Chapter 20

Everyone filed in slowly for the meeting. I grabbed a coffee and went to sit in the chair that gave me the best view of both entrances into the room. Regardless of what my standing was, that was ingrained, I needed to be aware of my surroundings.

The first thing I noticed was the other guards weren’t here. That had me second-guessing if I should be here. I started to get up when Daxx looked at me and shook her head. I sat back down.

The women’s expressions were somber, making me think more was going on than I was aware of.

Arius came into the room his expression was scarier than I’d ever seen.

Bethany leaned over closer to me. “Troy saw who—” she frowned, “saw the face of the father of Rena’s baby.”

I put my hand over my mouth so no one could see what I said. “Does Emil know?”

Bethany nodded, “they all do.”

I sat back in my chair. Knowing that fact explained the vibes in the room.

“Everyone,” Troy walked over to his chair, “Rena will be here shortly.” He cleared his throat, “I haven’t told her yet.”

“You’re doing the right thing,” Alona said quietly, “having us all here to support her when you do.” She nodded her head in a regal way.

Troy gave her a long look, then nodded and sat down.

As if on cue, Rena came through the door, behind her was a young man carrying a box. She motioned to the table where the two kings were sitting. He walked over and set it down.

“Thank you, Kristopher.” She motioned to the door. “If you want to start on the next pile, I shouldn’t be too long.”

He gave her a smile and then left the room.

“You have an assistant now?” Emil looked to the door he’d gone out, then got up and shut it behind him.

Rena stood there and looked around. “He was working in the kitchen, but he’s absolutely brilliant with scheduling and organizing, so I borrowed him.”

“It was cleared with Mitz?” Chase asked.

Rena nodded, “yes, she said it was a much better fit.” Rena motioned to the box, “I have ten more upstairs. Ten. This place is killing forests in all the realms with all the unnecessary paperwork.” She pointed to the box. “In this one is items I have no idea what to do with.”

Chase leaned forward and picked up a page from the box, he looked at it then dropped it like it was soiled. “Agriculture report.” He looked at his twin.

Troy cringed then cleared his throat, “so what are you proposing?” He gave the box a long look before looking back to Rena.

Rena huffed out a breath and sat down. “I’m proposing you let me determine what positions and /or reports are obsolete.” She motioned to the box once more, “agriculture reports were probably important when your grandfather ruled, but we don’t rely on them now with modern methods of tracking.” She looked around the table. “I was given a list of obsolete positions in the kingdom, I’d like to designate each department to have a functional committee and then we,” she motioned to the kings, “you, get the final reports from each instead of fifty a day from twenty something different departments.”

Chase looked at Troy, then smiled at Rena, “you can reassign anyone you wish to make that happen.”

Rena smiled, “I’d like one more person, in addition to Kristopher, so we can go over those reports and compile them, so you get the summaries all in one report.”

“Oh, I like that idea.” Troy said with a big smile. He nodded. “Let Mitz know what or who you need, and she’ll make it happen.”

“Thank you.” Rena smiled. “Honestly, I don’t know how you’ve survived this paper avalanche this long.”

Chase laughed, “I’m sure somewhere in Alterealm there’s a whole city of buildings filled with reports we had no idea what to do with.”

“I will be thankful for less paper on my desk.” Troy admitted.

“Oh,” Rena put her hands on the table and clasped them together. “There will be no paper. It’s all going to be electronic.” She looked at the box of papers. “the only paper you’ll see is if something needs signing in an official capacity.”

Emil looked down the table to Victor, “She’s going to have to interview many people, is there somewhere other than the palace she can hold them?

Victor glanced to Rafael, the Michael, “we will find a suitable place that is secure.”

Emil gave him an abrupt nod and leaned back again.

“I want a job.” Crissy sat forward. She pointed to Bethany, then Paisley, “we all do.”

Victor looked at her for a moment, then turned to Troy. “Cristy and I have discussed she would like a position in the archival area.”

Troy nodded slowly, “as she’s one of the princesses, it would have to be a supervisory position.”

“I want one in the legal department.” Daxx said abruptly, “something close to bounty hunting.”

“Oh, I’d like to be on a committee that deals with events and things.” Paisley gave Arius a hopeful look.

“Definitely the entertainment area for me.” Bethany said.

“I could help in medical,” Reagan looked at Quinton, “leaving my gloves on.”

Autumn turned to Michael, he held up his hand, then looked over at Rena. “Perhaps you could let us know which areas you’re going to need people to oversee and we’ll find a fit for the ladies.”

Rena nodded, “I have ideas already.” She turned to her father, “I have one for you too, Dad.”

He gave her a surprised look. “You do?”

She nodded, “Yes, I think you should help those that are born with Alterealm DNA—help them understand what they are and get them through it.” A look of pride was on her face, “no one could do it better than you.”

Emil smiled at her. “I do have the experience.”

She nodded, “you do.”

