As Mason and Isabella sleep peaceful in their respective rooms, night falls upon the castle quieting the world around.
Mykayla briefly wonders about the strange occurrences that have been happening since Brady returned with that girl. She briefly wonders if the boy the kings returned with is truly their Brady but quickly dismisses the thought. Watching Brady argue with Boomer and Boz about which game they should play wiped out any uncertainty about his Identity. As her thoughts settle into this certainty, she finds herself drawn into the casual competition of board games and the freedom to be youth that comes as the rest of the world slumbers.
Brady or is it Mitch tries not to worry about Isabella as she slumbers just down the hall. He wonders what it is in her past that led her to panicking as he helped her to bed tonight. He has often carried her to bed in their shared room on the cruise ship, especially after harsh punishments for slight mistakes, and she has never freaked out and fought back like she did tonight. He carries more responsibilities than a boy his age ever should and the least of them is the weight of a nation expecting him to be a savior of legend. However, as the moon rises and twilight fills the castle even his worries fade to background noise as he is pulled into the carefree fun of youth.
Boomer's heart hurts even as he enjoys his family being together for the first time in their memories. He still can't believe Brady had abandoned him those years ago just because of his stupid feelings for Mykayla. He worries what will happen in the days ahead. If times, get tough will Brady abandon him once again? Brady did say the only reason he returned was because that girl, Bella, told him to... What happens if she changes her mind at some point? The strain of the upcoming fight is not as lost on Boomer as Mykayla and Mason believe. He worries what will happen to his family and nation if they are to lose the upcoming challenge. But he has also considered the possibility that they will win, and he will still lose, unsure whether Brady will stay. Even as angry and hurt as he has been over Brady's departure Boomer has always hoped he would eventually come home... sitting on the couches of the throne room enjoying a night with his brothers Boomer feels calm and at home. Feeling his heart settle he is able to fully join in on the fun as the evening grows late, enjoying what he hopes will be the first of many nights with his brother.
Boz is the most at ease of all of them but even he has his own worries. He wonders what will become of him now that Brady has returned. His brotherhood started on the rocky path of Boomer trying to turn him into Brady and their bond only progressed as Boomer was able to adjust his expectations to accept him as Boz is. What happens now? Will Boomer and Brady reconcile and once more be Mason's 'Kings of Legend'? Will Brady think he is a weird monkey boy like Boomer did when they first met? Will he gain another brother or lose the one he has? These thoughts plague his mind tainted only by fleeting concerns of the weird instinct to run he intermittently gets from Bella. At times she reminds him of a snake coiled and waiting to strike. But beside his worries about his place in the family those are negligible and fleeting. As he is drawn in and included in the bickering and joking his fears are soothed and he also gives into the liberty of youth and security of family.
Eventually even the young must sleep and the young kings and their steadfast protector drift off as the moon rises high.
Around midnight when all should be still Mykayla is startled awake by a muffled scream. It was so faint she almost convinced herself that it must have just been a vivid dream when she notices one of the kings has jumped up and is silently heading towards the hallway. Knowing it is Brady Mykayla grows curious and gets up to follow. Just a few steps in Mykayla hears the strange strangled muffled scream once more and for once in her life Mykayla finds herself hesitating as her king steps forward with more bravery than she feels. Every instinct within her screams at her to run away as the cry envelops her but instead, she forces herself to speed up to keep pace following Brady as he speeds up now running down the hallway.
Soon Mykayla confirms what she suspected when she initially saw Brady's retreating form, the chase has led her straight to Bella's room. The closer she chases Brady to Bella's room the steadier the scream becomes, and Mykayla is forced to realize that the screams she heard earlier were simply the ones loud enough to reach out through the castle to scare her.
As soon as Brady, or perhaps more appropriately in this situation Mitch, reaches poor miss Isabell's side, he kneels beside her and places his hand on her forehead trying to force calm into her through the contact. On this night as on so many nights before he once again wishes with all he has that he could do more to help this girl he now so honestly values as his treasured sister.
"Bella, Bella," Mitch calls out annoyed at the nickname he must use as he knows Mykayla has followed. "Bella come on, Bella it's time to wake up. It's just a bad dream. I promise you just need to wake up. Come on," he urges getting more and more desperate before realizing his own fear is only making Isabella worse. He takes a deep breath willing himself calm before trying again.
"Bella," keeping his voice and heartrate steady, "Calm down. It is just a nightmare. Breathe the calm in with me. Remember, it's just you and me now and we are safe. I got you and you got me so there is nothing to be afraid of. It's time to open your eyes now and see me sitting next to you real. Your nightmare isn't real. Listen it is time to wake up now." Mitch continues keeping his breathing steady and lifts one of Isabella's hands to his chest so she can feel the rise and fall trying to remember if there is anything else that might help.
As he was about to despair and start ripping apart the room to find where she hid their secrets Isabella's eyes finally began to flutter open.