Calina
༺♔༻

The walk back to the castle felt endless, as if we were trudging through waist-deep molasses. The burden of being kidnapped gnawed heavily at my mind, and doubts began creeping in. I had been free; I should have made a run for it. My curiosity had always gotten me in trouble, but now it felt like it might be the death of me.

As Ira began to ascend the castle's stairs, I came to a sudden, jarring halt, my heart thudding wildly within my chest. "I can't do this," I whispered, my voice trembling. "It's so unbelievably foolish."

"I have something for you," Ira said, his voice full sympathy and a hint of urgency. He reached into the breast pocket of his uniform as he walked down the stairs, retrieving a white envelope with the words "until we meet again" smudged across the front.

The sight of the envelope sent shivers down my spine. It was in my father's handwriting-a script rarely seen in the digital age. Handwritten letters had become a relic of the past, something only artists really used.
The nostalgia of seeing his penmanship made my stomach churn.

Years ago, when my parents homeschooled me, my father taught me forensic graphology. It was a pseudoscience that had died long ago, but my father wanted me to always be able to identify his and my mother's handwriting.

My father was cursed with being left-hand dominant, and the smudges on the envelope were from him.

"Where did you get this?" My voice was strained as I finally tore my gaze away from the letter, shifting my attention to Ira. Too afraid to take the letter, my hands stayed firmly by my side.

"That night, six weeks ago, when you saw me talking with your father," Ira explained, his voice tinged with sorrow. "Leo told me that if for any reason he wasn't able to bring you home. I should give you this letter." Ira cautiously stepped forward, reaching for my hand, and gently placed the letter in my numb fingers.

I dropped to my knees. The pain of my bones slapping against the stone ground was a welcome distraction. Anything was better than the ache leaking from my heart all over again.

"And where would home have been to him? Here or Freedom?" My question was barely a whisper.
"Leo wanted you to decide. Once he told you the full story, he wanted the choice to be yours," Ira replied gently.

Blinking several times to clear my bleary vision, I carefully broke the seal of the letter.

Deep breaths, Callie girl, you will get through this. You must be confused and frustrated, wondering how much your mother and I have kept from you. I saw your disbelief when we shared pieces of our past and I didn't want to overwhelm you. I didn't want you to carry this burden all at once. I thought I'd have more time to tell you.

Please know that I have so much regret for not sharing your history and heritage with you sooner. You should have grown up knowing everything. It would have left you more prepared. I failed you. And I am sorry.

Never forget that, not even in death are we apart. You were my world, sweet daughter of mine. Your life may feel like it's been upended, but just focus on the everlasting bond between us. Be strong now, trust yourself.

Remember, deep in your heart, I will always be with you in the unbreakable love we shared.
I love you.
- Leo

Ira touched my shoulder, and I flinched away. "Don't," I whispered, wiping away the tears on my cheek. I did not want comfort from a stranger. I'd rather be home. Even if the two people that made Freedom home were gone, I would still rather be somewhere familiar. Failed me? No. Never. He had never failed me once in my entire life.

With the letter clutched close to my chest, I stood, finding strength in my father's words.
Ira walked up the stairs, and I stayed rooted to my spot.

All I wanted to do was reread the letter over and over. Obsess about why my father would write a letter like he knew he would die. Did someone threaten him? Why did he hire a bodyguard?

Seeing Ira at the restaurant couldn't have been a coincidence. Father wanted me to see him. When it came to faces, I had an excellent memory-a fact he was well aware of. My father didn't make mistakes.

"My father wanted me to see you?"

Ira's hand paused on the large golden door handle. He turned toward me.

"Yes. Seeing me was a calculated measure on Leo's behalf. He said you do not trust easily. I have to earn it from you. And I will. The letter was never supposed to be seen. Only in his death were you to see it. He called it his fan letter?" Ira shrugged, his dark brows dragging down in confusion. I chuckled lightly.

"When shit hits the fan, have a back-up plan." Smiling, I stared at the letter in my hands. That corny rhyme was one of my father's favorite things to say.

"Are you ready, Princess?"

I frowned at his use of "princess" again while tucking the letter into my backpack. "No."

Slight shock appeared in Ira's eyes before he replaced it with the mask of indifference he had been trained to uphold.

Yup, I was going to use whatever stall tactic filtered through my brain. I did not want to meet this woman he claimed was my grandmother. My brain already felt overloaded and on the verge of liquefying.

