Page 97 of The Princess of Portals

“The Knights report to the Government.”

“Perhaps, that needs to change. The Government needs the Knight. The Knights don’t need the Government. They don’t need a controlling, manipulative organization to tell them what to do.” Lyssa stared at the cameras, addressing the Knights directly now. “They don’t help you. They don’t protect you. They throw you at the problems that they cannot fix—or, when it suits them better, they sell you off for a few measly supplies.”

The TV switched off. Footsteps echoed in the ballroom. The General walked slowly toward us, the TV remote in his hand. His Watchers streamed into the room.

The General’s sharp eyes honed in on the Rebels. “Arrest the traitors.”

Bad move. He was proving Lyssa’s point for her.

Knight Commander Skye broke away from the crowd. “You are one to talk about traitors. You planted a spy in the Castle, a girl without magic.”

The General looked at her, his eyes narrowing. “You forget your place, Knight.”

Skye met his gaze, unafraid. “Lyssa is right.” Her attention shifted to the other Knights. “The Government is only holding us back. They betray us and sell us, and still they think they have the right to tell us what to do. Well, I say no more. We don’t need them. We don’t need the people who ruined this world. They caused the Curse, and then they covered it up. I, for one, am done doing their bidding.”

Her words were definitely having an impact. The crowd revved into high gear.

“Absolutely!”

“We’re through with you, General!”

Skye lifted her hands in the air, and the voices fell silent. “Let’s put the matter to a vote. Should the Knights continue to serve the Government, or should we declare independence?”

CHAPTER 6

SACRIFICE

The General and his Watchers were escorted to one of the meeting rooms while the Knights discussed whether to declare independence. The debate lasted hours. I already knew which way I’d be voting, so I sat down on one of the few chairs Erador hadn’t blown up when he’d made his grand entrance. I was so tired.

Nevada sat down next to me. “Ok, Savannah, I can’t hold back any longer. We have to talk about this.”

She sounded serious, so I cracked open an eye. She looked serious too.

“Talk about what?”

“Kato and Conner. Where are they?”

“I…”

“This has to do with what happened at the Monolith, doesn’t it?”

“How…”

“You chased after them and that Masked Metamorph. When you came back to the ballroom, Kato and Conner weren’t with you. And you looked like you’d just been to a funeral.”

“I need some more time…to process.”

“You aren’t processing, Savannah. You’re avoiding. You need to talk about what happened.”

I didn’t want to talk about it. I didn’t want to think about it either. But Nevada was right. I couldn’t avoid it forever.

“Conner and Kato are gone.”

There. I’d said it. I’d ripped the bandage off. And I didn’t feel the least bit better. I kept talking anyway, my soul bleeding out. I told her what had happened at the Monolith.

The Monolith. The Masked Metamorph. The Remembrance Orb. The Lost Spirits. The memories. Conner and Kato and the weird glowing ball they became obsessed with. Their odd behavior.

The words kept coming and coming and coming. Now that I’d started talking, I couldn’t stop.