Royal Heiress by Ruth Ann Nordin Page B

said.
“We will leave at once.”
    “Thank you,” Zeus replied. “You have been
faithful guardians of our technology.”
    Gaius, Octavia, and Julius nodded their
welcome and returned to their spaceship, ready for their next plan
of action.
     

Chapter Eleven
     
    Thousands of years in the past
    Atlantis
     
    By the time they arrived at the hallway at
the top of the arc, Amanda was exhausted. She was in great shape,
but the climb up all those flights of stairs was rough on everyone.
Everyone, that is, except for Pallid, who wasn’t even out of breath
like she was.
    “Aren’t you tired?” she panted, wiping the
sweat from her forehead.
    “No,” he replied. “Then again, I have the
Stone of Immortality. It does more than keep you immortal.”
    “Oh, right.” She saw a couple of chairs in
the library down the hall. She couldn’t believe she and Katherine
were in there two hours ago. “Can we sit down for a few minutes? I
need to rest.”
    “All I need to do is check the location of a
certain person. You can sit there until I come for you. I’ll only
be five minutes.”
    She frowned. “But I don’t know anyone in
there.”
    “You can look out the window and check out
the city. It is bustling with so much activity you won’t be
bored.”
    “No. That’s not what I meant.” She lowered
her voice in case any of the people passing by might overhear her,
“I can’t go in there without you. People will think I’m weird if I
don’t have someone to talk to. Friendless people are the saddest
ones around.”
    He shook his head in disbelief. “You’re
worried about what other people are going to think about you?”
    “Of course. Doesn’t everyone worry about how
others perceive them?”
    “I don’t.”
    Heat rose to her cheeks. “Fine. I’m not you,
and you’re not me. Still, I don’t want to feel awkward in
there.”
    “I think some awkwardness would do you
good.”
    She narrowed her eyes at him. “What do you
mean by that?”
    “I’ve been watching the way you treat other
people in this city, and you seem to think they’re here to serve
you. It’s time you started to look past your own nose.”
    “I think of others all the time. I’m the
queen of an entire planet.”
    “Impressive title, isn’t it? I wonder what
you would do without it.”
    She clenched her jaw, not liking where this
conversation was going. He didn’t even know her. How could he
assume such horrible things about her? She couldn’t believe her
parents spoke so well of him.
    “I am going to check on someone,” he finally
stated. “You will sit and rest. I promise you, it won’t kill you to
be by yourself in a crowded room.” Without another word, he
left.
    She reluctantly went to the library, acutely
aware that she was the only one there who didn’t have anyone to
talk to. It was the loneliest feeling she’d ever experienced. On
Raz, she was the center of attention. If she wasn’t laughing with
her friends, she was surrounded by men who wanted to marry her. She
missed her world. She sat down by the window and stared out of it,
trying not to appear as pathetic as she felt. She noticed that the
people walking around, going about their business in the city, were
with someone else. They seemed so carefree. She couldn’t wait to
get back to Raz.
    “Excuse me,” someone interrupted her
thoughts.
    She glanced up in surprise. Before her stood
an attractive man. She smiled, relieved that she could attract
people on this world after all. “Hi,” she greeted, turning on her
full charm.
    “Would you please move over a little bit?” he
requested. “I want to see if the book I’m looking for is right
behind you.”
    Startled, she quickly moved aside.
    “There it is!” He grinned. “I’ve been waiting
for this book for weeks now. Thanks!”
    She couldn’t say anything as he walked out of
the room. She forced back the tears that welled in her eyes. It was
so embarrassing. She’d never felt so humiliated in her