The Red Queen's Daughter: Book One

Chapter 23: Soul Kingdom

I walk through the garden. It's Spring. The thorns on the roses. Thorns. Sharp. Knife. Death. Nate. I sit down on a nearby bench. I fumble with my fingers for a while. I hear someone walking towards me, but I don't bother to look up.

"Hey," I recognize Nick's voice. Nick. Best friend. Nate. Wow, everything reminds me of him.

"What?" I ask, still looking down at my fingers.

"You've been so sad lately. You don't even care about anything anymore. You don't. You just stow away and cry," he says harshly. That helped a lot.

I roll my eyes,"Thanks for making me feel so much better. How would you feel if Charlotte died?"

He doesn't say anything. "Exactly, Nick, you wouldn't know what to do. I'm looking for someone I want to take to the Soul Kingdom with me and I'm pretty sure I've marked you off the list."

"Why can't you accept the fact that he's gone, Nicole?"

"Are you kidding me, Nate? I liked him, now he's gone."

"Whatever, why don't you just go to the Soul Kingdom and bring him back?"

"Because, since his soul just lives there, he'll look transparent. I don't look like that. I'll probably be killed."

"Then drink a potion!"

"I don't know a potion. You're so insensitive. You're best friend died and you don't even care. What happened to the old Nick that I knew? The supportive one?"

"He left when Nate died, too. You haven't been so nice, either."

"I know. And it kills me to not be nice. But you understand, so, yeah."

"Who are you gonna choose to come with you to the Soul Kingdom?"

"I'm reconsidering you. You or Charlotte."

"Take both of us."

"It'd be too obvious. It wouldn't be discreet."

"So? We could all drink the Trancparency Potion. If I add extra mint to it, the potion will last longer. About three days."

"And that's all the time we'll probably need."

"Okay. Then you'll take us?"

"Sure."

"Nice. So, when will we leave?"

"Today. Tonight."

"Go pack food. I'll get the potions and tell Charlotte."

"Okay," I say, standing up and walking out of the garden.

I pack food and some wraps. Like, for medical uses wraps. I grab my bow and sheath and go to get Nick.

"Hi," I say when he opens his door.

"Let's go get Charlotte, I have the potions." he says.

I start walking towards Charlotte's room. Nick follows.

I knock on Charlotte's door, she opens it soon after.

"Hi," she says. "Hi," I say back. She as her sword and shield. Nick has his, too.

We tell mother goodbye, and we're on our way. Charlotte has the map to the Soul Kingdom.

"Which way?" I ask.

"Forward. Then we take a right at the apple orchard," Charlotte says, her eyes scanning the map.

"Okay then, let's go get Nate's soul back."

***

"Do you have the bottle? That special one that we can put Nate's soul in?" I ask Nick.

"Yes, I have it," he answers, showing me the bottle.