AT THE SAME TIME
XAVIER'S POINT OF VIEW:
Wren's eyes never wavered as she glanced around at the stunned faces in the room. She wasn't backing down, and I admired her for it. She took a step forward, her arms crossed firmly over her chest as if preparing to drop more bombs. I could feel the weight of the words she was about to speak, knowing it would only add more fuel to the fire.
"Let's get one thing straight." She started, her voice sharp and unwavering. "You all think this is just about a witch and Wanessa, but there's more to this game than you realize."
Her eyes locked onto mine for a moment, and then she turned back to my parents.
"There's something you're not telling us. Something about the True Luna. You've all been focused on Wanessa, thinking she's just another piece in this chess game, but she's not. She's more than that."Wren explained. "That blonde True Luna you all keep talking about?" Wren's lips curled into a faint smirk, the kind of smirk that said she knew more than anyone in the room. "She's supposed to be an extra player too. Another piece of the puzzle that, in your world, is 'just supposed to work out.' Well, guess what? She's not. She's just like Wanessa, an extra character in someone else's twisted game."
She paused for a moment, letting the words sink in. I saw Michael's jaw tighten and Terrence's gaze flicker with confusion. Even my parents looked perplexed, but Wren didn't care about their confusion. She was laying it all out now.
"Both those princes, Michael and Terrence they think they're going to get their girl too. They think this is some love triangle, that they can play nice and have a happily ever after." Wren scoffed, shaking her head. "But there's no room for that. There's no space for them to win this. They're not going to get their happy ending unless they understand what's really going on."
"Wanessa is marked. She's Xavier's. And that mark is not something anyone can just erase, no matter how many rules or prophecies they try to manipulate. And the more you push her, the more you'll see it the deeper the bond goes."Wren said.
Her gaze hardened, a warning unspoken in her words. But just as quickly, she shifted, pulling back her anger and letting the icy calmness return to her. She was getting to the point now.
"And I know something none of you want to hear." She added, her voice lowering to a near whisper, as though sharing a secret that could shake them all. "You can't trust Elder Magnus."
There it was. The truth. The one thing she knew that none of us had figured out yet. The room seemed to freeze at the mention of his name. Magnus was one of the highest-ranking members of our court, revered for his wisdom, his years of service, and his guidance. He had always been seen as a friend to the kingdom, a man of integrity, a trusted elder figure.
"Why not?"King asked.
"He's not who you think he is." Wren said, her voice low but firm. "He pretends to be the nice old man who has your best interests at heart, but he doesn't. I've seen the way he operates how he manipulates things from behind the scenes. He's playing his own game. And it's one that will cost us everything if we let him."
A murmur rippled through the room, everyone exchanging glances. My parents, who had always trusted Magnus without question, now seemed unsure. Michael and Terrence were exchanging silent looks, obviously wrestling with the idea that someone they considered an ally might not be who they thought.
"Magnus is after power." Wren continued, her voice gaining strength as she spoke. "He doesn't care about Wanessa or the Witch. He doesn't care about the kingdom. He cares about controlling the outcome. And if that means sacrificing us all, he'll do it."
Magnus had always been someone we relied on. He'd given me counsel, and I had respected him trusted him. But now, with Wren's warning, the threads of doubt began to unravel. What if everything I had been told was a lie?
"So, we need to be smart about this." Wren finished, her gaze steady and resolute. "We have to keep our eyes open, trust no one completely, and fight the real enemy not just the witch, but the ones who think they can control us all."
My family, usually so quick to jump into action, was now contemplating everything Wren had said. The realization that they'd been played just like everyone else was settling in, and it wasn't a pleasant feeling.
"We've lost time." I said finally, breaking the stillness. "The witch is out there, and Magnus... we don't know what he's doing behind the scenes. But we do know one thing. We need to act fast."I said.
"Exactly. And I'm not going to sit around while you all figure out how to deal with your guilt. We fight now, or we lose."Wren said.
As she spoke, I couldn't help but admire her resolve. She wasn't just a bystander in this game she was a force to be reckoned with. A force we all needed on our side if we were going to survive the coming war. Suddenly door to the room creaked open, and all heads turned as Isabella entered. She moved with an air of purpose, her presence somehow filling the room, even though her usual air of superiority wasn't there. Her eyes immediately met Wren's, and there was something different in the way she looked at her this time more calculating, more aware of Wren's power.
