BOOK FOUR: THE KINGDOM BEYOND THE LAST GATE
Chapter 2: The Queen Who Looked Like Her
Nobody moved.
The woman standing on the palace balcony looked exactly like Riva.
Same face.
Same eyes.
Same expression.
The only difference was the black crown resting upon her head.
Riva stared at her.
"Who are you?"
The woman smiled.
"You really don't remember."
Riva shook her head.
"I've never seen you before."
The woman's smile faded.
"Of course."
"You were never supposed to remember."
---
Aren stepped forward.
"Queen Lyra."
The woman looked at him.
"So you survived."
Aren's expression hardened.
"Apparently."
Caelan looked between them.
"You know her?"
Aren nodded.
"She was the last Queen of Elaris."
Riva looked toward the palace.
"Then why does she look like me?"
Aren didn't answer.
---
The woman descended the palace stairs.
With every step she took...
The entire city became silent.
People lowered their heads.
Soldiers moved aside.
Children stopped playing.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she walked toward the Covenant.
She stopped directly in front of Riva.
For several seconds...
She simply stared.
Then she reached out.
Her fingers touched Riva's cheek.
Riva instinctively stepped backward.
The Queen whispered:
"You're younger than I expected."
---
Lucien immediately moved between them.
"Stay away from her."
The Queen looked at him.
"You still protect her."
Lucien frowned.
"Still?"
The Queen smiled.
"Interesting."
She looked at Riva again.
"You brought the same Guardian."
Riva's eyes widened.
"The same?"
The Queen nodded.
"Your previous life had him too."
---
The First Guardian suddenly looked uncomfortable.
Riva turned toward him.
"You knew her."
He remained silent.
"You knew the Queen."
Still nothing.
Riva's voice hardened.
"Tell me the truth."
The Guardian finally looked at her.
"Yes."
"You knew her."
"And you knew me?"
The Guardian nodded.
"But not as you are now."
---
The Queen laughed softly.
"He's afraid to tell you."
Riva looked at her.
"Tell me yourself."
The Queen stepped closer.
"You were my daughter."
Silence.
Aarvi gasped.
Eva dropped her notebook.
Caelan stared at Riva.
"What?"
Riva couldn't breathe.
"My... daughter?"
The Queen nodded.
"Yes."
"You were born in Elaris."
"You were the heir to the Black Crown."
---
Riva shook her head.
"No."
"I grew up in an orphanage."
"I don't remember this kingdom."
"Because they took you away."
The Queen looked toward the First Guardian.
"He took you."
Everyone turned.
The First Guardian lowered his head.
"I did."
---
Riva's hands trembled.
"Why?"
The Guardian's voice was quiet.
"Because the kingdom was falling."
"The Queen had become dangerous."
"You were the only thing she loved."
The Queen's expression changed.
"I never wanted to hurt her."
The Guardian replied:
"You destroyed three Gates."
"Because they were taking her away."
The Queen looked at him.
"They were taking my daughter."
---
Riva looked between them.
"What happened?"
The Queen answered.
"Your father."
Riva froze.
"I had a father?"
The Queen nodded.
"The King of Elaris."
"His name was Aeron."
"What happened to him?"
The Queen's eyes became distant.
"He disappeared beyond the Last Gate."
---
A cold wind swept through the city.
The black crown on the Queen's head began glowing.
"After he disappeared..."
"The kingdom blamed me."
"They said I had opened the Gates."
"They said I had destroyed Elaris."
She looked at Riva.
"But they were wrong."
"Someone else opened the Last Gate."
---
Eva quickly opened her notebook.
"Who?"
The Queen looked toward the palace.
"I never discovered the name."
"But I know one thing."
"The person who opened it..."
"...was wearing the same silver mark that you carry."
She pointed toward Riva's chest.
Riva looked down.
The silver mark of the First Promise glowed.
---
Aren suddenly stepped backward.
"No."
The Queen looked at him.
"You remember."
Aren shook his head.
"I remember enough."
"What?"
Aren looked at Riva.
"The person who opened the Last Gate..."
He swallowed.
"...was Caelan."
Everyone turned.
Caelan's face went pale.
"What?"
"I never opened it."
Aren looked at him.
"You did."
"But you didn't know what you were doing."
---
Caelan shook his head.
"I wasn't even here."
The Queen stepped forward.
"You were."
"Thousands of years ago."
Caelan stared at her.
"That's impossible."
The Queen smiled sadly.
"Not if you were reborn."
Silence.
Riva slowly turned toward Caelan.
"You were here before?"
Caelan couldn't answer.
---
Suddenly...
The entire city shook.
The black crown on the Queen's head cracked.
A dark line spread across it.
The Queen looked upward.
"It's starting."
Riva frowned.
"What?"
"The kingdom is waking."
The palace doors opened by themselves.
Inside...
A massive black throne appeared.
And sitting upon it...
Was a man with silver hair.
Aeron.
The missing King.
Riva's father.
He looked exactly like Caelan.
But his eyes were completely black.
He smiled.
"Welcome home, daughter."
Riva froze.
The King stood.
"Your mother told you only half the story."
The Queen turned toward him.
"Aeron..."
He smiled.
"Did you really think I was dead?"
The black crown cracked again.
Aeron raised his hand.
Every Gate in Elaris opened at once.
Thousands of voices screamed across the kingdom.
The King looked directly at Riva.
"You were never taken from me."
"You were sent away..."
"...because you were the key."
Riva's silver key began burning.
Aeron smiled.
"Now that you've returned..."
"The Last Gate can finally open."
End of Chapter 2