Raelia E-Book

Lynette Noni

• Herausgeber: Pantera Press
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Serie: Medoran Chronicles
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Seitenzahl: 642

Beschreibung

"Life is full of crossroads, Alex. Full of choices."Returning for a second year at Akarnae Academy with her gifted friends, Alexandra Jennings steps back through a doorway into Medora, the fantasy world that is full of impossibilities. Despite the magical wonder of Medora, Alex's life remains threatened by Aven Dalmarta, the banished prince from the Lost City of Meya who is out for her blood. To protect the Medorans from Aven's quest to reclaim his birthright, Alex and her friends seek out the Meyarin city and what remains of its ancient race. Not sure who—or perhaps what—she is anymore, all Alex knows is that if she fails to keep Aven from reaching Meya, the lives of countless Medorans will be in danger. Can she protect them, or will all be lost?#EmbraceTheWonder

Leseprobe

First published in 2016 by Pantera Press Pty Limitedwww.PanteraPress.com

This book is copyright, and all rights are reserved.

Text copyright © Lynette Noni, 2016

Lynette Noni has asserted her moral rights to be identified as the author of this work.

Design and typography copyright © Pantera Press Pty Limited, 2016 PanteraPress, the three-slashed colophon device, great storytelling, good books doing good things, a great new home for Australia’s next generation of best-loved authors, WHY vs WHY, and making sense of everything are trademarks of Pantera Press Pty Limited.

We welcome your support of the author’s rights, so please only buy authorised editions.

This is a work of fiction, though it may refer to some real events or people. Names, characters, organisations, dialogue and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, firms, events or locales is coincidental or used for fictional purposes.

Without the publisher’s prior written permission, and without limiting the rights reserved under copyright, none of this book may be scanned, reproduced, stored in, uploaded to or introduced into a retrieval or distribution system, including the internet, or transmitted, copied, scanned or made available in any form or by any means (including digital, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, sound or audio recording, or text-to-voice). This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent recipient.

Please send all permission queries to:

Pantera Press, P.O. Box 1989 Neutral Bay, NSW 2089 Australiaor [email protected]

A Cataloguing-in-Publication entry for this book is available from the NationalLibrary of Australia.

ISBN 978-1-921997-62-4 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-921997-63-1 (eBook)

Cover and Internal Design: Xou Creative www.xou.com.au

Author Photo: Lauren Ami PhotographsTypesetting: Kirby JonesPrinted in Australia: McPherson’s Printing Group

Pantera Press policy is to use papers that are natural, renewable and recyclable products made from wood grown in sustainable forests. The logging and manufacturing processes are expected to conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin.

To those with the courage to take a step forward.Choose your path.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

About the Author

One

“Introducing their Royal Majesties, King Aurileous and Queen Osmada Cavelle.”

Alex watched from the corner of the palace’s grand ballroom, catching her first glimpse of D.C.’s parents as they descended the gold-lined staircase.

King Aurileous was tall and intimidating, but even from where Alex stood she could tell he had a kind face with prominent laughter lines. His eyes were warm as he scanned the sea of cheering people and his smile made her feel relaxed despite the overwhelming atmosphere.

Queen Osmada seemed, in a word, lovely. She was beautiful, with her dark auburn hair, and her smile was even more calming than the king’s.

Alex’s attention was diverted when her best friend appeared at the top of the staircase and the room fell silent as everyone gazed upon their princess.

“Presenting Her Royal Highness, Princess Delucia Cavelle.”

The cheers were deafening as D.C. walked gracefully down the staircase to stand beside her parents, her lavender-coloured gown sparkling silver wherever the light touched it.

Both the king and queen reached across to kiss D.C. on the cheek before her father stepped forward to address the crowd.

“Beloved friends, we thank you for joining us in celebration of our daughter’s seventeenth birthday. This is a momentous day for her and we are thrilled to share it with you,” King Aurileous said. “Now please, eat, drink, dance, and be merry as we revel in this special occasion.”

As if the end of his speech was an invisible cue, the orchestra hidden in the balcony above the ballroom immediately began playing an upbeat melody. The guests proceeded to move about and make pleasant conversation, while Alex stood awkwardly on her own as she waited for D.C. to make her way through the crowd.

Glancing around, Alex marvelled at her surroundings. She wondered if she should pinch herself to see if she truly was standing in the royal palace of Medora’s capital city, Tryllin, when just a few short weeks ago she’d had no idea how to sort out her mess of a life. That was because, as far as her parents had known, Alex had spent most of the previous school year at the International Exchange Academy just outside Portland, Oregon. In reality, she’d actually been stranded for eight months in the fantasy world of Medora, attending Akarnae Academy—a school for teenagers with extraordinary gifts.

Alex was supposed to have spent her summer coming up with an excuse to leave Earth—or ‘Freya’ as it was known to the Medorans—so she could return to Akarnae when it reopened in the fall. But when she’d arrived back home for the holidays, her parents had been waiting for her, along with a dizzying assortment of federal agents.

Apparently the International Exchange Academy had finished classes a week earlier than Akarnae, and her parents had returned from their Siberian sabbatical in time to greet her. When Alex hadn’t shown up, they’d contacted the school and discovered that she’d never enrolled as a student there. This news had sent them straight past panic mode and directly into full on hysteria. Their daughter had been missing for the better part of a year and they’d had no idea. Cue the plethora of police, private investigators and federal agents all on the hunt for their lost teenager.

With Alex’s imagination frozen and her flippant story about having joined the circus for a few months falling on deaf ears, she’d been forced to tell her parents the truth and hope they wouldn’t have her committed. It had been touch-and-go for a few minutes, so Alex had decided to prove to them that she wasn’t stark raving mad. After willing a doorway to open in the middle of their living room, she’d dragged her stupefied mother and father through to Medora.

