The Silver Eyed Prince (Highest Royal Coven of Europe) Page 5

  “Wrong question. You should be asking—what are we trying to protect?”

  Elizabeth expelled an impatient breath. “Okay—what?”

  “The Peace.” Richard checked his watch.

  She threw him a 'you've-got-to-be-kidding-me' look. “Peace?” Who does he think he is? Mr. America?

  “The peace between the human race and ours.” He steered her into a spacious area filled with vehicles and lit by several lampposts.

  “But how—?”

  Richard raised his hand to keep Elizabeth from saying anything more. “This has been a most stimulating conversation, but the rest you must learn in school.” He reverted back to the smug expression he had earlier. “I'm afraid I must expedite the tour to make it in time for orientation. Oh, and by the way—,” he gestured toward the rows of cars they passed, “this is the parking lot.”

  “Obviously.” Elizabeth rolled her eyes heavenward. She'd noticed the type of cars parked in the spaces. No doubt, her Mother's ancient Plymouth would be the most unique.

  Richard escorted her back into the main building through another entrance and quickly showed her the dining hall, library, and the staircase leading to the classrooms. After a short while they ended up back in the main foyer, where he led her to a sitting area by the fireplace.

  “Please make yourself comfortable. I must take my leave to see to other duties. Orientation begins in ten minutes at the first room to your right.” He bowed and left.

  Ten minutes later Elizabeth walked inside the room across the hallway from the chamber. As far as she could see, nothing or no one looked unusual.

  She strolled warily, heading in no particular direction. Numerous students stood in rows of five facing the podium chatting in groups. She avoided the cliques, not wanting to bring attention to herself. As she was about to turn in another direction, she heard a sing-song voice.

  “Yoohoo! Haloo?” A dark-skinned boy dressed in fashionable clothes waved at her from a few rows up.

  “Me?” Elizabeth raised her brows and pointed at herself.

  The boy nodded, wiggling an index finger for her to come over.

  “Haloo there!” The boy beamed, indicating for her to take the vacant spot behind him. “I'm Ben, short for Benus. You know—the Goddess of Beauty, except with a B.”

  “More like the Goddess of Delusion,” a thickset boy wearing a baseball cap backwards, snorted to her left. “I'm Carlos.”

  “With a silent R, as in callus,” Ben said, “you know—like the corn on the foot?”

  “Don't let my friends traumatize you,” said the Asian girl to her right. She nodded towards Ben, who was using his comb as a sword, while Carlos used his hat as a shield. “They're actually really nice even though they're mentally ill.”

  Elizabeth chuckled and felt lucky to be welcomed. She saw none of them had strange eyes like Richard. In fact, they looked human. She couldn't tell the difference at all.

  “I'm Lela,” the Asian girl said.

  “I'm Elizabeth.”

  “My-oh-my!” Ben joined in. “Eelizzabeth! What a clazzically glamourouzz name!” He made elaborate curlicues in the air with a hand that had nails painted in neon blue.

  Elizabeth laughed and began to relax. She'd made new friends in record time.

  A sudden hush fell into the room.

  “Here comes Administrator Cutie!” Ben whispered. He and Lela clapped their fingers quietly and suppressed giggles.

  Elizabeth watched in astonishment as Richard walked up the podium. She couldn't believe he was the Administrator, and she had picked an argument with him even before orientation. She ducked her head behind Ben, mortified.

  “Welcome, Primary Class!” He swept his gaze around the room. “My name is Richard Stapleton, Administrator of Darian Hall. The Primary Class for the Tainted is a beginners' course in discovering your abilities for adaptive and positive behavior, which will enable you to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of coexisting with humans. Your curriculum is composed of four disciplines, namely; History and Religion, Social Hierarchy, Fundamentals, and Combat. Please pick up your brochures at the Tainted student lounge near the lobby and check out the assigned room for each class. Your classrooms are in the left wing and classes start at midnight.” He held up samples of the pamphlets.

  “Midnight?” Elizabeth's eyebrows shot upwards.

  “Yup. Same time since prep school.” Lela gave her a questioning look. “You did go to prep school right?”

