Fantasy Stuff that took forever

Chapter 6

When Selia awoke, her neck hurt immensely. When she tried to move, she heard Marvel's strict voice and Warren's pleading tones. She tried to open her eyes, but when she did, her vision was blurry. Selia heard a distant ringing that vibrated her head.

"Where's Galilea?" she tried to ask, but it came out more like, "Whhherrrrsgliiaaa.."

"Relax," Marvel's voice said soothingly. "You just had a minor concussion." Selia blinked once more and saw Marvel squatting in front of her. He took a piece of her hair and smoothed it, reminding Selia of her mother. Out of instinct, she jerked her head away.

"Stop it! What's the matter with you? Where's Galilea?" Selia asked sourly. "Where's Warren?" She tried to stand up, but her hands and legs were tied. "Marvel? What is this?"

"It's treason." Galilea said dully from across the room. Selia looked and saw Galilea tied to one of the pillars. She had a split lip and a black eye.

"Galilea? Are you alright?" Selia asked in alarm and confusion. What did she mean by treason? A swift-footed, strong-willed woman like Galilea shouldn't have crumbled this easily! Seeing Galilea in physical pain made her heart hurt. Galilea didn't answer.

"She's too weak, as always. She could never stomach the weight of a true leader." Marvel scoffed, rising to his full height. His pupils seemed to glow in the dark with a menacing light.

"You no-good, dirty, lawless, filthy-" Warren yelled, writhing underneath his ropes.
"That'll be enough!" Marvel snarled, punching the pillar dangerously close to Warren's head. Bits of plaster rained on Warren, turning the tips of his hair white. Warren grew paler than titanium white, but he steeled his nerves. He was brave. Right?

"What have you done?" he asked Marvel.

Marvel smiled and leaned on the pillar. He crossed his strong arms and legs. "Reckon you're smart enough to figure that out."

It took Warren a couple seconds, and then realization dawned on his face. "You. That's what Galilea meant by treason. You changed the coordinates. You got us caught on purpose!"

Selia's head was spinning, and not just from the concussion. Information was flying in and out of her head faster than she could process it! "You did this, Marvel? You did this?" she asked in disbelief. Now everything made sense. That was what Marvel had been doing earlier when he disappeared inside the cockpit!

"You always were too trustworthy." he grinned wolfishly. "Didn't Galilea tell you?"

Selia and Warren exchanged confused looks. "Tell us what?" she demanded.

"Fools. Your sweet, precious Galilea didn't leave because she had to visit your mother. She left because she had an affair with the queen's husband." Marvel explained slowly. "They had a child, so the queen pretended to be sympathetic to Galilea. But, one of the queen's ladies in waiting heard of a plot to murder Galilea that was to be executed by the queen herself! So, Galilea fled Bardonna."

Selia listened intently, her eyes getting as wide as dinner plates. "Then, that means..." she trailed off.

"That's right. Give her a gold star, she's a genius." Marvel said sarcastically.

"I don't understand," Warren said quizzically. "What's Galilea's lie have to do with anything?"

Selia retraced her mental steps, "Galilea's my mother's sister. If she had a baby with the queen's husband, that means Marvel is my cousin!"

"You're related?" Warren exclaimed, looking back and forth between the two. "That explains so much!"

"Shut up!" Marvel growled, "This doesn't concern you!"