《A Realm of Shadows (A Prophecy of Light Novel)》


 Prologue - Natori

    The ballroom sprung alive with chaos as hordes of people from the court squeezed into the room, finding places at one of the long, wooden benches around the tables below me. Laughter and cheers filled the air as mugs of ale were sloshed together, spilling all over the floor. I almost forgot where I was for a second, lost in listening to the joyous chatter around me, until the chair next to me squeaked.


    Brought out of my daze, I looked over to see my mother leaning into whisper something in my father¡¯s ears. Their heads were brushed close together, their voices hushed and soft. My eyebrows knit together as I tried to hear what they were saying, but I had no luck, and eventually gave up.


    Sighing, I let my gaze fall to the man that sat at the center of our table instead. His dark wings were poised in confidence behind him as he stared smugly at those below us. He was the reason we were all here in this noisy ballroom in the Fae Court. He was also the reason my parents were whispering to each other now. King Sebastian Silverthorne, King of the Fae, was a short, fat, and pompous male¡ªone I hated with all my heart.


    The Fae, our unruly southern neighbors, had been trying to win favor with our kingdom since Sebastian had stolen the throne several hundred years ago. But beyond political niceties, the Elves had no intention of ever allying with King Sebastian. Not after what he did to the Edgewoods, our friends and allies.


    I let rage boil in my heart for a moment as I thought of Nani and the family and home she¡¯d once had, shattered at the hands of King Sebastian. I didn¡¯t understand how the Fae could support and celebrate a usurper to their throne after what he¡¯d done. My father, who held great hatred for the King in his heart, was always great at pretending indifference but I found myself struggling to hide my disgust of the Fae and their court.


    Studying my father now, I saw the slightest hint of a scowl grow across his face, his pale eyebrows knitted in concentration. The afternoon light filtered through the windows and down on his hair, making the silver crown adorned upon his head glitter in the light. I let my feelings soften as I stared at the man who was in such contrast to the one next to him.


    My father, King Fernand Thorold, first of his name and King of Elves, was an honest man and cared greatly for his kingdom. It was only out of their best interest that he had even considered this political event with King Sebastian and the alliance he would no doubt try to impose between the two kingdoms. If King Fernand didn¡¯t feign interest now, nothing was stopping King Sebastian from marching on our borders later, causing needless bloodshed and war just as he had done to the Fae.


    After recovering myself, I took a moment to wonder at all the people up on the dais surrounding the King. There was the King¡¯s Hand, Jon Lothian, whom I vaguely remembered from the welcoming party on our arrival. Next to him was the High Acolyte of the courts, someone I had only ever heard of through story. He resided over the religious temples in the court, offering the word and prayer of the Gods, so that Fae might let themselves believe they still look over us today. Scowling in disappointment, I realized I didn¡¯t know the two people sitting beside the High Acolyte, but they would be important if they were dining in the Kings company.


    ¡°Are you enjoying yourself, Princess?¡± a voice from my side shattered my thoughts. Of course, how could I forget¡ªon the other side of me, sitting smugly in his chair with his hands neatly folded in front of his chin, elbows resting on the table as he leaned forward, was the son of the King¡¯s Hand, Kyrion.


    With a short nod and smile, I turned my attention to him. ¡°I am. Thank you, Ser Kyrion¡± I replied politely.


    I had heard many stories of Kyrion Lothian, both great and terrifying. He was a Dracanae Fae, a rare dragon-rider/Fae hybrid that had all the characteristics of the Fae, as well as the rare ability to bond with a dragon. His dragon, Shadowfire, was a formidable creature; the largest anyone in Trinyaddae had ever seen and a tool King Sebastian liked to use often to instill fear in friend and foe alike. Kyrion was moody, and often rude, but the King had taken a liking to his nephew and crowned him a Knight in his personal guard. It was also known that until King Sebastian produced his own heir, Kyrion was the unofficial Crowned Prince of Draoinearea.


    Kyrion studied me, a gleam in his eyes. After a long moment, he whispered ¡°This was never my idea of fun either¡± he ended with a small knowing wink.


    Steeling myself, I tried to relax. Just because he was known to be a great swordsman, a hero of his generation, and was extremely intimidating when he swept in on his dragon, didn¡¯t mean I¡¯d let him rattle me.


    ¡°Who said I wasn¡¯t having fun?¡± I shot back, tilting my head forward and letting the corners of my lips lift up as I studied his deep charcoal hair, the thick locks falling just over his golden eyes.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend with me, princess. I can tell you¡¯re uncomfortable¡± his voice was quiet, aware that anyone could be listening in.


    How could I believe him? An untrustworthy Fae in line to take the Throne of Draoinearea; a battle-proven warrior¡­a dragon-rider? In the back of my head, a brief flutter of my father¡¯s words echoed, the importance he¡¯d stressed behind keeping our true feelings disguised while in the Fae court.


    ¡°I rather enjoy court events, Ser Kyrion¡± I let enthusiasm seep into my voice, plastering the best smile I could muster. It wasn¡¯t a lie, not really. I do enjoy court events; spending time with our court and the people we serve brings me a level of happiness in life that couldn¡¯t be replaced.


    ¡°Perhaps. But not this one¡­¡± he teased, gesturing to the Fae below. His fiery eyes sparked as he let his gaze follow his hand. The court was still loudly celebrating, and voices grew as the servants began bringing out the feast.


    I remained quiet, letting my gaze follow the servants, their gray dresses fitting so ill that their wings hung in an awkward droop, likely unusable for flight. I could feel the nerves boiling in my stomach knowing this was how the Fae court treated their servants.


    Before I could make a face, I thought better of it. Instead, I pushed the thought out of my mind as quickly as I could. Kyrion might be able to see right through me, but that didn¡¯t mean I would give him the satisfaction of being right.


    ¡°If it¡¯s any consolation, I¡¯m not too fond of this court either. Arrogant bastards, if you ask me¡± he whispered, a smirk still plastered on his face.


    I suppressed a laugh. Perhaps, not all the Fae were as bad as I had imagined, but that didn¡¯t mean I was going to start trusting him. I was saved from a reply when the servants arrived, carrying plates laden with food. I smiled politely as a girl with a solemn face curtseyed and left.


    I pushed the food around my plate, unmotivated with what was in front of me. I had always been a meticulous eater, according to my parents anyways, but something about the food on my plate didn¡¯t look good. It was only a chopped salad, an appetizer to the entree that was coming out now, but I¡¯d lost my appetite.


    I must have been making a face because my mother brushed her hand against mine under the table, squeezing it gently. ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to darling, but please take a couple of bites at least. We don¡¯t want to appear rude¡± her voice was soft as silk, hushed so only I could hear.


    The rest of the meal had gone about the same as the first course had, and I had spent a good deal of time fending off questions from Ser Kyrion. We were in mid-conversation now. He was going on about his mother¡¯s home court, when the King clapped his hands loudly and an eerie hush fell over the room.


    ¡°We are here today to welcome King Fernand and Queen Vivianne to our courts¡± King Sebastian boomed, standing from the table. The golden crown sat piously atop his head, and his large black wings spread out behind him.


    The King looked at my father with a flash of contempt; gone so fast I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d even truly seen it. A cool mask now sat upon his face, and he gestured for my father to stand. The chair squeaked softly as my father stood and placed a hand over his heart, bowing unto the King.


    ¡°It is a pleasure to be here, King Sebastian¡± his voice was unreadable. I knew that this had pained him, just as much as it did me. He was hiding it from everyone else though, not letting them see his true feelings. It eased the burden knowing that he and I shared it together.


    ¡°Tonight, in your honor, we have feasted¡±. King Sebastian said, taking a pause before continuing. ¡°I think it would only be right that we let the festivities of the celebration bring forth a new alliance between our courts¡± he finished, not hiding his intentions in the slightest. He reached for his mug of ale with his large hands and swung it up into the air.


    ¡°King Fernand¡± King Sebastian said after a chug of his ale. ¡°I believe it¡¯s time for us to discuss what I¡¯ve asked you here for¡± a pale golden liquid drop dripped off his mustache and onto his chin.


    I gritted my teeth. My father was more than capable of handling this but sitting in silence waiting for the King¡¯s reaction was much more ominous than I¡¯d imagined it would be.


    My father looked up at the Fae King, and I could tell without even looking at him that he was struggling to hold in his emotions. I caught a glimpse of movement from beside his waist, a flicker of his shaking hand, or so I thought. He stood sure faced and still as a statue now.


    ¡°The Fae and the Elves were once allied for thousands of years, and I believe the time has come to ally our strong kingdoms once again. Don¡¯t you?¡± King Sebastian continued questioning, setting down his mug and clasping his hands as he stared at my father expectantly.


    I felt my breath hitch in my throat, the chill of his statement settling over me. Our kingdom had only managed to avoid such an alliance for this long because it had always been hinted at, but never an outright declaration. It would be much harder for my father to turn him down now. It would be political suicide, and it would fracture the relationships with his other allies in the process.


    ¡°I suppose that can be considered, King Sebastian¡± my father replied, not committing to anything just yet. My heart cracked to not hear the word ¡°no¡± from my father¡¯s lips, but I also knew what was at stake if he followed his heart.


    ¡°It¡¯s wonderful to hear that, King Fernand¡± the King started, lifting his mug in the air as if in cheers, before taking a large gulp. A loud cheer swept up from the court below, their anxious eyes watching the two men, the two Kings, before them.


    The Fae King gestured, and Kyrion hurried to his side. Though a deep scowl crested his face, he dipped in respect toward my father before turning his attention back to his King. I was suddenly overwhelmed with the warring feelings of pity and anger for Kyrion, still on the fence about trusting him; I knew he wasn¡¯t too thrilled about this either based on the look on his face.


    ¡°I have the perfect suggestion to forge this alliance between our realms¡± the King started, before pushing Kyrion slightly forward, his large hands resting on each of his shoulders. ¡°My hand¡¯s son, and my nephew Kyrion, is a loyal member of my courts and serves an important role in my council¡± he finished, smiling broadly. Kyrion only grimaced.


    ¡°And what exactly are you suggesting, your highness?¡± my father replied evenly, eyeing the tall boy standing in front of him.


    ¡°I am proposing an alliance with marriage¡± he said, before gesturing to me, and then Kyrion too. ¡°An older tradition yes, but I feel as though it is appropriate to begin this alliance by reviving a practice lost to our people for many years. It¡¯s only fitting, don¡¯t you think? Considering the alliance between the Fae and Elves has also been lost for some time¡±.


    There was a silence that fell over the court. Shocked, my brain scrambled at the fleeting thoughts running through my mind. No one in the magical world had sealed an alliance with marriage since the time of one Kingdom, when everyone, including humans, looked toward one king. That wasn¡¯t even the worst part. He was proposing such marriage for me. How dare he!


    ¡°Might I remind you, King Sebastian, that the Elves have never married outside of our Kingdom¡ªeven when such practice was common. We don¡¯t intend to change our beliefs now¡­¡± my father finally replied, stalling his answer. I could almost hear the anger in his voice, a ghost of himself locked inside his body, begging to be let out.


