Over the course of the next few days, Luke would find time to take long, quiet walks on the beach. It was peaceful and allowed him some time to his thoughts, a luxury he usually did not have.
Most of the other group would think he was just sulking or thinking about Skylar.
He was sometimes, but he was also thinking about what was ahead. Helen had told him not to lose hope, but to not dwell in the past as well.
Luke was following that principle.
Their meals were usually silent, with the air feeling tense, on the verge of an argument. Everybody seemed like they were hating each other, and as much as Luke was trying to keep the peace, it wasn’t helping much.
“This is all falling apart,” he said to Peter, “How are we supposed to fight Dueglestein if we can’t stop fighting amongst ourselves?”
“I don’t know, Luke,” Peter sighed, “But Alice and Helen said that Adalene had a little problem.”
“What problem?” Luke asked, confused.
“They said that she started yelling at Alice while Alice was upset, and…she said some things you should know.” Peter looked uncomfortable, and Luke didn’t know if he wanted to know what Adalene said.
“What do you mean?”
Peter looked at Luke, his green eyes for once not having any humor in them, no glint of the smile he’d always seen in them. “It’s best if you talk to her yourself.”
Peter and Luke walked back to The Bowen, where Adalene sat on one of the crates, sharpening her swords.
“Adalene?” Luke asked, crossing his arms. “Is there something you want to tell us?”
Adalene sighed, “Not you, too,” Adalene stabbed the sword into the ground, crossing her own arms. “I’m sorry I yelled at Alice before. I just got…upset.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about,” Luke said, sitting on a crate across from Adalene.
“Zen vat are you talking about, Luke Doogan?” Adalene was not usually one people could easily talk to, she was usually cold and shallow, not allowing anyone to ask about her past.
“I want to know about some of the things you said while yelling at Alice.”
Adalene cursed under her breath, rolling her eyes. “Great. You vant to know about my past. I don’t vant to talk about it. Vat I said to Alice vas out of frustration and anger, zat’s the most you’ll get about me.”
Peter walked over to Luke, whispering into his ear, “She said she’d worn her mother’s necklace for two-hundred years.”
Luke blinked a few times, trying to register what he’d just heard.
When he regained his composure, Luke asked Adalene, “Adalene, how old are you?”
Adalene rolled her eyes again. “You know ze answer to zat. I am twelve, just like you.”
“You look twelve, but how old are you? Really?”
Adalene calmed down, a sad look in her eyes. “Two-hundred thirteen.”
“Two-hundre-” Luke started, rubbing his eyes and shaking his head. “How-how can you look like…like us?”
Adalene sighed. “Because in my kingdom, ze people have looked up to young, female elfes for leaders for hundreds of years. Ze council really makes ze decisions, but zey are too afraid to admit how far zey’ve come from ze original monarchy.
Ze royal family has been ze same for generations.
“My mother, Avery Mira Sadie Zara Diana, vas queen for four-hundred fifteen years, even zough she looked seventeen. Ven my mother zought I vas ready, she handed down ze crown to me. And zen…zen she died.”
Adalene looked at Luke, scowling at him. Luke could see the pain, the anguish hidden in her gaze, all the years of sadness and loss hidden behind a mask of a cold, calculating demeanor.
“So,” Adalene stood, still scowling at Luke, “Zere you have it, are all your questions answered, Luke? Because I vill no longer talk about my past to you,” then Adalene walked away, leaving Luke and Peter still questioning what Adalene had just told them...
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