Worlds Collide (Alimentria, #1) [ON HOLD]

Chapter Five: In the Palace

The group exited the gardening shed, heading for the East Parlor. As they walked down the beautiful crystal-paved path toward a back entrance into the palace, Brianna's mind wandered back to Flamey. How had he gotten that permission slip to stay on Alimentrian palace grounds? What was his real identity and why was he hiding behind a code name? Why was he there in the first place? When she looked at the others, Brianna thought they must be wondering the same.

They walked in silence until they made it up to the crystal steps to the intricately carved wooden doors, Estelle and Brianna walked up them, and opened the doors together. Then the rest of the girls followed them inside, and they saw a young girl running around, screaming, "I'M GOING TO FIND YOU! DO YOU HEAR ME? I'M GOING TO-" She stopped short when she saw Estelle. "Oh, hello! How are you today? Did I ever mention you're my favorite sister? And you know what favorite sisters do, right? They don't tell on their little sisters!"

Estelle rolled her eyes. "Oh please. We all know your favorite sister is Bliss, Roselani. And I wasn't going to tell on you. Just please, try to be quieter. You know how father feels about loud voices."

Roselani nodded. "I know. But Amara took my favorite sapphire-encrusted hairbrush, and-"

"That doesn't mean you have to shout, you know," Estelle said, cutting her off once again. "Now, do you notice anything different?"

Roselani started to shake her head, but then she spotted Brianna. "OH MY GOODNESS, YOU'RE HOME!" Roselani shouted, ignoring Estelle's hissed "shhhh" and running up to hug Brianna in a vice-like grip.

Brianna laughed. "Yeah, I'm home." She squirmed out of her younger sister's hold. "You need to learn to be more gentle, Rosi."

Roselani giggled. "Sorry, couldn't resist. You're so cuddly, and you never come home!"

"Shhhhh!" Estelle hissed to Roselani. She rubbed her temples. "I'll meet you in the East Parlor after I visit the royal physician for some headache medicine, okay?"

When all the girls nodded, Estelle walked down the corridor, went down a hall that branched off the main one, and disappeared from view.

Brianna watched her older sister leave, then turned with a smirk to Roselani, Fay, Felicity, and Marilee. "Well, now that she's gone, let's go get that hairbrush."

Roselani grinned. "You're very close to beating out Bliss as my favorite sister right now."

"I don't think we should do it. Amara will return the hairbrush eventually, right? It's not like she'll risk getting on Father's bad side," Fay said uncertainly.

Roselani rolled her eyes. "Oh please. Father can never stay mad at her, and he always lets her have whatever she wants."

Felicity looked at Fay. 'Why don't we go to the parlor and let them do this without us?"

"That sounds appealing right now. Let's go. See you when you're done, everyone." Then the two girls disappeared down another hallway.

"Well, I guess that means we can get my hairbrush back, right?" Roselani said after a moment.

Brianna shrugged. "I don't know, it might be more fun just to shun Amara until she gives it back. And anyway, I want you to keep your promise and let me meet your pet baby Sielfaci!"

Roselani sighed a long, exasperated sigh. "Fine, you can meet her at some point during your visit. But I need my hairbrush back! It's jewel encrusted!"

"I know Roselani," Brianna said soothingly. "But it's so much more fun to shun the one who stole from you. It drives them crazy. You should've seen it when Marilee stole my pencil-"