My stomach drops, I’m sitting on my bed, 5 hours before I become queen, sitting in sweats, my hair in knots, and looking as if I’m about to throw up. Someone knocks and opens the door slowly, Opal’s head pokes in, “Novus, you need to get ready for the crowning.”

“I know, I know it’s just, I feel sick. I think it’s nerves, you know? So many people watching me, what if I mess up? What if something goes wrong?”

She dodges water bottles and cups and sits next to me, “You’re worried about something more than that, aren't you.”

The stress overflows like a Dandelion finally flying free, “Yes Opal! I said Yana’s name! She either has full power or she at least knows I said her name! We weren’t supposed to let anyone know I said it and I’m pretty sure Raisa told everyone even if she promised not to!”

“Novus that was your fault. We don’t even know if that is a true part of the prophecy.”

She wasn’t helping me,“Yes? You’re point? I still feel like I’m dying inside! What if she kills everyone? What if she kills me, during the Crowning!?”

Opal’s hand touches mine, I flinch, she draws back, “Novus calm down, think about your breathing. You have us, our job is to protect you and that’s what we will do.”

“Don’t waste your life for me.”

She touches my cheek, “I would give my life for you at any moment, you are more important than anyone.” Guilt.

“Opal, don’t do this.”

“Novus-” She draws closer, I draw back,

“Opal you don’t understand do you? My Soulmate betrayed me intentionally or not it still hurts, Rave wouldn’t leave me be treating me like a child! I needed a break from relationships. I need to take a step back and realize what my life truly is and what my potential is!”

Silence, and then a sound, “You broke up with Rave?”

I nod, “Just now.” Opal sits next to me, her tail curls around my waist.

“Are you okay?” I wasn’t,

“I told him, I was tired, I was stressed, and I needed a break. That I still loved him, but not lasting. He understood, I think? I have felt this way ever since I met Yana.”

Opal’s head tilted, “Yana?”

I finally perk up, hearing her name from someone else, but then I draw back was it normal to feel this way? “Oh, Yanamarie. It’s like a nickname, cute, easy to say.” I become lost in my thoughts, Opal face turns dark,

“Novus, she’s an Unspoken. She’s not cute, she’s evil.”

“I..I think she’s cute.”

She starts laughing, “Novus do you hear yourself right now? Have you fallen in love with an Unspoken?”

“Lov...Love? No..no! That’s ridiculous! Like you said, she’s the enemy and that’s the reason I’m being crowned. To gain the powers of a Watcher of Time and defeat her.”

Opal sighs, she touches my cheek, “Novus, a woman like that, is incapable of love. She is not worth your time,” Opal’s tail smacks my face as she stands, “Just focus on getting ready, I’ll send servants in to help you with hair and the dress.” Opal shuts the door gently, leaving me alone once again. Did I love Yana? I’ve only seen her twice, that’s such a superficial relationship. I’ve never truly seen what she looks like and everytime I see her she tries to kill me so I don’t know about her personality. Why do I feel like I’ve known her for thousands of years? Thoughts bubble inside me, I think I spent 30 minutes dislocating, then the servants came. They corset my waist to death, but I couldn’t tell. Everything seemed so distant, it felt as if it was slow motion. They talked and gossiped while fixing my hair, it was so loud,

“You’re so beautiful my lady.” They turned me towards the mirror, was I beautiful? All I could see was an empty shell. The servants exit, only for Raisa to bust in and Xeno slink behind her.

“Novus!” Raisa gasps for air, “Liam..Liam is trying to steal your power!”

“What?”

“I saw him! He’s outside!” Liam, I banished him. She’s lying, “Novus please postpone the Crowning!”

“You’re lying.”

“What? Why..Why would I lie about that?”

“I banished Liam, he's not here! I know this! He’s not here he can’t be here! He can’t be! He can’t be!”

“Novus, that blue dress doesn’t match your shoes,” What..? Xeno smirks, “Your hair is a mess who did it a blind pig?” What is he saying? “I don’t even understand why Opal would try to make a dress just for you, you’re so picky it was probably a nightmare,” Stop it, “Maybe there’s a reason why Liam left you,” Stop! “It’s probably because you’re just a child.”

“STOP IT!” my eyes open, and they were gone. Everything was gone, “where am I?”

“We’re going to crash her crowning and you’re going to become the Watcher of Time.” voices again, its Yana.

“I can’t see my Soulmate because of you!” Liam?

“And what better way is there than to make his desire come out? Especially with a desire like his.” Who?

“I don’t want to hurt her!” Liam and Yana appear in front of me,

“I’m sorry.” Yana blows a dark cluster into Liam’s face. He gasped in pain, clutching his head. I call out his name, but nothing comes out. Yana slinks back looking distraught, I try to run towards them, but thorns grab my hands clumping them into fists. Blue blood drips down, slowly becoming a puddle that begins to pull me deeper down. Suddenly, the world changes. I bolt up, shivering and shaking wouldn’t stop. Xeno and Raisa sit beside me. Raisa looked at me with great concern, while Xeno starred in amusement, his lips curl,

“Well? What did you see?”

I glare at him, “How did you know?”

He tilts his bed,“Hm?”

“How did you know that stress triggers my visions.”

“I know a lot about you. For example stress triggers a lot of things for you.” Xeno smiles amused,

The stress gets to me, “So, do you really think I look bad?”

“Novus, you look literally fine. The highlight is popping.” I laugh slightly, Raisa growls and moves Xeno aside,

“We have more pressing matters than her makeup! Do you believe me now?”

I nod my head, “Yes.”

“We have to cancel the Crowning.”

“No,” I stand up clutching the side of my bed looking towards the door, “this is the perfect opportunity to save him.

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll be bait. We’ll hold the crowing. If he attacks me, have Amelia summon a Crystal Barrier around the throne and myself. We don’t know what powers the crown and my necklace have when together, or when it’s disrupted from claiming a host.”

“So be prepared.” I nod,

“Be ready for anything, we may have to fight Yanamarie.”