With them wide-eyed and slack-jawed, Alex had guided them straight to Darrius Marselle’s office—her headmaster and friend—knowing he’d be able to ‘speak parent’ better than she could. And he had indeed come through for her, offering a detailed rundown of Alex’s months spent at the academy in a way that her parents had been able to not just understand, but also see the changes in their daughter for themselves. In the few short months Alex had spent at Akarnae, her dedication to classes had made her both mentally and physically stronger, and she’d found good friends who made her happier than she’d ever been before.

Be that as it may, they’d still gone ballistic when Darrius had mentioned Alex’s misadventures with the banished Meyarin prince, Aven Dalmarta.

Alex wasn’t sure what had concerned them most: the fact that an immortal being was determined to use her influence over a sentient library to open a magical doorway to a missing city— and said like that, Alex couldn’t blame them for worrying—or the fact that if his plans succeeded, he intended to carry out a mass extermination plot against the humans of Medora.

At that point in the conversation, Alex found herself wishing Darrius had gone for a ‘less is more’ approach. In fact, she’d gone back to wondering if her parents would find a way to lock her up—this time for her own protection.

To calm her parents it had taken several cups of something Alex could tell by the smell alone wasn’t just tea. When they had relaxed somewhat and Darrius had answered most of their questions—thankfully leaving out the part where Alex had been stabbed and nearly died—they followed Alex home in stunned silence.

Thinking she was doomed to be superglued to their protective sides forevermore, it came as a great surprise when, a few days later, her mother and father informed her that she could go back to the academy for her next year of schooling. Apparently once the shock had worn off—and they’d likely repressed everything regarding Aven—her parents had realised just how valuable the last eight months at Akarnae had been for Alex. Intrepid explorers themselves, it would have been hypocritical of them to keep their own daughter from her chance at a real life fantasy adventure—or so they’d told her.

Whatever their reasoning, Alex had been too thrilled to question their decision. Until they’d informed her that they would also be joining her in Medora for the year.

Her parents.

In Medora.

Apparently her mother and father had become so intrigued by the possibility of the unknown that they’d decided their next great archaeological adventure was to be of the otherworldly kind. As such, they’d spent the entire summer packing their earthly belongings into storage in preparation for spending some quality time in Alex’s new world.

Alex, however, had spent that time freaking out about how to keep them safe from Aven since, if he found out about them, she was certain he would use them as leverage against her.

In the end they’d come to a compromise, one that Alex had cunningly offered to them on her seventeenth birthday, using that fact to help guilt trip them into accepting.

Having thought about it endlessly, she had decided that the best place for her parents was inside the Library itself. While Aven now had access to the unending corridors of doorways, the chances of him locating them in there were slim to none even if he somehow learned of their existence in Medora. As far as Alex could tell, it was the most secure place available to them.

Birthday-blackmail or not, it had taken some work for Alex to convince her parents to agree to remain locked away when they were so curious about the rest of Medora. But Alex explained that if Aven ended up getting his hands on them, and thus Alex in turn, their otherworldly adventures would come to a swift conclusion—as would the lives of all the humans populating Medora.

Doom and gloom aside, Alex’s parents had accepted the truth of her words and reluctantly agreed to her terms. That reluctance had quickly turned to delight, however, when, with Darrius’s help, Alex had managed to find them a place to stay in the Library that came with an ancient ecosystem as their scientific playground.

Having relocated from Freya just this morning, Alex had left her parents more excited than she’d ever seen them, even after she’d hesitantly informed them that she’d have to limit her visits to keep from drawing attention to their unorthodox location. But distracted by the wonder of the impossible discoveries awaiting them, they hadn’t minded in the slightest. Instead, they’d kissed her absentmindedly on the forehead, wished her good luck for the year and encouraged her to enjoy her ‘adventures’. Alex, for her part, had just rolled her eyes, hugged them, and promised to keep in touch as best she could.

Knowing that her parents were safely tucked away deep in the Library was all Alex had needed to switch her focus onto what came next: returning to the academy—and reuniting with her friends.

She had missed Jordan, Bear and D.C. fiercely over the holidays and couldn’t wait to be back with them again once Akarnae reopened. They’d kept in regular contact via their ComTCD holographic communications devices, but she hadn’t been able to leave the academy grounds to see them in person. They had, however, been able to meet up without her. It was easy enough for the boys, since Jordan always spent his summers with Bear’s family, but Alex had no idea how D.C. had managed to sneak out of the palace, especially given that the boys were unaware of her royal status. As much as Alex kept telling her friend to let the others in on the secret, she knew D.C. was afraid that Jordan and Bear would treat her differently once they learned she was the princess. Alex knew them better than that, but she had yet to convince D.C.

Honestly, between organising a new life for her parents and arranging their long-term, secretive stay in Medora, Alex hadn’t had much of a chance to try and break down D.C.’s arguments. But that was also because what little spare time she’d had over the holidays had been allocated for her to get beaten up, over and over again.

It was sad, but true. For three days each week Alex had endured hours of training with her Combat instructor, Karter, developing her previously non-existent fighting skills. In Karter’s defence, Alex could admit that he’d done wonders with her in the nine short weeks they’d trained together. Their final session had been just yesterday, and while Karter hadn’t shown any last lesson leniency with his fighting—not that she’d expected him to—at the end of their time he’d gruffly conceded that she’d learned enough to join the rest of her classmates in the coming school year. Despite her anxiety, she was actually looking forward to seeing how well she handled the class. And her classmates.

She would know soon enough, since all Akarnae students were due to arrive back at the academy tomorrow, with classes beginning first thing the following morning. All Alex had left to do was make it through tonight—D.C.’s birthday party at the royal palace.

Unfortunately, it seemed like every single invitee wanted to pay their respects to the ruling family, and D.C. was stuck playing the good little hostess until she could escape to Alex’s side, as they’d arranged earlier that evening while getting ready in D.C.’s bedroom.

