My first night away from Darren was torture. I tossed and turned,missing his warmth next to me. I was so dependent on him. Every day away from him was going to be hard. I knew that, but I guess I wasn''t fully prepared for the loneliness. I was missing a piece of me, and I couldn''t be whole without him.


    Lyle stayed with me until the early morning hours, trying to keep my mind off Darren. He put on movies and told me stories. But as soon as he left, Darren was all I could think about. How was the battle? Was he resting? Did he get hurt? So many questions, and there was no way to get answers. I had to wait for him to contact me.


    I looked at myself in the mirror as I finished applying my lip gloss. Today, I was going to be crowned queen. I didn''t look like a queen I didn''t feel like a queen. I was just me. I wonder if all leaders felt like this?


    ...


    "This is as good as I get," I said to myself with a shrug, looking at my reflection. I opened the door to my bedroom and there was Lyle, leaning against the door frame. "You could havee in." Iughed.


    "I didn''t know if ... you needed time to yourself. How are y doing?"


    "I''m doing okay."


    "I''m going crazy." Lyleughed, running his hand through his hair. "I just need to know he''s okay."


    "He is," I answered confidently. I could see the confusion in his eyes. "I know he''s alive. I don''t know if he''s hurt or anything, but I can still feel him."


    "What do you mean?"


    I looked at Lyle and shrugged. "I guess because he''s my mate? I can feel his energy inside of me. His aura is connected with mine, but it''s almost like it is mine, only it isn''t. It''s identical, but I know which one is his. Part of him connects to me. Maybe it''s a fated mate thing?"


    "It isn''t." Milo''s loud footsteps came toward me, and I snapped my head to look at him. "Why didn''t you both tell me this?"


    The way he was staring me down made me feel anxious. Was this a bad thing? "I didn''t know it wasn''t normal."


    "It''s special." Milo smiled as he stared into my eyes. "You say his aura mirrors your own?" I nodded. Lyle tilted his head to the side.


    "Are they soulmates?" Lyle asked as Milo let out a chuckle.


    "No, they are so much more than soulmates. A soulmate is someone you''repatible with. Soulmates are a very natur... rtionship, where both partners are supportive and nurturing of each other. You can even have more than one soulmate throughout your life. You have a deep, meaningful connection Chapter 81


    and are connected, but you both choose how you grow. Your feelings are more your own and don''t always align together, but someone whose aura mirrors their own is something else entirely. Allissa, this is something I have only ever read about." I have never seen Milo talk this animated before, so this had to be a big deal.


    "Dad, the dramatics, please stop. We could use some answers." Lyle chuckled and I couldn''t agree more.


    "I think you and Darren are twin mes. They are the other half of your soul, a reflection of yourself. There can only ever be one twin me. It is more intense. They are called ''eternal lovers'', a rtionship created by the gods. Your desires mirror the other. You grow together and need together. You share an eternal and unbreakable bond. A twin me is considered your spiritual partner. It''s more than romantic love. It''s also spiritual, emotional, and physical. It''s the most intense rtionship, but it is said they are the most powerful. It''s often a rtionship that you have shared a past life with. Your souls are reincarnated around the same time and meant to find each other again. A soulmate rtionship is usually smoother, because a twin me rtionship is very intense. It can challenge you both. You will push each other to grow and are each other''s deepest fear. But you and Darren might be twin mes that are soulmates. The two can ovep. I''m sure other species, like fairies, will know more about your rtionship. I only know what I read about in books, but given how your rtionship ignited with Darren, it makes sense."


    I stood there quietly as I took in everything Milo said. It didn''t hold any meaning for me. Honestly, I didn''t care what we


    "Lyle, you are going to have to help Allissa. She still has a lot to learn, and-"


    "I do have things to learn, but I''ve been studying and watching. I know more than you think about our kingdom." I interrupted Milo with a smile. I made sure I paid attention, and while I didn''tt know everything, I knew a great deal more than he thought. "My bond with Darren is simply my bond with Darren. No matter how it is categorized, it won''t change anything."


    "More power and blessings-"


    I cut off Milo. "And things we don''t know about. Honestly, whatever it is... it is. You could tell me that being with Darren is a curse and will destroy the world, and it wouldn''t change anything for me." I shrugged. "So to me, it doesn''t really matter. It is fascinating to think about, but it isn''t my focus at the moment. It will be something fun for Darren and I to talk aboutter, once he''s home. Now-" I turned and looked at Lyle. "Is the investigation underway?"


    He shed me a bright white, toothy smile. "I have undercover spies as servants who are recording everything in secret. They''re also digging through their letters and searching for information. I doubt they left obvious clues, but there has to be a trail somewhere. I also put a special task force together and they''re searching for their meeting ce. If this can be found, I bet the


    information is archived there."


    "Good work, Lyle."


    He let out a tiny, squealing noise that I''d never heard him make before. "She sounds so much like a queen already."


    "Lyle, don''t be weird." Iughed, looking back at Milo. "Remember to keep the brainwashing in mind if you decide to visit Winifred. If you can''t, it might be best to avoid visiting her. It isn''t like you''re talking to her anyway. I know you just want to be close to her, but it isn''t supportive for her. It''s painful. You won''t speak to her or look at her. I know you mean well, but that is hardly helpful. If anything, it''s cruel. At least wait for answers. Hopefully, we will see some sort of evidence soon. At least enough to let us know if this is a waste of time or if we are onto something."


    "I won''t be going to visit her right now. Today is about focusing on our new queen. We will start the ceremony this evening and then you''ll be crowned when the moon hits the altar. The start of the new era will be with your family. You, Darren, and your growing family are the future." Milo had a sad smile on his face. I was sure this moment was also a painful reminder of his own reign, not to mention his fractured family. This was the start of his healing journey. One, I was hoping we could bring healthy


    closure to.


    "How about pancakes?" Lyle asked, swinging his arm aroun、 ny shoulder.


    "Pancakes, sound perfect."


    Darren, today is it. I''ll be your queen, so you can''t change your mind now. Not that you ever had that choice. I don''t know what I hope for more, to find out if your mother has been brainwashed or not. For your family, it would be best if she was, but for the kingdom, it could be the start of a battle within. Dare, we might both end up fighting. You''ll be at war out there and I''ll be at war within the walls. But together, we will make this kingdom a better ce. A better future and home for our children. I love you.