Chapter 57

Cara sat in her dressing room staring into the mirror and pondering recent events. She was as close to deep thought as she would ever let herself get. Times had certainly changed quickly. Her mother and King Lary were gone. The day of their funeral had been a sad day for the people of TechnoLot. They had really loved those two old leaders, in spite of the looniness of one and the passivity of the other. Her coverage of the funeral had drawn the biggest audience share she had had in ages, so some good had come out of all the woe.

Cara saw two reflections materialize in her mirror. She turned to greet them, one eyebrow raised.

“Don’t you ever knock?” she asked.

“I didn’t think I needed to knock to enter my own sister’s dressing room,” Tata said, Baris in tow. “Especially since I am soon to be queen!”

“You know it is possible Opal still lives?” Cara said, a bit defiantly.

Tata shook her head with confidence. “Neither your magic nor mine can detect her. She