CHAPTER FIVE

Ophelia's POV

After the shocking announcement, we were all led to the dining room, but as expected no one had much of an appetite.

Alkazar was closest to the border between the shadows and the empire. So if…when the shadows start spreading it will go from Alkazar killing everything in it's path then to Bealdra, then the capital which was in the middle, and then Saleria, and lastly Alervan.

"None of you shall reveal this to the citizens of your kingdoms under any circumstance whatsoever, I cannot have the masses panicking," Magnus ordered and it was followed by a series of curt nods.

The dinner finished and we all went our merry ways looking distraught.

I teleported us to Alervan, specifically my father's office and we all sat down thinking…contemplating how on earth we were going to go about the little piece of information they gave us.

My godfather walked in and my mother lifted her head from my father's shoulder to look at the door, we all went back to thinking after we saw it was him.

"What happened? Who died?" he asked leaning against the wall looking at all of us.

"No one died,"I informed him.

"The barrier between the shadows and the empire have opened,"I filled in, and his face just went blank, there was nothing there, but his eyes, his eyes were full of fear,just like her father's.

"The emperor can't seem to close the rift,"I added with a solemn expression.

"So what's the solution?"he questioned as he looked at all of us, maybe expecting us to give him some sort of miracle solution that would close the rift.

"There is none yet, everyone was told to find a solution," I answered, and he nodded with understanding.

"And what if no one finds a solution?"

"Then that's the end for all of us," mother spoke and everyone in the room tensed.

"Are you staying in Alervan long or are you going soon? so I can teleport us,'' I enquired as a means of elevating the silence.

"I'll be here for the rest of the day (whatever her nickname will be) but I have to get back before tomorrow, so let us return after supper," Mother spoke.

"Okay…"I drawled, "Now excuse me," I smiled before I walked out.

As soon as I shut the door, the first faces I was greeted by were that of Sage and Zion.

I continued walking and Sage followed behind me, down the unhealthy amount of stairs that I never use because most of the the time I teleport, up until we got to the garden at my side the palace.

It was empty because I did not like people running around my garden, it was annoying.

I sat down in the chair and Sage stoood beside me staring down at me.

"What did the emperor announce?"Sage asked

"The shadow barriers are open and he can't close them."

Sage's face was all fear, then anger the fear was understandable because we all could die but the anger was weird. What was he angry about?

"Of course he can't,"he mumbled under his breath…or at least I thought he did.

"What?" I asked.

"Oh nothing," he replied dismissively, and I just nodded, not believing him.

"So what's your plan?"He asked , looking down at me and I realized how short I looked in comparison to him, it honestly made me feel insulted because I was no short individual. I was rather tall in comparison to most people I had met, but Sage was the tallest person I had met aside from my father but he was abnormally tall, phoenix people were not that tall. It was weird but I never thought much about it.

"Your highness,I can see the gears in your head turning,"I heard Sage say and I snapped out of it.

"Sorry, I just realized how tall you are,"I looked him up and down.

"You're tall too," He replied like he did not get my point.

"But you are abnormally tall," I exaggerated, gesturing with my hands, but it was not an exaggeration if it was true.

"Did you just call me abnormal?"he questioned as he tilted his head to the side.

"What?! No!" I defended.

"I'm joking, your highness,"he laughed and I honestly loved his laugh, there was something about it that made me happy.

"Now princess," he took my hand making me stand up from the chair I was sitting.

He pulled me flush against him and I just stared into his eyes, the tension could be cut with a knife.

He lifted me unto the table and I was honestly stunned as to how he managed to do that because my dress was huge but I digress.

"Mr.Caddell, what are you doing?" I played dumb.

"Well my dear princess, we are about to confess our sins to each other,"I could have sworn at that very moment my skin went red.

His lips crashed on mine and I forgot whose air I was breathing. One of his hands were wrapped around my neck and he could have killed me at that very moment, but I would have died a happy person.

I heard a knock at the door, I jolted and looked towards the door.

"Yes?"I called but there was no answer, they probably could not hear me.

I stood up and looked in the mirror noticing my lipstick was smeared, "Crap!"

I placed my hand in a way that covered my lips and nose and opened the door.

"Hm?"

"Supper is ready," she told me and I nodded.

"I'll be down in a minute," after which I shut the door and bolted it just in case.

I walked into my closet and started searching for dresses, Sage walked in as I was looking.

He leaned against the frame of the double doors to my garden and he just stared at me.

"You do that alot,"I spoke as I took the clip out of my hair and placed in on the vanity.

"Do what?"he questioned as I did my best to quickly braid my hair.

"Stare at me,"I replied as I took of my shoes and he stalked towards me to untie my corset.

"You are a lovely sight to behold,"he said as he untied the corset.

"Thank you,"I had no idea what I was thanking him for, the corset or the compliment, who knows?

I entered my bathroom and washed my face them slipped my dress off.

I put on the dress and a pair of flats them came out.

We walked to the dining room, with him ten steps behind me as usual. He kept his distance whenever we walked together.

I got to the dining room which was only for family and close friends, the dining hall, on the other hand, was for official events.

The door was opened for me and Sage remained outside, like a dutiful guard.

"What took you so long?" my mother asked.

"The dress decided to rebel against me,"I replied…well lied, but same thing, as I sat down on my chair.

Dinner was served course by course and after that I was about to teleport us(I, my mother and Sage) to Alkazar, but my father did everything he could think of to get her to stay, but she oh so regally denied and it was very obvious a half hearted denial.

I finally got us to Alkazar and I teleported myself to my room's door where I almost gave the maid that was exiting my room, most likely cleaning it a heart attack. You would think they were used to it by now but I guess not.

"Your highness, good evening," she greeted.

"Evening Eira," I replied with a small smile, Safe just stood there emotionlessly.

"You may go,"I told her as I saw she was waiting for me to dismiss her.

She skedaddled away and the hall was empty, because I had a dislike for people maids being in my quarter's longer than they needed to, it was borderline annoying.

I entered my room and Sage followed behind me and closed the door, making sure to bolt it.

"Now, where were we,your highness," he said as he caged me up against the wall beside my door, and if that was not enough he grabbed both my hands and placed them above my head. Now how in the realms was I supposed to mentally process anything properly.

"What? Where?"I asked, feigning confusion, I could be an actress with how good I acted, in reality I have the combined acting skills of a rock.

"Why don't I remind you?"I pursed my lips because that's all I could do to keep from smiling like an idiot.

He just used the thumb of his free hand to part my lips and leaned down to kiss me. The romance reader in my head was squealing untop of her lungs. All the remaining thoughts I had were long gone. I may have even forgotten my name at that moment, but that was the least of my issues.

We finally pulled apart and just stared into each other for a while unmoving.

"You're so beautiful,if only you could see yourself from my eyes,"He whispered and I smiled at him…a small smile…but a smile none the less.

After a couple minutes I spoke, "I have to get to the library,"I said and he nodded.

As I started walking to the door, he pulled me back into him,"Just one more kiss,"he begged and I gave in.