THE TIDES OF POWER: AN ONGOING SIMLIT (On hiatus until August 7th)
A kingdom ruled by a deadly siren. A court overrun with enemies. If Melody wants to keep her throne, she'll have to rely on the one human who doesn’t die at the sound of her singing.
The Tides of Power is an action fantasy love story following the new Queen of Simsland as she struggles alongside her human confidant, Diego Suárez, to keep her throne from gangs, vampires and witches vying for her position, as well as from her niece, the late King's eldest daughter, who is supposed to be dead.
Warnings: contains violence, death and mild sexual themes.
Updates are every Saturday on Tumblr (photo-narrative until Chapter 15, then traditional prose with screenshots) and Friday on WordPress (traditional prose with screenshots).
To read the prologue, click here (Tumblr) | here (WP).
To view the chapter index, click here.
To view the character bios, click here.
To view the out-of-story skits with the siren Queen Melody and her human confidant, Diego, click here.
FRIENDS OF FOES: A COMPLETED SIMLIT
If you’re looking for a simLit full of action, humour, and an enemies-to-lovers central storyline, you’ve come to the right place.
Friends of Foes is an epic love story between the new king of Simsland and the son of a hitman who was involved in the murder of the king’s parents.
To read the synopsis and content warnings, click here.
To read the first chapter, click here.
As expected, life for Gabriela and Valerio changed drastically after they returned home from the hospital.
With all the new responsibilities, Gabriela slowly found herself in a much better place mentally. She finally felt needed. There wasn't much time left to overthink anymore. Her fears were still there, but they no longer took over her days.
She still had the occasional moment when she'd watch Nova with the twins and wonder what life would've been like if her own mother had been there too, or if her father hadn't turned his back on her and had been able to meet his grandsons.
After a short break, Valerio had to go back to work. But the moment he got home, he jumped straight into dad mode. Whether it was changing diapers, feeding the boys, or taking over during the night, he did everything he could to give both Nova and Gabriela a chance to rest.
As for the twins themselves, Holden turned out to be the calmer one, giving everyone a bit of a break. Hayden, on the other hand, seemed determined to have all the attention and wasn't shy about letting everyone know whenever he wanted it.
Life slowly settled into a new routine for the family. Most days revolved around feeding the twins, changing diapers, and catching a little sleep whenever possible. Even Bandit joined in, always hanging around the boys, making sure they are guarded.
It was exhausting, but everyone was loving this new chapter of their lives.
After several false alarms with practice contractions, Gabriela's water finally broke, right in the middle of dinner with Valerio and Nova.
The first contractions were still manageable, but as time went on the pain gradually became harder to handle.
At some point, it brought back every fear Gabriela had been trying so hard to push aside throughout the pregnancy. If it hadn't been for Valerio, she probably would've fallen into full panic mode.
Valerio, on the other hand, looked as calm and confident as ever. On the inside, though, he was panicking just as much. He simply refused to let it show. Right now, Gabriela needed him to be her rock, and that was exactly what he was going to be.
Once the pain medication kicked in, things got a little easier. It gave Gabriela a chance to catch her breath, eat something, and gather enough strength before the final push.
And finally, after hours of waiting, Gabriela gave birth to two healthy baby boys, 🩵Hayden and Holden🩵, dividing their lives into before... and after.
After stopping by Willow Creek for a brief visit to see her family for Winterfest, Lana finally had some time off from work, which also gave her a chance to see Kyle.
The two of them were still... a "thing". What kind of thing exactly, Lana wasn't sure. She felt good around him. Comfortable. Easy. That was exactly how she wanted it to stay. But did Kyle want the same? Honestly, she had never really thought about it. If he kept coming back, then this arrangement was fine with him too... right?
Whenever they were together, things usually unfolded the same way. After another passionate woohoo, sometimes not even just one, Kyle would cook one of his signature meals for her. They'd chat about life, or more often about whatever was currently bothering Lana, spend a little more time together, and eventually she'd leave and go back to her own life until the next time they met.
This visit didn't seem any different. At least... not for Lana. Kyle, however, had something else in mind.
"Oh my God, I could never get enough of your cooking, Kyle. This is absolutely amazing." Lana praised the meal as she happily kept helping herself.
"At least once in a while you get to eat a proper meal. Those damn shakes you practically live on aren't healthy meals, Lana." Kyle shook his head, watching her with amusement.