  “I—uh—went to high school,” she blurted, then realized she shouldn't have said that, judging from Lela's stupefied expression.

  Thankfully, Richard chose that moment to proceed with his speech and her gaffe was quickly forgotten.

  “On Monday you will start the first day of learning. May I remind you, Darian Hall is an exclusive school for Royals and the Tainted. The Royals are segregated in the right wing. Please remember, you are not allowed to wander on that side. Likewise, you are advised not to approach or disturb the Royals around campus unless it is absolutely necessary. Lastly, as citizens of our hierarchy, you are privileged to pursue progressive learning in any of our schools. With that in mind, I would like to thank you for choosing Darian Hall, one of the finest in the world.” He beamed with pride, concluding the orientation.

  “So! Are you excited to start school?” Ben asked as they made their way out.

  “Yeah.” Elizabeth hoped she sounded as enthusiastic as her new-found friends.

  “Well, it was nice meeting you.” Carlos shook her hand vigorously.

  Lela glared at him. “Take it easy! You're making her teeth rattle!” She gave Elizabeth an apologetic smile. “Welcome to the group, Elizabeth.”

  “Thanks for adopting me,” Elizabeth replied. “See you on Monday.” She waved as they parted ways in the main foyer.

  At the administrative chambers, Sir Henry observed the woman seated across the large table from him. In spite of her predicament, she held herself with the grace and poise of royalty.

  The Duchess still looked as regal as she did seven decades before when she was Queen, the time when her husband conferred him the knighthood in recognition of his excellence as Director of Darian Hall.

  “I shall forever be in your debt, Sir Henry,” she said. “I was afraid you wouldn't be able to accommodate the sudden change of plans concerning my daughter.”

  “How could I not, Your Grace? This is a most significant event. It will have the best possible effect on our ruling hierarchy. We must do everything we can to help it come to pass—even if the timing is well ahead of what we had expected.” Sir Henry swept his gaze at the five councilors seated at the table and watched everyone nod in agreement. Two months earlier, he met with the Duchess regarding her daughter's circumstances. They decided then that Elizabeth would enroll at Darian Hall in June right after her high school graduation, so she would have enough time to adjust and prepare for her destiny.

  “Thank you for permitting her to come in January.” The Duchess’s lovely face showed gratitude. “I was as astounded as you were with the atypical timing.”

  “It is a small favor compared to your family's generosity in supporting Darian Hall,” Sir Henry replied.

  A shadow of sadness crossed the woman’s face. “Darian Hall deserved it, and I'm glad m-my husband and I could be of service before catastrophe struck.”

  Sir Henry regarded the trace of sadness that tinged the visage of the former Queen of the Highest Royal Coven of Europe. Four years after her disappearance in the spring of 1994, the Supreme Royal Council declared the forfeiture of her crown and relegated her to the title of Duchess.

  “I am in awe of your success in evading our search parties, Your Grace. The European Royal Army combed the planet for you for four years.”

  “I didn't want to be found,” she replied quietly.

  “But why didn't you choose to return to the throne after you escaped from—”

  “Would you risk war for the reason of wantin
g to come home?” She looked him in the eyes.

  Sir Henry sat back in his chair. The pieces of the puzzle that had mystified and haunted the hierarchy for the past seventeen years began to come together in his mind. “You are aware of the risks you are taking—yes?” he asked with concern.

  “I am prepared to face them with your aid for my daughter's sake,” she replied. “All I ask is utmost secrecy. No one knows who she is, not even her. And no one must find out she is my daughter, especially the Highest Royal Coven of Europe.”

  Her eyes grew cold. “John Drake, the Duke of Northern Peninsula, still thinks I am the Pure One and is still after me. He knew I bore a child, but he doesn't know who she is. If he learns of her whereabouts and finds out she is my daughter, he will use her to get to me. All my efforts in protecting Elizabeth and preventing conflict for the past seventeen years would be in vain.”

  “My councilors and I have taken that into account.” Sir Henry leaned forward and clasped his hands. “But you are aware, are you not, that the Highest Royal Coven will know that she will be at Darian Hall? This is unavoidable. I have to solicit the King to send his son here, so he can meet your daughter.”

