Opposites: The Staff of Light [Book One]

45. Their Peace

Alice

After Alex had hugged Annabeth, I wasn't completely erased from the scene. He found the rest of us, just behind her. He hugged me for seconds—it was enough to satisfy me 50%. It felt good to be loved. It felt better when someone showed it. I made a sideways glance at Annabeth. I hugged him now, and soon I'll be hugging you, too. As Alex pulled away, I darted my gaze around the room. The walls were built of cream-colored bricks, no different from the ball room. The sound of violins still emanated from the other side of the door but otherwise it was muffled. Two bookshelves as tall as the walls themselves stood together by an object that seemed to be an office table where behind it a giant window pane and a chair sat.

On the wall a chandelier dazzled me. It was more beautiful than any of the ones I've seen. Directly opposite it, a red wool mat sprawled on the shiny floor. "Ah, I guess you guys found each other," Alex announced with the biggest smile I've seen. It was nice to know my brother was ruling a kingdom. No wonder there had been no princes or princesses. No wonder there had only been one throne. The king was eleven years old. He eyed each of the three boys standing behind me—Tyler, Colton, and Mitch, respectively. He pointed to each. "I missed you, I missed you—" Alex frowned upon gazing at Mitch, "—I don't know if I missed you."

Tyler and Colton snickered. "I love you, too, Alex," Mitch grinned, running a hand through his hair.

"Whatever," my brother replied. "Welcome to my domain."

"I can see why Annabeth described this room as a principal's office," Tyler noted.

"Wh-what?" Annabeth stammered and everyone attended to her. "I'm sorry. I was just... thinking." She sighed, massaging her temples, then eyed Alex. "So it's only you here? You haven't found Raven or Georgina?"

"Oh, no, I—" Alex was interrupted when Georgina burst through the door.

Her eyes were wide in shock as she saw us. She was dressed in a knight's armor—shiny silver plating, chain gaps, and the usual helmet with the front side pulled up to reveal her face. On the upper-left of her chest was a fleur-de-lis. At her right hip was a scabbard where a sword had been sheathed. "So it's true," Georgina smiled, closing the door behind her. "Wow." She approached Tyler who had high-fived her as if on cue. "I missed you people. Annabeth, you okay now?"

"Yeah," Annabeth replied, "My tantrum's over."

Georgina nodded in response. Annabeth approached the window and looked out the dark forest that surrounded the west wing of the castle. "She's casting an aura," George noticed. "I should go talk to her."

"No," Colton said, "she's my protector. I'm talking to her."

"Protector?" Alex asked. Colton ignored him as he sped off towards Annabeth. He turned to us. "Do you know any of this?"

"Nope," I replied, "but you know, Annabeth with a circlet on her head means something."

Tyler took on a puzzled look. "Why?"

Alex frowned. "Annabeth always told us some accessories meant something. She used to tell me that over and over. Alice and Annabeth weren't that close. Occasionally Annabeth hated her, but from the looks of it, Alice knows. So it means she told her. Now, about the accessories, she told us the marks of nearly everything she knew—and we didn't care much that time."

"The symbols of a protector," George almost gasped. "As commander of the guards—"

"You're the commander?" Tyler cried.

"—I've been doing some research on magic. I've talked to my men, asking any question. They say this kingdom isn't completely anti-magic unless it had been used for a bad cause. In Goldcrest, the current town we're in, we respect magic. The proclamations Alex made was misinterpreted—hence, there began the execution."