At least I’m dressed for the part, Alex thought while she waited. The dress she wore was almost as beautiful as the gown Bear’s mother had designed for her as a Kaldoras present the previous year. Unlike that one, which had been a stunning sky-blue colour, the dress D.C. had given her was emerald green and cut on the bias to drape over one shoulder, leaving the other bare. It was made of the highest quality material, flowing softly over her body to compliment her figure. Her dark hair had been piled on top of her head with a few wispy tendrils left out to frame her face, and her smoky makeup accentuated her brown eyes. All in all, her regal look gave her the confidence she needed to wait, and keep waiting, on her own.

With nothing but the company of her thoughts, Alex mulled over everything that had happened that day, from saying goodbye to her parents—and Freya—to activating her personalised Bubbledoor invitation that was pre-programmed to whisk her directly to the palace where D.C. had been waiting with open arms and excited squeals. The last few hours had been filled with Alex’s awed delight at wandering the majestic hallways, along with pampering fit for a princess in preparation for the night’s event. But now, especially given her exhausting weeks filled with packing and Combat training, all Alex wanted to do was walk back up the shiny gold stairs and curl up on the couch in D.C.’s room—a room she was sure measured about the size of a small city.

That, however, wasn’t an option for her just yet.

After what felt like hours, D.C. finally managed to escape the hordes of people demanding her attention to arrive at Alex’s side.

“I’m so sorry!” D.C. said, her vivid blue-green eyes filled with apology. “I didn’t think it would be so difficult to get away.”

“That’s okay,” Alex said. “I’ve just been hanging with my new friend here.” She slung an arm around the statue of a dragon-like creature beside her and added, “His name is Spitfire and he likes long walks on the beach at sunset. I think we’re a match made in heaven, don’t you?”

D.C. shook her head. “You must have been bored out of your mind!”

“Seriously, it’s fine,” Alex laughingly reassured her while untangling herself from the dragon. “I actually kind of enjoyed watching how everyone reacted to seeing you and your parents. They really do adore you, you know.”

D.C. smiled wistfully. “It’s my parents everyone loves. No one has seen me up close for years. This is the first birthday in a long time that I’ve celebrated with an actual party.”

Alex had heard the warm reaction to D.C.’s arrival and she wholeheartedly disagreed that the crowd’s adoration was solely for the king and queen. But she let it go and instead asked, “How are you able to be here so publically now?” She gestured at the room full of guests. “Won’t people realise who you are after this? What if there are other students from the academy here?”

D.C. waved away her concerns. “Don’t worry, Alex. The guest list is highly exclusive. There might be some people from Akarnae here if they’re relatives of the royal council or on-duty Wardens, but they’re all people I’ve grown up around. They know how important it is for me to remain anonymous.”

Accepting her explanation, Alex took a moment to scan the room. Her gaze snagged on a familiar face and she had to do a double-take to make sure she wasn’t seeing things.

“Is that…?” Alex’s eyes narrowed and she hissed, “I can’t believe it, that’s Marcus Sparker! What is he doing here?”

D.C. followed Alex’s line of sight. “The Sparkers are an important family,” she said in a hushed voice. “There was no way for us to get out of inviting them without causing more problems than it was worth.”

“You’re not worried that Jordan might have decided to come along with his parents?” Alex asked, sounding a little more aggressive than she’d intended. She really didn’t like the idea that the man who had once held her semi-captive for information was in the same room as her again.

“Jordan’s never come to a palace event before, so I doubt he’d suddenly decide to now. Plus, he’s staying with Bear, remember?” D.C. answered. “Relax, Alex. Marcus and Natasha won’t dare try anything here.”

“If you say so,” Alex murmured, choosing to trust her friend. But despite her acceptance, she still felt antsy. Seeking a distraction, her eyes fell on the bar and she said, “I think I’ll go grab a drink. Do you want anything?”

“Some of that fruit punch would be great, thanks.”

Alex left D.C. and headed towards the beverage table. She would have made it there much faster if she’d crossed the centre of the ballroom, but she didn’t want to risk running into Marcus, so she took the longer route and hugged the walls. The closer she moved to the beverages, the louder the music became, since the refreshments were located directly beneath the orchestra. When she finally reached the table, she felt overwhelmed by the vast array of coloured liquids to choose from.

“What are you after?” asked a male voice in her ear. It was only his proximity that allowed her to hear his question over the music.

“The fruit punch,” Alex said loudly as she continued to search the kaleidoscopic contents of the table. A hand reached out from behind her and pointed towards the bubbly pink liquid served in dainty crystal glasses. Alex retrieved two of them and turned to thank the person she presumed was a waiter.

“Thank—Kaiden?” Alex stared up at his familiar face in surprise.

“Alex,” Kaiden responded, with a hint of a smile.

“What are you doing here?” Alex gasped, glancing nervously to where D.C. was waiting. Was Kaiden one of the people who had grown up around D.C., or was he a threat to her friend’s secret identity?

“It’s the refreshments table,” Kaiden said pointedly, reaching around her and grabbing a glass filled with a glowing green liquid.

“Not what are you doing here, what are you doing here?” Alex asked, flustered.

He raised one dark eyebrow and she struggled to fight off a blush. If it was possible, he was even more attractive than the last time she’d seen him in her Combat class. And considering he was wearing a tuxedo and not covered in sweat and grime, it was definitely possible.

“By ‘here’, I presume you mean the palace ballroom?” Kaiden clarified.

She shook off her dazzled feeling and pursed her lips. “Obviously.”

“It’s the princess’s birthday,” he stated. “There’s a party going on, in case you haven’t noticed. And I never turn down an invite to a good party.”

Alex couldn’t quite interpret the depth behind his humour-filled expression, but before she could ask anything else, they were joined by another familiar face.

“Alex! Fancy seeing you here!”

“Hey, Declan,” she greeted the massive hulk of a boy. His tux was practically bursting at the seams and he didn’t appear at all comfortable—unlike Kaiden, who looked as if he was born to wear formal attire. “How was your summer?”

