or not I should enter. What do you guys think? Is this book good enough to enter? Please let me know what you think! And please remember to vote and comment because if I decide to enter those help out a lot in winning.

P.S. I changed the name of Helga's date to Jake because I realized putting another Reece is confusing.

This special dedication is to @deJavu0 for winning first place in my cover contest! If any of you are interested in mythology, her book "Demigod Power" is a wonderful collection of one-shots for her favorite Gods, demigods, and mortal books. If you like teen fiction full of mystery and suspense, check out her book Tell me the Truth. It's a mystery novel where a girl finds out her best friend has been lying to her the entire time they've known each other, and she now has to unravel the truth bit by bit. Check it out

Stephanie's POV

A maelstrom has erupted at the Royal Studios Masquerade ball.

Everyone in the crowd has burst into cries of disbelief and loud chatter, and incessant clicks can be heard of the photographers who'd elbowed their way to the front of the stage to get the perfect shot as the new president of Royal announced he was Caleb Jacobs- the boy who was believed to be dead.

Next to me, Olivia is sobbing uncontrollably while Collin just sits there, completely shell shocked. I snap my fingers a few times in front of my face, but he doesn't even blink. That's when I realize his sympathetic system has kicked into gear and his body has put him in the state of shock in order to process everything.

"Collin, babe, can you hear me?" I ask, moving his face toward mine gently and staring into his unresponsive green eyes. "Stud muffin you need to snap out of it, or I will withhold any and all muffins from being in your vicinity for the rest of your life. Just breath. Listen to the sound of my voice, and calm your heartbeat down."

I feel his rapid heartbeat start to slowly decrease as his parasympathetic system now takes over, and he slowly snaps out of his daze, blinking rapidly and taking deep breaths. When he's completely calmed down, his eyes fill with tears and he looks at the stage with pure heartbreak.

"My brother is alive." He whispers reverently, a stray tear escaping down his cheek.

"I know. It's kind of surreal, huh?" Collin nods his head in agreement but never takes his eyes off the stage where Caleb is whispering to Eva, then walking down the stairs of the stage with her and two body guards who appear seemingly out of nowhere. I recognize them as huge thing 1 and huge thing 2 from when I was ambushed at Amy's house.

"I think he's coming over here," Amy tells us.

Sure enough, huge thing 1 and 2 are making a clear pathway toward our table. Olivia tries to clean up her tears, but after a few swipes, she just stops trying and realizes they aren't going anywhere.

"It's alright sugar," Liz whispers to Olivia. "I think you're more than entitled to a few tears."

Olivia shudders a breath out, and we all stay transfixed at the approaching figure of the enigmatic Caleb Jacobs. It's weird, I guess, to think that the boy whose death caused so much pain and suffering to my boyfriend and his family is actually alive and seconds away from talking to us. I just worry for Collin and how this will affect him. He puts on a big show of being strong and fierce, but he's so fragile on the inside from years of hurt and guilt, and this could lead to a breaking point for him.

Caleb and Eva finally reach us, and a hush falls over our table. The rest of the ballroom is chatting and dancing to the beat of Pon de Replay courtesy of the DJ, but we all stay enclosed in our little bubble staring at man who by all accounts should be dead.