Page 5 of Raelia

For the first time since Alex had known her, D.C. appeared lost for words.

Jordan, however, looked like he wasn’t sure whether or not to laugh. “Did the king just call you ‘sweetheart’?”

There was a loaded silence where everyone appeared to be waiting for someone else to jump in and explain what was going on.

In a quiet voice, Alex said, “Dix, you’re going to have to tell them now.”

Bear glanced between them. “Tell us what?”

D.C. looked like she was frozen to the spot.

“Dix!” Alex called, trying to snap her friend out of her shock.

D.C. flinched and locked eyes with Alex, begging for help.

“Tell them,” Alex encouraged softly, and D.C.’s shoulders sagged.

“Could you please give us a moment?” she asked her father, her eyes flicking to include Jeera in her request.

“You want me to leave you alone in a dungeon with the girl who just threw herself at your mother and me, and who is now under suspicion as an assassin to the throne?” The king sounded both sceptical and incredulous. “Not to mention her trespassing friends, who are here to to stage a prison break.”

Put like that, Alex realised the situation wasn’t all that wonderful for any of them.

“I guess not,” D.C. murmured her acceptance. She stepped closer and turned to face Jordan and Bear. In a wavering voice, she said, “I wanted to tell you sooner, but I wasn’t sure how.”

“Tell uswhat?” Jordan asked, repeating Bear’s question.

“I’m the—” D.C. began, but she coughed mid-sentence, as if the words were stuck in her throat. She moved her eyes to Alex again who nodded reassuringly, prompting D.C. to take a wobbly breath, stand up a little straighter, and say, “I’m the princess. Of Medora. And, um, it’s my birthday party that we’re celebrating tonight. Surprise?”

Jordan and Bear stared at her in silence, their expressions not giving any indication as to what they were thinking.

Alex could practically feel D.C.’s tension until, finally, both boys looked at each other and shrugged.

“It makes sense, if you think about it,” Jordan said contemplatively. “You always were a prissy little—”

When the king cleared his throat loudly, Jordan’s gaze flicked up to the monarch’s stern face, and he finished lamely, “—uh, princess.”

D.C. released a breathy laugh filled with relief. “You’re not angry that I didn’t tell you?”

“We didn’t know you properly until recently,” Bear pointed out. “What right do we have to be angry?”

D.C. beamed at them both and rushed forward to wrap her arms around them.

“Can someone kindly explain the apparent importance of this moment and why we’re all down here in the dungeon to witness it? I presume the events are linked?” King Aurileous asked.

“Yes, Father,” D.C. said, stepping away from the boys. “You see, these are my friends, Jordan Sparker and Barnold Ronnigan.”

The boys waved cheerily to the king as she said their names.

“For a while now I’ve been putting off telling them who I am,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting to see them here tonight, and I’m guessing Alex was just as surprised.”

D.C. looked at her for clarification, so Alex picked up the story from

“When I saw Jordan and Bear enter the ballroom, I knew I had to get Dix’s attention so she could escape before they recognised her,” Alex said. “Launching myself at you and the queen seemed like a pretty good distraction.”

Jeera let out a quiet snort and Alex looked at the king sheepishly. “I’m so incredibly sorry, Your Majesty. If I’d been able to think of an alternative, please believe that I would have taken it.”

There was silence while everyone mulled over her explanation.

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