“You didn’t ask how my summer was,” Kaiden said, looking even more amused for some reason.

Alex felt her left eye twitch and was glad when Declan started speaking so she didn’t have to respond to Kaiden’s remark.

“Yeah, all right. Not too exciting, but good. You?”

“Same here,” she said, not wanting to go into detail. While they were definitely the nicest of her Combat classmates, the first time she’d met Declan he’d ended up sending her to the Medical Ward, unconscious. As for Kaiden, well, she wasn’t sure what to make of him. Needless to say, neither of them were what she would call close friends.

But speaking of close friends…

“Oh, no,” she said, looking across the room. “I’m so sorry, but I have to go.”

Alex set both drinks back on the table and lifted her floor-length dress high enough to move quickly without tripping. She didn’t care about avoiding Marcus Sparker this time as she hurried across the middle of the ballroom, weaving between dancing couples and political dignitaries. Her focus was solely on the two people who had arrived at the entrance to the room and were now heading towards the corner where D.C. was speaking to a small group of people. Alex knew she had to warn the princess, but she was too far away to capture her attention.

The king and queen came into Alex’s peripheral vision as they waltzed along to the music and she groaned inwardly when she recognised the opportunity they presented. With a mortified breath and a silent apology, Alex picked up her pace…

… And launched herself at the dancing couple.

The three of them tumbled to the floor in a pile of limbs and formal attire. Alex could hear people shrieking around them, and before she could so much as blink, she was forcibly hauled off the royal couple with her arms wrenched behind her back.

With no chance for her to explain, two guards promptly dragged her from the room. She felt like her face was on fire as the entire ballroom of people watched the guards manhandle her, but she managed to lift her head and meet D.C.’s stricken gaze. When her friend stepped forward to intervene, Alex shook her head and subtly gestured in the direction of the two boys who were now gaping in shock along with everyone else.

Alex offered Jordan and Bear a weak smile as she was escorted past them. She turned back to D.C., relieved when her noticeably pale roommate nodded to say she understood why Alex had acted as she had.

‘I’ll fix this,’ D.C. mouthed.

Alex smiled ruefully, fully aware that they would have a difficult time coming up with an acceptable excuse for her attack on the ruling monarchs of Medora.

The two guards frogmarched Alex out of the ballroom and through the resplendent corridors, before hustling her down a dark, winding staircase that led underneath the palace. Once they were on level ground again, they strode past more guards wearing armour and through what could only be described as an ancient stone dungeon. Fortunately, it was empty of prisoners—as far as Alex could tell.

They stopped in front of a grimy cell and she was shoved none too gently into it. One of the guards immediately pressed on a touch-screen TCD terminal attached to the wall and a semi-transparent barrier appeared, zinging with what appeared to be live electricity. It didn’t take a genius to work out that the barrier could do some serious damage, but Alex still had to struggle against the temptation to touch the almost hypnotic entryway.

When the guards took up sentry positions opposite her, Alex began pacing back and forth in the small space, preparing herself for whatever would come next. It wasn’t long before she heard the sound of approaching footsteps and a young woman stepped into view. She had dark hair and striking features, and wore a black uniform with a gold emblem stitched above her heart—two swords crossed together behind a crown.

“I’m Warden Jeera,” the woman said without preamble, her title telling Alex that she, like Bear’s dad, was one of Medora’s peacekeepers and responsible for the safety of the kingdom. “And you just tried to carry out an assassination attempt on the king and queen.”

Alex sucked in a startled breath, realising that her current circumstances were perhaps more dire than she’d presumed. “I didn’t—”

“What’s your name?” Jeera interrupted.

Swallowing thickly, she answered, “Alex.” But at seeing the Warden’s I-hope-you-can-do-better-than-that expression, she cleared her throat and quickly added, “My full name is Alexandra Jennings, if that helps. I’m Princess Delucia’s best friend.”

The Warden raised a sceptical eyebrow. “I’ve never seen you at the palace before. That doesn’t sound like best friend behaviour to me.”

“We only met last year,” Alex defended. “We go to Akarnae together—we’re roommates, actually. You can check if you want.”

“You’re a student at Akarnae?” Jeera asked, her head tilted thoughtfully.

“Yes,” Alex said. “I’m about to start as a fourth year. Provided that you let me out of this cell sometime before tomorrow.”

Jeera’s face transformed as if she’d come to a sudden understanding. Her harsh demeanour changed into something that looked very much like amusement. “Epsilon Combat, right?”

Alex felt confusion wash over her. How could Jeera possibly know that?

Before she could ask—or confirm her answer—Jeera waved her hand and said, “Never mind. But answer me this: if you claim to be the princess’s best friend, why did you just attack her parents?”

Alex shook her head in denial. “I didn’t attack them.” When Jeera’s brow rose again, she amended, “I can see how it might have looked that way. But I promise there’s a perfectly good explanation.”

Even though Jeera opened her mouth, it wasn’t her words that responded to Alex’s statement.

“This I’d like to hear,” came a dry male voice. “Especially given that you accosted me and my wife in the middle of our waltz.”

Two

Alex’s eyes widened when the king stepped into view outside her cell, but she quickly came to her senses and dropped into a curtsey. “Your Majesty.”

“Alexandra Jennings,” King Aurileous returned. “I’ve heard a great deal about you, and none of it leads me to believe you have any kind of ill intent towards my family. So, tell me, what brought on that display upstairs?”

“I’m not sure what to tell you,” Alex answered honestly, looking from him to the now very clearly entertained Jeera and back again. “You see—”

“Alex, where are you? We’ve come to bust you out of here!”

She groaned at the sound of Jordan’s whispered voice echoing along the stone corridor. Only he and Bear would think they could break her out of a palace dungeon. Actually, considering both of their gifts, they probably could get her out, but that would just cause her more trouble when she was inevitably caught again.

