CHAPTER 235: UNWELCOME LETTER

The Queen’s birthday would be held four days from now. For that reason, the community was wrapped in a cocoon of murmurs and hushed conversations about plans, opinions on the festivities, and how the party would ultimately turn out.

Given that many citizens were not entirely pleased with their queen, the atmosphere was thick with speculation and tension. However, I found myself feeling utterly confused, especially with the official letter resting idly in my hand.

It read that the Queen wanted me to give a closing speech on the third and final day of the three-day celebration. Why? What was her aim in involving me in such an essential part of her birthday event?

"What is that? Who wrote you a letter? Noami?" Dianna asked, her voice pulling me away from my swirling thoughts. I shook my head at her question.

"It’s from the Queen. She wants me to give the closing speech at her birthday party."

"What!" Dianna exclaimed, her voice rising in disbelief and a hint of anger. Before I could stop her, she snatched the letter from my hands.

Quickly, she scanned through the contents, her brow furrowing as she did. Once she finished reading, she screamed for her mother.

Laura came rushing into the room only a minute later, a mix of concern and annoyance etched on her face. "What is the matter, Diana? Do you want to scream down our huts?" She exclaimed, trying to rein in her daughter’s frantic energy.

Diana remained silent, instead handing the letter over to her mother, urgency etched on her face as she sought validation for her feelings.

I stood off to the side, folding my arms across my chest, attempting to adopt a look of nonchalance. I was not particularly invested in this situation, but I couldn’t entirely hide my own confusion.

Once Laura read the letter, her expression shifted to one of incredulity. "Nonsense!" She said, hissing under her breath and then tearing the letter to shreds with a swift motion. I wasn’t surprised by her reaction; I had seen it coming from a mile away.

"You are not giving any speech at the party. Do you hear me, Maya?" She insisted, her voice firm and authoritative.

I nodded without hesitation. Public speaking was indeed not my forte, and I was more than willing to avoid it altogether.

Satisfied with my response, Laura turned abruptly and strode out of the hut, leaving an air of quiet tension behind her.

Dianna huffed in annoyance and walked to the side of the room, picking up the broom and dustpan to clean up the shredded paper scattered across the floor. "Don’t think too much about it," She said over her shoulder before walking out of my room.

I sighed and flopped ungracefully onto my bed, feeling thoroughly bored. It had been three weeks since the contest—three weeks since I had last seen Adam and his brothers. During that time, I had spent my days either at school—where I continued to receive respect from both teachers and students—or training with the Queen.

But the more my powers increased, the whiter my hair became. It now looked predominantly white, with only a few strands of black remaining.

Last night, I had heard from Peter that the Queen’s cabinet was debating whether to ask her to resign because they believed they had found a new Queen with white hair. Their belief was rooted in the idea that I had been sent here by the goddess to rectify some unresolved issues.

I had told Peter repeatedly that I wasn’t interested in ruling—I just wanted a normal life. Why couldn’t they understand that?

"Hey, your friends are here to see you..." Dianna suddenly spoke again, interrupting my thoughts. I hadn’t even realized she had stepped back into the room.

I checked the wall clock—half past nine. It was time for the excursion.

The Queen’s birthday celebration was a big deal within the community, and school had gone on break until next week. I welcomed this break; I needed rest from studying, as well as from being a strange sight to the townsfolk.

The phrase "the girl who commanded the beasts" had certainly left its mark, and I doubted people would stop talking about it even after several years!

Shaking my head slightly to cast off my thoughts, I put on a shawl over my head. It offered a small amount of comfort, though I knew it wouldn’t shield me from the stares of those who would gaze at me in the streets.

I slipped on my brown leather sandals, not seeing the need to change from my shorts and singlet attire—it felt appropriate given the heat of the season—and stepped out of my room.

Outside, Levina was waiting for me with Sinclair.

Over the last couple of days, a camaraderie had formed between us—a bond I wasn’t sure would last long. Levina had a huge crush on Sinclair, while he, despite my attempts to deflect his affections by acting close to Raul, seemed to harbor feelings for me.

After the apology extended by both Raul and his sister, we had been on better terms. As a matter of fact, the twins had organized our excursion for today.

"Hey Levina, Sinclair, good morning!" I greeted as I entered the center hut designated for receiving visitors.

"Good morning, Dora!" Sinclair and Levina echoed in unison. Levina stood up and gave me a quick side hug, her enthusiasm shining through.

"How was your night?" She asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Fine," I replied, casually shrugging my shoulders. I darted a sharp glance at Sinclair; he was pretending to be fascinated by the wall art surrounding us.

With my magical abilities enhancing, I had become increasingly sensitive to people’s emotions and expressions. El had explained that this sensitivity came with the territory—whatever that territory was.

"Is your sister coming with us?"

My eyebrows furrowing, hearing Levina’s words, I turned aside, suprised to see Diana standing in the doorway with a backpack.

"No, she is not," I confirmed firmly. I hadn’t informed Laura and Peter about where I was headed today, only that I was going out with friends.

Diana was supposed to visit her friend’s house to study, yet she was standing there, arms crossed and eyes sparkling with defiance.

"Aren’t you supposed to go to your friend’s place?" I questioned, folding my arms across my chest too, feeling the weight of the moment.

She raised an eyebrow in response, which made me realize that she had likely lied to our parents about her plans too.

"I know you’re going for an excursion. Count me in."