    I could feel my own anger dancing up my skin, my cheeks flushing, and my nails biting into the skin on my palms as I balled up my hands. It was suddenly very hard to keep a straight face.


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    ¡°Perhaps, in order for us to grow stronger, it is time for that to change¡± Kind Sebastian countered, his stoney gaze holding strong.


    I closed my eyes, trying desperately to push the anger down inside my stomach. There was no way my father was even going to consider this¡ªhe couldn¡¯t! He¡¯d find some clever way out of this, maybe not the alliance, but he wouldn¡¯t marry me off to some fire-breathing Fae-freak.


    Sorry Kyrion, I thought guiltily after a moment.


    My father didn¡¯t respond right away, and instead, looked at my mother. I couldn¡¯t see the anger in her gaze but for the reflection of her in my father¡¯s eyes. Then, his eyes slipped up to me for a fleeting moment before he turned his back and faced the King once more. A knot began to build itself in my stomach.


    ¡°I suppose we can consider this opportunity, your highness¡± the words that left my father¡¯s mouth made my heart shatter. How could he not say no? Was there truly no other way around this?


    The King rejoiced, his court following. Clearly, they had taken that as a yes, and I worried my father wouldn¡¯t have time to figure something else out. Anything else.


    A wicked smile appeared on the Fae King¡¯s face; his eyes lit with excitement. ¡°Wonderful!¡± he proclaimed. His eyes met mine and he gestured me forward, trying to get me to come stand next to him and Kyrion. All I wanted to do was cringe as his horrible gaze fixated on me.


    ¡°Princess Natori, why don¡¯t you join Ser Kyrion for a dance to celebrate this possible union¡± King Sebastian said when I didn¡¯t move. Kyrion held out his arm to me with an embarrassed look across his face. Soft music was playing, I hadn¡¯t realized when it started, but it grew louder and louder now, as if waiting for my answer.


    When I still didn¡¯t move, Sebastian tilted his head forward so only the people on the dais could hear his next words. ¡°It would be awfully rude not to get to know your future husband, don¡¯t you think, princess?¡± he sneered with venom.


    I could feel my blood turning to ice as his dark eyes bore into mine relentlessly, making a shiver run down my spine. Before I could mutter a sharp remark, my father¡¯s cool hand touched my shoulder, beckoning me to join Ser Kyrion with his other.


    I shot my father a look of betrayal, but the sad eyes looking back at me shattered my heart. Steeling my resolve, I extended my hand to place it on Kyrion¡¯s outstretched arm, curtseying politely. ¡°It would be my pleasure¡±.


    He took my hand gently, pressing our joined hands into his arm with light pressure. I could feel the muscles under his jacket, tense, just as mine were. He led me down the dais, and toward the open space in the room, beyond the tables.


    We didn¡¯t talk as he placed a hand on the small of my back and led me into an old dance that I knew well. I refused to look him in the eyes, afraid I would say something in anger that I¡¯d come to later regret. As we danced in silence, I couldn¡¯t help but notice the ease with which we danced together, moving together as if we had for many years.


    I could tell Kyrion wasn¡¯t elated with this proposal either, which made me empathetic toward him, if only for a moment. I still wasn¡¯t sure I could trust him, yet.


    The song came to an end while I was lost in thought. I finally looked up at Kyrion, and his fiery golden eyes were unreadable.


    A slow song began softly, and he extended his hand in an invitation to pull me closer. I took his hand in mine, still too angry with the situation to say anything. Finally, as our bodies grew closer together, he whispered softly in my ear.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know he was going to do this. If I had my choice, I wouldn¡¯t be standing here¡± his voice was dark and quiet, edged with tension.


    ¡°My pride is wounded, Ser Kyrion. I¡¯ve been told I¡¯m an excellent dancer¡± I responded, trying to keep my voice teasing, but it came off cold instead.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean the dance, princess¡± Kyrion nearly hissed. After a deep breath, his tightened grip in my hands loosened, and he turned so I could see his face. ¡°I can see how angry you are about what¡¯s just happened. I need you to know I¡¯m just as angry. I don¡¯t believe in arranged marriages; what the King is proposing is absurd, even for him¡± he inhaled sharply.


    I could suddenly see past the fire in him, and into the eyes of a Fae male in the same position as I was. Hands tied behind his back with no way out, just because the king had ordered it.


    I didn¡¯t have words to say, so I just nodded sharply, wishing I could return back to my home; be around those I actually cared about and that cared about me and my people. Nani would know what to say to make me feel better, I suddenly thought, as a new ache for her embrace echoed through my body.


    The music continued to reverberate around the room, and others had begun to meander to the dance floor. Laughter filled my ears, and the whispers and soft voices of happy people surged around me. I looked over Kyrion¡¯s shoulder and saw my parents, dancing not too far away. They were leaning close to one another, whispering in hushed voices I couldn¡¯t hear again. Hopefully, trying to find a way to get me out of this, to get the Elves out of this.


    My heart began to beat faster as I tried to push this nightmare away from my mind. I was born to rule Aosipora in my father¡¯s wake; the Elves had always talked about my reign leading the kingdom in prosperity, kindness, and peace. How was I supposed to do that while married to a Fae? With King Sebastian Silverthorne breathing down my neck?


    Never mind that, but how could I stand to marry someone so close to the person who had murdered Nani¡¯s family, butchered them in their beds, as they would have with Nani too if she hadn¡¯t escaped. I would always see the pain in Nani¡¯s eyes when I looked into the eyes of the Fae.


    Distracted from all that had transpired, I didn¡¯t notice the black smoke that suddenly filled the room, separating me from all that I could once see. The music had been growing louder and louder; laughter and beer flying through the air. I don¡¯t think anybody noticed the sudden darkness that escaped the corners of the room and devoured the ballroom. Suddenly, I was alone and all I could hear were muffled screams and voices. One moment, Kyrion was clasping my hands, and the next, there was nothing as darkness overwhelmed my entire vision.


    I backed up frantically, trying to see through the darkness to find my parents, Kyrion, anyone. I called out and waved my arms around me, but nobody answered. Nobody was there. It didn¡¯t feel real; this had to be a dream, right?


    In the distance, I could hear the clamoring of swords and people screaming, but it all sounded so far away, like I was floating deep under water. I knew I should be afraid, but the longer I started into nothing, the more peaceful it started to become. Fear suddenly became nothing more than the feeling of walking into a room and forgetting why you went in there.


    I shook my head, trying to clear the fog that had descended on my brain. I couldn¡¯t let myself get distracted. I had to find a way to get out of this. I took a deep breath, summoning tendrils of magic through my veins. Bracing my hands above my head, I prepared to do what I did best; manipulate light.


    I didn¡¯t get the chance to continue. Just as my palms opened, a feeling of apprehension washed over me. In the next second, a large hand flew over my mouth from behind me and clamped down tight. The hands, I was sure now they were a male¡¯s, pulled me into a hard body and wrapped a strong arm around me to keep me from getting free.


    Despite my desperate struggle, my attacker¡¯s grip held strong. Though I didn¡¯t stop fighting, I felt my body begin to weaken; slowly at first, and then all at once. Just like that, and there was nothing as I lost consciousness.


    ***


    I woke to moonlight touching my skin, and my breath coming in ragged and sharp pains, making me cough. My eyes fluttered open, slowly at first, and then with panic as I remembered what had happened. I looked around for my parents desperately. Surely, this had all been a dream, and they were with me now, waiting for me to wake.


    My breath caught in my throat when instead of my parents, my eyes looked up to an unfamiliar female now leaning over me, having appeared from nowhere. That was when I noticed¡ªwrapped around my wrists were iron bracelets that rendered my magic useless. Not a dream, then.


    The woman¡¯s long black hair fell down her body, and she looked at me with unforgiving green eyes. A sneer was plastered on her face, and her hands were planted on her hips. I couldn¡¯t help thinking that if not for the hatred and darkness in her eyes and along her face, she would have been quite beautiful.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time you woke up, princess¡± she hissed. I looked at her in confusion, and in response, she suddenly lunged down over me, stopping when she was only breaths away. Avoiding her gaze in fear, I found myself looking over her shoulder, and that was when I saw the tall man behind her. He was dressed in all black, with a deep red cape wrapped around his shoulders, and sitting atop his head was a large crown adorned with dark antlers.


    I had never seen him before, but there was something about him that was familiar to me, something in the back of my head. Before I could think more about it, a cold tendril of fear iced its way down my spine as the woman in shadow inched closer, breathing down my neck.


    Though it was taking everything in me not to shake, I looked up and met the woman¡¯s cold green gaze confidently, determined not to let them think of me as scared and weak. ¡°Where am I, and why am I here?¡± I asked as calmly as I could, looking between the woman and the man behind her. He was now turned toward me with his gaze already fixed on my eyes before I even looked up.


    There was something dark about him, but there was nothing magic. I could feel the magic from every magical creature I was around, anyone bearing magic could. And yet, there was no power coming off of the man in front of me. The woman, sure, but not the man. I looked up to the crown of antlers upon his head, and back to his face.


    Realization dawned on me then; the crown, the human features, who else could this be other than one of the human Kings? I shook my head, no, the real question was what did the King want with me?


    The woman above me laughed, before she abruptly stood and stepped away from me. She looked up to the King behind her, gesturing with the smallest movement in her head toward me. I leaned up to my knees as best as I could and watched the two of them closely, trying to understand. It was as if she was asking the King for permission, though for what, I didn¡¯t know. With a quick, short shake of the Kings head, the woman turned back to me and sneered.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just stop talking, dearie. The King has important work to do, and it would be most pleasurable if you just cooperate and do as your told¡± her voice was cold, and a fire danced in her eyes as she stepped closer and looked down on me as I sat on my scraped knees in the grass directly below her.


    ¡°Please¡± I began, starting to feel weaker. I looked up to her with as much steel as I could muster, ¡°Why am I here?¡± My voice croaked at the end, and I held a hand up to my throbbing head. As my hand touched my face, I felt a large gash in my skin, just above my right eye. I pulled my hand back, startled. My fingers were dusted with flakes of dried blood, fortunately not still bleeding. Her laugh caused me to look up again, and I found her studying me, a cruel smile forming on her lips.


    ¡°This will only hurt a little bit, darling¡± she yanked me up without warning, moving faster than I could even see it coming. She pushed me down in the grass several feet away, and around me, blue light erupted from the ground, forming an unfamiliar, yet distinct pattern. My heart began to beat faster as panic settled in; whatever they were about to do, it wasn¡¯t going to be good.


    ¡°What are you doing to me?¡± I asked, tears beginning to fill my eyes. I was no longer afraid of looking weak; I was weak, and there was nothing I could do to stop them. Not by myself, and certainly not without my powers.


    ¡°Princess Natori, is it?¡± The King finally spoke as he looked at me, his gaze crawling up and down my body as I cried in the grass under the harsh blue light.