She looked at the king and he gave her a ‘go ahead’ gesture.

“I’m over here,” Alex called weakly, hoping they’d have the presence of mind to get out of there while they still could. But no such luck, since a few seconds later, both Jordan and Bear sprinted around the corner and came to a wide-eyed halt.

Jordan rallied himself first and said, “Uh, hello, Your Majesty.” He bowed regally, with Bear following his lead. “We didn’t expect to see you down here.”

“I’m sure you didn’t,” the king said with a touch of amusement. “Nor did I expect to see anyone but my guards and their prisoner. For future reference, no one has ever broken out of my dungeons before. Or been broken out.”

Jordan sent him a cocky grin. “With all due respect, Your Majesty, there’s a first time for everything.”

Alex couldn’t believe he’d actually said that—and to the king of all people—but she was more shocked when the monarch smiled.

“Indeed there is,” King Aurileous acknowledged. “But not in this case, I’m afraid. Unfortunately—”

“You have to let Alex go! She was only trying to help me!”

When D.C. came running around the corner mid-yell, Alex felt the need to bang her head against the cell barrier, regardless of the live electricity. So much for trying to keep her identity a secret, she thought. What a wasted effort.

“Dix? Is that you?” Bear asked, squinting into the shadows where D.C. had skidded to a stop at the sight of him and Jordan.

“Sweetheart, what are you doing down here?” the king asked.

“I… Uh… That is…”

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 us what?” 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 her side.

“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.

“Oh, and I’m not an assassin, by the way,” Alex quickly added. “Promise.”

Someone around the corner laughed quietly and she wondered who else was listening to their conversation.

After a moment the king nodded to Jeera to open the cell. When the barrier was down, the Warden gave a quick nod of deference to him, sent a mysterious yet entertained smile in Alex’s direction, and walked away, leaving their small group alone but for the company of the dungeon guards.

The king stepped into the cell to join Alex. “Loyalty can be the strongest motivation for courage, Alexandra.” He held her gaze with the same uniquely coloured eyes that D.C. had inherited. “What you did was very courageous, if somewhat dramatic, and I thank you for being loyal enough to my daughter that you would risk your own well-being. Twice, now, if we consider what happened with Aven a few months back.”

“At least this time she didn’t end up with a knife through her lungs,” D.C. said. “That’s progress.”

“No, but the penalty for an assassination attempt is execution,” the king said, causing Alex’s breath to hitch. “Alexandra had no guarantee that any of us would have come to stop that from happening.”

Alex hadn’t considered the idea that someone wouldn’t have come to help her out. And considering the consequences, she was glad the thought hadn’t crossed her mind. Execution? Seriously? Yeesh.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Alex said, uncertain how else to respond after receiving a compliment from the king. “I, uh, promise not to do it again. Or, worst case, I’ll try to let you finish your dance first if there is a next time.”

King Aurileous laughed, causing his entire face to light up. “I’m sure my wife would appreciate that, Alexandra.”

“Alex,” she insisted.

He smiled at her warmly. “Alex, it is. And now it’s time for us to get out of here and enjoy the rest of the party.”

“You can’t be serious?” Alex said, forgetting that she was speaking to the ruler of Medora. “I can’t show my face up there again!”

“Nonsense,” the king said. “No one will recognise you.”

Alex doubted that, but she obediently followed as he led them out of the dungeon and through the maze-like corridors back to the ballroom.

“Perhaps I was mistaken,” the king murmured, when the room full of people went silent upon their entry. Even the orchestra stopped playing mid song.

“You think?” Alex muttered sarcastically, attempting to hide behind her friends. It was no use though, as it was clear that everyone recognised who she was.

The king apparently realised that as well, and raised his voice to address the crowd. “My friends, I hope you enjoyed our earlier re-enactment of The Inebriated Guest. Rest assured that it was a theatrical act for your entertainment, and not, as some of you might have presumed, an assassination attempt. In fact, I would like to present the leading actress, Alexandra Jennings.”

Alex’s jaw dropped at the king’s declaration that she’d been acting like a drunken fool on purpose. She was even more surprised when the audience started applauding her performance, hesitantly at first, and then more boisterously.

D.C. pushed Alex forward to stand beside the king who whispered for her to take a bow. She’d never felt more uncomfortable in her life, but she did as she was told, and the people cheered louder as she curtsied.

“Now that the entertainment is over for the night, please continue to enjoy the celebrations,” said the king, and the guests slowly turned their attention away.

“That worked rather well, if I do say so myself.” King Aurileous sounded pleased. “Now, off you four go, and do try to stay out of trouble.”

The king walked away and Alex hoped he was off to explain to his wife the truth of what had happened.

“So Alex, how does it feel, being known as ‘The Inebriated Guest’?” Jordan asked, smirking.

Alex sent him a dry look. “Better than it felt being known as the assassin. I’m making my way up in the world.”

“What are you two even doing here?” D.C. interjected, and Alex was grateful for the change in topic.

“Don’t ask,” Jordan grumbled.

“Gee, thanks,” D.C. said, fluttering her eyelashes. “I’m glad you’re so excited about celebrating my birthday with me.”

“Oh, that’s right.” Jordan winced apologetically. “Sorry, it’s going to take some getting used to.” When D.C. nodded her understanding, he said, “My parents contacted me at Bear’s house and ordered me to come, saying it was about time I met the princess since it’s her—your—first public appearance in years. I, in turn, pulled the ‘bring a friend’ card and dragged Bear along with me.”

“I didn’t mind coming,” Bear said. “I’ve never been inside the palace before. But Dad freaked out this afternoon when I told him where we were going. It was really strange. And it meant we got here late because he wouldn’t let us leave until we listened to a lecture about palace etiquette and not embarrassing ‘the family name’. He’s never cared about that stuff before. Like I said, really strange.”

D.C. burst out laughing.

