Page 92 of The Divide that Binds Us

“The King’s care for his island and the world has brought illness to his heart,” Mildred replies, holding her gaze until Jonah clears his throat and looks away.He drums his fingers on the table before Sophie closes her notebook and rises from her seat.

“We should begin then,” she starts.“This won’t be long given the world’s state.”

Queen Allison snorts and takes off her oversized, black shades revealing her freckles.She’s slouched at the far end of the long table.“You’re wrong, as per usual.Zeala is going to shit, so thiswon’tbe quick.”

Roon slinks out of his seat next to Mildred and steps out with his phone.No one pays attention.Glares bounce around the room as the hum of the AC powers down.Mildred nestles in her seat, waiting.

Sophie sits, tensing her jaw and cutting her eyes to Allison.“This month’s meeting rotation landed on MY island.Do not forget whoever hosts the meeting is also the timekeeper.If I decide the meeting has become unproductive, itwillend.”

Jonah straightens up and reaches to pat Sophie’s back.She jumps and looks at him with a pleasant smile.Mildred studies her, waiting for a slight crack but Roon returning to the room interrupts her focus.He strolls over to whisper low in Mildred’s ear.

“Lady Anguine, Queen Sophiedoeshave three eggs in her possession,” he says.

“Many blessings, Roon.Meet me at the station?”

“Of course.”

Roon’s second departure catches everyone’s attention, so Mildred stands up and places her hands softy on the table.

“My friends, we’re in much need of time and prayer,” she says.The monarchs nod, but Mildred sees the narrowing of Sophie’s eyes—the one to watch out for.

Out of the five monarchs, Sophie was the only one who Mildred didn’t attempt to sway in her favor.The level of mutual trust they’ve carried never felt...good.It was easy to find the right price for the other four monarchs.So, by the time they met, and Remington ignorantly suggested leaving the crisis to the Guards, everyone was compliant, even Sophie.

But she also looked skeptical during that whole meeting.

“Oi...Spirit Users are out of the question?”Oona asks, looking around for confirmation.Allison throws her shades back on and crosses her arms.Jonah withdraws his hand from Sophie’s back and looks down.King Evan grumbles and slouches while Sophie’s lips tighten into a grimace at Mildred.

She’s onto me.But greed will keep the rest quiet.

“Correct.It would be best to keep it this way,” Mildred confirms.“Unless someone objects?”

Jonah shrivels in his seat and shakes his head.The white swirl in his chestnut hair hits the lighting right, his gray strands more apparent.“Nay, nay, nay.An abundance of dragons in the nest have never been good practice.”

“Even when our world is at stake?”Sophie asks, turning to face him.No matter how much makeup she wears, it’ll never age her up the way she wants it to.

Oona is fidgety, eyes darting everywhere every five seconds while she tugs on each finger before switching hands.She’s a liability who gives Mildred a headache; promising an evolution of science to “cure” the world that would put Onyx on the map should still be enough to keep her quiet and dismissive to the problem.

Evan occasionally looks at Allison but remains slouched with her and uninterested in participating.

“Indeed, Sophie.Jonah’s analogy is the perfect reason we don’t want to involve them.It can do more harm than good,” Mildred says.

“Then we dispatch more of our Guards to search deeper into the person—or people,” Sophie suggests.“We can’t leave without a solution to stop this!It’s our reality now.”

“So, little Miss Timekeeper not only threatens to end the meeting WHENEVER she wants but now tosses the idea of holding us hostage until she’s satisfied?MY Island does not have enough Guards for this crap!”Allison barks.Her velvet purple halter strap shirt reveals a beautiful constellation of freckles on her tan chest.“We shoulda, coulda, woulda deployed Ultima but—” She twirls a red pen and pinches her thin lips.The heavily tinted large shades make her expression hard to decipher.“—that...obviously won’t be happening, for good reasons, of course.”

A chance to secretly mine for riches and resources on the most nourished island that’s never been touched?Mildred swore Allison’s eyes turned into coin signs from the very thought of finally drilling into Garnet.This would in turn benefit Sapphire, so Evan was onboard by default.

“Queen Oona?What swirls through your mind?”Mildred asks, sitting down to rest her feet.Her height fails her when her knees bang under the table, startling Jonah.

“Ah, it would be fantastic to have more Guards heavily guarding common dragon areas,” Oona offers.She’s still tugging on her fingers with a trembling smile to match her unsteady wide eyes.

“I concur,” Sophie whispers.

“Aye.”Jonah fiddles with a button on his chartreuse blazer.

“My heart is with this decision.”Mildred places her hands on her chest and bows toward everyone.

Allison slams her pen on the table.“Whatever, I guess it’s fine.I’ll just borrow some Guards from Evan, and pay them on Sapphire time, not mine.”

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