The Aldean Chronicles: Spotlight (Part 2)

"Cassandra." He knocks on my bedroom door.

It's 7 in the morning. I just got out of bed and I'm looking at an email Chrystal sent last night. "Hey, Seb. Come in."

He opens the door. "I came by with a question."

"What's wrong?" I sit up slightly on my chair.

"What's your schedule for today?"

I sigh deeply. "Visiting a fishing town with Kat. We're supposed to talk to the locals, pretend to like fishing, and get pictured touching bait." I shudder.

He laughs. "How about I save you? You can shadow me for today."

I'm stunned. "Really? I can do that?"

"Of course, how else will you learn how to run a government?" He says it so offhandedly.

My heart starts beating. "Seb, I...I don't think I'll be the next monarch. I don't want you to waste your time or make things weird..."

He surprises me by laughing. "Cass, that doesn't matter. I'm not the monarch and I'm still in charge of certain areas of the government."

I rub my arms. "Still, that probably would never be me. I shouldn't."

He points at me. "You're coming. Be ready in half an hour."

"Half an hour? Why are you telling me this now?" I walk away from my vanity table and towards my closet.

"I didn't want you to panic." He smiles and shuts the door, drowning out my complaints.

I'm left with a heavy heart. How can he expect me to go work with him in half an hour? I don't even know what his job is.

I can't believe I don't know what Seb does. I know what Aunt Freya does. But it won't be the same job as Seb. Right?

I text Kat good morning. She reads my message but doesn't reply. She calls me instead.

"Hey, Cass," she sings. "And no, the worm smell won't come off after three washes. It takes at least seven." She laughs.

"I'm actually not going to that anymore. Seb wants me to go with him to work." I reveal.

"Wait, really?" Kat asks. "That's...so great. I'm happy that he trusts you that much." Her tone doesn't match her words. She sounds exactly like she did when she congratulated me on getting my crown.

"Yeah," I start cautiously. "Sorry I can't come today."

"I'll be fine. I'll just have to feign enthusiasm by myself." She sniffs. "But it's alright, I'll bring Myles. It'll be fun."

"That's good." There's a small pause. "So, any tips for today?"

She hisses. "I'm so sorry, Cass. I'm expecting a call from Myles. We'll talk later this evening, okay?"

I nod even though she can't see me. "Sure. Goodbye, Kat."

"Goodbye." And she ends the call.

I don't bother walking up to Grey's room, I know he isn't up yet. He doesn't get up till noon on mornings he doesn't have any functions planned.

I instead rush into the shower. I now have twenty-five minutes to get ready. Great.

I'm out of the shower in less than ten minutes and pulling out a completely different outfit. It's a blush pink suit with a matching skirt. I match it with a pearl earring set and necklace, and black pumps.

I put on very light makeup in five minutes, grab a black purse, and am running down the stairs with twenty seconds to spare.

Lilian is in the foyer. "He's waiting in the car." She gives me an appraising look and hums.

I don't ask whether that was a good or a bad hum.

I rush out of the house and into the black SUV parked in front of the house. I sit next to Seb at the back and shut the door.

"Good, you didn't run away." Seb smiles over the papers he's looking at. "It took me three tries to get Grey to come with me. He just kept disappearing."

I groan. "I have never been angrier with you. I can't believe you just sprung this on me."

He shakes his head softly. "You'll be fine. You've already met a lot of these people. And it will be easier today because they'll be working and won't feel the need for the fake pleasantries."

"That makes me feel so much better," I say sarcastically.

"You'll be fine. But you might want to fix your hair." He reaches into the pouch in front of him and pulls out a silver hairbrush.

I can't believe I completely forgot about my hair. I take it and silently curse Lilian. Of course she didn't she tell me?

Fortunately for me, I got my hair professionally done recently. After a minute of brushing and fluffing, my hair looks almost as good as it did two days ago.

I finish obsessing over my hair and start squirming on my seat. "What exactly do you do?" I ask Seb.

"I run the government." Is his simple response.

"I know that. But what exactly do you do?"

He laughs. "Don't they teach you that at your school?"

