Page 55 of Iris of the Crowned Flame

“Ye-yeah. There has been another who mind-speaks like you, all godlike in my head, who is the one that wants me dead. Isn’t that why you’re here? To help us confront him?”

Mina sat forward. “Tell me everything.”

I recounted the last few months, the char marks on Mother and Frederick, the way Egan had been, the voice that spoke to me, every step leading up to the volcano.

Mina leaned back as I reached the end. “Hmm, I see. So that’s why you woke me earlier than you should have.”

“That’s why I woke you earlier? I did nothing intentionally. I didn’t want you to come here. I didn’t want to potentially start a war with Scoria Bay. None of this was what I wanted. I just wanted to find my happily ever after with Amyra.”

I might have just lost it a bit on Mina, but what did it matter? It wasn’t like I could make things worse, right?

“Princess, your destiny was always to wake me. You are meant to bring a new way of life, not just to your kingdom, but to everyone. You could try running from your destiny, but I don’t think you’d like that outcome. Would you like to see what happens if you choose to walk away?”

“I don’t understand. How could I possibly see the outcome of a choice I wouldn’t make?”

Mina stood up and walked around the table to me. With a loud screech, she dragged the chair across the stone floor behind her. She sat down next to me, pulling my chair out roughly so that I was knee to knee with her. She took myhands, then instructed, “Close your eyes. Drop your mind shields, let me in. Good.”

Inside my head, a vision lit up the room. A blank, black space took over my mind, and a feeling of nothingness overwhelmed me. I looked down and could see my body, as is, standing on nothing. I looked up, and Mina moved to stand in front of me, coming into existence from nothingness. “We are in an in-between space. I can take you through this space to show you what would have been if you had chosen at any point to give up the throne and run away with Amyra. No one will hear us, see us, or sense us. But don’t try to change anything you see. You will have abilities to change things you don’t yet have in your realm, and you will change fates you don’t yet understand if you try. Are you ready?”

How could I be ready for anything with that kind of warning? I nodded anyway. She reached for my hand, and I took it. Suddenly we were in some type of tunnel, lights streaming past us in rapid speed, the motion making me feel so sick to my stomach. We stopped as fast as we started, landing in an alley I recognized out in town. I leaned against a wall and puked, grabbing a handkerchief to wipe my face after.

“You could have warned me about that.”

Mina smiled, “And miss the fun of this? I’d never.”

“For a Goddess of Peace and Order, I’m not feeling either.” I replied.

“Of course not. You’re in a future that your choices are created, not mine. Look around and learn what I’m trying to teach you.”

I listened, tucking my handkerchief back in its pocket. While I recognized this alley, I recognized little. Homes were in such disrepair that many had wide holes into the living spaces. People were in torn, raggedy clothing. This made little sense. This was supposed to be one of the merchant districts, the one we took visiting dignitaries through to show how prosperous Elthas is.

“What happened?” I whispered as I hesitantly walked out to the main street to investigate more.

“You did. Instead of your people, you chose love. You ran away, choosing exile, instead of fighting to show your people a better way. Ethan had to rule, but he was never strong enough. He got bullied by that horrible Council of yours, and that bastard Denenbaum got his way. That God you call Death called the shots from his own perch in Scoria Bay. All the kingdoms have fallen to ruin.”

“Are you saying I can’t have love in my life?” I couldn’t let my country, or others, fall like this. “I have to give up my happiness for the rest of the world to have theirs?”

Mina placed a hand on my shoulder, causing me to turn to face her. I studied her face, her lips pressed into a faint, knowing smile, eyes soft with a sadness that wasn’t hers to bear. “No, my Nivara, I want you to understand that you don’t give up any of it. You fight for your love for Amyra, for your connection with Spencer and your people. You don’t let anyone tell you what to do.”

I nodded, looking around. “I never want my people to suffer while I hide. Running away was never in my plans, but I’ll fight to avoid exile now. They will have to kill me if they want to take my throne from me.”

I continued to walk the road that was supposed to be filled with the finest of wares, but I saw orphans begging, elderly huddling in doorways, barely alive, and so much destruction. Some buildings didn’t have roofs, others were just shells. Stones crumbled in, like they were taken out by some massive force.

Mina smiled, “One exception, as I train you. It’ll be easier if you let me lead and tell you what to do.”

I turned to her and nodded. “I need you. This can’t be allowed to happen. Tell me how to prevent this.”

Mina grabbed my hand, and without warning, we were back in that tunnel of lights, moving so fast I could barely keep my footing. We dropped into the blank, black space, but thankfully I didn’t vomit this time, as I fell to my knees, still so sick to my stomach.

“Please, never do that without warning again,” I sputtered between bursts of dry heaving.

Mina laughed. “You’ll get used to that one day. Until then, I’m going to get my fun where I can.”

“Now, before I release you back to your body, you should know while this felt like a half hour for us, it was just seconds for the others in the room.” Mina cautioned me. I nodded. She shimmered into nothingness, and then I felt my spirit return to my body. Even though I went from weightlessness to feeling the full weight of my body, I felt better, lighter, being back to me. That entire experience was so weird.

“I hope to never have to do that again.” I mumbled as I stood up to turn my chair back to the table. Spencer jumped up to help me with the chair. Once I was back in my seat, he moved to help Mina get her chair back in place as well.

“What just happened?” Amyra asked, her brows pinched and lips slightly parted, worry flickering in her eyes.

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