“What’s funny?” Bear asked.

“Your dad’s a Warden here,” D.C. explained after her amusement settled. “He’s known about me for years, but when he learned we’d become friends, I made him promise to keep it secret until I found a way to tell you myself.”

“He was probably concerned we’d all run into each other tonight,” Alex guessed, smiling at the thought of poor William having to keep D.C.’s identity to himself. “I bet you were late because he was stalling, keeping you away as long as possible so you would miss Dix’s big entrance at the beginning of the party.”

“Why were you so worried about our reactions?” Jordan asked D.C., looking genuinely perplexed.

“I just didn’t want you to be all weirded out or act differently around me,” D.C. said, blatantly ignoring Alex’s ‘I told you so’ expression.

“Are you kidding? You already behaved like a princess before, now I can legitimately call you that!” Jordan said, grinning.

D.C.’s face fell. “You can’t tell anyone. Please, Jordan. There’s a reason people don’t know who I am. I just want to be ‘D.C.’, not ‘Princess Delucia’, especially at the academy.”

“Hey, relax,” Jordan said, pulling her in for a side-hug. “Your secret’s safe with us.”

Bear nodded his agreement and D.C.’s expression lightened.

“So, this is a birthday, right?” Jordan said. “Does that mean there’s cake?”

“It sure does,” D.C. answered. “And lots of it.”

Jordan bowed with a flourish and held out a hand. “Then lead the way, Your Highness.”

“I’ll go get those drinks from earlier,” Alex offered. “Second time lucky.”

“Do you want company?” Bear asked.

Knowing he was more interested in the cake option, she let him off the hook. “I’m good, thanks. I’ll meet up with you all in a minute.”

Alex headed across the middle of the ballroom, lost in her thoughts about the past half hour and oblivious to her surroundings. She was startled when a hand grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her into an uncomfortably tight embrace.

“What a fortunate surprise.”

Her heart leapt into her throat momentarily before her panic quickly turned into annoyance.

“I can’t say the same for you, Marcus,” Alex said, trying to wriggle free from his grasp.

“Be still, Alexandra. You don’t want to cause another scene, do you?” Marcus hissed into her ear. “Why don’t you dance with me instead?”

Without waiting for a response, he tightened his grip and forced Alex into a stiff waltz.

“You’re a stubborn little thing, aren’t you?” he said, keeping a fake smile plastered to his face even when she deliberately stomped her spiky heel on his foot for the third step in a row.

“The word ‘stubborn’ has such negative connotations,” Alex said. “I like to think of myself as determined.”

“You’re certainly determined to make my life more difficult than it needs to be, I’ll give you that,” Marcus said. “We never did get to finish our New Year’s Eve discussion, you know. And your mind remains silent to me. I don’t like unsolved mysteries.”

She tried to shrug, but he was holding her too tight. “I don’t like to wear running shoes without socks, but you know what they say. When life gives you lemons…”

Marcus clenched his jaw and his eyes narrowed. “You don’t seem to understand the predicament you’re in. I have questions that only you can provide the answers to—and you will answer them, Alexandra, one way or another. Unfortunately, I have no easy way to spirit you out of here, not after your humiliating display earlier. Every single guard in this place has their eyes locked on you as if they’re waiting for a repeat of your imbecilic behaviour.”

“Imbecilic, huh?” Alex said. “Ouch, Marcus. That hurts.”

“You need to stop testing my patience,” he said through gritted teeth.

She returned his glare. “And you need to let me go before I deliver that encore performance you’re so worried about.”

“You can make a scene all you want—as soon as we’re gone from here.”

Alex felt her stomach dip unpleasantly at his implication.

“In case you hadn’t noticed, we’re in the middle of the royal palace,” she said with much more confidence than she felt. “I’m not leaving, and you can’t make me.”

Marcus looked at her with a knowing glint in his eyes. “I believe you’ll find I can, in fact, make you.”

He released one of her hands and reached into his jacket, but Alex didn’t have a chance to be concerned about what he was reaching for because Kaiden chose that moment to tap on Marcus’s shoulder, diverting his attention.

“May I cut in?”

Marcus seemed just as surprised by the interruption as Alex was, and he loosened his hold on her enough that she was able to yank herself away from him.

“Absolutely,” she said, facing her would-be saviour. Thankful for the perfect timing of Kaiden’s intervention, Alex had to resist the urge to throw her arms around him in a grateful embrace.

“I apologise for the interruption, Mr. Sparker, but your dance partner is just too lovely for you to keep to yourself,” Kaiden said charmingly to the older man.

“She’s all yours,” Marcus returned politely, as if he hadn’t just been threatening her. He walked away from them with only a hint of a ‘we’re not finished’ glance towards Alex.

Exhaling with relief, she looked back at Kaiden. “Thank you. Really, really, thank you.”

“Do you want to tell me what that was all about?” he asked as he drew her close and led her into a smooth waltz.

“Not particularly,” Alex said, easily following his confident lead. “But needless to say, we don’t get along.”

“I could tell.” Kaiden nodded towards the pink marks blossoming on her upper arms from Marcus’s rough grip. “Marcus Sparker isn’t someone you want to have as an enemy.”

Alex sent him a bland look. “I promise to keep that in mind next time he invites me over for tea.”

“I’m serious, Alex. He’s dangerous.”

She stared into his troubled blue eyes before she broke the contact and focused on his shoulder instead.

“I know,” she said quietly.

They moved in silence for a few moments before Alex decided to speak again. “You’re really good at this. Dancing, I mean.”

“We’ve danced before,” he replied, and when she looked up, his eyes were no longer troubled—in fact, they were sparkling with amusement. It was a startling change from the serious expression they’d held just moments ago.

All the same, Alex frowned slightly, having no memory of ever dancing with him—and that was something she would definitely remember. But then she understood what he meant and replied, “Sword fighting hardly counts as dancing, Kaiden.”