He hesitated for a second. "You know... I could keep your diet balanced and cook for you whenever you wanted..."
He glanced at her. "...if we moved in together at some point."
"Yeah..." Lana laughed. "You're funny."
She looked back at him. "For that, you'd have to quit your five-star restaurant job and move to Del Sol Valley. Besides, I'm barely ever home anyway, so there'd be no point in you turning your whole life upside down for me."
She laughed again, turning the whole conversation into a joke.
Kyle smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.
"So... how much time do we have before work drags you back?" he asked after a brief silence.
"About a week, I think. Delilah booked me a few auditions after the whole holiday season."
"Perfect." Kyle stood up. "Finish eating. We have a plane to catch."
Lana stopped chewing. "Wait... what?" She blinked. "A plane? Where?"
"I booked us a short vacation in Mt. Komorebi." He walked out of the bedroom carrying his suitcase. "Looks like I got lucky you never unpacked."
He picked up her luggage as well. "And before you say anything..."
He looked at her with a grin. "I already bought all the winter clothes and gear you'll need, so I'm not accepting no as an answer."
Lana tried arguing, but every excuse she came up with, Kyle already had an answer for.
A few hours later, they landed in Mt. Komorebi.
By the time they'd settled into their rental and unpacked, the weather had taken a turn for the worse. A heavy snowstorm rolled in, forcing them to stay indoors. Neither of them minded though.
Kyle had booked a beautiful place with its own private onsen and a small spa area, and they happily took full advantage of it.
Later that evening, Kyle cooked again, determined as ever to make sure Lana actually ate something nutritious.
Cooking wasn't exactly Lana's strong suit, so she mostly kept him company. They laughed, shared a bottle of wine, danced around the kitchen while dinner bubbled away on the stove, and everything felt... easy.
When the conversation once again drifted into more serious territory, Lana, as usual, brushed it off with another joke. She didn't even notice Kyle's mood shift and by the time the wine had fully kicked in, Lana had simply fallen asleep in his arms.
The next day, the weather wasn't much better. It definitely wasn't good enough for skiing or snowboarding, but by the evening the snowstorm had eased just enough for them to head outside and explore. The streets were still beautifully decorated for Winterfest, making the whole town feel cozy despite the freezing cold.
When the weather turned again, they ducked into the first bar they came across. It was packed, with karaoke night already in full swing. Lana and Kyle had signed up for the duet competition and ended up taking first place.
The evening passed effortlessly. Lana felt her anxiety and worries slowly fade into the background. Until...
Kyle, slightly tipsy and riding the excitement of the evening, grabbed the microphone one last time.
"Uhh... hi again, everyone... Yeah... it's me again. The annoying guy who stole your spotlight today." Crowd laughter echoed through the bar. "Anyway, I promise this is my last song tonight."
Someone whistled from the back.
"I want to dedicate this one to the gorgeous woman who's here with me tonight." Kyle looked straight at Lana. "She walked into my life completely unannounced... twice... and somewhere in a proccess, I got...attached to her, I guess." A soft smile spread across his face. "Lana... this one's for you."
The music started. The crowd cheered. Lana stood frozen. The gesture was beautiful. The song was beautiful. She genuinely loved every second of it. But...
The only thing growing inside her was anger. Anger at everything that had happened over the last few days. Anger at Kyle. Anger at herself. Anger at the feelings they'd both promised would never exist.
When the song ended, Kyle stepped off the stage and gently kissed her in front of the cheering crowd, completing what was supposed to be a romantic gesture. But for Lana, it was the final straw.
The moment they sat back down at their table, her expression said everything.
"What was that, Kyle?" she blurted out, struggling to keep her temper under control.
"What got into you?" Kyle asked calmly. "It was just a song, Lana. A simple gesture to show you I care. You didn't like it?"
"I did." She took a shaky breath. "But that's not what I'm talking about."
"You liked it." Kyle smiled gently and reached for her hand. "Then let's leave it at that, okay?"
Lana pulled her hand away. "No, Kyle. We are not leaving it at that."
She pointed between the two of them. "We agreed. This..." She paused. "...was never supposed to become more than occasional fun."
"And it wasn't, Lana." Irritation crept into Kyle's voice. "But I can't pretend I don't care about you. Is that really such a problem?"
"Yes!" She answered almost immediately. "That is exactly the problem. You're making something complicated that was never supposed to be complicated. This vacation... all these gestures... the song..." She struggled to find the words.