"Princess Calina, the queen is expecting you...."

"Forgive me if I don't have much sympathy for a woman that couldn't even make it to my parents' funeral. I need to make a phone call first, or else I'm not going back into that castle."

I should care. There might not be royalty in my country, but I've watched enough movies to know that they are supposed to be respected. Maybe even feared.

I just... didn't care.

My gaze shifted down to the backpack resting at my feet, and my attention was drawn to the corner of the envelope sticking out of the front pocket.

I didn't want to deal with any of this.

"Please, Ira. I want to call my friend. I just want to see a familiar face for a second before I have to deal with whatever awaits me inside that castle."

The look on his face was pained, like he'd just stubbed his pinky toe on the door frame or something. Then he gave me one terse nod and offered me a sleek black bracelet.

I was too embarrassed to explain that whatever technology he was offering did not exist in Freedom.

"It's a holocomm. Freedom has this, no?"

We did, but it was about the size of a plum and had to remain plugged into an outlet.

"Of course. Just not like this," I confessed, giving him the bracelet.

"Put it on and talk to it like you would your phone. The AI is named Riker."

"No way. How do I know it's not actually a handcuff that will paralyze me? You put it on."

Ira waved his hand dismissively. "I'd never cause you harm, Princess. I'm here only to protect you."

Unclamping the bracelet, he slipped it onto his wrist. A faint green light illuminated underneath the jewelry.

"Riker?"
"What can I help you with, Calina Ariti from SilverLake, Freedom?" Riker replied.

I lifted an eyebrow at the AI. How did it know what city I was from only from the sound of my voice? The only incorrect information was the surname. Obviously, my parents had a very good reason to be totally against technology. The only thing my clunky phone could do besides call and text was take pictures, check emails, and my bank account.

"Call Raine Monroe in SilverLake, Freedom."

The line trilled twice before she answered.

"Whoa, Callie. I almost didn't pick up. But the dude's PFP was hella hot. So, how could I not?"

Relief washed over me. I couldn't contain the grin that spread across my face.

It was so great to see my best friend, even though I had shut her out of my life for weeks. She hadn't shut me out of hers.

"So, Ass Goblin told me you went on a spontaneous road trip and wouldn't be back the rest of the semester. Considering I heard it directly from your roommate, the queen of lies, I know that can't be the case. Where are you?"

Raine was sitting on her bed, hunched over, painting her toenails, each one a different color.

"Well, funny you should mention royalty..." I paused then looked over at Ira. "Can you change it so she can also see my surroundings?"

"Yes, the setting will buffer in two seconds," Riker promptly replied, his tone more clinical than comforting.

Creepy that the AI was listening.

"Holy hell! Callie, is that a castle? And who is that guy behind you? Can I call dibs or is it too late?"

I snorted a laugh and looked at Ira. "Apparently, he's my bodyguard. They think I'm a princess."

Raine burst into a fit of giggles. A look of horror crossed her face. "No, wait... you're serious?"

"Completely. The jerk you went to breakfast with, Henry, drugged me and brought me to United Greecia. I think he's like a bodyguard or something. Anyway. Allegedly, I have some long-lost grandmother I didn't know about, and she wants to meet me."

"I don't care what skills Henry thinks he has, I'll kick his ass. You know it's too bad we're going to have to stomp his pretty face in. So, your grandmother is an actual real queen?"

"Yup."

"And you haven't met her?"

I shook my head, a trace of nervousness creeping into my voice. "Not yet. She's waiting for me now."

"You're making a queen wait?" Raine bellowed out a loud laugh, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I don't think you're supposed to make a queen wait, C. It's like rude or something, and she could make your life a living hell."

"My life is a living hell," I said dryly.

She shot me a dirty look. "I'll give you a pass on that. Only because the last few weeks have been hell for you, but eventually you'll learn how to breathe a little easier and it won't hurt as much." She paused and quickly twisted the tops on all of her nail polishes. "Now let's change the subject before this gets too dark and twisty. Go meet with Queen grandmother and call me back, okay? I need all the details so we can plan our attack on Henry for drugging you. Also, I want a full tour of that castle. Holy hell, it's beautiful!"

She stood and waddled over to her desk, so close to the holocomm base that she was just a giant floating head. "I wish I could hug you, but I know you're strong enough to deal with this. Talk soon?"

"Yeah."

She ended the call after blowing me an air kiss.

I turned to face Ira. "Alright, let's get this over with."