    I nodded softly. At first, I didn¡¯t know if he¡¯d seen me, as his eyes continued to stare me down, assessing me, but then he stepped closer, kneeling down at the edge of the glowing pattern, and a wicked smile grew across his face.


    ¡°I need you to be quiet now, Natori. You need to do something very important for me, and if you want to see the sun rise again, you¡¯ll cooperate¡± he said so calmly, so matter of factly, it was hard to believe he had just threatened my life.


    I nodded, fear making my limbs begin to shake. The green-eyed woman pulled out a large ancient looking knife and smiled at me with a wicked grin that sent a shiver down my spine.


    ¡°Now, hold your arm out so Ernaline can take what she needs¡± The King said, looking at my arm as it trembled in my lap. I let my gaze fall to my arm, before I let out a small, sudden whimper. What do they want with my arm? I wondered in despair.


    Tears were beginning to build in my eyes when suddenly a hard object met my abdomen with great force, sending me flailing into the grass a few feet away. Landing face down, I was at the edge of the glowing pattern. Standing where I had been, the King stood, inspecting his boot as if scuffed. I pushed myself up, and noticed my hands were covered in whatever the glowing blue powder was.


    The King strolled over casually and picked me up by the hair at my scalp, dangling me above the ground like a doll. My eyes widened, and my lips began to tremble. I could tell my tear-stained cheeks were wobbling, and I was doing everything I could not to whimper out loud.


    ¡°I said, hold out your arm, Princess¡± he spat, twisting my arm back until I heard a small snap. A great rush of pain shot up my arm, and I cried out, shutting my eyes tightly.


    Ernaline snatched my extended arm as the King held it out to her, and though I couldn¡¯t see her with my eyes closed, I could hear her menacing laugh as cold metal bit into my arm.


    My eyes shot open as the blade sliced across my arm and I watched dark blood drip down my skin and into the grass. The wind was roaring now, as if brought to life through me. It rushed around me, picking up the torn skirts of the dress I had worn at the feast earlier, causing my already disheveled hair to whip around my face forcefully.


    Ernaline released my arm, and I fell into a heap on the ground. No longer being painfully held up by the King, I felt the strength to stand leave my body with a whoosh. I curled into myself, letting the tears fall down my cheeks. My arm throbbed, my head was pounding, and I was fairly certain I was going to die.


    I could hear Ernaline chanting in a language I didn¡¯t know, and the wind whirled around her, as if she were the center of the madness crashing around them. A pool of my blood was at her feet, and it glimmered in the moonlight.


    Terrified, I tried to calm myself by searching the area around us, looking for any weapon or chance to escape. When my eyes landed on the King, I noticed he was standing to the side, anger glowing in his eyes as he watched Ernaline intently. When she stopped chanting, the King¡¯s gaze moved up to the moon.


    I followed his gaze, and as if in answer, the moon turned a shade of blood red.


    I slammed my eyes closed in disbelief. I could feel my breath coming in sharp gasps, and my body growing cold. I opened my eyes again slowly, but the moon had returned to its normal color, and Ernaline was standing quietly, smiling at the King. Confused, I closed my eyes again, focusing on my breath.


    I knew something was wrong when I could feel something within me flutter and slash inside my body. I choked, as if I could no longer breathe, as I was torn apart from the inside. As fast as it had come, the feeling withered up, growing smaller and smaller, until it disappeared altogether. At the same time, the wind calmed until it was gone, and the glowing pattern around me dimmed until it was dark.


    Around us, the landscape seemed to change. It became duller, darker, as if the life had been sucked from it and left only a shell. I squinted my eyes as I realized that was similar to how I felt now, like a shell, unable to feel the pit in my stomach where my magic, my life, used to sit.


    I looked at Ernaline in serious shock, wondering what she had done. Whatever it was, it had changed the very fabric of the earth, the land. I didn¡¯t have a chance to ask her, though. As our eyes met, two large men wearing all black came up behind me, forced a bag over my head, lifted me off the ground, and took me away.

 Chapter One - Evielynae

    Whispers and giggles around me reminded me that even though I attended the most prestigious school for witches in the known universe, we were all still like any other girls our age; a bunch of caddy young women, prone to gossip and spreading rumors.


    I looked up from the leather-bound journal in front of me. My gaze met that of a group of girls, all first-year students, as they pointed and sneered in my direction. When they noticed me looking at them, one of them gasped and they all turned around and walked away briskly, leaning into one another giggling.


    I may have been the daughter of the High Witch of Litreateine, in line to rule over every witch coven in our realm, but at school I was just another nerd that everyone made fun of.


    They just didn¡¯t understand, that was all. They didn¡¯t understand the pressure to be the best of my class. To outshine every other witch of my generation. I could never be the High Witch if there was someone who could challenge my claim. I¡¯d have to be the best. The most powerful.


    Rolling my eyes, I tried to ignore them. There was only a couple of more days before the official start of Summer, and school would be out soon. I looked forward to not being on campus for a couple of moons before next year¡¯s classes start. It couldn¡¯t come fast enough.


    I returned my focus to the book in front of me and my mother¡¯s scribbled handwriting. I¡¯d been studying this journal since my twenty-first birthday when she first gave it to me. She¡¯d kept the journal when she was my age and was attending the same academy I was at now. Less than a year later and I¡¯d flipped through the delicate pages every day since, desperate to understand what she knew, and how she felt as she proved herself as the Heir Apparent.


    In the Kingdom of the Witches, it was common practice for the children of the High Witch to follow them in succession; the same was true with every other Kingdom in Trinyaddae. However, where the Witches were unique was in how the Heir was chosen. There was a test (it was really more like a magical challenge), and every witch naturally in line to take the throne had to pass this test and prove themselves to both the High Witch, and all the witch covens they were to lead. The last part of the test included a competition against some of the best witches of your generation, all challenging your claim to the throne. If the natural Heir couldn¡¯t prove themselves or wasn¡¯t triumphant in their battle between peers, they weren¡¯t chosen to be the next High Witch. Once the Heir passed this test, they officially became the Heir Apparent.


    There had only been one time in our entire history that an Heir didn¡¯t pass the test and was skipped in succession. I was determined not to let that happen to me.


    My mother had proven herself before she took the test, so by the time the test came around, she passed it with flying colors. It was hard not to be jealous of her. She¡¯d been known as a hero during her time at the academy after she put a stop to a coven of witches using dark magic. I was nowhere near as special, and all I could hope was that I would be a fraction of the witch she was.


    It was an extraordinary experience to read about the legendary stories detailing this time in her life from her own point of view. It all started at the beginning of the third trimester in her junior year at the academy, and I was reading the entry that started it all now. Whenever I was feeling particularly nervous about my own upcoming test, I would re-read her journal from this place to when she was named Heir apparent. I¡¯ve read this part of her journal at least a hundred times over.


    I¡¯ll never be as good as her¡­I thought grimly. It was already the end of my own junior year, and I had no accomplishments that stood up to hers in the slightest. How was I ever going to pass the test? Distraut, I let my finger trace down the yellowing page of the entry that started it all. I let my eyes memorize the words on the page for the umpteenth time.


    Day 63 of the Year 6070 A.C.


    Something feels different this year as I come back to campus for the Spring Semester. This was always my favorite time of the year on campus; when the cherry blossoms are beginning to bloom, and color begins seeping back into the world after the dreary winter. It¡¯s a magical time of the year. This year, though, it just feels off. Nothing appears different on the surface, but something just feels darker. I¡¯ve never felt anything like it before. I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling all day, and eventually, I asked mother about it. She was adamant that I was just imagining things and told me not to worry about it. She¡¯s probably right¡ªIt must be the back-to-school jitters or something. I have a lot to study this semester if I am going to be ready for my test next year. Maybe the stress is getting to me. Whatever it is, it¡¯s beginning to feel like something is watching me, and I don¡¯t like it.


    C.G.


    A shiver ran down my spine and I slammed the journal closed in frustration. I rubbed my eyes before letting my head fall into my hands. Maybe this was useless. I¡¯d read and re-read these passages so many times, it was starting to feel impossible that I¡¯d learn anything new from it. Maybe my only hope was studying until my eyes bled; something I already did with almost every free moment I had.


    Besides, whatever dark magic my mother had faced when she was my age wasn¡¯t going to help me now. It¡¯s not like I was living through the same situation as her¡ªthough I was desperate for any sort of situation so that I could prove myself. All I really had to do was take a damn test. What was the point of torturing myself?


    Giving up, I shoved the journal into my bag and looked up at the large windows that bordered the southern wall of the library. I frowned when I realized the sun had set, and an early dusting of stars began to appear on the horizon of the dimming sky. I¡¯d lost track of time. Again.


    I pushed the chair back from the table and stood, shoving the last of my things in my bag as quickly as I could. My mother would be anticipating me soon. I was expected to have dinner with her on the nights she was on campus, which wasn¡¯t very often, but she was here now, and I was late. She was set to be here all quarter moon actually, a tradition the High Witch had kept since the school¡¯s creation, to host the celebration for graduating witches.


    I swung my bag over my shoulder, and it bumped against my hip as I pushed the chair back in. Suddenly, a cold shiver ran down my spine and settled over the room. A slight tremble ran through my body as I looked around.


    The library is deserted, you¡¯re the only one here, I thought to myself as I shook my head and made my way to the door. I¡¯d only taken a couple of steps when I felt something reach out for me and gently brush against my arm. Startled, I whipped around with my hands outstretched ready to defend myself, but nothing was there.


    Okay, I¡¯m losing it now. Panic ran through my mind.


    I took a moment to settle my nerves, as I quickly continued toward the library doors. I kept my attention focused entirely on my surroundings, ready to reach for my wand if needed. With no logical explanation, the air was so cold now that I could see my breath as I exhaled. The lights were growing dimmer around me, some flickering in and out as I passed underneath them. That was definitely not happening just a couple of minutes ago, I thought to myself as fear began to prickle up my skin leaving goosebumps. What was happening?


    I quickened my pace again out of fear, though I was mostly worried I was imagining things. This was just my brain playing a cruel trick on me after working myself up, it had to be. There was no other explanation that made sense¡­right?


    Wait. There it was again.


    I stopped dead in my tracks as I saw a flicker in the shadows in front of me. I couldn¡¯t tell what it was, but whatever it was, it was moving toward me. My breath caught in my throat at the same time as an intense pressure fell on me, and began pulling me toward the ominous, wavering shadows. I tried to reach for my wand, but it took all of my strength and willpower to resist the tug toward the darkness. The invisible strings kept pulling, but I was holding my ground. I squinted my eyes, trying to discern what was there waiting for me in the dark.


    Then, just like that, it ended. I was no longer being pulled toward the shadows. The lights were no longer flickering, and I couldn¡¯t see my breath in the air anymore. It was like it never happened at all, but I knew better than that. Whatever had just happened was not my imagination, was it? Something was surely here; I was not alone like I¡¯d thought. And whatever was here was not normal, either.


