Aeliana

Chapter 3

Aeliana continued to stare intently at her parents, absorbing every bit of information she could possibly gather. Vivian called out her name, snapping her back to the present moment.

"Ahh, yeah, I'm still processing everything. But I do have one question. Since I'm a 'princess-soon-to-be-queen,' when do we leave for this place?" Aeliana inquired, her curiosity piqued.

"The day after tomorrow. Today, you can enjoy yourself. Tomorrow, we'll pack and say our last goodbyes, and the next day, we'll depart," Michael commanded, his voice firm.

Aeliana couldn't help but feel a wave of depression wash over her upon hearing all of this. "I suddenly feel overwhelmed by all of this. I don't feel prepared," she confessed, her voice tinged with anxiety.

Vivian reassured her gently, "You will learn everything you need to know at the school there. They will teach you about the rules, the history, and how to be a queen."

Aeliana sighed, her apprehension apparent. "Hmm, a school. What could be worse?" she muttered to herself quietly. "I think I'll need some time to relax or sleep it off. I'm going to my room," she announced, making her way to her chamber in a daze. She closed the door behind her, leaving her parents watching with concerned expressions. Exhausted, she threw herself flat on her back, surrendering to the embrace of her bed.

As sleep took hold of her, Aeliana found herself transported to a dark room illuminated by a single spotlight. Two exquisitely carved wooden chairs occupied the space—one for Aeliana and the other for Antoinette, who appeared with wet hair clinging to her face.

"Aeliana, what's wrong?" Antoinette asked, her voice filled with genuine concern.

"I'm sure you heard the news earlier," Aeliana replied, her voice heavy with emotion.

"Yes, it's a lot to take in, and I understand how you feel," Antoinette empathized.

Aeliana's frustration surged. "How could you know? You can't even remember anything from your past or your experiences. How could you possibly understand what I'm going through?"

Antoinette's tone softened as she spoke, "While I may not remember anything, I can relate to the emotions you're experiencing. I believe that when I was alive, I had similar feelings."

"It's all happening so fast, Antoinette. One day, I was just a normal vampire living among people, and now, suddenly, I'm destined to be a queen. But what if I don't want that? I cherish my freedom. What if they take that away from me there? And why did Michael and Vivian wait all these years to tell me this?" Aeliana vented, her agitation causing her to pace back and forth.

Antoinette tried to calm her restless companion. "They had their reasons for not telling you earlier. All you need to do is go and find out for yourself."

"I understand that, but I still need time to think. I need to gather more information. I think I'll visit Chad's shop and relax there," Aeliana decided. "By the way, Antoinette, there's something else I want to explore. When my parents mentioned wolves earlier, you reacted strangely. Why is that?"

Antoinette hesitated for a moment, recalling fragmented memories. "When they mentioned it, I felt... I actually saw flashbacks of grey and black wolves with red eyes chasing me. I think I was running away from them, though I'm not certain."

"Perhaps it's not just a flashback but a hidden memory fragment," Aeliana pondered. "Can you try harder to remember anything else?"

"It's not easy. I've tried many times before," Antoinette lamented.

"This might be connected to how you died and the deaths of my real parents. I need to find out what happened and who or what was responsible. Something doesn't feel right," Aeliana determined, her voice filled with conviction.