“Oh, look! The dead girl’s back!”

I could sense Astrid tense in her handcuffs, and I looked her dead in the eyes and raised up my palms…

“Eve! No, don’t do it!”

“You can’t protect me. Nobody can.”

And with that, I surged power through my veins, and aimed it right at Andromeda.

~Meanwhile~

“OOOH shiny…”

Eve

I watched with confusion as she simply dodged my power. She gave a wry smile, but it was too late.

Iris picked up a large stone, and threw it right at her.

That girl sure wasn’t good with any fighting powers, but she was an outstanding aim.

The rock soared through the air, and conked the queen right in the head. She moaned in agony.

“Hurry! Everyone follow me, we must return to the-” I noticed how she held back on saying the word hideout, but she mouthed it instead, and everyone understood. I used my powers to cut Astrid’s bounds, and we ran as fast as we possibly could manage.

…

Iris

“How could you run off like that? I needed you Iris. I needed someone to talk to. Someone who wouldn’t run off when they were sad with some guy they don’t even know. I’m your brother Iris!”

“I’ve never had a best friend. I lost my best friend. You have literally everything you could ever want. Your strong, funny, and attractive, all the things I’m not!”

I looked up at the trees, away from his stare.

“No, stop. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, you are all of those things and more. You ran away Iris! You literally spent three months in the forest! Three months! All that time you could’ve stayed, watched the cornoration.”

“Everybody ran, Collin! Thousands of Solstice Children are in hiding! Thousands! I just did what I thought I was supposed to do!” I felt so angry. Not even at him, but at the very person who made us go through everything.

Myself.

My voice turned shrill and course, “I’m sorry that I made an bad choice. But we all make bad choices, and I thought that maybe you could forgive me for the one that I made.”

I turned away and sprinted from him, the wind screaming in my ears.

…

Astrid

“She saved me. She gave her life for mine…”

Eve looked into my eyes with guilt, and I pulled her into a hug.

“It’s not your fault, she made her choice. And that was to save you, to keep you here. And honestly, I believe that she was right. It is your destiny.”

Eve looked up, “Myabe you’re right..” she grinned and added, “Queen Astrid.”

I chuckled, “Don’t call me that!”

…

Eve

“So..” I fiddled with my hair.

“So..” he repeated.

“Listen, I don’t know where we’re at… I just hope we’re friends. And I know it seems just so insane right now, but it happened. Helena… one of the only people I’ve ever loved… she saved me.”

“Whoever this Helana is… she’s a good person. I can tell.”

“She really is.” I crossed my ankles and swayed back and forth.

He closed his eyes and sighed, “And of course we’re friends. Since when did we ever stop being friends?”

I caught a flash in his eye that I didn’t quite know what to think of… it seemed like it screamed more than friends… but it was gone in an instant.

…

Astrid

The three newcomers bowed to me as they approached.

The blonde said, “Your majesty… we feel that we have something we must bring to your attention. You see… Lili here, my sister, she stole something from Equinox yesterday. And we think it might help us defeat them.”