Chapter 4 - The First Test
The water rose quickly.
Mara grabbed Elara.
“Find the door!”
Rowan struck the stone with his sword.
Nothing happened.
Cassian searched the walls.
The water reached Elara’s knees.
Then her waist.
The black mirror changed.
Three words appeared.
POWER.
TITLE.
SAFETY.
Cassian suddenly understood.
“It wants an answer.”
Mara snapped:
“It can ask after it stops drowning us.”
Cassian looked at Elara.
“What are you willing to give up?”
Elara stared at the Star Crown.
Then pulled it from her head.
Everyone froze.
She held it with both hands.
“I give up the crown.”
The water stopped.
Instantly.
Then vanished.
A hidden door opened.
Cassian stared at Elara.
“You surrendered it.”
“It was going to drown Mama.”
“That may have been the point.”
Inside the next chamber stood a stone pedestal.
On it rested a metal tube.
The first Charter.
Tomas’s letter had told the truth.
The Star Crown could choose someone outside the royal family.
A Keeper would appear during a crisis of legitimacy.
Cassian read one sentence repeatedly.
“The Keeper does not automatically replace the heir.”
Elara brightened.
“So I don’t have to be queen?”
“Possibly not.”
Then the crown floated from her hands and landed back on her head.
Elara groaned.
“Apparently it has opinions.”
Suddenly footsteps echoed through the tunnel.
Rowan drew his sword.
Varro’s voice followed.
“Search everything.”
Cassian whispered:
“How did he know?”
Only four people had known.
Mara.
Cassian.
Rowan.
Elara.
Then another voice appeared.
Captain Dain.
Rowan’s deputy.
Rowan’s expression hardened.
“My second betrayed us.”
Varro shouted from the passage:
“Prince Cassian! Step away from the girl.”
Soldiers approached.
Elara saw a narrow opening in the wall.
“I can fit.”
Mara grabbed her.
“No.”
“Give me the Charter.”
Cassian handed it to her.
Mara glared at him.
“If anything happens—”
“I know.”
Elara crawled into the narrow shaft.
Behind her, soldiers broke into the chamber.
She heard swords.
Shouting.
Mara screaming her name.
Elara crawled faster.
The shaft ended unexpectedly.
She fell into darkness.
Then someone caught her.
A man whispered:
“You grew.”
The crown illuminated his face.
Thin.
Bearded.
Older.
But his eyes looked exactly like hers.
He began crying.
“Hello, little star.”
Elara stopped breathing.
May you like
“Papa?”
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