Chapter 15: Best Laid Plans

Amber was determined to have the best preparation she could before going to confront Ember and anyone else who was on her side. She had a feeling she was going to need as much help as she could get, so she pulled in Desmond, Cedric, Sofia, James, and her parents to help her devise a proper plan for dealing with the Exchancia situation. Anxiety gnawed at her, especially when she thought about the upcoming confrontation and its outcome. What if something happened to her or Desmond, or worse, both of them? What would become of their children? They came first, always. Handling Ember was necessary, but the thought of leaving her children without their parents weighed heavily on her heart.

"I spoke with Malango the Magnanimous from the Conjuror's Board," Cedric informed the group as they were gathered in Amber's office around her large table. "He gave me some insight into the details with the twins. Their names are Queen Ember and Prince Jaime of Exchancia. Unlike you two," he added, gesturing toward the siblings, "they were approached by some strange warlock who offered them the opportunity to dabble in dark magic. Except, instead of dabbling, they were consumed by it, and now both of them—especially Queen Ember—are obsessed with it. Rumor has it that Jaime has even killed people on Ember's behalf, making them unpredictable and dangerous."

Amber's eyes darkened with concern as she absorbed Cedric's words. The weight of the situation seemed even heavier now.

"That's comforting," James half-joked, though there was a mildly nervous edge to his voice. He reached over to grab Amber's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry, sis. If they're anything like us, we'll figure out a way to talk some sense into them."

Amber sighed, though she squeezed her brother's hand a bit, grounding herself in the knowledge that he was there, being his usual optimistic self. "I'm not sure 'talking sense into them' is going to be so easy, James, but thank you for your positive thoughts…" She smiled gently at him, appreciating the returned gesture, before glancing up at the others. "For the protection of Enchancia, I think it's best if we tackle things head on. Cedric, Sofia…" She looked at the couple, who gave her their full attention. "I know you guys have done stuff like this before. You have the experience, magic, and knowledge of dark magic, so I wouldn't dream of handling this without you."

"We're with you, Amber," Sofia assured her, nodding. There was a quiet determination in her voice that Amber found comforting. It was a reminder that she wasn't alone in this fight.

"James." She looked at her twin, her expression serious. "You've got the knightly expertise, so defense is going to be your strong suit."

"Plus I wouldn't let you go without me," he murmured gently to where only she could hear, causing her to smile calmly.

Amber leaned closer to him, lowering her voice. "I'm glad you're here with me, James. I don't think I could do this without you."

He smiled, his eyes softening. "You're stronger than you think, Amber. But you don't have to do this alone. We're all here for you."

She gave his hand one more gentle squeeze before returning her attention to everyone else. "Desmond and I will go together. We have diplomatic experience, so maybe if all else fails, we can use some sort of reasoning and persuasion to talk to at least one of the twins—maybe Jaime? If one can convince the other to cave, then maybe it'll be worth it. Either way, I have to be there. This is my counterpart who's after us, me especially, so I can't not go…" She laughed wryly. "After all, it's me, right? Maybe if I am very careful, I can try to talk some sense into her… Or me… Or whatever…"

"And we will stay behind and take over for you," Roland volunteered, grabbing Miranda's hand. "And we will help look after the children. Maybe having some positive magic and influence will talk some sense into her."

Miranda nodded, her expression gentle but firm. "We'll do everything we can to keep them safe and secure while you're away. You focus on what needs to be done, Amber. We'll take care of the rest."

Amber sighed. "I'm not sure how easy this whole thing is going to be, but we're definitely going to try…"

"You've always had a way of bringing out the best in people, Amber," Roland said softly. "Don't underestimate the power of your own influence. You might be surprised at what you can accomplish."

Her smile returned, and a sense of comfort washed over her. "Thanks, Daddy…"

For a few more hours, the group continued planning how they would handle the upcoming journey and event. They discussed strategies, contingencies, and fallback plans, trying to anticipate every possible scenario. The overall consensus was to begin the conquest in a few days, after they had all the safety and proper protocols in place.

As the meeting drew to a close, everyone stood to leave, but Amber remained seated, her thoughts still swirling. She watched as her family and friends began to file out of the room, their expressions a mix of determination and concern.

While everyone else left the room, Amber grabbed Sofia's hand, stopping her in her tracks. "Can I talk to you privately in a little bit? Maybe about half an hour?"

Noticing the distress on the queen's face, Sofia nodded, squeezing her hand. "Sure. Your room?" Seeing her nod, she smiled. "Okay."

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Sisterly Advice