Chapter 630 Chapter 630
She pushed the spot Fallan had shown her, and the screen returned. Biting her lip, she stared at it and tried to remember the next step. Touching it, she dragged her finger across it and then smiled when she saw faces on it again.
Journee glanced around to see if anyone was watching her. Only five others were in the lunch area, and they were busy with maps or something—she couldn’t remember exactly.
She looked back at the screen. Her instructions were to look at them and make a note of anyone that looked familiar to her. Touching the paper in front of her, she picked up the pen and set it on the paper. Now she was ready to look.
The tablet was an amazing thing. She just had to touch a picture, and it made it bigger. How many had she looked at now? She had no idea. So far, none of them looked like any of the men that had come to the island. She hadn’t told them that she couldn’t clearly see the faces of the men that had taken her sister that day. She’d never seen them again in the years she was on the island. It was her hope that if she did, she would remember them.
She shifted the tablet, and the screen turned on its side. Leaning closer, hoping she hadn’t done something to it, she slowly moved it again and was relieved when it returned to the other position.
This man was never on the island. She would have remembered a man with a mustache that silly. Jabbing it with her finger, it became small again with the other pictures. Selecting the next one, she studied it for a moment.
She was struggling to focus on this task. Her mind was all over the place. So much had changed. Not just things like the tablet and the tiny phones everyone had but things like food, drinks, and clothes. She watched Blaise come in and go over to the table the others were at. She looked like a walking army with guns and knives on her.
The Alliance had changed too. At least, she was pretty sure it had. It may just be that she hadn’t noticed things like that when she was a kid.
She selected the next picture and looked at the others in the room. Not many of them had weapons on them. Then again, some of them were very large men, and weapons probably weren’t required.
They started laughing, and she wondered what had been said. She smiled, happy for them to have that moment together.
“How are you doing?”
Jerking her head back, she saw Rayne, the princess, standing there. That still boggled her mind, that there was a prince and princess here—that they would someday rule the Alliance. At least, that was her understanding of how it worked. “I’m still looking at pictures.”
Rayne sat down. She was so pretty with her long blonde hair and pale blue eyes. There was something calming about her too that helped Journee settle down inside, or maybe that was just calming her cat.
“It is a lot of pictures.” She smiled at her. “You don’t have to do it all at once.”
Journee shrugged. “I don’t have anything else to do.”
“Right. How’s your leg?”
Journee glanced at it propped up on the chair. “It doesn’t hurt much unless I forget and use it.”
“Well, I hope you can shift soon.”
She nodded.
“I looked at your sketches.” Rayne smiled again. “They’re very good. When all of this,” she motioned around the room, “is done, you should do art professionally.”
Journee knew she was giving her a dumb-shocked look, but she couldn’t help it. “That’s a real thing? Professional artist?”
Rayne nodded slowly and then looked over at the others. “You wouldn’t know it to look at him, but Devin is quite an excellent painter.”
Journee looked at the prince. “I thought he was the prince of the Alliance?”
Rayne grinned. “He’s that too, but he’s more than just a grumpy wolf.”
She turned back and adjusted her leg. “Everyone does something else?”
Rayne clasped her hands on the table. “Some do. Some will again.” Her expression changed to something very serious. “Because of Aiden,” she looked at her hands, “the Tomas family, the clans are on lockdown to keep them safe. So, a lot of jobs and normal living is on hold.”
“For how long?” Journee set the tablet on the table carefully.
“Until we stop them. It’s the only way to keep everyone safe.”
“I didn’t know how bad it was.”
“Yes. It’s horrific. The things they’ve been getting away with.” Rayne looked sad now.
“Asher said they’ve been finding a lot of those that have been taken.” She just wanted to remind her that it wasn’t all bad.
“Yes.” Rayne nodded. “To the point that we’re buying property for them to live on because we’re running out of room.”
“That’s good, right?”
Rayne smiled again, and the calming vibes returned. “That’s excellent.” She reached over and touched Journee’s hand. “I’m so glad you found your way back.” She squeezed it. “You are much braver than I ever could be.”
Journee didn’t know what to say to that. It felt like something was stuck in her throat.
“I’m going to get a coffee and get back to the office. So much paperwork. Would you like something?”
It was strange to have a princess asking to get you something, and Journee was sure there was more important thing she should be doing, so she just shook her head. “Uh, no. Thank you.” She added quickly.
“Okay.” Rayne squeezed her hand again and stood up. “Come and find me later if you’re bored.” She smiled at her, “Too much testosterone around here. Talking to another woman is nice.”
Journee wasn’t sure what that meant, but she nodded.
She watched her speak to the others and noticed everyone greatly respected her. Her eyes filled with tears out of nowhere.
Turning back, she wiped them and then stared at the wall. Her mother had been like that—what she could remember of her, she thought she had been soft-spoken and caring, just like the princess.
Journee blew out a shaky breath and picked up the tablet again. She certainly didn’t have time to be sitting here teary-eyed for things that could never be.