Page 13 of Dark Princess: Shadows

A comfortable silence fell between them, broken only by the soft beep of Morelle's heart monitor. After a few moments, Brandon shifted in his chair. "I've been thinking about your story—yours and Morelle's. It could make a great script for an epic fantasy. Two beings, born of two worlds, hidden away, lost in space for thousands of years, only to emerge into a completely different era. It's the kind of tale that could captivate millions."

Ell-rom looked up sharply, a flicker of alarm passing through him. "Our existence must remain a secret."

Brandon laughed. "It would be totally fictionalized, of course. Names changed, details altered. But people will connect with the struggle for identity, the search for belonging, and the power of siblings' bonds. It's universal."

Ell-rom was intrigued despite thinking that this story should never see the light of day. "Is this what you do? Create fictional stories?"

"Among other things, yes." A spark of enthusiasm lit Brandon's eyes. "I've been in the entertainment industry for longer than I care to admit. Producing films and television shows. I love providing windows into other worlds and other lives, shaping perceptions, challenging beliefs, and inspiring change."

The concept of sharing stories, of connecting with others through shared experiences—even fictionalized ones—was oddly appealing. It contrasted with the secrecy and isolation that had defined so much of Ell-rom and Morelle's existence.

"I wish you could create a story about us, but it is too dangerous. I don't know if Earth's broadcasting is monitored on Anumati, but if it is, we can't risk even a fictionalized and altered version."

9

BRANDON

Brandon was slowly starting to relax, though his heart was still racing from the initial shock of Ell-rom's entrance. The words that had popped into Brandon's overactive mind upon seeing the prince enter Morelle's room had been chilling—the Grim Reaper, the devil, a demon.

Ell-rom had looked truly terrifying when he'd thought his sister was in danger, and the sight of those fiery eyes would surely haunt Brandon in his nightmares for days to come.

Now, he had no doubt Kian was hiding Ell-rom's true abilities, and he was doing so because the mellow-looking, genteel prince was potentially far more dangerous than he seemed.

The transformation had been startling—one moment a creature of nightmares, the next a confused and concerned brother. It was a jarring juxtaposition that left Brandon feeling slightly off-kilter.

After Ell-rom had ascertained that Brandon posed no danger to Morelle, the prince had returned to looking like he had on the podium earlier that day—a nice guy who wasn't quite sure ofhis footing and was looking to Annani, Jasmine, and Kian for direction.

Talk about misleading appearances.

Brandon found himself wondering just how much of Ell-rom's gentle demeanor was genuine and how much was a carefully constructed façade.

The thought sent a chill down his spine.

Did Morelle know what her twin was capable of?

If she retained her memories, she had to know. The siblings had had only each other for company, and unless they had been kept apart for some reason, they must know everything about each other.

Whatever Ell-rom's talent was, Brandon was sure it was nothing good. He hadn't imagined the raw power he'd glimpsed in those few tense moments, and he made a mental note to speak with Kian about this later.

If Ell-rom posed a greater threat than they'd been led to believe, the council needed to know.

Despite the jarring experience, he maintained his outward composure. Years in the entertainment industry had honed his ability to project calm and warmth even when he felt anything but.

He smiled pleasantly at Ell-rom, still working on winning the prince over. Given his wish to stay with Morelle, it was crucial to stay in Ell-rom's good graces.

"I believe that I can change enough of your story so it would be unrecognizable. Of course, it would need to be handled withcare, combining the right balance of truth and fiction, just enough detail to make it feel real without risking exposure."

Ell-rom chuckled, the sound at odds with the fearsome creature Brandon had glimpsed earlier. "I wish I remembered more about my sister's personality. I don't know if she would love the idea of our story being turned into a fairy tale or hate it."

Brandon recognized the deflection for what it was. What Ell-rom was really trying to say was that he didn't know if he hated the idea or loved it. Brandon had a feeling that deep down the prince was intrigued by the concept, but he wasn't willing to take even the smallest risk.

It was understandable, given their precarious situation.

Truthfully, Brandon had no intention of turning the twins' story into a script. The idea had merely been a tool to make Ell-rom shift his attention away from his initial suspicions and focus it on something else. It had worked beautifully, perhaps too well. Now, Brandon found himself trapped in his own web and needed to untangle it with all the grace and elegance he had honed over the years.

"I didn't mean to overwhelm you, Ell-rom. It's just an idea, one of many I spout nonstop throughout my waking and slumbering hours." He gave a self-deprecating laugh. "I am cursed with an overactive mind that sees everything in movie format. I really need to shift gears to social media productions, but as the saying goes, teaching an old dog new tricks is difficult."

Ell-rom's brow furrowed in confusion, his head tilting slightly to the side. "I'm sorry, but some things get lost in translation. What does a house pet have to do with movies?"

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