"It's not what..." Her voice caught in her throat.
"It's only a problem because you keep making it one." Kyle sighed.
"You're terrified of letting anyone get close because you've been hurt before. You've been betrayed. I know." He paused. "But guess what? You're not the only person whose life has been completely messed up."
He looked at her for a moment. "The difference is that I learned to live with mine." Another silence. "And you're still living in yours."
Lana's expression shifted from anger...to confusion... to complete emotional breakdown, she tried to keep inside.
"You're just a scared little girl who's pushing away everyone who cares about her." He looked away for a moment before continuing more quietly. "For what? To make everyone else hurt the way you did?" Another pause. "Or are you simply terrified of getting burned again?"
He watched tears finally begin rolling down her cheeks.
"I don't want to hurt you, Lana." His voice softened. "But you need to figure this out yourself first..." He picked up his jacket. "...before it's too late."
Kyle walked out of the bar, leaving Lana sitting there alone... Completely lost.
When Lana finally came to her senses and walked outside, Kyle was nowhere to be seen. She tried calling him. Voicemail.
She didn't know what else to do but head back to the rental, hoping he'd already returned, especially now that the weather had taken another turn for the worse.
He wasn't there either.
After crying herself to sleep, Lana eventually managed to get some rest, although it was anything but peaceful. She kept waking up from strange, vivid dreams. She had hoped Kyle would be back by the time she woke up. He wasn't. It started worrying her.
Her thoughts were all over the place. She worried whether he was physically alright, whether something had happened to him out in the storm. At the same time, she couldn't stop thinking about their argument from the previous evening. She was angry with herself for being so indecisive. And strangely enough... She wasn't angry at Kyle. She was angry at Conrad.
Why was she still thinking about him? Why did he still have such a strong grip on her? Why couldn't she simply move on and enjoy her life?
She took her morning coffee outside. The weather had finally calmed down, and the cold mountain air helped clear her mind a little.
By the time she stepped out of the shower, Kyle had returned to the rental.
Before Lana even had the chance to speak, he gently stopped her. "Just... give me a few minutes, okay?"
He stood there holding a beautiful bouquet of her favorite red roses.
"Listen... I'm sorry about yesterday. I said a lot of things I didn't really mean." He took a slow breath. "Yes, I care about you, Lana. I really do. But because I care about you, I don't want to push you into something you're not ready for." He looked into her eyes.
"I like what we have. I like being around you. If this easy, no-strings-attached relationship is what you want to keep, then so be it. I don't want you to change for me. If you ever change..."
He smiled lightly. "...I only want it to happen because you wanted it. Because you're ready." He lowered his gaze. "I'm sorry."
Another short silence followed. "And you don't have to say anything to this either. Let's just enjoy the rest of the vacation... and each other's company while we still have the time."
Lana opened her mouth to respond but stopped herself. Instead, she simply smiled.
"Thank you, Kyle... I..." She looked down for a moment.
"I'm sorry too." Another pause. "I promise I'll figure it out..."
She gave him a weak smile. "...someday."
"Someday works for me." Kyle gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
The rest of their vacation flew by in the familiar rhythm they knew so well. They enjoyed each other's company, explored everything Mt. Komorebi had to offer, and left the difficult conversations behind. Every now and then, Lana noticed a trace of bitterness in Kyle's smile, but it disappeared almost as quickly as it came.
"I really thought my body would remember all those skiing skills from when I was little, but apparently not," Lana laughed as Kyle brushed the snow off her jacket.
"I mean... it wasn't that bad." He fought hard not to laugh.
"Yes, it was." She looked at him.
"Okay..." He finally gave up. "It was kind of hilarious."
He laughed. "But hey... you did your best."
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she shivered in the evening cold.
"Despite me being completely against this vacation at first..." She smiled. "...I'm actually really grateful you dragged me all the way here. I had an amazing time. Getting my mind off everything turned out to be exactly what I needed."
"And the company wasn't that terrible either, was it?" Kyle teased, already leaning closer.
"No..." She smiled with her voice growing quieter as his lips brushed against hers. "...it wasn't."
Today has been draining, mostly for Ray, it was still hard to wrapped his head around about what happen to his mother and it's going to take a while to healed but at least he knows Krystle is going to be by his side. Even when they were in their bedroom as they listen to sound of the rain, the way she lean again him planting gentle kisses on his shoulder, he wanted this moment to last forever.