"Enough of this."Wren said.
Her voice cut through the tension like a blade. Without even a moment's pause, Wren lunged forward, reaching out and grabbing Isabella's delicate neckpiece. Isabella's eyes widened in shock, but before she could protest, Wren yanked the necklace from around her neck with a force that cracked the air. The stone embedded in the pendant shattered as it collided against the stone wall with a sickening crunch. There was a pause.
Then, something impossible happened. Isabella's hair once dark and sleek shifted in color, turning a striking shade of blonde as though the very essence of her being had been altered. The change was swift, jarring. Her appearance her power was no longer the same. Isabella's fingers flew to her hair, wide eyed with panic as she realized what had just occurred. She stared at the shards of her shattered necklace on the floor, her breath shallow and quick. But before she could speak, Wren's voice rang out, cool and commanding, as though she were an authority in the room.
"You're nothing more than a weak priestess." Wren said, her voice dripping with disdain. "The real power, the one we need, is trapped somewhere. But it's not you." She pointed sharply at Isabella, her eyes piercing. 'You've served your purpose, and it's not even close to what we need. We need the True priestess. The one who holds the real power. And she's trapped just like everything else."
Isabella, still stunned, tried to recover herself, but the confidence in Wren's tone made her falter. She had always prided herself on her position as a priestess, someone who could command respect with a mere word. But Wren had shattered that illusion in an instant.
"What do you mean?" Isabella stammered, her voice cracking with panic. "I'm the priestess! I-"
Wren raised a hand, silencing her, and turned to address the others in the room.
"You all think she's the one we need? The one who can help us against the witch?" Her gaze shifted to my parents, and then to Michael and Terrence. "She's not. She's too weak. She's nothing more than an obstacle at this point."
The room went still again. My mother's expression was one of surprise, though she hid it quickly. The rest of the room absorbed the shock of Wren's words, as they processed the power shift. Wren wasn't afraid to name the truth, even if it meant knocking everyone's preconceived notions off balance.
"The one we need is trapped. And if we don't free her, none of this will matter. The witch? Magnus?
All the games we've been playing? It's all for nothing if we don't find the true power." Wren said.
The idea that someone, something, more powerful than Isabella existed, but was locked away somewhere, gave me a sense of urgency that I couldn't ignore. Wren's gaze shifted back to Isabella, who was standing there, trembling but trying to regain some semblance of dignity.
"You're nothing but a pawn, priestess. So leave now. We have more important things to discuss."Wren said.
"We need to get to her. The real priestess. We need to find her before it's too late."Terrence said.
The moment Isabella remained frozen in place, the air thick with the tension of Wren's words, I could feel the weight of what had just transpired. The room was heavy with silence, and Isabella seemed unsure whether to leave or stand her ground. She stood there, hair now blonde, her delicate fingers still trembling as if unsure of what to do next. That's when the princes spoke up, breaking the silence.
"If she's fake, if she's truly this weak… does that mean she's no longer needed?" Michael's voice cut through the air, his tone filled with calculated curiosity.
Terrence, not one to be left out, chimed in, his voice low but filled with the same chilling edge.
"Could we... take her if she's not the one? I mean, if she's so easily replaceable, why not?"Terrence asked.
I could feel Wren's gaze snap toward them, a sharpness in her eyes that was more dangerous than anything I had seen before.
"You think you can just take her?" Wren's voice was low, almost mocking. "You think you can claim her just because she's weak? Because she's not the one you thought she was?"
Both princes stiffened at her words, clearly not used to being challenged like this, especially not by someone like Wren. But she wasn't backing down. She wasn't afraid of their status, their titles, or their power. She was as sharp as a blade, cutting through their arrogance with every word.
"Go ahead. Try. See who survives in the end. Maybe you'll get what you want. Or maybe you'll both end up in the dust, realizing you're not as important as you think."Wren smirked.
There was a flicker of hesitation in both of their eyes. I knew they weren't used to being treated like this, used to being told their fate was uncertain. They were the princes, after all. The ones who always got what they wanted. But Wren was giving them something they had never seen before, consequences. It was fun to watch, but she told the truth.