    Overhead, the spell-powered lights turned off completely. In response, I pulled out my wand, fumbling with a simple light spell as I investigated the shadows around the room. The light I was casting barely cut through the darkness, but it made me feel better to know I was in control of the situation. Or at least, more in control than I¡¯d been just a moment ago. Then, out of the corner of my eyes, a dark shape passed from one bookcase to another.


    I whispered a spell I¡¯d known since I was a child. In answer, the light emanating off my wand grew brighter, just enough to wash away the shadows five feet in front of me. That was a little better, but the shadows were thick and unusual. They were limiting my abilities, which wasn¡¯t something I¡¯d encountered before. I crept along the edges of the aisles, toward where I saw the shadow-thing disappear last. My hands started to involuntarily tremble when I grew closer, and my breath hitched in my throat. I came to a stop when I reached the opening of the aisle.


    I pressed myself against the bookcase and willed the light spell to dim. Once I had just enough light to see without giving away my location, I took a deep breath and counted down to help my nerves. Three¡­two¡­one. I let out my breath and peeked around the corner down the long row of books stacked neatly in order and wreathed in shadow. Nothing.


    Squinting my eyes, I crept forward down the aisle. My heart was racing so fast I could hear its erratic beats pounding against my chest in a rapid staccato. Fear pumped through my veins as I moved slowly toward the end of the row. Don¡¯t be afraid, Evie. Be brave, I whispered to myself as I came to a stop at the end of the aisle. I was terrified of what could be waiting for me around the corner. I let out a quick exhale before briskly peeking around the shadowed corner of the bookshelf. I let out a sigh of relief at the fact nothing was there.


    This is stupid. I¡¯m definitely going crazy and imagining things. Did I really think there was something there?


    Scoffing, I turned around to walk back to the center of the library, toward the exit, so I could get out of here. Now mother was really going to be pissed at me. I was so late now that I¡¯d never hear the end of it.


    BOOM!


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    The unexpected loud noise echoed through the library making me jump nearly out of my own skin. Without pause, my head snapped in the direction it came from, but there was nothing there now besides a large book resting on the floor.


    Okay, definitely not crazy after all.


    My body was trembling as I ducked underneath the nearest table. Clutching my wand to my chest, I whispered until the light grew brighter again around me. I knew I couldn¡¯t stay here forever; the shadow-thing was coming for me. I had to think, think, think. What do I do? What would my mother do? Suddenly, I had an idea.


    I let my trembling fingers reach into my bag and wrap around the familiar leather of my mother¡¯s journal. I ripped it out of my bag without another thought and fingered quickly through the pages until I got to the page I was looking for.


    It was a spell she¡¯d learned when she was a junior at the academy, neck-deep into the investigation into dark magic. It wasn¡¯t a spell we were taught here at the academy, and it was simply pure luck that I recalled it now. It was honestly a miracle I¡¯d understood what the spell was the first time I read it; it was a fairly complex spell.


    Okay, this is it. This is where you prove yourself, Evie. I squared my shoulders and took a deep breath before whispering the foreign language of the spell. I really hoped this would work, it wasn¡¯t like I¡¯d tried it out before. I was hardly proficient in the ancient language the spell was in, but it was the only thing I could think of


    After a few strained moments, I completed the spell. At least, I think I completed it. There was really only one way to find out. I held out my dark hands to examine them. At first, it didn¡¯t look like I¡¯d done anything, but then, a rippling transparent shimmer ran down my arm and out my hand. Crunching my eyebrows, I further investigated the rest of my body and was pleasantly surprised to find that the spell worked. I was invisible!


    With triumph, I shoved the journal back into my bag and started stealthily moving under the tables toward the large book on the ground. I tucked a stray red-brown lock of hair behind my ear and wiggled my way out from underneath the tables. Whatever was in here with me wouldn¡¯t be able to see me because of the spell; I was safe for now. Safe enough to investigate, anyway. I still had to come up with a plan to deal with the whatever this was once I found it.


    As I approached, I noticed the large book was old and nearly falling apart as it lay on the ground. Its grey, leather-bound spine was barely holding the pages together as they sat flipped open, and its yellowed pages looked bitter. If I touched them, I worried they would crumble away beneath my fingers.


    I spent a long minute looking around the area, not leaving a single shadow unnoticed. There was no sign of movement, though I knew the shadow-thing was still here. Confident that I wasn¡¯t going to be ambushed, I took a moment to bend down over the book and examine the contents.


    Even though I knew whatever was in here with me wouldn¡¯t be able to see me, or at least I hoped it wasn¡¯t immune to my spell anyway, I was still on edge. Despite this, I was excited to see what clue it left behind. At least, I assume it was a clue. Would it really knock over this kind of book at random? These kinds of books were locked away, not just found on one of the nearby shelves.


    The page was opened to a twisted childhood fairytale, though I could hardly make out the words on the page as they were worn with age. I could only tell it was a fairytale based on the wicked image on the left, just visible enough that I was able to tell I¡¯d seen it before.


    Growing up, I¡¯d lived on fairytales. Amid the pressure of being the daughter of the High Witch, it was one of my only escapes. It started with my father, who read fairytales to me every night when I was a child. It was how we bonded when he couldn¡¯t relate to me magically, which he rarely could with him being human. It quickly became my favorite part of everyday being able to escape the stress of my real life and disappear in a magical story with my beloved father.


    Just before he died from an illness he¡¯d been battling for years¡ªI was 12¡ªhe told me that all my favorite childhood fairytales had been based on evil, twisted versions of the same stories. When I asked him why he told me the truth instead of keeping the fairytale alive, he looked at me with more sorrow and determination than I¡¯d ever seen him possess. What he told me then still haunted me, nearly ten years later.


    ¡°Because you¡¯ll soon realize what being able to use magic really means, Evie. What having power means. There are always two sides to the world you and your mother live in¡ªtwo sides to every person. One is greatness, light, and beauty. The other is evil and darkness. Only you can decide which path you are going to take¡ªwhich you to feed. You must know both sides if you are to choose¡±.


    Tears threatened to break the service as I remembered his words. I let my finger trail down the image in the book. After father died, I¡¯d been obsessed with finding and reading the twisted versions of the fairytales my father had read me. They were comforting at the time, having felt lost with grief. For moons, they felt like the only way to keep ahold of the connection we¡¯d shared; like I¡¯d tethered myself to his soul for just a little while longer. I tried hard now to remember what story I¡¯d seen this picture in¡ªI know I¡¯d seen it before.


    The image, a fading shape wreathed in darkness, almost reminded me of the monster that was prowling in the library with me now. Memories displayed in my mind of the stories I¡¯d read; brief flashes coming and going so fast I could barely catch the details.


    I paused. That couldn¡¯t be it, could it? It was so obvious it was like a slap in the face. There was no way, right?


    There was one tale front and center in my mind. Less of a fairytale and more of a legend¡ªa frightening story told to children to scare them into being good little boys and girls. There was a monster of the night that preyed upon the dream essence of anyone unlucky enough to cross their path. They were known to make their victims feel uncontrollable dread, fear, or uneasiness right before they attacked. Sometimes even, they could cause extreme hallucinations. What was it called, again? Oh yes, an Umbrath.


    If what I was thinking was true, that would mean this story wasn¡¯t a legend after all. Though, if there was one thing I¡¯d learned since growing up, it was that what I¡¯d always thought were gruesome fairytales, were actually the things lurking in the dark.


    The shadows. The indiscernible black figure moving around. The eerie feeling of being watched, being pulled toward the darkness. There was really no other option, no other creature that fit the description. Despite the obvious connection, my brain was still having a hard time processing. The real question was¡ªwhy had it left this for me to find?


    Thankful now that I¡¯d used the invisibility spell to conceal myself, I looked around for the demon. My brain was analyzing the situation in a different way, retracing all the steps I¡¯d taken already. I¡¯d been lucky it hadn¡¯t gotten me yet; it had come so close so many times already. A shiver ran down my spine as a new question arose.


    If this was an Umbrath, then who had summoned it?


    I searched my brain, trying to remember anything else from the tale. Any weaknesses, any clues on how to defeat it. No matter how talented I was with spells, it wouldn¡¯t matter in the end if I didn¡¯t know exactly what spell to use. Demons were notoriously hard to kill, even for skilled witches.


    Now that I was invisible, I couldn¡¯t use magic to provide light in the dark library or it would give me away. Instead, I did my best to use the light from the windows to find my way around.


    There! Movement flashed in the corner of my eyes near the bookcase to my left. I whipped around, trying to see it as it moved in the shadows. I scrunched up my eyebrows in concentration as ideas flowed in and out of my head. I chased the shadow demon through the library.


    I was almost certain I¡¯d lost him, so I stopped at the edge of a row of bookshelves in the back of the library. Catching my breath, I wished I could cast more light, hoping it would help as I started to search for the demon again. Renewing my resolve, I was just starting to turn around the corner again when I felt a sudden jerk in my stomach, as if somebody had a rope tied around my waist and was pulling me toward them.


    In the heat of a moment, I made the decision to use a light spell and drop the invisibility spell. It had clearly found me anyway, and light would be more useful right now. I looked around, waving my wand in an arc of bright light. Next to me, a dark figure that I could now more clearly make out as a black-shimmering silhouette screeched as I turned toward it. It burned when the light hit it, causing the shape to wither and move backward with force, depserately trying to get out of the path of light. I felt a crooked smile grow on my lips. So that¡¯s what does it, then. Light!


    With a smirk, I breathed the only spell I could think of that would work¡ªit was a spell that most witches could never do, and one that I was very glad I could.


    With the last words of the incantation, the wand in my hand began to glow, expanding in a bright arc until it formed a shimmering blade. The hilt was the same material my wand had been¡ªa hard-white iron-like material called Luminite. The blade, however, was made of pure bright flame. It flashed out of the hilt in a column of blue light called Soul-fire. I watched it as the blue flames licked together at the end; I couldn¡¯t help but be in awe.


    Soul-fire was a rare, powerful substance of light and fire. Most witches were never powerful or skilled enough to forge or summon it. I¡¯d been taught to believe that only those witches with a special, rare connection to their magic and how it interacted with their soul could forge soul-fire. Only those with the purest souls; the ones with the best intentions could ever develop such a connection with their very soul.


    I held the sword up now, and instantly saw the Umbrath leap out of the way, melting back into the shadows. I followed it, desperately chasing it around the library. Every time I swiped at it with the soul-fire sword, it danced just out of reach. If I hadn¡¯t known better, I¡¯d think it was mocking me as we entered in this cat and mouse game.


    Eventually, I cornered it against the windows on the south wall of the library. Moonlight was streaming in now; the sun had vanished long ago. It had nowhere else to go, and I held the sword up to it with a bitter laugh. Though it didn¡¯t have discernable eyes or features, it felt as though it was staring at me with a mischievous smile. A shiver ran down my spine as I stared back at it. The Umbrath, a black, human-like figure made of shadows, was a lot creepier looking now that I could see it closely.