  “Yes, I'm aware.” She took a ragged breath. “I understand what you have to do.”

  “Rest assured, that is all they will know,” Sir Henry said with confidence. “Both your real identities will remain undisclosed. But I cannot guarantee how long we can keep your connection with your daughter a secret, especially with the Prince here at Darian. He is most perceptive.”

  “My daughter needs time to adjust and understand her fate,” the Duchess said with fortitude. “She needs to comprehend the significance of being the bearer of hope in the way it should come to pass—full of happiness, love, and anticipation. I don't want this stolen from her because of me.”

  Sir Henry sighed heavily. “I shall see what I can do about the Prince.”

  “This means everything to me, Sir Henry,” she said with imploring eyes. “My daughter's future relies on your vigilance. She must not be associated with me in any way.”

  “We understand, Your Grace. As far as we are concerned, we don't have any knowledge of you.” Sir Henry glanced at his councilors.

  “Your daughter will simply be one of the one thousand students at Darian Hall. We will treat her no differently than the others. The less fuss we make, the less attention she gets and the safer she is. She will attend the primary class for the Tainted, where she will easily blend in and use the human name you have given her, Elizabeth Hamilton. However, she will not be listed in the official roster of students attending Darian Hall.”

  “Thank you for your diligent attention in the matter.”

  Sir Henry leaned back in his chair. “The only provision we must insist upon as a safety measure is the presence of an officer from the European Royal Army. He will watch over her under the guise of being one of her classmates.”

  She stiffened. “Wouldn't that compromise her true identity? How do we know we can trust this officer?”

  “It is not uncommon for schools to request the assistance of the Royal Army for protection,” Sir Henry said with a tone of reassurance. “But in your daughter's case, I shall have to beg General Bradford to send one of his best men. No pertinent information will be revealed to the General, except for the fact that a citizen of the Prince's acquaintance is in need of temporary protection. I'm fairly certain that General Bradford will accommodate our request—especially with the implication of a Royal connection.”

  “I can see that you have given careful thought to this situation.”

  “Absolutely,” Sir Henry replied, thankful that his councilors had suggested he consult the Wise Historians as soon as they learned of her daughter. The crucial information he gathered from the Historians was the very thing that set everything in motion.

  “I shall fly to England tomorrow to make an urgent appeal to the King to allow his son to come to Darian Hall,” Sir Henry said evenly, hiding his apprehension on the possible outcome of his mission. “Bear in mind, the Prince will know that his Pure One is here, but he will not know who she is. My councilors and I will bring them together at Darian Hall, but we won't interfere. If they are meant to be, they will recognize each other.”

  The Duchess’s expression relaxed and her blue eyes glistened. “I am grateful to all of you.” She switched her gaze from Sir Henry to each of the other gentlemen at the table. “All we have to do now is wait for destiny to take its course.”

  And for the first time, Sir Henry saw her gloomy countenance brighten with a hopeful smile.

  Chapter 6

  Elizabeth Adeline Hamilton:

  At First Sight

  Monday,

  January 10, 2011

  Elizabeth drove into the dark woods on her way to Darian Hall with a tight knot in her belly. She had been dreading the first day of school, not knowing what awaited her. Yes, she'd been to orientation, but that environment was controlled under the watchful eyes of the school administrator and his staff. Today, the entire school population would be present without constant supervision.

  What if the other students were hostile?

  Her apprehension peaked as she turned into the parking lot. She slowed the car to a crawl and glanced at the clock on the dashboard. Half hour before midnight. She looked nervously at the crowd, debating if she should leave the safety of her vehicle.

  “Yoohoo! Yoohoo! Elizabeth!” She recognized Ben's voice and saw him bobbing his head over the crowd. “Over here!” He gestured at a vacant space.

  Elizabeth waved at him with tremendous relief. She maneuvered to park next to where he was chatting with Carlos, Lela, and a bunch of other kids.

  She turned off the ignition, grabbed her phone from the console, and checked it. Several messages were from Bryan and the rest were from Anne, Charlie, Vanessa, and Sue.

