CHAPTER 62

"All right, I'll get to it. If that's all there is to it, I'll leave."

"I'll see you when you return," the queen said as she bid him farewell.

He walked out of the salon and into his room to get ready.

After about thirty minutes, the young prince entered his room and followed him to the car. They'd met but hadn't really talked much.

"You appear tense, Dylan. Is there a problem?"

"Not at all. Strangely, we're all here together."

"It is, indeed. How about we catch up while we're on our way to our destination?"

"Of course, let's do it. You get to go first."

“Okay. As you are aware, my name is Neil, I am twenty-one years old, and I am in my final year of university......."

He began to pay attention as Neil began to tell his story; he wasn't like the other guys he'd met out there. For a while, he was both friendly and feminine, which bothered him. Neil and his sister were both gay, based on his observations. What was the problem with this family?

Neil, on the other hand, was not in love with him, as Nia was with Violet. They exchanged stories and got to know each other well on the way. They had become friends by the time they arrived at the orphanage. Life was simpler when people communicated instead of assuming and judging a book by its cover.

Coming to the orphanage with Neil was well worth it; they met a lot of kids and had a lot of fun in the process.

Even though they were not there for any important matters, they were able to listen to what the orphanage required so that they could bring it the next time. Their visit was only a social call, so they returned to the palace after leaving the orphanage.

It had been years, and something like this had never happened to her before. When she received the rose, she was in Tawland after taking Leah to the Garbera's. That one rose was enough to send chills down her spine.

She studied under Qontessah for five years and witnessed many things, some of which were terrifying enough to give her nightmares at first. She learned about the rose's secret from her mentor.

She had three favorite roses, which she ranked in order of preference. She preferred black, blue, and red roses in that order.

If you received a red rose, the situation was straightforward. A blue one indicated that the problem was average, whereas a black one indicated that it was terrifying and critical. She was in her room when the black rose appeared in front of her, and she knew it was time to return and face whatever Qontessah had to say.

As a result, she rushed out of Tawland with Terry and another bodyguard she had taken from Qontessah's island. She didn't want anyone who wasn't familiar with Qontessah to be with her right now.

She was now seated at a table of twelve sisters, some of whom were like her and others who were not. She was in the top eight, or the oldest eight, of the twelve. They all waited for Qontessah to enter the hall and take her proper seat. Qontessah, on the other hand, liked three colors, just like her roses, though her favorite was black.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice, but I have an urgent matter to discuss with you, my children," Qontessah explained.

"Please go ahead," said another sister.

"I need each of you to find three people in a week and bring them here. Don't worry, they're not meant for rituals. The island is deserted and must be filled. Consider this another test; bring me any children you see who are worthy and will not be missed."

"We'll do it," said another sister.

Violet finally spoke up, saying, "I think I know where I can get those."

"All right, that's settled. While we're at it, I made some gifts for you," Qontessah said, tapping her hands.

A very familiar face appeared a few moments later. How is it possible to be both handsome and sexy at the same time? Of course, Dylan was hot, but this guy was out of this world. She still remembered the first time she saw him when she was young.

He was shirtless, exposing all his muscles and abs, as well as a few scars. Whatever happened to him was serious, but everyone on the island knew he was out of bounds. This one man was Qontessah's shadow; wherever Qontessah went, he was there as well.

He washed his personal bodyguard and lover, a progression that occurred a few years ago. She had always wondered how he managed to keep himself under control if he couldn't confess his feelings for so many centuries and still stayed by her side.

Xander and the guys entered the room and placed the bottles in front of everyone.

"Don't worry, it's not poison! It's a small project I've been working on for a while. It will assist you in increasing your strength."

"How long will it take?"

"Give them one week and see if they're willing if that's possible."

"I'll tell my boys to get to work on it."

"Thank you very much, Martin."

"I'm simply doing my job, Violet."

"I always forget to ask you a question. You're thirty-six years old already. Have you found yourself a lady yet?"

"Ah, no, not yet."

“Why? You are a hardworking man with a good reputation and a lot of money. What woman wouldn't want a man like you?"

"I just don't believe I'm deserving of it."

“Why? Because of what happened a long time ago? I've moved on, and so should you. Martin, I forgive you; please begin living your life now."

"However, I..."

"I never back down from a promise, and you know that. So, go out and live your life."

They all lifted the bottles and drank the contents all at once. On the island, there was one unspoken rule. Always follow Qontessah's orders.