    ¡°Who is your master¡± I asked fiercely, stepping closer and letting the soul-fire edged blade creep nearer to the Umbrath. The demon hissed as the flames of the soul-fire licked at it, but it made no other attempt to answer. I wanted to know who had summoned this creature here to our school.


    ¡°I said, who is your master?¡± My voice boomed louder, tinged with the anger I felt. Whoever had summoned this demon had done so with the intention of stealing the dream essence of the young witches at this school. My dream essence. Was this even a targeted attack, or just random? What if I had been a lower classman who wasn¡¯t trained yet to defend herself? What if it had been someone who couldn¡¯t forge soul-fire? The Umbrath could have killed someone!


    The demon continued what I assumed was staring at me. It even cocked its head, as if analyzing my words and actions. Then, impossible without a mouth I would¡¯ve thought, it laughed. The laugh was a screech that sent a chill down my spine; high-pitched and scratchy. It was akin to nails on a chalkboard. It took everything in me not to reflexively cover my ears as a shiver went down my spine, but there was no way I was going to turn my weapon from the demon now. It continued laughing, making me grit my teeth in anger.


    I held the sword out closer to the Umbrath, and the creature finally stopped laughing. It was clear it was not going to give up its master though, so I debated briefly if I should just kill it and be done with it. As I made up my mind and focused on the Umbrath, it began to laugh again with that horrible laugh. This time, though, the shadowy figure was fading, growing more and more translucent right before my eyes.


    Startled, I held up the sword, ready to strike it down before it could disappear, but I was too late when I came down on the swing. The sword met nothing but air as the last of the Umbrath disappeared.


    Alone in the library, breathing heavily, I looked out the window and into the now dark sky.


    Where did it go?


    ***


    I was paying only half attention, lost in thought, as I raced through the halls of the school. Mother would be absolutely pissed at my tardiness for dinner, but I hoped she¡¯d understand. Though, she¡¯ll probably be pissed again when she found out the Umbrath got away. How could I let it get away? Reckless. Stupid.


    I nearly ran into the wall as my mind replayed the memory of trapping the Umbrath; how it got away. Why had it even been there in the first place? Umbrath¡¯s were only useful to harness the dream essence of living things, which wasn¡¯t used for anything good. Not to mention, it¡¯s not like they naturally existed in the living world.


    No, the only reason an Umbrath would be here was because of dark magic.


    What would mother say? Would she blame me for letting it get away? I panicked as I slowed to a stop in front of her door. I could see a sliver of warm light from under her door and her soft mutters echoed into the hallway, only a whisper. It didn¡¯t matter what I felt though, she needed to know. She was the High Witch and would need to deal with the witch behind this.


    I took a deep breath before knocking on the door. ¡°Mother?¡± I called softly, putting my ear to the old dark wood. I heard her grunt a ¡°come-in¡±.


    I paused, before taking a deep breath. Dark magic. This was crazy. Would she even believe me? No one had used dark magic since she¡¯d put a stop to it over two hundred years ago. I shook my head. She¡¯d have to believe me; there was no other explanation. I reached a shaky hand toward the doorknob.


    Everything was about to change, and I didn¡¯t even know the half of it.

 Chapter Two - Kyrion

    I clenched my fists tightly as I left the King¡¯s chambers with a rucksack tossed carelessly over my shoulder. I could feel the anger still boiling in me as the conversation we¡¯d had played over and over in my head now. I was barely aware of my surroundings as I walked through the dark castle.


    King Sebastian had been in an especially grumpy mood this morning, insisting that I stay in the City of Asolia this summer instead of running off to the ¡°dark, soot-drenched mountains¡± like I did every year. How dare he demand I stay at court in Draoinearea! His claim that my honor as ¡°Princess Natori¡¯s betrothed¡± being at stake was just utter bullshit that he¡¯d made up to fit his own agenda, just like the damn proposal in the first place.


    It wasn¡¯t my fault she¡¯d been kidnapped from our courts! In fact, if it weren¡¯t for him, we would never have been in this mess in the first place. Now, he was trying to ruin my vacation because his little mastermind plan hadn¡¯t gone, well, as planned.


    I thought back to that dreadful night. Just a few days ago, the Elves sat in our halls as the King attempted to gain their favor for an alliance. One minute, I¡¯d been dancing with Natori and studying the angry expression in her eyes, and the next, an unknown darkness had settled upon the room, and she was gone. Just like that. It was like someone had turned the lights off, but the darkness was different. It was something almost indescribable but could nearly be likened to a shadow dancing through the room like fog does in the early Fall mornings. I¡¯d never seen anything like it, and no one could explain it afterward, either.


    The whole thing was unusual. There had been no warning of an attack, no proclamations or signs left behind. There hadn¡¯t even been a ransom. I just couldn¡¯t understand it. How did they know Natori would be there? Why even kidnap a princess if you weren¡¯t going to ransom her? The whole situation didn¡¯t sit right with me. Especially now that King Sebastian was trying desperately to uphold the impression that he had no idea what had happened. How does a princess get kidnapped from your own courts without you knowing a single thing about it? He¡¯d claimed he was ¡°looking into it¡± but hadn¡¯t produced anything substantial yet to explain what¡¯d happened. I refused to believe he didn¡¯t know anything¡ªhe knew everything that happened in this court.


    ¡°She¡¯s not my betrothed yet, your Highness. Don¡¯t you worry about a thing. My honor is most certainly not in danger¡± I¡¯d responded to him rather sharply at the time, before picking up my rucksack and heading toward the door. I may have been a little harsher than necessary, but I had no intentions of honoring his request. Not after this forced marriage proposal and not after the deal he and I had made when I accepted the job of Commander of the King¡¯s guard. He knew my only demand had been to be able to return home to Mt. Sgailean, Beacastieal for two moons every year. He wasn¡¯t going to take that away from me. It was the only joy I had left in this stupid, awful court.


    I stopped now as I reached the large iron doors that lead outside, adjusting the pack on my shoulder. A piece of black hair fell into my eyes with a woosh. I pushed it away agitatedly before opening the door with a shove of my free shoulder. The large slab creaked as it swung open, revealing the bright blue sky outside with not a cloud in sight. I stepped out onto the stone ledge on the other side of the door and looked up.


    The sun was shining brightly, and the cloudless sky meant that the normally bearable temperatures were going to be amplified by the dry hot desert around us. If I didn¡¯t get airborne soon, it would be too hot even for me, and I¡¯d have to delay my trip. Perhaps, that was the King¡¯s plan after all. Frustration grew in my stomach at the thought.


    Outside, two guards stood watch. They nodded to me as I stepped off the ledge and toward the courtyard. I nodded back, trying to conceal my deteriorating mood. The courtyard was busy this afternoon with Fae bustling about in the chaotic aftermath of the grand feast, desperately trying to shore up any weak points in the castle¡¯s defenses. The royal Elven guests had left almost at once after Natori had been kidnapped¡ªtheir faith in our security vanished as they panicked over the safety and whereabouts of their daughter. Dissatisfied with the King¡¯s inability to explain what had happened, King and Queen Thorold stormed out claiming they¡¯d find answers on their own, one way or the other.


    I¡¯d be surprised if the alliance happened now after such a disastrous ending to the night. Not that I was complaining, really. If it meant I wouldn¡¯t be forced into marriage, then so-be-it. Though, I did feel bad for Natori. I really did hope she was all right.


    I wasn¡¯t paying attention to the members of the court as I made my way through the busy courtyard. They all gave polite nods, or boisterous smiles and some even offered a courteous wave. I was usually kind in return, offering waves and smiles of my own, but not today. Today, I barely noticed them as I still brooded over the conversation with the King.


    At least, I had been until I stopped dead in front of my mother, Priscilla. She was unexpectedly standing in the middle of the courtyard with her hands crossed over her chest and a scowl plastered on her face.


    ¡°Kyrion Lothian. It is rude to ignore people. I know I taught you better than that¡± her voice was scornful, but I could still hear the faint teasing tone that seemed to always shine through when she scolded me.


    My mother and I had always been close, closer than I ever had been with my father. In fact, part of the resentment I held for the court stemmed from being ripped away from my mother and being forced to spend most of my time away from her, and in a place I dreaded no less. Though I¡¯d never tell her that; I knew she¡¯d drop everything to come live at the court and reunite our family. I couldn¡¯t do that to her¡ªif it pained me not to be at home, it would be much worse for her. She was a dragon-rider; her heart and loyalties would always lie with the dragons in the northern mountains, just like mine did.


    ¡°Sorry, ma¡± I said, running a hand through my smooth hair, afraid to meet her gaze. Instead, I noticed that her long brown hair had been tied back in a constricted braid and her body was wrapped in tight fitting riding leathers. She must have been out with Saraiah; I thought as I avoided her eyes in embarrassment.


    It was uncommon for her to be at court at all, but she¡¯d come almost at once when she¡¯d heard about my proposed marriage and Natori¡¯s kidnapping. She wasn¡¯t happy with my father when she found out he let the King negotiate a marriage for me without my consent or knowledge. Though regardless, she¡¯d also been sympathetic to my father¡¯s stress in the aftermath of it all and came to support him. I knew she loved and cared for my father, and it was hard for her to see him in such a situation. Despite all that though, I wondered if she was feeling the same call to the cold mountains like I was right now.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d already be off by now. Coralyne is expecting you tonight¡± she said, regaining my focus. She uncrossed her arms and put one around my shoulder and pulled me in closer to her.


    ¡°The King wanted to see me before I left. He wants me to stay here this Summer¡ªit¡¯s this whole stupid marriage thing with Natori. He thinks it will look bad if I ¡®run away¡¯ days after my unofficial fianc¨¦ is kidnapped¡± I admitted. Together, we continued through the courtyard to the large stables. Usually, Shadowfire was the only dragon in the stables, but now my mother¡¯s dragon, Saraih, was also in there while she was visiting court.


    ¡°Hmm. And are you?¡± my mother paused before adding, ¡°Staying, I mean¡±.


    ¡°No¡± I said, trying to keep the disdain from earlier out of my voice. The look she gave me in response made the hair on my arms stand up. I knew she was waiting for an explanation. Quietly demanding one really, with the way her eyes lit with a fierceness. She¡¯d always hated it when I gave simple one-word replies.


    ¡°What? It¡¯s not like we are actually betrothed. Nothing had been agreed to yet, and it probably never will now that she¡¯s been kidnapped from our courts¡± I rambled. Anger I¡¯d been feeling from the situation began to build up again. I shook my head, trying to clear it. My mother has been the only one on my side regarding this forced marriage thing. She wasn¡¯t questioning me now, just simply wanting me to share.


    ¡°Hmm¡± was all she said in response, her gaze focused on the distance. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what that poor thing is going through right now. She must be so lost and scared¡±. I could tell she wasn¡¯t going to press me further¡ªshe knew it was a touchy subject.


