THE MYSTICAL MIRROR (THE MISTRESS OF MAGIC)

CH-17 THE PURPLE FLAME (PART-1)

"You also bombed the village we went to. What was that place called? Cloud something?" Phoebe tries to recall.

Angelica's voice rises above the murmurs of her subjects. "The Makonus family refused to acknowledge my position and did not sign the trade agreement presented to them. They simply suffered the-"

Phoebe again interrupts the Magic Lady. "And you sent those bats in the castle where I almost died. I also had to meet that Jemima girl who-"

"Lady Phoebe!" The whispers instantly die down as Angelica continues, "All of these matters can be discussed privately along with our negotiations."

"So, I expect Her Grace does not want me to mention anything about her travels through the portals of Manelysse?" Angelica's purple eyes widen at Alaena's words. Phoebe gives her a full grin.

"Queen Alaena, Lady Phoebe and I need to be alone. Everybody, out." She orders everybody. The subjects quickly bow down to her and walk out of the throne room. "You think you're clever bringing her here?"

Alaena gives her ex-friend a simple smile. "Queen Phoebe and I just came here to talk,"

Angelica crosses her legs under her magenta velvet gown. her wolves now laid down near her feet. "Then, let's talk,"

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"So, what was the cause for this emergency?" Alyssa's shadow looms over Samuel, holding the yellow note, her face as still as her wand.

Ferrine, Ingozi, and Flumen are seated behind us in the Air Justiciar's room. Perla is standing beside the door with Coco in her hands. Rachel, Alyssa, and I surround his white desk.

"I am afraid that information is reserved for Queen Alaena and Queen Phoebe." His heterochromatic eyes shift their gaze between us three.

"And you are the only one who Queen Alaena trusted with this important piece of information?" Alyssa questions back.

"There are very few who Her Majesty fully trusts. Did you not listen to the speech given by her after the sisters' trials?" His taunting question is received by another dark stare into his eyes.

I attempt to get back to the point. "Five out of eight people agreed that Phoebe and Alaena would leave in a few days. What was the point of voting if everything was decided by Alaena anyways?" My last word comes out as a grunt.

His auburn iris resembles a piece of log, slowly burning and crackling with seething anger. "As your sister stated, it was an emergency. And take note that Queen Alaena was born in this land. She has been ruling it for years. You and your sisters may be Queens, but Alaena is a native of Manelysse and a very close friend of mine. Whatever I heard your elder sister telling or shouting at her, shall never leave my lips. I will not betray her word."

I tilt my head in bafflement. "Phoebe shouting at Alaena? Why?"

Samuel stays absolutely still. "I think our conversation ends here, Your Majesty." He tried to walk towards the door when Ingozi blocks him.

"Sit back down, Samuel," Ingozi says with a grip on his dagger.

"You do not order me around, Master Baleka. In fact, I believe it is the opposite."

"You'll stay right here in this room. You don't wanna talk? Fine. But you'll stay while we figure this thing out." I tell him behind his back. He looks around at the stone-faced members of his council and takes a seat right back in his chair.

"So, Phoebe was shouting at Alaena. Something must've gone wrong. Something enough to make Phoebe mad." Alyssa guesses.

"Gee, if only we weren't talking about a girl who gets mad about everything?" My comment does not receive a single chuckle or even a smile. I go down memory lane to remember everything about the plan. A wave of clarity washes over my mind. "A dragon! Phoebe only cared about getting herself a dragon. She could've been shouting because she wouldn't have been able to get it. What if something messed up there? What if that was the emergency?"