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The Stolen Queen: Chapter 6
(Courtesy of Sophia Squire)
Editor’s Note
This is the seventh part of a story written by Sophia Squire, an eighth grade home-school student who lives in St. Ansgar.
Read the previous parts here: Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5
Chapter 7 will be published in June.
Are you a young writer like Sophia? Submit your original story to kids@thegazette.com — we would love to read and share your work.
When I was little, Grandma told Naomi and me fairy tales about our family.
She told us we were descended from great kings who had beautiful palaces and as much food as they could want. Our moms told Grandma to stop filling our heads with fantasies.
Our aunt, who only visited in darkness, often sang to us in bed before she left, if I happened to sleep over — which was usually the case. We asked her where she lived and why we couldn't visit her. She said that perhaps, in the future, we might be able to come to her place.
Now, as the person in the corner dragged herself into the light, I realized that Grandma's stories were all true. Whenever our aunt had visited, we had been in the presence of a queen.
“He’s right … you won’t find an exit.” I could barely read her lips in the dim light.
“I still like to think, for every entrance there is an exit,” I shot. “Tell me, why couldn’t we ever visit you?”
She looked up at me with wide eyes. I saw her sharp jawline, her black curls and knew that it was her.
“Were you the one that called me?”
She nodded slowly. “It couldn’t have been your cousin. She is distracted far too easily.”
I snorted. “Well, your plan has been ruined. Now I’m trapped, you're trapped, and there’s no one to save your little city.”
“Rivergaoud is the largest city in all of the underground kingdom,” she said, a touch defensively.
“Whatever. Can we get out of here or not?”
“Are you mad at me because I lied?”
I didn’t respond. I’d found a sliver of light coming through the wall. I ran to the corner from whence it came and found a finger sized hole. I forced as much water in as I dared, trying to break through.
Half of the wall crumbled against the water and sunlight flooded the room. The room we were in shook and parts of the ceiling fell. Mira shielded her face from the light when a piece of falling stone broke her chains.
“Coming?” I asked. Then I stepped into the light.
You decide: What happens next?
1. Liliana and Mira work together to find the queen2. Liliana and Mira go back to the beach to get NaomiVote by emailing kids@thegazette.com or in the form here:
