Crossed Worlds

Chapter 21: The Consequence

  The gang were led by the Queen and the guards into a room around the back of the church. Jade tried to get back to that warm, comforting feeling that some powerful figure was out there watching over her, but it was hard when the space was so cold that it raised bumps on her pale skin.

"What you all did today was not only extremely disrespectful but it placed all of your futures in danger," she glanced at each of them singularly and, unsurprisingly, her gaze settled on James. "I'd expect more from such bright, promising people, which you all seem to be."

Jade began to wonder if Tabitha was going to question how they all made this plan together when they lived on separate sides of the world. It was odd that she hadn't already done that.

"Because I feel that you are all so bright, promising, intelligent and clearly driven, I do not want your time to be wasted doing any sort of community service. The Head Being and I decided in your absence, in front of those still sat in the church, that instead you will all be obliged to take part in an experiment we are proposing."

The teenagers all shared concerned looks with one another. The term 'experiment' seemed extremely ominous.

"What's the experiment?" James asked, clearly the least afraid due to having once known the figure stood before them on personal levels.

"A Mixed School. A place where you will have lessons and activities with both Wild Ones and Beings working together. You shall live there for ten weeks, and depending on how well you all do living as one, we will consider mixing the rest of the world, too," Queen Wild stated.

There were multiple gasps in the small room, and even more glances between the friends. Jade felt a strange excitement mixed with apprehension. She knew they shouldn't trust their leaders – that they didn't – but now they had made this amazing proposal.

"My parents work for the government," Lily blurted out. "They won't let me mix with Wild Ones."

"It seems to me that you already have been," the Queen raised a brow. "Do not worry. They were the first to run up to us and beg us to forgive you after the guards took you outside. I see that they resent me and my species, but they understand this is your punishment, and that their leader accepts it, so they must too."

Luke sighed. One of his nervous sighs. He cleared his throat.

"What happens if we disagree?"

It was a fair question, even though they all knew really that they wouldn't turn this down.

"Community service, most likely," the Queen shrugged; she knew nobody would choose that option. "I want you all to be where the magic happens, not litter picking on the side lines. Let us prove to you we aren't the liars you think we are. Who is in?"

It wasn't much of a choice, and they were all well aware of that. Nobody expected an outcome such as this - nobody had known what to expect at all - and so it seemed this conclusion, albeit wildly unthought of, was one they would have to ride out.

"We all are. Right?" Jade turned to her friends who all nodded along sheepishly. "How long have you been planning this Mixed School?"

When the Queen looked directly into her eyes, it made her feel like a dagger was piercing into the pit of her stomach and drawing slow circles there. She held her gaze, though, and raised her chin defiantly to meet it. Jade could be like Tabitha; Jade could be unafraid of anything.

"I've been thinking of it for a while. It was just a matter of compromise and timing. The time is now," she grinned. It was not warm; it matched the cold blue tones of her eyes. "And there's no time to waste. We will carry out the preliminary tests on you all tomorrow."