    I didn¡¯t respond. It wasn¡¯t that I hated Natori. It wasn¡¯t like that at all. I hated that I was being forced into marrying her without any say in it. It¡¯s not like she wanted this, either. We didn¡¯t love each other. We didn¡¯t even know each other! How could the King truly expect us to enter into such an arrangement?


    Besides, I¡¯d always hoped that the mysterious purpled-eyed female I¡¯d been dreaming of for years was really out there, waiting for me. What if she was, and I was already married? What then? I let my mind focus on the beautiful image that had haunted my dreams for years before I signed deeply. Was I being delusional?


    As we came to the western edge of the courtyard, we didn¡¯t say anything more on the subject. I could tell my mother was thinking about the situation though, analyzing it over and over. I knew it didn¡¯t sit right with her that this had happened with no clear explanation. That it happened at all. I couldn¡¯t blame her¡ªI didn¡¯t like the situation either. It only further solidified my contempt for the Fae court.


    We pushed through the iron gate leading out of the courtyard and down the final stretch of the stone path to the stables. I was anxious to mount Shadowfire and leave behind the dry deserts of Draoinearea. I could feel the pull toward my dragon as we drew closer and closer to the stables. It had been days since we¡¯d gone airborne¡ªsomething I usually did at least once every day. I was looking forward to the long trip ahead of me, just me and Shadowfire.


    My mother must have been watching my convoluted expression, because she stopped me a couple hundred feet from the stalls. I let the rucksack I¡¯d been carrying fall to the ground in a small puff of dust as I met her gaze quizzically. I knew whatever she was going to say was going to get under my skin, but I gave her my full attention anyway.


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t enjoy court life, Kyrion. But really, you must improve your attitude¡± her voice was serious at first, but it didn¡¯t take long for a smile to crack at the corner of her lips. Her next words came out more jokingly. ¡°You¡¯re starting to be grumpier than your grandfather these days, and that¡¯s saying something¡±.


    Oh gods, I thought grimly. I must have been truly dreadful if she was comparing me to Grandpa Lothian now. Grandpa Lothian, my father¡¯s father and my uncle¡¯s stepfather, had been the grumpiest person I¡¯d ever met. He always had an opinion, and it was always the right one in his eyes. He came across as nothing more than a stubborn, rude, asshole, quite frankly. On top of that, he¡¯d never liked me or Cora, nor had he approved of my father marrying outside of the Fae bloodline. I knew my mother had been joking when she made the comment, but it still struck too close to home.


    Despite the remark, I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I met my mother¡¯s cool green gaze. I pulled her in for a tight hug before whispering, ¡°I¡¯ve just been cooped up too long. I¡¯ll be better the second I¡¯m on Shadowfire¡±.


    ¡°Like mother like son¡± her words were warm, and she pulled slightly away to look at my face. She brushed a piece of hair out of my eyes as she examined me. She was right¡ªdespite sharing my father¡¯s Fae blood, I was truly more alike my mother¡ªa dragon-rider with no stronger connection than the one I had with my dragon.


    ¡°I wish you were coming with. It won¡¯t be the same without you home this year¡± I told her, taking her hands in mine.


    ¡°I know darling, I do too. There is no place at court for one with the heart and blood of a dragon¡± she responded, squeezing my hands.


    We pulled apart, and my mother smiled fondly at me. She took a step back and placed one hand on her heart, blowing a kiss to me with the other and whispering ¡°Safe travels, son¡±.


    I caught the airborne kiss, holding it to my heart in return. I watched as she began to walk back toward the courtyard, likely retreating to the castle to be with my father. I waited until she disappeared behind the iron walls of the courtyard gates before I turned my attention back to the stables.


    If I were lucky, I¡¯d arrive in Mt. Sgailean before the moon was at its zenith. Cora would be pissed at me for arriving late, but I didn¡¯t care. I was going home; that¡¯s all that mattered. I¡¯d be able to put all this court nonsense behind me and finally be free to be myself for a couple of moons.


    As I pulled open the stable doors, anticipation growing in my stomach, I heard a loud commotion erupt behind me. I turned my attention briefly back toward the courtyard, but didn¡¯t make any move toward the sound. I was off duty¡ªit wasn¡¯t my problem anymore.


    I hesitated in that state for several moments, before the commotion got louder and I let out a deep, troubled sigh. As long as I was the Commander of the King¡¯s guard, it would always be my problem. I¡¯d made a promise to the King and his court; an oath that I would protect him and his Kingdom with my life. What a mistake that had been¡ªeven if the King was my uncle.


    I turned back around and began making my way up the stone path, but I didn¡¯t make it very far when another guard popped his head out of the iron gate I¡¯d come through.


    ¡°There you are, Ser Kyrion! We need you! There¡¯s a female out here demanding to see the King, but she won¡¯t say anything else. She will only talk to the King¡± the breathless guard let out quickly as he came to a stop in front of me.


    I held my hand up to the bridge of my nose for a moment. It was just going to be one disaster after another around here, apparently. The castle guards couldn¡¯t even handle a silly, harmless, female without running to me! Would I ever make it out of here?


    I gestured to the guard, I think his name was Quintin, to lead the way. I followed behind him as we made our way through the gate and into the courtyard. My arms were crossed over my chest, and I knew I had a scowl plastered on my face. I must have looked intimidating, because some of the Fae walking about turned and quickly paced the other way as I strolled past them.


    My mother hadn¡¯t gotten much further either, and she watched now from the sidelines as a massive crowd began to form at the center of the yard. She raised her eyebrows when she saw me again. I shrugged my shoulder, nodding to the crowd.


    ¡°Don¡¯t keep Cora waiting too much longer, son. You know how she is. She¡¯ll have you sleeping with the dragons if you piss her off¡± my mother whispered gently, jokingly, to me as I passed her. I couldn¡¯t help but smile. That was her attempt at easing the anger I still felt, which must have been obvious on my face. At least to her.


    As I approached the gathering and boisterous crowd, I noticed several of the court members I¡¯d seen earlier. They were all focused on something in the middle of the group, but it was hard to tell what was really going on with everyone yelling. They all made way for me as I shouldered my way through the crowd.


    At the center of the chaos was a female; an Elf by the looks of it. She was hunched over, nearly being trampled by the court members surrounding her. Her skirts were in shambles, torn by the people in the front of the group that were crowding her in. They were all speaking loudly and demanding she explain herself. After the breach in our security at the feast, it was no surprise that everyone was on edge with the stranger who required the King¡¯s audience without explanation.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± I demand, trying to pull back some of the more aggressive Fae who didn¡¯t want to let up. They bristled, pointing angry fingers at her, but soon stepped away once they realized who I was. Off to the side, some of the servants gave looks of relief as I took charge of the situation. Others just scowled, turning away in anger.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°She won¡¯t say who she is or why she¡¯s here, Ser Kyrion¡± one of the more forceful Fae, whose name I didn¡¯t know, spat in my direction. I eyed him briefly, before patting his shoulder and dismissing him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just give her some space. She¡¯ll explain herself, but she can¡¯t do so if you¡¯re all yelling over her and trampling her¡± I said, my voice calm. Finally, all the remaining Fae either drifted off to the sidelines to watch the commotion or disappeared entirely; the few court guards present took their places behind me, looking to me for leadership.


    Once a space had been cleared and I could see the female clearly, I held out a hand to steady her. She looked weak, and troubled, but her silver eyes sparked with interest when she looked up to meet my gaze. When my hand met her shoulder, something changed in her expression. I couldn¡¯t quite read it, but there was something off putting about the way she intently stared at me now. It was both like she was staring into my very soul, and not seeing me at all at the same time.


    All of a sudden, she started whispering. I could barely hear her, but I caught some of what she¡¯d been saying, though it didn¡¯t make any sense. ¡°No one can know about her¡± and ¡°the prophecy is true¡±, and finally, ¡°his death is coming, long at last¡±.


    Startled, I took a step back, but that didn¡¯t break her gaze. Instead, it only seemed to intensify. I stood staring back at her, intrigued and frightened by what was happening. Did she have some sort of Clairvoyant or mind-reading ability? Was she using it on me now?


    Finally, after a moment, she blinked and shook her head as if to clear it from the weird trance she¡¯d been in. I took the opportunity to straighten my posture and clear my own mind, too. I couldn¡¯t figure out the strange feeling that settled over me. All I knew was that it shouldn¡¯t have rattled me the way it did, and I was going to do my best to pretend it hadn¡¯t happened.


    ¡°What is your name¡± I asked now, watching as she tore her gaze from me and let it rest on the ground in front of her.


    ¡°My name is Nani¡± her voice was barely a whisper. Whatever had just happened between us had clearly affected her just as much as me, though I still couldn¡¯t explain what had happened exactly in the first place.


    ¡°Nani, I am Ser Kyrion. I am the Commander of the Kings Guard¡± I started, ignoring whatever had just happened. She still didn¡¯t look up at me, so I continued. ¡°Why do you seek an audience with the King?¡±


    She looked at me then, and her entire demeanor changed. Now, she stood up straight, holding her head high. She was small, no taller than my forehead, but she looked at me again with a fierceness that reminded me of my own mother. I got the impression now that she would not be afraid of me or this court, no matter how much we tried to intimidate her.


    ¡°I have something very important to tell him. Something he¡¯ll want to hear¡± her voice was calm, though it faltered at the end. With a huff, she passively patted the dust of her ruined dress with exasperation, side-eying the Fae who still stood to the side watching intently.


    ¡°What do you want to tell him?¡± I ask, noticing out of the corner of my eye the guards behind me shifting uncomfortably.


    ¡°Not here, Ser Kyrion. I will only tell the King¡±. Her response was curt, and she held my gaze with confidence now.


    ¡°You understand I can¡¯t simply take you to the King without any explanation¡±. My voice was smooth, but I was growing agitated. Why did she, or any of the Elves for that matter, have to be so stubborn? I don¡¯t know how they do things in Aosipora, but surely, they understood they couldn¡¯t just walk in here and demand to see the King.


    ¡°Please, Ser Kyrion. The King will be glad to hear the news I have to give him, you must believe me¡± Nani said, practically begging. I started to feel bad for her, but before I could respond, she leaned in and whispered to me. She was so quiet; I doubted anyone else could hear her. ¡°It involves your impeding marriage, Ser Kyrion¡±.


    She studied me briefly as I scrunched up my eyebrows in confusion. How did she know about the marriage proposal, and what kind of information could she even have that would be worth something to the King? I had to admit, the whole situation was awaking a curiosity in me.


    I took a moment to consider. I knew the King would be furious if I brought this stranger before him without an appointment, and with no clue what she had to say to him. Especially with everything else that was going on. This would surely sour his mood even further.


    After thinking it over, I made up my mind. With a flash of both guilt and relief, I knew that taking Nani to the King would ruin his entire evening. It¡¯s not like he hadn¡¯t ruined mine¡ªI should be in Mt. Sgailean by now, and yet, here I still stand. Not to mention, I was still angry about the whole marriage thing. It was something I should have had a say in, but instead, my hand had been forced. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever get over it. Especially if I did have to marry Natori.


