Half Black Soul (31 page)

Of course, whenever you don't want to get somewhere, time seems to speed up and rush deliver you to your undesired destination. We were already at the Council building, ascending its stone steps. Simon led me inside and over to the door to the Queen's office. My stomach dropped to the floor. I did not want to go in there.

Simon took up post outside of the room and gestured impatiently for me to enter after swiping his key card in the lock. I took one deep breath, turned the knob, and pushed the door open.

The first thing I noticed was the freakishly large warriors standing around the room, all wearing black and as stone-faced as anyone I'd ever seen. There were five of them. The second thing I noticed made my heart seem to stop cold in chest. A man, dripping diamonds and jewels and expensive clothing, with a smirk on his face, sat in the chair that the Queen had occupied the last time I'd been here; a man that I knew instantly, but only because I'd seen him in my sister's memory.

Please, have a seat, Ms. Montgomery, said King William, in a voice that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention.

Across from him, seated on the couch, was the Queen. She wouldn't look up and meet my eyes, but very clearly, and indubitably, she projected a single thought that seemed to swim around in confused circles in my head: I'm so sorry.

Next to her, sat my classmate; a classmate that until this moment, I'd considered a friend. A classmate who had asked me for help, so that she could impress her aunt, and become a stronger Searcher. Bethany.

That little bitch.