She pull him close to her as she let him snugged between her legs. Feeling her fingers playing with the strains of his hair followed by the slight kicking from his son hitting his back that cause him to laugh. And when their eyes met he knew right there and then that she was the one. So when that day comes and he asked her that special question, he hope she said yes to spending the rest of her life with him.
Pervious || Next || Beginning
Time at high school for Archie was passing practically uneventfully.
He quickly realized that most classes bored him to death. Teachers seemed obsessed with the plain basics and grades. Scores mattered more than actual interest or knowledge.
Archie wasn't exactly shy about sharing his opinions, and whenever he pointed out that he didn't think half the things they were teaching would ever be useful to him in the future, teachers would roast him in front of the class for being shallow and then make him stay after school.
Archie, however, wasn't one to simply accept that. If they wanted to call him shallow, he made sure they got the full experience. His pranks started getting a little out of hand, but as far as he was concerned, they had it coming.
The school's social hierarchy wasn't making things any more interesting either.
Getting paired with a famous cheerleader instead of Lucas for a project ended exactly how Archie expected. He ended up doing the entire thing by himself while Daphne was, quote, "busy with cheer practice." Then she had the audacity to complain that he hadn't included her name in the project title.
"What do you mean you excluded me from the project title?" Daphne screamed at him in the middle of the cafeteria.
"It's simple," Archie replied calmly. "The project was done by me alone. You were... God knows where."
"I was at cheer practice before the big game yesterday. If you were less of a loser, you'd know that. It's not like I can be in two places at once."
"Well, that's why this loser finished the project without the school queen and forgot to include her on the list. You set your priorities, I set mine. It's that simple."
He remained completely unbothered, which only seemed to annoy her more.
"And what am I supposed to do now? The project is due today!"
She was still yelling at him as if it would somehow change reality.
"I guess you can keep practicing your cheers. Who knows, maybe you'll cheer the teacher to death and won't have to hand in the project today."
A smirk appeared on his face as he stood up to leave. "Cheers."
"Wait, did you seriously say that to Daphne in front of everyone?" Lucas laughed later when they met at their favorite local diner after school.
"Yeah. I did the project myself. She ditched me. Why should I bother?" Archie shrugged, slurping his drink. "I couldn't care less about their school royalty crap. They can all go to hell for all I care."
"I think we're never getting out of our school weirdo status." Lucas chuckled.
"I like my untouchable school weirdo status," Archie proudly declared. "At least everyone leaves me alone. I have you and Maddy...well... occasionally... when she's not too busy with cheer stuff or trying to be cool, and that's more than enough for me."
He playfully bumped Lucas on the shoulder.
Archie genuinely valued quality connections over the number of people in his life. Spending time with Lucas, who had been by his side since diapers, meant far more to him than being popular or liked by everyone.
He enjoyed their study sessions at Lucas's house, even if his little brother Harun could be a bit of a menace at times. Archie liked him a lot and was low-key a little jealous that Lucas had a younger brother who was fascinated by Archie's sci-fi stories about space.
As midyear exams approached, a new teacher arrived at school. His specialty was physics and astronomy, and Archie later learned that he had also been assigned to lead an after-school Tinker Club.
At first, Archie was skeptical about the invitation to join, but he decided to give it a try. It turned out to be one of the best decisions he'd made all year. He genuinely admired the new teacher, who seemed to know everything there was to know about space. Archie felt like he had found a role model.
With the new teacher's arrival, school became a lot less boring. Archie started looking forward to astronomy classes, and the after-school club was surprisingly fun too. Lucas occasionally joined them, although lately he seemed to be skipping Tinker Club more often with no explanation.
When midyear grades came around, Archie's results were less than impressive. He had scraped by in almost everything except the subjects he genuinely cared about. Astronomy, on the other hand, he aced with the highest grade in class.
The school called Nova and Joe to complain about his performance, but Archie found an ally in his grandfather.
"Grades aren't the most important thing. Knowledge is. I'm getting all the knowledge I believe is valuable to me," Archie said when Nova asked about school.
Joseph smiled at the corner of his mouth. "I mean, he's not wrong. Plus, it's only the first year of high school. He'll get there, honey."
"Exactly. Thanks, grandpa." Archie grinned as he stood up and grabbed his phone. "Gotta answer Karina. Continue the dinner without me."
