The Diamond Relic (UPDATED!!!), WBM Original, By Makaila Odoom, Chapter 2: Midnight at the Dock

Chapter 2: Midnight at the Dock

By the time I got back to the castle, my brain was spinning faster than Onyx on a sugar rush.
The Forbidden Island.
Ancient challenges.
A relic that could reunite all the divisions.
Oh, and a total stranger who somehow knew more about my world’s biggest mystery than any royal historian.

No big deal. Totally fine. Everything’s fine.

I tried to act normal through dinner—sitting at the royal table surrounded by my seven older siblings, seven younger ones, and about fifty courses of sparkly food—but my head kept drifting.

“Emerald,” Queen Sapphire said, using her I’m-watching-you voice. “You haven’t touched your moonfruit pudding.”

I jolted upright, spoon halfway to my mouth. “Oh! Sorry, Mother. Just… thinking about the, uh, charity event.”

That last part was a total lie. I hadn’t actually invented the charity event yet, but I’d need to. Fast.

King Quartz smiled kindly from the end of the table. “Another fundraiser? You’ve always had a generous heart, dear.”

Yeah. Generous heart. And apparently a terrible poker face.

After dinner, I slipped up to my room—Room 8 out of 15, aka “Middle Child Central.” Being in the middle of a royal family meant I could disappear whenever I wanted. Nobody really noticed if I missed curfew, or dinner, or, you know… leave the entire continent.

Zircon and Onyx sneaked in through my balcony door like professional spies, except Zircon tripped on the carpet immediately and Onyx almost knocked over my entire perfume collection.

“Smooth,” I whispered.

“Hey, we’re new at this,” Onyx hissed back.

We spread my travel bag across the bed. It was purple and sparkly because, apparently, everything in the Gemstone Division has to sparkle. Even the toothpaste.

“What do we pack?” Zircon asked.

“Essentials,” I said, trying to sound like I knew what I was doing. “Clothes, snacks, rope, maybe a map—”

“Doodles,” Onyx interrupted, holding up his rubber chicken like it was sacred.

I gave him a flat look. “Seriously?”

He grinned. “He’s emotional support.”

“More like emotional chaos,” Zircon muttered.

We all burst out laughing, which made it way harder to stay quiet.

My little brother and sister, the eight-year-old twins Topaz and Amethyst, poked their heads through the door. “Are you going somewhere?” Topaz asked suspiciously.

“Uh… yes,” I said slowly. “I’m going to a charity event in the city.”

They gasped. “Can we come?” Amethyst asked, bouncing on her toes.

“No,” I said quickly. “It’s… super boring. All talking and fancy people and zero fun.”

They both frowned. “Oh.”

“Buuut,” I said, rummaging through my dresser, “you can help me pack!”

Instant smiles. They started tossing random items into my bag: a crown, a hairbrush, a shiny spoon, and one very confused goldfish (don’t worry, we put it back).

By the time we finished, I had enough snacks to survive a zombie apocalypse and enough glitter to blind one.

At exactly 11:50 PM, we slipped out of the castle. The night air was cool and full of sea-salt mist. Diamond Island glowed faintly under the twin moons—Luna and Sylva—casting silver ripples across the ocean.

The walk to the dock felt longer than usual. The world was so still that even our footsteps seemed too loud.

Hauyne was already there—sort of. She was lying on her back in the sailboat, fast asleep and snoring like she hadn’t a care in the world.

“Hauyne!” I whispered.

No response.

“HAUYNE!” Onyx yelled.

She jerked awake so fast she almost fell into the water. “Huh?! What—oh, hi!”

Zircon snorted. “Glad you’re… awake, Sleeping Beauty.”

Hauyne rubbed her eyes. “Sorry. I was testing the boat’s nap capabilities. It passed.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Are we ready to go?”

“Ready when you are, Princess,” she said, stretching.

I flinched. “Emerald. Just Emerald.”

She winked. “Right. Just Emerald.”

The boat itself looked like something out of a dream—silver wood, carved crystal rails, and sails that shimmered faintly blue under moonlight. When Hauyne flipped a switch, glowing runes lit up across the deck, and the hum of an electric engine filled the night.

We climbed aboard. I sat in the middle of Onyx and Zircon, and, naturally, they both decided I was their pillow.

“Seriously?” I muttered as they leaned on my shoulders.

“You’re comfortable,” Onyx mumbled.

“Warm,” Zircon added, half-asleep.

I rolled my eyes but didn’t move. The waves rocked gently beneath us, and for a moment, everything was peaceful. The engine’s soft hum mixed with the sound of the ocean, and the night air smelled faintly of salt and lilac.

I stayed awake longer than I meant to, staring out at the endless black water, wondering what we’d find on the Forbidden Island.
Would it be full of monsters? Traps? Angry sand… something?

Eventually, my eyelids drooped, and the hum of the boat carried me into sleep.

---

When I woke up, something squeaked in my face.

I blinked and came nose-to-beak with Doodles the rubber chicken.

“AHHHH!” I screamed.

Onyx collapsed in laughter. “Gotcha!”

I snatched the chicken and bonked him lightly on the head. “You’re lucky I’m too tired to throw this thing into the ocean.”

“Doodles would haunt you forever,” Zircon said sleepily.

It was daytime now. Sunlight glimmered off the water, and the Forbidden Island was visible in the distance—a massive green shape covered in mist and mystery.

Hauyne was at the wheel, steering like she’d been born doing it. “Almost there,” she said over the wind.

“How long were we asleep?” I asked.

“Only a few hours,” she said. “You all snore, by the way.”

“Do not!” I said automatically.

“Do too,” Onyx and Zircon said at the same time.

I groaned.

The closer we got, the more the island came into view—twisting vines climbing up crumbling towers, waterfalls glowing faintly blue, and flocks of rainbow birds circling overhead. It looked beautiful and eerie, like something that had been asleep for centuries and was just waking up.

We finally reached a stretch of sand long enough to dock. Hauyne shut off the engine, and we stepped out onto the shore.

The ground felt warm beneath my shoes, and the air smelled like rain and something wild.

“Wow,” Zircon whispered. “It’s… alive.”

“Yeah,” I said quietly. “But where is everyone?”

Hauyne smiled mysteriously. “You’ll see.”

A rustle came from the trees. I froze.

A girl stepped out of the shadows. She was about my age, with straight brown hair, tan skin, and calm brown eyes. She waved shyly.

“This is Madison,” Hauyne said. “She’s from the Nature Division.”

My jaw dropped. “Wait—another division? How—”

Madison smiled softly. “My parents used to live here, before the island was forbidden. I’m the last of my family. I know this island better than anyone.”

Zircon tilted her head. “If you know it so well, why didn’t you find the relic yourself?”

“Because it needs royal blood to activate,” Hauyne said. “And, well—” she glanced at me, “—you’re as royal as it gets.”

Onyx let out a low whistle. “Gee, no pressure.”

I straightened, trying to sound confident even though my stomach felt like a blender. “Alright. Let’s do this thing.”

Madison’s expression softened. “Then welcome to the Forbidden Island.”

She turned toward the jungle, where golden sunlight shimmered through the leaves, and a dozen paths wound into the unknown.

I took a deep breath.
My first royal mission. My first adventure.
No turning back now.