“I disagree.” He spun her away from his body in a complicated three-step manoeuvre before guiding her back to him, keeping perfect time with the music. “It’s all in the movement.”

“Now you’re just showing off,” she said, now smiling herself. She was impressed he’d managed to not only surprise her with the move, but also guide her in and out of it without her having to do anything but follow along. She hadn’t even stumbled— which was quite the miracle considering the heels she was wearing.

“Maybe,” he admitted, with humour in his voice. “But it’s not every day I get to dance with ‘The Inebriated Guest’.”

Alex groaned and leaned forward to hide her face in the crook of his neck as he laughed at her.

“It’s not funny,” she muttered.

“I disagree again,” Kaiden said, and she moved her head back so she was looking at him once more. “Both the act and the explanation were the textbook definition of ‘funny’.”

She scrunched her face up. “Good to know I’m still a verifiable source of entertainment.”

“I heard a rumour that you’ll actually be participating in Combat this year,” Kaiden said. “If that’s true, I’m sure the entertainment will continue.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” she said. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your support.”

“I’m here for you,” he said mock-seriously.

“Hey, Alex, what happened to our drinks?” D.C.’s voice interrupted their conversation.

Alex hadn’t realised that the orchestra had stopped for a brief intermission, so wrapped up was she in Kaiden’s easy banter—and his arms. But her friends had found her and they looked between the two of them with unbridled curiosity. She hastily let go of him.

“Guys, this is Kaiden James,” she introduced. “He’s in my Combat class at Akarnae.”

“We know who he is,” D.C. said, amused. “We’ve been at the academy together for years.”

“Oh. Right,” Alex said, wincing inwardly. Of course they all knew each other.

“Thanks again for helping us out earlier,” Jordan said to Kaiden.

Seeing Alex’s questioning look, Bear explained, “Kaiden and Declan showed us the way down to the dungeons and then kept watch to make sure no other guards turned up. We didn’t know the king and that Warden were already there.”

“So that’s why you were waiting around the corner when I ran past?” D.C. said to Kaiden, who shrugged noncommittally in response.

“Hey, guys. What am I missing out on?” Declan asked as he joined their group.

“Nothing important,” said Alex. She wasn’t sure how she felt knowing the two Combat boys had heard her interaction with the king down in the dungeons, so instead of dwelling on that thought, she motioned to them and D.C. and asked, “Have you all grown up together?”

“For the most part, yeah,” Declan said. “Both my family and Kaiden’s are closely associated with the royal family in one way or another, so we’ve all known each other since we were kids.”

Alex wondered why the two boys hadn’t befriended D.C. at the academy, but then she remembered that her roommate hadn’t wanted to be known as the princess, and these two probably treated her like one, even if it wasn’t deliberate. Plus, they were both a year ahead of Alex and her friends, and unless she was mistaken, D.C. didn’t share any of their potential-based classes.

“What do your families do?” Alex asked, curious.

Before they had a chance to respond, the king called for everyone’s attention.

“We would once again like to thank you for coming to share in the birthday celebrations, but the night is getting away from us and we ask that you begin to say your farewells so our daughter can get some sleep before dawn. Not to mention, her parents as well.”

There were a number of chuckles and the king offered a general “goodnight” and left the ballroom with his wife.

“Ever the concerned parent,” D.C. said, her face showing how much she loved her family. “I’d better go make my rounds, but I’ll see you guys tomorrow at the academy. Alex, I’ll meet you upstairs in a little while.”

“Sure thing,” Alex said.

Everyone else disbursed soon after that. Kaiden and Declan took off after a quick farewell, leaving Alex with Jordan and Bear.

“Are you both truly okay with Dix being the princess?” she asked.

“I had a feeling it might have been her, even before we were friends,” Jordan said. “You don’t grow up in my family and not have some kind of intuition about certain people.”

“Well, I had no idea, but like we said down in the dungeon, it makes sense,” Bear said. “And it’s not like she’s a different person. As long as she doesn’t want us to bow when she walks into the room, then I’m cool with it.”

“You guys are so great,” Alex said, pulling them in for a spontaneous hug.

Jordan patted her on the back. “We sure are.”

“Time for us to get out of here,” Bear said, drawing away. “I told Dad we’d be back by midnight and we’re cutting it close.”

“We’ll see you back at the academy tomorrow,” Jordan promised, and the two of them took off into the departing crowd.

Alex looked around and noticed that D.C. was surrounded by admirers, so she quickly ascended the staircase and headed up to the royal suite. She’d had such a crazy day and couldn’t wait to put her feet up and rest—and finally get her hands on a drink.

When she entered D.C.’s room, Alex had to pause for another moment just to appreciate her surroundings. She’d spent hours with her friend that afternoon but she still couldn’t get over how royal the bedroom was. Like the rest of the palace, it was richly decorated in hues of gold, with lighter and darker shades complementing each other, and white, pearlescent undertones. Everything from the carpet to the walls, the bed and the curtains, was a mixture of gold and white. The effect was stunning. However the best part, in Alex’s opinion, wasn’t the décor, but rather the view.

Although she was practically dying of thirst and ready to drop on her feet, Alex didn’t hesitate to walk across the room and open the glass door that led out to a turret-style balcony. Earlier that evening she’d watched the sun setting across the shining city of Tryllin, the dying light reflecting off the ocean and bouncing along the windows of the city below. At night it was no less breathtaking, the moon bathing the view with an iridescent glow. The sight was enough to send a wave of relaxation over Alex, helping her shake off the stress of the evening.

With a contented sigh, Alex wandered away from the balcony, heading back into D.C.’s suite for a much needed glass of water before she curled up on the lounge to wait for her friend. She must have been more tired than she’d thought, because she was woken later by D.C. poking her in the shoulder. After a sufficient amount of grumbling, Alex had just enough energy to stumble into bed and fall straight back to sleep.

Three

“What do you say we get out of here for a while?”