"We're learning History. Government branches and functions are something you learn in preparatory school."

"Maybe you can learn more in your third year." He finally looks at me. "Before then, you'll be learning from the Infante himself. Aren't you lucky?"

I don't feel very lucky. I don't say that though, I just smile and stare out the window. Sooner than I was expecting, we reach the Capitol building.

It's big, like everything else in this country. It has two very wide floors and a big silver gate barring it on all sides. All around it is the greenest field I've ever seen.

The front gate has two entrances. One for cars, another for people on foot. The line for cars is long.

We take a left and join the queue while the car that's been following from home drives forward.

In a few minutes, we get to the gate. The man at the toll booth doesn't ask for identification like he did with the other cars, he just waves us on.

We're soon driving past a giant statue of a regal man.

The car finally stops at the main door. I get out and wait for Seb.

He takes a few seconds to gather his papers, place them delicately in a folder, and joins me in front of the building.

"Shall we?" He's beaming.

We walk in and the first thing we see is a security checkpoint.

People are taking off jackets and dropping their bags in little plastic containers.

Now I feel like I'm at the airport. The belongings travel through a metal machine while the adults walk through the detectors.

"Come on." Seb bypasses all that and walks down the lane with the red velvet rope at the edge of the room.

Sitting beside a big, black double door, is an old woman behind an oak table.

She nods at Seb.

"Annie, this is my daughter, Cass."

The woman coughs and pulls something out of her desk drawer.

"I had my assistant make it for you," Seb tells me.

Annie hands me a tiny magnetic badge that says "My name is Cassandra."

"Really?" I ask Seb.

"You're a visitor."

He opens one of the double doors and I step into a room that takes my breath away.

The floors are covered with a red carpet, the walls are white and gold, and the paintings hanging around are magnificent. There are paintings of past monarchs, past assembly rooms, and historic buildings in the country.

The room is two floors high and the ceiling is magnificent. It's in the shape of a dome and has clouds carved on it. There are doors on every corner of the walls, and a big glass table in the center.

On it is a giant map of the building in a glass case. In a glass bowl in front of the map is chocolate. I put one in my purse.

"This way." Seb leads me past the door with the word "North Wing" on it.

Down here is a long corridor with gold and blue carpeting.

I glance at the other doors as we walk by. On each door is a title. State Treasurer. House Speaker. State Notary. Secretary of State.

"Is Secretary Davis here?"

"No, he's not in the Capitol at the moment."

I nod slowly and walk down the hall to the door at the end.

On it is a word I don't recognize. "What's Kaysor?"

"It is the Gilliamic word for Infante." He presses his finger on the keypad by the door and it flashes green. "After you. And remind me to get you a tutor."

The lights automatically switch on when we walk in. I hang by the door to take in Seb's office. It's big. Almost as big as Aunt Freya's at the palace.

A giant window takes up the entire wall behind his desk. Another wall is hidden behind a giant bookcase filled with old, leather-bound books. Another wall has several diplomas, certificates, and old brown parchments.

In the corner of the room are a white sofa and two marching armchairs arranged around a glass table. Beside that are an old lamp, and an antique cart. On top of it is a glass bottle with brown liquid and several crystal glasses.

Seb sits behind his desk and I stand awkwardly in the middle.

There's a knock on the door and a man walks in. He's wearing a suit a shade darker than Seb's and has a full head of dark hair. He looks like he's in his late thirties.

"Infante, good morning." He walks to the desk without sparing me a glance. "Good morning, Princess Cassandra."

I raise one hand in a weak greeting and sit on one of the armchairs. I take off my shoes and bury my pedicured toes in the soft brown rug surrounding the glass table.

"Your 9 O'clock meeting with the Minister of Health and his team is still on. You have exactly 1 hour and two minutes till then. Would you be having breakfast before or after?" Seb's assistant asks.

"After. Just get me a scone and some tea now. Cassie, would you like anything?" Seb asks me.

I shake my head. "Tea is fine."

Seb's assistant, I still don't know his name, walks behind me to the cart. He opens the bottom drawer and pulls out a tea tray. He pours water and an orange powder into the metal teapot then hands it to me.