“That’s a marvelous idea.” Alona said. “We have so many in safe houses that are too unsure to leave them again.”

Emil looked at her for a moment. “I will do whatever I can to help them.”

Rena looked thrilled. “I’ve heard talk you can find Arwan now.”

Chase nodded, “we’re working on it.”

“There’s teams checking locations now.” Quinton said, then looked over to Michael, “before we go rushing in.”

“I can’t wait.” Daxx said.

“There’s a lot of healing to do.” Rena said, “after all that’s happened.” She nodded slowly, “I look forward to helping in any way I can once this is over.”

Troy rubbed a hand down the side of his face, giving Emil a quick look. “I believe we’ve found the man.” His tone was expressionless.

I watched Rena and knew the moment she grasped what he was saying.

“So-so you do have him?” She nodded slowly, “that’s a good thing. The doctor can do his tests and he won’t,” she looked down at her hands, “can’t hurt anyone else.”

The room was silent.

She glanced back over to her uncle. “You’re not asking me to go confirm it’s him, are you?” She looked at her father, then back to him, “surely you can look in his mind and,” she shook her head, “and…” Covering her mouth for a moment, she closed her eyes. “I don’t think I can.”

I stood up. “I’ll go. Tell me which one he was.” I looked at Victor, “I spent a lot of time watching while I was on that island.”

“I was mad at you for a while.” Rena said in a thoughtful tone, “but then realized if you hadn’t been there, they never could have gotten on the island to get us.” She held my look, “you were in as much danger as the rest of us.”

I shrugged it off, “I’m trained to defend myself; you weren’t.” I nodded, “tell me which one he was.”

She took a deep breath and exhaled it. “His jaw, the one with the lopsided jaw.”

I closed my eyes and then opened them and nodded. “I know that one. Looks like his had his face rearranged by someone too many times.”

Rena nodded then took a deep breath and stood up. “Thank you, Kinsley.” She gave me a quick unfelt smile. “I’m going to get back to work now.”

The room was silent as she walked out.

Troy looked at his phone. “I have to go speak with Elder Arian, then we’ll meet at the cells?”

Arius nodded. “I’m just going to suck back this cup of coffee then go back.”

Autumn got up; gave me a look I didn’t understand then turn toward the door. “I’ll be at the cells.”

Michael jumped up. “He has to be alive for the doctor to do his tests.”

She stopped and looked at him. “I know.” She started for the door, “how much blood do you figure the doctor needs?”

Michael glanced at Emil, then went out the door after her.

I sat back down and picked up my cup. All of this needed to end. There had been nothing but chaos for months now.

“What do you mean you are trained to defend yourself?”

I looked up to see Emil standing in front of me. He looked huge with me sitting so I got up. “I’m a guard, it’s part of my training?”

“And you required it on the island?” His expression could have been chiseled in stone at that point.

I shrugged, “it was more of creating distractions then defending myself.” I blew out a quick breath, “I had to stay off the radar.”

“But men tried to force themselves on you?” He stood there with his hands on his hips glaring down at me now.

Why was it everything he said or did when he was near me felt offensive? I hadn’t asked for any of this. He couldn’t have it both ways. Either I was friend or foe. “Look, Emil…” I changed my mind with what I thought I wanted to say. “I got off there unscathed.” I lifted my hands then dropped them back to the table. “We got all the women off there. That’s all that matters.”

He just stood there, his blue eyes searing holes into my own. I could see the tension in his jaw and for a few seconds I thought I’d be pissed too if Rena was my daughter.

“Look,” he leaned down closer to my face, “I have buried five wives,” his voice was barely above a whisper, “each held my heart during our time together.” His cold stare locked on mine. “I do not want this, am not looking for a sixth time.” His tone was defensive now.

I leaned in closer, no way was I backing down from this discussion. “Does it seem like I’m pushing you either way?”

He just stood there, breathing on me. “I just want it to be clear that I am not doing that again.”

I nodded slowly. “You know what your problem is, prince?” I didn’t wait for him to answer. “You keep thinking like you’re human.” I leaned back and looked him up and down, “I don’t know if you’ve noticed but you’ve outlived the humans.”

He clenched his jaw a few times, his eyes shooting darts at me. With a jerk of his head, he turned on his heel and stomped out the door.

I watched the door slam, then something inside me broke. Before I knew it, the cup on the table was flying through the air and shattered against the door. I hadn’t even lifted my hand. I watched the coffee drip down the door. Reality crashed back down when I saw the faces of the remaining royal family, looking at me. “I am so sorry.” I whispered. “I’ll get something to clean that up.”

“Don’t worry about that.”

I glanced to see Mitz standing to the side of the door.

“I envy that skill. I’d love to toss things at people without touching them.” She gave me a big smile.

I took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly. No one else said a word. “I’ll go to the cells now.” I said to no one in particular then made fast work of exiting the room.