  She felt a stab of guilt. She hadn’t gone to her high school since that day in the cafeteria and hadn't returned anyone's call, not knowing what to say. Bryan stopped by multiple times to see her, but her mom had made up some excuse that she was visiting her Aunt Karen in Rhode Island—a make-believe relative they'd invented for convenience.

  Elizabeth sighed. God, she missed Bryan! She sent a quick “miss you” text to him and stared longingly at his picture on her phone, wishing he was there with her.

  “Haloo-Haloo?” Ben tapped on her window. “Are you going to come out of your bat cave or what?”

  Elizabeth tossed the phone in her bag. “Hi Ben!” She stepped out of the car and stumbled when she saw his outfit.

  “I knew you'd love it!” Ben twirled in his ballerina shoes, skinny pants, pink leotard, and fluffy white tutu. “This is my modern take on Swan Lake.” He danced around Carlos.

  “Oh, I thought you were a flamingo,” Carlos said dryly, ducking in time to miss Ben's foot as he attempted a side leap.

  “Don't mind them,” Lela said to her. “They forgot to take their A.D.D. medication today.”

  “They're hilarious!” Elizabeth giggled. “Are they always like this?” She glanced at Ben who took off chasing Carlos like a crazed bird on a mating call. They were an unlikely pair. While Ben was openly gay, Carlos was straight through and through.

  “Pretty much,” Lela rolled her eyes. “They're both from California and have been really good friends for a long time before I came, so you'll just have to get used to it.”

  They both laughed and started towards the entrance.

  “How did you meet them?” Elizabeth asked.

  “Prep school orientation.” Lela shrugged. “My family moved from Pasadena and I didn't know anyone at the New England Progressive Academy. When Ben and Carlos found out that I, too, was from California, they decided to adopt me. So here we are, five years later. What about you? Where are you from?”

  “Mansfield.”

  “That's not too far. How come you don't know anyone here at Darian? I'm sure most of your prep school classmates chose to go her
e. It's pretty popular, you know.”

  “I, um—didn't go to any prep school around here.” Elizabeth looked around to change the subject. “Shouldn't we wait for Ben and Carlos?”

  “Oh, yeah. Come on. Let's hang out over there so they can see us.” Lela led Elizabeth towards the sprawling concrete stairs in front of the building.

  Halfway through the steps leading up to the entrance of the main foyer, they paused on the landing to wait for Ben and Carlos.

  Some kids came over to chat. Lela introduced her to Ishmael Johnson, the boy in dreadlocks with a guitar strapped on his back, and Jared Crowe, a cute Amer-asian guy with spiky hair. His pretty, petite girlfriend, Julie Anne Riggs, joined the group a minute later.

  “And this is Bret Kline.” Lela gestured towards the tall, quiet guy with long, straight black hair dressed in gothic fashion—a black trench coat, army boots, and fingerless leather gloves.

  He gazed at Elizabeth with incredible pale blue eyes rimmed with black eyeliner. “Hi,” he seemed about to say something more, but then hesitated with a quick glance at Lela, a red tint spreading on his cheeks. “I—uh—gotta go. Bye.”

  Elizabeth raised her eyebrows at Lela as Bret disappeared into the crowd. “What's up with him?”

  Lela grinned. “He's just super shy, that’s all. With the way he dresses, you’d never think he's whip-smart and a really nice guy–but he is. Personally, I think he's waayy cute.”

  “I agree.” Elizabeth gave her a high five and they both laughed.

  “Oh, look! There's Debbie Parks.” Lela pointed at the girl with brown hair tied in a ponytail. She was big-boned and had severe-looking features—a large nose, bushy eyebrows, and thin lips. ”Don't mess with that one,” she said as they watched the girl muscle her way up the steps with a frown. “She's as friendly as Attila the Hun.”

  Lela craned her neck over the crowd and waved at a slender girl with copper-colored hair walking along the opposite side of the landing. “Jill! Oh, darn! She couldn't see me. Stay here, okay? I'll be right back.” She pushed into the crush of students.