Alex looked at D.C.’s excited face and replied, “I thought we weren’t allowed to leave?”

It was midmorning and they’d been roaming the halls for a few hours, with D.C. giving Alex the official tour. The palace was incredible—and huge—but what both of them wanted most was to get outside. Unfortunately, during breakfast the king had ordered that they remain inside for the day because there was some kind of parade in the city and he was concerned for their safety. The queen, in turn, had sent them both an apologetic look, but she too had agreed with her husband.

Alex had been so awed by the fact that she was sharing a meal with the ruling monarchs of Medora—and the knowledge that they’d both very graciously forgiven her stunt last night— that she’d simply nodded her agreement and ignored D.C.’s huff of annoyance.

“You can’t seriously want to be stuck in here until we have to leave for Akarnae? You haven’t seen any of the city yet!” D.C. said, bringing Alex back to the present.

It was true that Alex desperately wanted to explore at least a small part of Tryllin before they left. Especially after having seen the stunning view from D.C.’s balcony.

“Besides, I sneak away all the time,” D.C. continued, reminding Alex of how often she’d visited Bear and Jordan in Woodhaven over the holidays. “Trust me, I’m a pro.”

True enough, D.C. did manage to get them out of the palace without being seen, but that was more thanks to the contraband Bubbler vials she’d somehow pilfered rather than any real skill on her part. It helped that both she and Alex had donned disguises in the form of cape-like cloaks made out of a shimmery charcoal-coloured material with hoods that cast shadows over their faces, making them indistinguishable even with light streaming straight into their eyes. D.C. claimed the cloaks were made of Shadow Essence, a special kind of energy used by Shadow Walkers—a race of grey-skinned beings who walked around on swirling clouds of shadows. Caspar Lennox, the professor who taught Alex’s Studies of Society and Culture—or SOSAC—class at Akarnae, was so far the only Shadow Walker she had encountered. It took her a while to move past her inclination to compare him to a vampire, but once she did, she’d ended up becoming rather intrigued by him and his perpetual cloud of wispy darkness.

According to D.C., Shadow Walkers were well known in Medora for being mysterious but also doing exactly what their name implied—walking through shadows to transport themselves to new places. Hearing that, Alex had asked D.C. how it was possible, and her friend’s answer had caused her head to spin.

“You know how the sun gives off energy?” D.C. had said. “Well, long ago there was a race of beings who discovered that darkness also has its own unique energy. They found a way to trap the energy of shadows and refine it to a point where they could use it. They became known as Shadow Walkers, because the first thing they learned was how to use the energy to walk through shadows.”

When Alex had pressed for more details, D.C. had shrugged and said, “I’ve never Walked before, so I can’t tell you much about how it works. But from what Bear told me, the ring you were given from Blake last Kaldoras has enough Shadow for three Walks, so you can see for yourself what it’s like if you figure out how to access the Shadow Essence inside.”

Even now, wandering around outside under the heat of the sun, Alex glanced down at the ring on her finger, repeating the conversation in her head. It looked the same as it had the day Bear’s brother had surprised her with the gift. The band was black and the onyx-like centre stone of the ring coiled with darkness. Knowing it was infused with Shadow Essence made Alex realise it was more mysterious than she’d originally thought—but she still had no idea what it could actually do.

“What do you want to see?” D.C. asked, reclaiming Alex’s attention from her ring as they walked casually along Tryllin’s harbour.

Alex was entranced by all the sights, sounds and smells surrounding them. Apparently Sunday was the local fish market day, or so she guessed from the not-so-pleasant aroma that came in wafts strong enough for her to wrinkle her nose and hold her breath.

“It’s your city,” Alex responded. “Surprise me. But, uh, let’s maybe go somewhere away from the fish.”

Alex was certain her friend was grinning beneath her Shadow-infused hood, but D.C. didn’t comment as she led them away from the harbour and up one of the well-travelled, cobblestone roads. It made Alex wonder about something.

“Why do you have roads if you don’t have cars?” Then, not sure if D.C. knew what a car was, Alex added, “Or, um, transport vehicles?”

With a shrug, D.C. said, “Back in the days before Technos invented Bubblers, we used horses and carriages to move people and things around. The roads were necessary then, but that was long before I was born. These days the roads are mostly used as large pathways for walking traffic.”

Alex nodded in understanding as the two of them continued up the cobbled street until they reached the outskirts of the city.

“This road will take us into the centre of the city and then right back to the palace,” D.C. said. “It’s my favourite street in all of Tryllin. There’s so much to look at, with so many people bustling around.”

True enough, the moment they turned around a bend in the road, Alex discovered exactly what she meant. It was as if they’d walked into a whole new world. The noises, the colours—it was overwhelming. There were people everywhere: children running and screaming, adults calling out to one another, street vendors bartering prices with customers. Alex had never experienced anything like it before. The entire street was a trade market. Even the buildings that lined the sides of the roads had salespeople calling out to promote their wares.

There were people everywhere.

“Come on, I need to eat,” D.C. said, dragging Alex forward.

They stopped walking after a few minutes and D.C. stepped up to one of the shopfronts on the side of the road and entered the doorway into the building.

Inside, Alex was hit by an aroma so incredible that her mouth instantly began to water.

“This is the best shop in the whole city,” D.C. said with a contented sigh.

Alex looked around the comfortable room with its cosy couches and coffee tables. She followed D.C. to a glass-fronted bench and her eyes widened at the cakes and slices on display behind the barrier.

“It’s a bakery?” Alex asked.

“Mmm-hmm, and it’s amazing,” D.C. said.

Alex had visited plenty of bakeries and patisseries, but she decided to humour her friend and see what all the fuss was about. And it turned out that D.C. was right; Mrs. Gribble’s Cupcakes and Nibbles provided them with delicacies that, in Alex’s honest opinion, defined ‘ambrosia’. Food of the gods, indeed.