After Halloween, Karina and Archie had grown a lot closer. Their conversations became more frequent and much deeper. They understood and supported each other as if they'd known one another their entire lives.
Karina often called to vent about her mother, who now had a new baby with her new husband. Lately, it felt like she and her mother fought about absolutely everything, and Archie was usually the one she shared it all to.
"Thanks for listening to all my whining again. I swear, this woman is driving me crazy..." she said after finishing a long monologue about her latest argument with her mother.
"Maybe it would be easier with your dad, here in Willow Creek? Haven't you thought about it?" Archie asked, hoping to ease the situation.
"Ugh... honestly, Arch? I have no idea. My dad's new girlfriend is pregnant too... and my brother is there as well, and you know how Stewart is..." she complained.
"Ah right, your brother." Archie laughed. "I completely forgot about him."
"Yeah. At this point, the easiest solution would probably be living alone, far away from all of them." She paused for a moment. "Would be cool to run away somewhere with you though... and get away from all this family drama for a while."
"Yeah, sounds great, but I think if I ever run away again, it has to be farther than this planet. Maybe the Moon... or another galaxy," he joked.
"Whoa... that's ambitious." She laughed. "In that case, if you ever go to the Moon, take me with you."
A small smile appeared on her face and Archie could feel it through the phone.
"Absolutely. I'd need a never-shutting-up negotiator to distract everyone if we got into trouble and needed a Plan B," he teased.
During those calls, Archie shared his own thoughts and frustrations about life and family too. Talking to Karina felt easy, almost like talking to a sibling. It was strange how someone he'd met less than a year ago already felt like one of the most familiar people in his life.
Life at his grandparents had settled into a comfortable rhythm. Most evenings were spent having dinner with Nova and Joe, walking Vulcan, checking the night sky through his telescope, gaming with Lucas, or getting lost in another sci-fi book. Somewhere between all of that, Karina's calls or calls with Lana or Conrad had also become a regular enjoyable part of his days.
With the winter break finally here, Archie would have a lot more time for the things he actually enjoyed. Karina was also coming to visit her dad in Willow Creek, so they'd finally get to see each other again and hang out, which, to Archie's surprise, he was actually looking forward to.
After the museum they went to the nearest bar to unwind. They were grateful to have each other in their lives and after a deep conversation. Both Chelsey and Kiera agreed to extend their family via science baby once Kiera's finish her spring term.
Pervious || Next || Beginning
Valerio woke up early, as always, to walk Bandit and prepare breakfast.
"You know you're going to spoil me, and I could get used to this treatment," Gabriela teased, hugging him from behind as he was fetching something for them.
"That is my real intention," he smiled. "Haven't you thought about it?"
"Will you be spoiling our kids as well with sweet, fresh breakfasts?" she chuckled.
"If they let me, for sure."
"Speaking of kids, have you ever thought about having them?" she asked, trying to keep her curiosity neutral.
"That's a random one." Valerio raised a brow and glanced over his shoulder at her.
He could tell by the look on her face that she was waiting for an answer. "Of course I've thought about it. Considering Lana had Archie so young, I've wondered what my reaction would be if it happened to me."
"And what would your reaction be?" Gabriela pressed.
"If it was with you, I'd have them without a second thought. Here and now," he replied with a smile.
"Perfect answer." She pressed a kiss to his cheek, grabbed the cutlery, and went to set the table.
When breakfast was ready and both of them were about to sit down, Valerio noticed a playful but worried look on Gabriela's face.
"What's on your mind?" he asked. "You're still thinking about the kids topic, aren't you?" He paused. "Actually... why the sudden interest?"
He studied her curiously, and that's when he noticed she was holding something behind her back.
"Gabriela?... What's this all about?" he asked playfully, though his heart skipped a beat.
"There's something I have to show you, and I'm very worried about what it might mean... but your answer today gave me courage..." she began.
"Now I'm worried," he admitted with a nervous laugh as she took his hand and placed a glossy piece of paper into it.
"What's this..."
He looked down, realizing the little picture he was holding was an ultrasound scan.
"Wait... is this?... Are you..."
The words got stuck in his throat as he tried to process the thought.
"Mhm." Gabriela nodded softly. "It's almost eight weeks now."
She watched him as he stood there completely stunned.
"Say something," she pleaded as he continued staring at the picture in his hands.
"I'm not a doctor... but... are those two little beans I see in there?" he asked, his voice still slightly shaky from the surprise.
