Page 14 of Sapphire Queen
Chapter 9
Sarifena barely let the car come to a stop before she was climbing out and rushing up the stairs.
“Captain Stephens,” she caught up to her third in command, “Meet me in the conference room, I want to contact the other kingdoms, immediately.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” He tipped his head and headed off toward the massive room.
“Don’t you think you should rest first?”
Turning, she caught Heath leaning against the doorway, watching her.
“No. Time is of the essence.”
Heath reached out and grabbed her wrist, “Sarifena, please…”
“Stop it, Dr. King. I am the queen, and my people need me to act like one. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have official business to attend to.”
Heath watched as Sarifena stormed off. His heart ached to hold her and tell her everything would be all right. But he knew she needed to be the one to realize his love for her wasn’t dependent on giving him a child.
Sarifena stopped outside the conference room door and rested her head against the smooth surface of the wall. Walking away from Heath was pure torment to her soul, but she loved him too much to take away his ability to have children.
“Are you all right, Your Majesty?” Commander Brady had returned and was watching her with troubled eyes.
“Yes,” she pulled open the door, “Let’s do this, Commander. It’s time we went on the offense instead of defense. We need to get ahead of this matter.”
“Agreed.”
For the next several hours, the six kingdoms discussed what they’d learned. Onika still wouldn’t discuss the journal’s contents, saying she needed to wrap her head around how to tell those involved. Amalee also refused to discuss the journal. She only said she would read it when she felt it was the right time.
Commander Critcher informed everyone that they had some leads on where Dimitra may be held and that he’d sent several search teams out to investigate. It’d been over two months since her kidnapping, and there’d been no demands made.
“Sarifena, Emersyn,” Onika spoke, “I’d like to meet with you two. We need to discuss some things.”
“Is this about the journal, Onika?” Emersyn asked.
“Yes…” She huffed, “I’d rather have this discussion in person if possible.”
“How about we meet next week? That gives us time to get some security established in the kingdoms. Protecting the people needs to be a top priority.” Sarifena responded, her heart beating erratically, as she pondered what Onika needed to tell them.
“That works. I can come to the Sapphire kingdom… would that work for you, Emersyn?”
“Yes. I’ll be there.”
“Rory,” Amalee spoke, “You need to take it easy right now. Let Christine take a more involved roll in the kingdom.”
“I’m pregnant, Amalee. Not handicapped. But, you're right. I’ve been battling morning sickness, so if you need something, contact her on my behalf. She and Anthony have been a tremendous help.”
The meeting ended, leaving Sarifena feeling anxious. She couldn’t stop the tingling in her hands. “Commander, I need to be alone for a bit. I’ll be at the water’s edge, recharging.”
“Fine. But I’m sending Officer Holberg to stand guard. He’ll give you space so your privacy won’t be intruded on.”
Nodding, Sarifena slipped from the room and headed toward her quarters.
“Officer Holberg, I’m going to change out of these clothes. Will you meet me out back in ten minutes?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Sarifena shut herself inside her quarters and stripped off the dirty garments and boots. Grabbing a sundress, she slipped the light material over her head and slid her feet into flip-flops. Shaking her hair free, she brushed her fingers through her messy locks.
Giving one last glance in the mirror, Sarifena headed towards her balcony. The small cove had steps leading to the ground level, giving her access to the water she desperately craved. Nodding at Officer Holberg, she made her way down the path, stopping where the water met the sand. Kicking off her sandals and drawing up her dress, Sarifena sat down. Her feet digging into the wet ground as the water bathed her feet in moisture.
Closing her eyes, she allowed the water to work its magic. The feeling of being wrapped in a cocoon lulled her into a relaxed state. Tilting her head back, she relished in the sun's warmth on her skin. Her body silently thanked her for the much-needed recharge.
The sound of the lapping waves against the shore took her to a place of peace. For a moment, her heart felt whole – even if it was missing a vital piece. As if her thoughts conjured him to life, Heath’s voice cut through the silence.
“You’re a vision to behold sitting there, Sarifena.”