"Sorry?" I ask. He looks at me expectantly. "I don't..." I look over at Seb.

"I usually heat the tea myself," Seb says. "When I first started the job, I didn't have a kettle. I needed to fill out a stupid expense report to get one for my office so I just heated it myself. I've been doing that since."

I nod. "You want me to?"

"Sure." He goes back to his computer.

I take the small teapot from Seb's assistant.

"I would have done it myself," he starts. "But I'm a combatant."

"Oh." I hold the handle. "What was your weapon?"

"Daggers and archery."

"You had two?" I ask. "I didn't know that was allowed."

"Oh, yes. In fact, if things go well, next year..."

"Quentin." Seb's tone is sharp. "Why don't you hand deliver this to Liege Jostin?"

Quentin winces. "Of course, Your Highness." He takes the file and heads out.

I don't ask Seb what that was about, I just focus on heating the tea.

I place my right palm under the teapot and summon a good flame.

I hold it for three seconds before it flickers out. I glance at Seb. I relax when I see he didn't notice.

This is the third time my magic has malfunctioned since I took the pledge.

I should be stronger, steadier, quicker. Not struggling to hold a single flame.

I've considered telling my family about it, but that might make things worse. I've always been the odd one out, this will just prove that.

I'm silently praying it goes away and I'm back to normal.

I press my palm on the bottom of the teapot and summon as much fire as I can.

I feel my crown rematerialize on my head. I draw power from that and a giant flame erupts from my hand. I yelp.

"Everything all right?" Seb looks concerned.

"I'm fine." I sniff and take off my tiara. It disappears after a second. "Tea's ready." I give him a charming smile.

I look away quickly and pour him a cup.

Quinton comes back with a scone and two doughnuts.

I eat the doughnuts and study the file the Minister of Health sent Seb last week.

I feel so stupid holding it. This is actual government work, it looks so out of place in my hands.

Halfway through my skimming, Quinton tells us it's time to go.

He talks the whole way to the elevator. I don't know why we're using one, the meeting room is just upstairs.

"State Minister for Galfana won't be here today."

"Why not?" Seb looks irritated.

"There was a Rypper attack in his state last night. He's staying back to visit the wounded."

"That is very noble." I praise as the elevator door opens.

"It's not." Quinton clarifies. "He just doesn't want to be here because this year's budget is giving his state the lowest percentage."

I nod slowly. "Is that because his state has the smallest population?" I know that out of all seven states, his has the lowest population.

"No, I said percentage, not money. He's getting the lowest because of a stupid decision the Governor made about taxes." Quinton corrects.

"Keep your voice down, Q," Seb warns. "Think it, don't say it. And schedule a call between us later today. And ask Freya if she can call the Governor tomorrow. And also, someone should visit the victims. Get Caroline to do that. She'll love it."

"And she'll be away from the Capitol and me." I joke. Seb and Quinton don't smile. "Sorry."

They ignore me and march on. We take a right and walk down two corridors. We finally stop in front of a shiny brown door. Quinton opens it and the people in the room stand up.

They courtesy and wait for Seb to take his seat before retaking theirs.

"Thank you all for coming. I truly appreciate it. Let me not waste more of your time." Seb places his folder in front of him. "I'm sure you all know my daughter, Cassandra. She'll be auditing today."

They give me strained smiles and polite nods.

I take a seat beside Quinton close to the door.

"Let's begin. Minister Foster, the floor is yours."

A man in his mid-fifties stands up, adjusts his glasses, and begins talking. "Thank you, Infante. Now, if you would kindly open your files to page three..."

"How long does this take?" I whisper to Quinton who is typing furiously on his tablet.

"Depends."

"On what?"

"How quickly they can reach an agreement."

"How long does that take?"

He shrugs. "An hour or a week."

"What?" My voice is louder than expected. All eyes are on me. I focus on the last thing I heard. "Twelve point five million Illyrian Cedis is a lot for antiseptics, don't you think?" I laugh. They don't. "Carry on, please."

They sigh and go back to their meeting.

I'm so embarrassed, I lean into my seat and try not to cry.