    ¡°Come with me, Miss. I will escort you to the throne room¡± I said courtly, holding my arm out to her. One of the guards behind me made a shocked noise, but quickly held his tongue. None of the others made a sound. I was the Commander; my word was to be obeyed.


    She rested her hand on my arm, and I led her away from the now outraged court members and toward the castle proper. I could hear their grumbles and disapproval, but I didn¡¯t care. I was getting a kick out of this. I knew Nani wouldn¡¯t pose a threat to the King¡ªthere was no way she¡¯d be able to with a room full of armed (and magical) guards, myself included. I wondered briefly what my mother was thinking right now as I led this stranger to see the King.


    As we walked up to the path, I turned to one of the guards who¡¯d taken position on my left. ¡°Please notify the King he is to receive an audience in the throne room¡± I requested, keeping a respectful tone to my voice. Though I hated the job, and wasn¡¯t fond of my uncle, I knew the importance of having my men respect me. The only way to earn their respect was to be respectful to them in return. It had gone fairly well for me, and I had a good relationship with the guards, despite my desires not be involved in this courtly nonsense.


    The guard gave me a pained look, his head turning to Nani. I smiled and reached my hand out to gently squeeze his shoulder with encouragement. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t take the blame for this. You can tell King Sebastian this was all me¡± I winked, ushering him toward the castle. The guard looked slightly more relieved, and quickly jogged ahead to warn the King.


    I didn¡¯t watch as he disappeared inside the castle. Instead, I focused my gaze on Nani. With my eyes never leaving her, I thought back to the look she¡¯d given me earlier. I struggled to prevent a chill from running down my spine and I still couldn¡¯t shake the uneasy feeling I¡¯d felt as she appeared to look into my spirit. Had she been using some sort of unknown power on me? Who was this woman, and what could she possibly want with the Fae? What did she know about Natori and I? Questions like this continued to run through my head as we made our way through the courtyard.


    Either she didn¡¯t notice or chose to ignore the fact I¡¯d been staring at her the entire time it took us to reach the castle. We now approached the same doors I¡¯d walked out of not too long ago. When we reached the door, she looked up at me with weariness. The same guards I¡¯d nodded to earlier were still on duty, and they gave me a puzzled, but not questioning look.


    ¡°Shall we?¡± I asked, and she gave a curt nod. One guards we¡¯d approached rushed to open the doors, and we stepped inside and made our way quietly to the throne room. The only sound present was the sound of our footsteps echoing off the stone hallway.


    It didn¡¯t take much longer to reach the velvet curtain that led into the throne room. I ducked inside, leading the way, and was surprised to see the King already waiting on his throne. He had a look of pure outrage on his face, but he didn¡¯t say anything as the three guards¡ªincluding the one I¡¯d sent ahead¡ªtook posts around the room, surrounding the King nondiscretely.


    Finally, King Sebastian Silverthorne spoke with ice as we came to a stop in front of him, ¡°What is the meaning of this, Ser Kyrion¡±.


    ¡°Your Highness¡± I smirked as I bowed deeply, stepping up to the throne. He grumbled before releasing me casually. When I looked up, I noticed the wrinkles on his fat face protruded deeper above his eyebrows; he was angry. It took everything in me not to laugh. Instead, I gestured Nani up to me. ¡°This is Nani from King Fernand¡¯s court. She seeks a private audience with you¡±.


    Nani looked much frailer now as she stood in front of the Fae King. Her hands were clasped tightly in front of her, and there was a slight tremble as she avoided his gaze. ¡°Thank you for seeing me, King Sebastian¡± she whispered, her voice barely audible.


    ¡°Nani, is it? What a peculiar name¡± the King scoffed, taking in her appearance. ¡°Why has the Elven court sent a servant to seek my audience? Why not King Fernand himself?¡± His voice was rude, and Nani flinched as his harsh gaze remained on her. She nodded weakly, still afraid to meet his gaze.


    Well, that¡¯s interesting, I thought to myself. She was afraid of King Sebastian.


    ¡°King Fernand couldn¡¯t be here, and he insisted I was the only person in his courts that he trusted enough to deliver this news to you. I have been serving the royal Elven family for hundreds of years¡± her voice was growing stronger, though she still had none of the confidence I¡¯d seen in her earlier.


    ¡°And why does King Fernand seek my audience? Has he sent you to accept the alliance?¡± The King asked, his voice growing angrier. I could tell he had no patience for this small female in front of him. He was likely pissed at King Fernand for sending her in the first place. He¡¯d never respected females when it came to court politics¡ªhis opinion had always been that they should be seen and not heard.


    ¡°I have word of the Lost Princess, your Highness¡± Nani said, her voice still quiet. Even I had heard about the Lost Princess, and I wasn¡¯t surprised either when the King straightened his spine, a look of interest growing on his face.


    The story of the Lost Princess was a tale I¡¯d once been told as child. When I was young, I¡¯d thought it was nothing more than just a tale. It was only when I¡¯d turned sixteen and came to the court that I realized it was a true story and not some fairytale after all. The story of Irrhueitha Edgewood, the Lost Princess of Draoinearea.


    Before King Sebastian Silverthorne sat the throne, Draoinearea was ruled by the Edgewood¡¯s; the last line of Old Fae who¡¯d sat the throne for centuries. Though there had once been other powerful Old Fae bloodlines, the Edgewoods were the only direct descendants of the great Goddess Cyathea. I¡¯d grown up on stories that they¡¯d been unjust, cruel leaders, so it was no surprise to find out what happened next. Nearly 230 years ago, on the evening of the Winter Solstice, 6070 A.C., a disaster struck the City of Asolia. During the night, the King and Queen had been found murdered in their beds, their servants too.


    Only after the raid, nobody could find the sweet young princess, Irrhueitha. At first, they believed that she may have escaped the cruel fate of the conquest, but as time grew on and there had been no sightings of her, she begun to become known as the Lost Princess.


    Eventually the Fae stopped looking for her. Stopped believing that Irrhueitha was still out there. Most, if not all, Fae believed Irrhueitha was dead now¡ªthere had been no proof otherwise, after all. They¡¯d accepted Sebastian Silverthorne as their ruler and believed him when he¡¯d said that he¡¯d freed the Fae from a horrible Fate under the Edgewoods. King Sebastian, however, still believed Irrhueitha was out there. I knew he believed she was just hiding away so he couldn¡¯t find her.


    ¡°Do you, now?¡± The King¡¯s voice broke my chain of thought. I refocused on his face as he continued speaking. ¡°I¡¯d begun to think I¡¯d never receive news on the matter. Please, do your best not to disappoint me¡± The King said, mild disdain still in his voice. Despite that, I could recognize an unusual fiery interest glowing in his eyes.


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness¡± Nani bowed gracefully, straightening back up. Though she was doing a great job at holding herself more confidently now, I could still feel the fear coming off her. ¡°I have been sent on behalf of King Fernand and the Elvish Court to make a deal with you¡± her voice steady.


    ¡°And what does this have to do with Irrhueitha Edgewood?¡± the King hissed.


    ¡°King Fernand has spent years tracking reports of Irrhueitha in Aosipora, and he has finally found her¡± Nani began, looking to the King before she continued.


    King Sebastian was looking at her with an expression I couldn¡¯t quite comprehend. He gestured to Nani¡ª ¡°And what is this deal King Fernand would like to make¡±.


    ¡°King Fernand has it on good authority that King Aurther was the one who orchestrated Natori¡¯s kidnapping, though he has no plans of offering a ransom. We worry about his true intentions for kidnapping her, and we need your help. Afterall, it was your courts from which she was kidnapped in the first place. King Fernand would like to make a trade¡ªin return for your courts assistance in providing Natori¡¯s safe return to us, King Fernand will deliver Irrhueitha Edgewood to you personally¡± her voice was barely a whisper in the large room.


    The King didn¡¯t say anything for a long moment, but sat with his gaze locked on Nani, a look of contemplation on his face. I found it surprising to hear news that the Lost Princess was not dead after all. I studied the King¡¯s reaction, wondering if he too was surprised. He didn¡¯t seem to be, which was odd.


    ¡°Hmm, that is an interesting offer indeed, Nani. How regretful King Fernand couldn¡¯t be here to ask himself. I do love the idea of seeing him grovel before me¡± the King¡¯s voice trailed off into a dark chuckle, all the while not taking his gaze off Natori.


    It took everything in me not to sneer at the King; what a condescending piece of¡ªI was thinking when the King¡¯s voice cut off of my thoughts.


    ¡°I do see the advantages of rescuing Princess Natori¡± he made a satisfying click in his throat before continuing. ¡°But my services cost much more than their offering. No, I don¡¯t just want Irrhueitha, I want their agreement to my proposal of alliance¡± his voice was cocky, as it usually was, but there was also a hint of excited I hadn¡¯t seen in his eyes in many years.


    ¡°You mean the wedding, Your Highness¡± Natori¡¯s voice seemed to crack now, but she held her gaze steady.


    ¡°Yes, the wedding. There will be no alliance otherwise. Do you need to return to King Fernand to relay these terms?¡± The King¡¯s voice was edged with impatience. He sneered at Nani as she stood before him with her head slightly bowed.


    Despite King Sebastian being uncomfortable doing business with Nani instead of King Fernand, he clearly was too anxious to have everything he¡¯d wanted fall into his lap to say anything outright. I finally peeled my eyes away from him in disgust.


    ¡°Truly, the prize of finally catching Irrhueitha after all this time is a worthy enough prize on its own, Your Highness?¡± Nani countered, holding the king¡¯s burning gaze. I held my breath, quickly assessing his reaction. He most definitely would not have liked that taunting tone.


    ¡°I see King Fernand has not trained his servants on how to speak to the royalty before them¡± he hissed at her, raising his hand up as if to hit her. I took a step forward then, and the King waved his hand dismissively instead.


    ¡°Irrhueitha and the alliance. That is my price. They do not get to stroll in here, no, send a servant in here demanding my audience and begging for my help without paying the price they have been avoiding for far too long¡± his voice was loud and final, even making one of the guards at the doors to the throne room flinch.


    Peculiarly, Nani¡¯s gaze looked up to mine before she responded. She took a hesitant sigh, before turning away and meeting the King¡¯s gaze once more.


    ¡°Then he accepts these terms¡±. She said coldly, her voice barely a whisper in my ears as the reality of the situation played on a loop in my head. Natori and I were to be married, it was official, I thought grimly.


    The King had a maniacal grin plastered to his face and clapped his hands in celebration. ¡°Wonderful!¡± he proclaimed. I swallowed the lump growing in my throat, desperately trying to control the rage coursing through my veins. Looking down, I noticed I¡¯d clenched my fists so tightly that they had cut into the skin on my palms, leaving a faint red crescent shaped slash across each hand.


    ¡°Now, of course, we¡¯ll have to keep you here, Nani. You understand, don¡¯t you? An act of good faith on the part of King Fernand that he delivers his end of the bargain once we find Natori¡± the King said waving the guards forward. They each had long spears in their outstretched fists that I hadn¡¯t seen them grab.


