Cassy is dead? Or alive?

*POV* Clay Sparks

It had been about 3 years since I had seen Coral, she had changed quite a lot, it had really surprised me when she had rejected the child.

We walked through the gardens of vibrant flowers, Coral held on my arm. "Clay, what am I to do? I feel like I am floating in a sea of people I don't know."

I couldn't relate to what she was saying. "I am sure you will be fine, I can stay until you get used to your role." Coral scoffed.

"Why can't I leave with you?" I thought about it and I was sure she probably could, but the kingdom had no eligible heirs. "You are queen." I stated.

Coral laughed, then followed it with a heavy sigh.

"What if I don't want to be anymore." I stopped her and swung her gently to face me. "Coral the people love you, and I am sure father is on his way here right now to be your right hand."

She smiled at my determined face, and patted my cheek. "I have to be strong." She stated, she relaxed her shoulders a bit and we started walking again.

"Hey Coral, the spell, was there a raven haired girl present?" She seemed to think for a second, "Yes there was, but I was informed that all of them burnt from the force of the magic."

My heart sank, dead. Cassy was dead? Coral saw my face fall, and stopped me. "Did you know her?"

"Yeah, her name was Cassy." She pulled me into a hug, the comfort was appreciated but my heart was breaking. 'So much for falling in love with her.'

After a second I returned the hug and we just held each other for a while. "My queen?" A sweet voice came from behind us.

We pulled apart and Coral straightened her shoulders as she turned to address her ladies. "Grace, Adeline, what are you doing out here?"

The girls blushed as their eyes landed on me, and I studied them in turn. "We came to tell you a messenger arrived and is waiting in the throne room."

Coral sighed, and I wondered what message was being brought. She moved to stand beside the girls, and stood staring at me.

"Aren't you coming?" Coral asked, "Oh, sure." She grabbed my arm and so did another of the girls, as the other walked in front of us.

A light sweat sprung up around my collar as the girl on my arm tried talking to me. I answered with short replies. I followed the other girl as we made our way to the throne room.

My mind focused on the thought of Cassy being dead, and how I was going to tell Mink because she had become so close with her.

We reached the doors of the throne room but before we could enter someone called my name, a quick search of my surroundings showed Mink motioning for me to come over to her.

"Sorry Coral, I will meet up with you in a bit." I told her before heading over to Mink as they entered the throne room.

Mink looked excited. "Clay there you are!" She smiled, I wondered what she was smiling about and decided I should probably tell her about Cassy first.

"Mink, good, I have something to tell you." She watched me and waited. "Cassy is dead!" I blurted out before I could think too much about how she might react.

She smiled, 'Why smile!!' She grabbed my arm. "Sure that's what they want you to believe. But Clay I shook some information out of a guard and found out that the raven haired girl was the only one to survive."

I stared at her in shock. "Really?!" She nodded. "There is still a chance to find her, even if they dumped her body into the great river."

'They did what?!' I thought in horror.

Mink's smile widened. "Clay be smart here, she is a water mage, and from what I have seen. She would have definitely survived."

'How would she know that?' But hope filled me, and I grabbed her arm too. "We might still be able to find her.!" Mink smiled as I got what she was saying.

"Come on, we can be searching the sea shores within the week." I nodded, I would still have to send a message back to Destiny though.

"Clay?" I turned to see Coral followed by 3 ladies, seeing my face she power walked over to us.

"Clay! Let's talk, come with me!" She pulled me through the halls, her ladies disappeared behind us but Mink stayed on my heels.

We entered one of the many castle meeting rooms. Mink got the door as Coral pulled me in. "Clay, I got news, Destiny sent a message, she said that my twins arrived safe!! Now I can go see them! You will take me right?"

I blinked at her and didn't say anything. She took my silence as a question. "Clay, I know you think I can't live in the wilderness but I can! And with you there no one will hurt me."

"Coral… are you sure you should leave the castle?" Coral's face fell. "Yes. I do. I am queen., am I not? shouldn't I be able to go wherever I want to."

"Actually my queen." She spun on Mink as she spoke without being asked to. Mink fumbled a bow or was it a curtsy? "Pardon my interruption my queen." She said as she did her clumsy bow once again.

"If you all of a sudden leave the castle your people will begin to panic. You are what is keeping this kingdom together." Coral stared at her, before turning quickly back to me.

"She is right." I say. She sighed as her mind began to process that. "But my babies…" Mink came forward to pat Coral's arm.

"Maybe the twins could return home, since the king is gone." Coral thought for a moment. "I don't know." I took her hands. "It is great that the twins arrived with Destiny safely, now you must get this home safe for them."

She sighed and her eyes began to tear up. I pulled her into a hug, and I looked at Mink over my shoulder. "Coral, There is someone I must go look for."

Coral pulled back enough to look at me. "Who?" I smiled softly. "Just someone. Maybe after I find her I will come see you again." She stared at me for a second.

"It will be sad to see you leave again.

But I understand. You have lots more to your life than just me." Her words hurt, but I knew it was true.

"It's okay Clay, you do good for the greater good of my kingdom. So don't let your sister hold you back." She laid her head once again on my chest as I questioned what she just said.

I couldn't tell if she hated me or if it was just her way of saying I could go and she wouldn't hold me back. I watched Mink over her shoulder and sighed. "I will be back." Coral just hummed in reply.