"You have a good eye," she laughed. "Yes."
"Are those two babies? For real?" he asked again, just to make sure he'd heard correctly.
"That is correct. There are twins. It's too early to know the gender yet, and I refused to find out while you weren't there with me."
She barely finished the sentence before he swept her off her feet and lifted her into the air, finally realizing what had just happened.
"I can't believe this... I'm going to be a father... of two babies at once..."
He kept mumbling as he covered Gabriela's face with kisses.
"You have no idea how happy I am right now. I want to scream to the whole world that I'm the luckiest man alive. Thank you, Gabriela. I love you so much."
He kissed her before dropping to one knee and gently touching her belly.
"Do you feel them moving?"
He carefully placed his hands on her stomach, trying to feel something.
"No, not yet. It's way too early for that." She grinned, shifting slightly from his touch. "Ooh, that tickles."
"I'm sorry, little guys, I tickled your mommy," he chuckled, doing it again before placing a kiss on her belly.
"You two have no idea how loved you already are. Your mommy and I can't wait to meet you."
The Tides of Power is on a hiatus until 7th August
Hi everyone,
I wanted to take a moment to share a quick update.
Lately, life has become incredibly busy, and I’ve found it harder than usual to keep up with writing The Tides of Power. Rather than rushing through chapters and compromising the quality of the story, I’ve decided to take a short hiatus – about two months.
I’m truly sorry for yet another pause, but at the same time, I believe this…
It had been some time since Miguel had confessed to Dorothy that he wished for her to meet his papá. And he had planned to tell him, but the timing was never quite right. Diego had always been too busy, too exhausted, too engrossed in the Queen, to have a proper conversation with him.
But today was different. Today Miguel was determined to get his papá alone, and to speak to him.
The doors to their private quarters slammed shut, and in walked Diego, a sour aura surrounding him. It must have been one of those days. Diego had a lot of those.
A smile broke across his face as his gaze settled on Miguel. ‘How’s your day been?’ he asked.
‘Good,’ Miguel replied, then hesitated before saying, ‘I’ve got something I want to talk to you about.’
‘Sure, just let me fix myself a cup of coffee,’ said Diego, moving into the kitchen. A common routine for him these days.
‘No, papá. Now. It’s important,’ said Miguel, lifting his chin. ‘I want you to meet Dorothy.’
Diego paused beside the coffee machine. ‘I didn’t know you two were getting serious.’
‘I think she’s the one.’
‘Have you two even kissed yet?’
‘No, but we’ve talked, papá. And she’s so interesting. There’re so many pieces to her puzzle that I want to discover.’
Diego sighed. For a moment, Miguel wasn’t sure he was going to respond.
‘Alright,’ he said. ‘If it’s important to you, I’ll meet her.’
Diego found Nilsson strolling the palace gardens. He ignored the sharp breeze that stung his nose, cheeks and ears as he marched up to him with the determination of a soldier ant.
‘I’m going to assume you’ve read the news,’ he said, as soon as he was in speaking-distance of Nilsson.
The Queen’s senior advisor regarded him with an expression that could only be described as peeved. ‘Of course I’ve read the news, Dr Suárez. Perhaps you could be a little more specific.’
‘Great. Then you would know about the human sciences being shut down across all Simsland universities,’ Diego retorted with the same level of annoyance that was in Nilsson’s countenance.
‘I do indeed.’
‘Well? Aren’t you concerned?’ asked Diego, his tone curt. ‘It’s definitely not Her Majesty who ordered this. It’s someone else at this court. Any idea who?’
‘I have my suspicions,’ said Nilsson. His reluctance to say more irked Diego.
‘Care to share?’
‘All you need to know right now, Dr Suárez, is that I will sort this.’
‘As the Queen’s confidant, I think I have the right to know who your primary suspect is,’ said Diego.
‘As the Queen’s senior advisor, I have the right to withhold that kind of information until I am certain who’s responsible,’ snapped Nilsson. ‘Now, will you excuse me, I have some suspects to speak with.’
WINDENBURG PALACE, 2052
Diego found Nilsson strolling the palace gardens. He ignored the sharp breeze that stung his nose, cheeks and ears as he marched up to him with the determination of a soldier ant.
‘I’m going to assume you’ve read the news,’ he said, as soon as he was in speaking-distance of Nilsson.
The Queen’s senior advisor regarded him with an expression that could only be…
