“Amara. A baby is the least of your worries right now,” Morgaine said. “We have to remove Drake from the World Council; he’ll exterminate every one of us. You can’t just sit by and let that happen—we have to fight.”

“We will fight.” I leaned back against Eric; he placed his hands over mine, on my belly. “I just don’t think it’s a very good plan. I mean, is it only the child that can kill him? And when can it do that? When will it be powerful enough?”

“We don’t know.” Morgaine shook her head. “We can’t properly interoperate the scrolls, because all the old world translators were killed in the war on Lilith—and most of the scrolls were destroyed when the vampires took over Loslilian.”

“So, you don’t know what the prophecy truly speaks of? I may not even be meant to have a child?”

Morgaine laughed and waved her hand. “That much is translatable; it’s the section regarding the child we can’t decipher, because that part doesn’t exist. We only know that she brings the change which will see Drake destroyed—and that she will have great power.”

“So, we’re gonna go in there, catch ourselves a nice, juicy vampire, store him in a cell for fifteen or so years, until my child, who is not even conceived, or known to be possible to conceive, is born, then we’re gonna thaw him out and kill him?”

Everyone looked at their hands.

“That’s the plan.” Morgaine winced.

“Then we need a better plan.” I slammed the palm of irritation onto the table.

“Amara, all that matters is destroying Drake. How ever we do that. Child or not.”

“Can’t we reason with him?”

They all looked at me and burst out laughing, including Eric who at least covered his mouth first.

“A reasonable Council member?” Morgaine chortled.

“Yeah, maybe we can have them over for a cuppa,” Mike added, “Ask his mummy to tell him not pick on us anymore.”

“Fine.” I stood up. “Laugh—all of you, but you’ll see. I’m going to find a way to win this war. Not every conflict needs to end in destruction.” The smiles dropped from their faces.

“It does when you’re dealing with guys like Drake,” Mike said.

“How do you know? Has anyone tried talking it out with him—ever?”

“Princess Amara, he’s evil. There is no talking to him.”

“You don’t know that, Morgaine—maybe he just needs to learn that kindness can win more hearts than cruelty.” I stood up and stormed out of the house, leaving my small council with their mouths gaping.

The steam of my temper trailed behind, forming a cloud of hopelessness as I stopped by the lake across the road. The cool breeze brushed my hair back behind me and I rolled my face upward, casting my sombre gaze to the stars. So many times I’d wished on them, so many times I cried for my dreams failing, but I finally had the one thing I asked for, well, the two things: immortality and David. But it wasn’t supposed to be like this. How does a girl, fresh out of high school, become a queen? I can’t even keep my room tidy, now they want me to capture and kill a man who can rip a human apart with his bare hands?

A high-pitched whimper snapped me from my bubble of reflection; I looked down to the warm, fluffy life form by my leg. “Hey, boy.”

The dog nudged me with the brow of his nose.

“Yeah, I’m sad, boy. I just don’t think any of them get it. I’ve never been one for the whole murder thing, so, I don’t know…maybe I’m wrong, but killing Drake doesn’t seem to make us any better than he is, right?” I squatted down and ruffled my fingers between his ears. “Where do we draw the line?”

“What was that all about?”

I jumped to my feet and swiped tears from my cheeks as Mike stormed across the road. He was so much bigger now, his shirts tight across his chest, growing with the strength of immortality; I’d be scared of him if I didn’t know he was such a marshmallow.

“What was what all about?”

Petey leaned against my leg, half sitting on my foot.

“That little speech about kindness winning hearts?”

I turned away from him and shook my head.

“Is this about Jason?”

“Leave Jason out of this.”

“Did you think I wouldn’t catch on, Ara?”

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

“I’m not stupid, baby.” The heat came off his body as he stood closer, right behind me. “I know you have some messed up delusion that he was good—deep down inside or some bullshit like that.”

“So what if I do?” I folded my arms and headed for the house.

“No.” Mike grabbed my arm; “I’m not doing this with you again. You forgave him once. You trusted him—and look what he did to you.”

I jerked out of his grip. “How I feel is none of your business.”

“Yes, it is, Ara,” he yelled, then softened. “You too easily forgive—it’s your greatest asset, but could also be your downfall. It’s my job, as your friend, to save you from yourself. You have to let this go.”

“I am letting it go, Mike.” I folded my arms over my chest. “But Jason wasn’t bad. He just got hurt—made a few wrong choices, and lost his life for it.”

“We all make choices, Ara,” he reasoned, “and it’s what we choose to do in those moments that defines us.”

“You don’t know anything.” I turned away again.

“Yes, I do. I heard Arthur.” He spun me around. “I heard about the blood oath—Ara, who cares? He hurt you, and it can only take a monster to do that to a sweet, beautiful thing like you. If you forgive every person that walks in with a good reason to hurt you, you could be jeopardising many lives, baby. You have the responsibility of a nation in your hands now.”

“No.” I shook my head. “Not now—soon. But not now.”

“Do you see any other queens around here?” Mike yelled, looking around. “Do you see anyone making decisions for our people?”

I rolled my chin to my chest with a soft sigh.

“The time is now, Amara.” He stepped into me and thrust my chin up with his finger. “You have to take your place as queen, and you have to start thinking like one.”