53

54

I count how many times Cheleste walks past me while she’s pacing.

55

56

It’s like counting sheep because I am about to fall asleep on this very cold stone floor. My eyes shoot open once I hear the three people who have arrested us. I can’t hear what they are saying, only muffled sounds, but I can tell the voice of Orien anywhere. She has a unique soft but stern voice that could echo for miles. It could bring comfort or terror, whatever she chooses.

The screech of the prison door opening makes the inside of my ears feel uncomfortable. The three of them step into the prison cell, Orien has her arms crossed in front of her chest. “So, have you thought about changing your answers?” she asks.

“That wasn’t even an hour,” I reply.

Orien shrugs and gives a tiny smile, “I lied.”

“We aren’t changing our answers because we are telling the truth. We are not followers of Darkness and never will be. We accept any punishment you plan on handing to us,” June says.

June and Orien make eye contact. One, two, three seconds go past until I realize they are having an alpha match. They don’t take their eyes off of each other and they won’t until one of them looks away. June is insane for challenging one of The Magnificents. I’m impressed.

The silence doesn’t stop until the tiny smile on Orien’s face grows wider. “Okay, I believe you.”

“What?” Pierce, Cheleste and I say in unison.

“I can let you out of prison,” Orien replies.

“Really?” June says. She jumps on her toes, failing to hide how excited she is.

“Under one condition.”

I should have seen that coming. That smile on her face didn’t tell me that we were going to get off that easily.

“Darkness allows his followers four weeks to complete the task he has commanded them to do. If you don’t do said task then you will turn. You should know this part already. Anyways, we are prepared to kill you on sight if we have any hints of you turning. Until then, you can live in the castle but there must be a guard or one of us,” she points between her and the two men that are next to her, “at all times. I personally want to make sure you aren’t up to any funny business. There will be no complaints about it. If you complain even once then you are going back to this prison cell.”

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My friends and I stare at her in silence. I can tell that all of us were not expecting this. We are prisoners yet we are going to live in the castle. That is probably the best prison sentence in history. It wouldn’t even feel like a punishment.

“Well?” Orien asks.

My friends and I all agree at the same time. At this point, I would do anything to get out of this cold and smelly prison cell. After we are done agreeing with what Orien and the other two men that are with her are saying, they lead us out of the cell. According to them, we can’t go anywhere without one of them or at least two guards.

After they explain a little bit more about what is going to happen, they lead us up the stone stairs we went down to get into the cell. I didn’t get a chance to observe the castle when we were getting arrested, mostly because they were rushing us into the cell. Now, I get to see how beautiful the castle truly is. There are different shades of green, Chopver’s country color, around the room. The thick curtains that are currently covering the big windows are forest green and the carpet on the ground matches the curtains. The ceilings could fit fifty of me stacked on top of one another. I don’t think I have ever seen such a big room and this is only one room!

I see two people walking towards us and it takes a second before I recognize them. The Queen and June’s father are walking this way, both of them have different kinds of smiles on their faces. The Queen’s smile looks like she is trying to be polite in an uncomfortable discussion and June’s father’s smile looks like he just got the greatest news in his life.

My friends and I all bow when the Queen gets close enough. After we stand straight up, June’s father holds out his arms to embrace June. June comes running towards him and they form a bear hug, never wanting to let the other one go. When none of The Magnificants stop June’s father from unprofessional behavior, that’s when it hits me. I am a free man again. Clinking armor has my gaze brought to a dozen guards throughout the hallway. A few look at me with a nasty gaze.

Sort of.