He narrowed his eyes and then dragged a chair around to sit knee to knee with me once more. He put his hands on my knees. “Ye canna get yer hopes up, Princess. It might be unimportant, it might not mean anything. Ye ken? Ye lost yer parents when ye were verra young, and I ken ye want a message tae explain tae ye what happened, but tis likely that it winna tell ye anything at all.”
I said, “You’re probably right. That’s why I’m not going to open it, because I don’t want to. I’m not ready.” I put it beside me and ran my fingers through my hair. “Do you agree?”
He shook his head. “Nae, I daena agree. Ye will feel better if ye open it.”
“I don’t feel bad. I might feel bad if it says something awful. I actually feel fine. We should get some food, are you hungry?”
“Ye are mutterin’, people daena usually mutter if they are well. And princesses especially.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re going to try to tell me I’m not behaving like a princess? What would you know about how princesses behave? I’m the princess, I ought to know.”
“I hae never met a princess that mutters, tis what I am sayin’.”
“You, sir, have never met a princess before me.”
The corner of his mouth went up.
I sighed and picked up the letter again. “I wish I could read it without breaking the seal, that seems… Like, for some reason the seal keeps itherletter. Once I break the seal it becomes mine.”
His mouth turned down. “It can be satisfyin’ tae break a seal, ye might not mind it much once tis done.”
I said, “I’m not going to do it, I’m not ready.” I broke the seal.
Torin said, “Och nae, I canna understand the working of yer mind.”
I sadly chuckled. “Yep, I’m a mystery.”
I unfolded the letter.
9
ALEXANDRIA
JULY 8TH, 2004 - THE LETTER FROM 2175
My Dearest Alexandria,
I pray you’ll never have to read this, I hope we’ll be reunited long before you break this seal, but my only thought now is to get you and your brother to safety. It’s breaking my heart to say goodbye. I desperately want you and Max to survive.
I fear our kingdom is lost for good. If only your father were still here, he always knew what to do. He loved you so much, you need to know it, please remember he laid down his life for you. But now we aren’t safe here, not anymore. I don’t want to do this, but it’s my duty. I have to keep you safe. Lady Ana and Laird Stewart are waiting for you, and will care for you until I return. Please know I didn’t want this. I only hope that sometimebeyond this day, we will be returned to each other and to our throne.
You are born of a line that holds the power of time. Please don’t forget that. Even if all feels lost, the sky is everywhere, in every age it is the same, and the wind whispers your name. My sweet Alexandria, I will bring you home.
Hold your brother’s hand. Tell him I am proud. Tell him to forgive me for sending you away.
My love is bound to you, across years and kingdoms.
—Your Mother, Livvy,
Queen of Riaghalbane, 2175
...pray that we may remain safe and protected from every storm...
Tears streamed down my face. I thought,All I do is cry.But this was my mother, my real mother, writing to me from some long ago time, when I was just a baby.
I turned the page around so Torin could read it. And waited until he was done to say, “It sounds like she was in a hurry, like it was dangerous.”
“Aye, but still she wrote tae ye.”