    ¡°That is fine, Your Highness. I only ask that you send along a note to the Elvish court of the news, so they oughtn¡¯t worry about my failure to return¡± she declared, no sign of the earlier fear she¡¯d shown present in her face now. I could tell it was still buried in there, but she was wroth to be showing it to his face.


    The King waved her away meekly as the guards took hold of her. ¡°Take her to the dungeon¡± he ordered, dismissing the guards who tugged Nani between them.


    ¡°The dungeon? Is that necessary, your Highness? She is merely a guest of the court on a show of good faith, is she not?¡± I objected, looking up at the King as I crossed the room to where Nani had been dragged.


    ¡°Nani is withholding information on a known criminal of our court, Ser Kyrion. You¡¯ll find I¡¯m well within my rights¡ªI will adhere to the terms of our negotiation by returning her unharmed should King Fernand uphold his end, but she will remain as a prisoner of our court until such exchanges are made, not a guest¡± The King gutted an angry response, turning his red hot gaze toward me. I snickered, whipping around to go after Nani.


    The guards continued pulling her out of the throne room, her dress tearing even further than it had before as she dangled helplessly between them. I noticed in dismay they¡¯d managed to shackle her in iron chains in order to suppress her ability to use magic.


    As I approached, one of guards, Quintin, turned to face me. He held his staff out with the tip pointed at my chest. I could tell he wasn¡¯t happy about this either, but orders were orders. Especially orders from the King. I stopped, seething, as he slowly retreated with the rest of the guard who carried Nani to a dark cell under the castle.


    I knew the King could be cruel, but how could he truly go this far? As I watched Nani disappear from sight, I turned to the King in anger.


    ¡°This wrong and you know it¡± I said trying to keep my voice cool and even. There was no point reasoning with him if all we did was yell at each other.


    ¡°Ser Kyrion, I rather thought you knew more about what was expected of you on the council. You¡¯ve been sitting on it for years now; haven¡¯t you learned anything?¡± His response made me clench my teeth.


    ¡°All I¡¯ve learned, it seems, is what not to do¡± I hissed without thinking. I turned to storm away, ready to get away from it all and finally get on my way to Mt. Sgailean. Why wasn¡¯t I there already, anyway? I asked myself as I neared the velvet curtains at the far end of the room.


    ¡°You know you¡¯re forbidden to leave on your little trip now, don¡¯t you, Kyrion? You¡¯re needed at court for a royal mission¡± The King laughed. The screech was so dark sounding it sent a shiver down my spine.


    ¡°Are you truly going to stop me?¡± I hissed, before turning around to face him again. ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try¡± I snapped back.


    ¡°You need to learn some respect, boy. You may be the Commander of the Kings Guard, but I am the King¡± he roared. I felt my breath catch in my throat as I watched him in silent anger, not wanting to provoke him further. ¡°You will do as I say, Kyrion, or you¡¯ll find that Nani won¡¯t be the only new occupant of the dungeon¡± his voice echoed through the room.


    ¡°Do you understand?¡± he roared again at my failure to respond.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness¡± I muttered.

 Chapter Three - Arryanntheia

    ¡°Here, let me get that¡± I held my hand out for the empty plate my father was leaning over as he shoved the last mouthful of food in his mouth. There were crumbs still in his mustache after he carelessly wiped his lips with the back of his sleeve and gave me a cheeky grin.


    ¡°Thanks darling¡± he said as he handed the fragile porcelain plate over the table toward my outstretched hand. Dinner tonight had been pleasant¡ªa slab of deer meat, roasted potatoes, and bread. We were coming out of the colder season, which meant soups almost every night, most without any meat. It was good to have some more sustenance after the long, chilly moons of winter and early spring.


    ¡°Are you going to the market tomorrow?¡± I asked as I carried the dishes over to the small sink in the corner of the kitchen.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m heading to Loros this time. The market in Rexithian hasn¡¯t picked up quite yet¡± his voice was serious, but he quickly added ¡°Besides, there¡¯s something special I¡¯ve had my eye on at the Loros market. Something that would make the perfect gift for my sweet Arryanntheia¡¯s birthday¡± he came up behind me and kissed me on the forehead before teetering off to the living space.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to get me anything, pa¡± I said, keeping my eyes focused on scrubbing the sudsy plate in front of me. I always loved it when father brought me home gifts from the market, but I also knew money was tight, and we should be spending it on other, more necessary things.


    ¡°Nonsense! You¡¯re going to love it¡± he nearly yelled through the house over the running water. I didn¡¯t respond, but I also couldn¡¯t keep a massive grin from growing on my face either.


    I watched the sun set through the tiny window above the kitchen sink while I finished the dishes. The bright purple and orange starburst was beginning to fade into a dimming sky, and the first sprinkling of stars was beginning to litter the horizon. It was my favorite time of the year, and I¡¯d watched many summer sunsets through this very window. Sometimes I thought of my long-gone mother, other times, I thought of the adventures I¡¯d dreamed of going on. Most of the time, I tried to memorize the beautiful scene so I could recreate it later with paints so I could remember the moment forever.


    As the sky grew darker, I thought of all the secret nights I¡¯d spent under the trees watching the star-lit skies. Those were the memories I really cherished, though they weren¡¯t ones I ever painted. I didn¡¯t have to¡ªthey would always have a place in my heart. Not to mention, they wouldn¡¯t be secret anymore if I ever put them down on canvas. At the thought, a new smile grew on my face. Tonight, I¡¯d have the chance to sneak away and make more of those cherished memories. I could already feel the anticipation growing.


    Father was sitting in his old, green armchair by the empty fireplace in the living room now. I could just barely see him out of the corner of my eyes as I hummed to myself quietly. He was puffing on one of his old tobacco pipes again, something he did nearly every night after dinner while I cleaned.


    While I didn¡¯t mind the nightly routine too much, I also wished some things would change. Things like being sequestered to the family farm my entire life. Something told me I¡¯d appreciate these homely nights more if I¡¯d had the chance to experience a night without them.


    I finished the last of the dishes and dried my hands off on the towel on the counter before grabbing my book and retiring to the couch adjacent to my father. I was so excited that I could hardly pay attention to the novel in front of me and I found myself re-reading the same page over and over. In an effort not to bring attention to myself, I numbly flipped through the pages pretending to actually read. I made a mental note to myself on what page I¡¯d actually left off on so I could go back later.


    My mind raced at the thought of galloping Gingersnap through the dark, forbidden forest surrounding the farm. I anxiously waited for father to retire to bed for the night so that I could finally sneak out of this stuffy cottage. It wasn¡¯t something I did often, lest I get caught, but tonight was a special occasion. Tonight, I needed this desperately. I needed to forget who I was and lose myself in the woods for a little while.


    I didn¡¯t hate my father for keeping me locked up here. I knew it was only out of fear for my safety since he¡¯d already lost my mother at the hands of King Aurthur. It was just frustrating. No matter how many times I told him that I would not share the same fate as my mother, he wouldn¡¯t cave. He¡¯d never let me set foot off the confines of the Calver farm.


    What he didn¡¯t know about my occasional nighttime adventures wouldn¡¯t kill him. I was a young woman who¡¯d never seen the world outside of this small farm. I was beginning to feel restless, trapped, desperate for an adventure. I wanted to be like one the main character in my novels¡ªthe hero of the story; of my story.


    The moon was going to be full tonight, and what better night to sneak away than the eve of my twenty-fifth birthday. I knew father would make a good deal about my birthday tomorrow, and I was looking forward to a quiet night to myself doing what I really loved. I never knew when I¡¯d have a chance like this to escape, and I wasn¡¯t going to miss it.


    ¡°What are you reading, hun?¡± My father¡¯s voice caught me off guard, ripping me out of my daydreams. I felt guilt wash over me, but I refused to let it ruin the mood. Instead, I gave him a crooked smile over the pages of the book.


    ¡°Oh, nothing really. The same book as last night¡ªit¡¯s about a peasant girl finding a secret, magical world¡± I said, letting enthusiasm drip into my voice. It really was a good book; I couldn¡¯t discount that. I was just a touch distracted tonight, that¡¯s all.


    ¡°You¡¯re always reading something. You get that from your mother, you know¡± he said. His eyes met mine in the dim living room and I caught a brief glimpse of sadness in the glossy shien of his gaze. I felt myself reflexively smile at the comment, though it made me feel sad as well. I didn¡¯t remember much about my mother. I¡¯d been too young when she died. I did know I reminded my father a great deal of her, and I wished I¡¯d been able to know her the way he had.


    ¡°You should pick up a book sometime, pa; you might actually like it¡± I teased, closing the book and setting it down on the couch next to me.


    ¡°That was always more your mothers¡¯ thing. I never could get into it¡±. His response was soft, and he turned his gaze away from me.


    ¡°Will you tell me more about her?¡± I asked, wishing he¡¯d meet my gaze again.


    He didn¡¯t look at me for a long moment, nor did he say anything in response. I waited, hoping tonight would be the night he actually told me something substantial about her. He¡¯d always been quiet and reserved about the subject, and I guessed it was because it still upset him that she was gone. Though it had been many years since, I could understand the pain he still felt.


    Finally, he leaned forward and gave me a sympathetic look. I watching him intently, but quickly became disappointed when I saw which way this was going.


    ¡°Perhaps another time, Arry. It¡¯s getting late, and this old man needs to get some sleep. Big day tomorrow¡± he said, avoiding eye contact again. I let out a sigh of both relief and sadness. At least he was off to bed. It wouldn¡¯t be long now until I was under the cover of the stars.


    ¡°Sleep well, father¡± I whispered, looking away. ¡°I¡¯m not too much further behind you¡± my soft voice echoed as I picked up my book again and rested it open on my lap. It was my attempt at making it look like I had no plans other than sitting right where I was the rest of the night. I¡¯d gotten too good at this whole sneaking out thing.


    ¡°G¡¯night kiddo¡± his sleepy voice carried as he got up from his chair and patted me softly on the top of my head. He let his gaze hover for a moment longer than usual with a soft smile plastered to his face, before he disappeared down the dark hallway to the bedrooms. I watched his shadowy figure slip into his room and the door shut behind him with a soft thud.


    I sat on the couch for another half-hour at least. The book I¡¯d opened was still on the same page as when he¡¯d left. My leg was twitching the whole time as I daydreamed about my adventures, anxiously waiting for the right time to slip away.


    Eventually, father¡¯s snores could be heard echoing down the hallway, and I knew it was time. I carelessly tossed the book on the cushion next to me and stood, brushing out my dress skirt. I silently slipped through the kitchen, making sure to lightly glide through the house on my tip toes so I didn¡¯t make too much noise. When I reached the back door, I carefully pulled open the latch, holding my breath the entire time until I swung open the door without it squeaking. Success.


    I didn¡¯t bother with shoes¡ªI never did in the summer. I liked to feel the earth when I ran through the forest in the warmer months. When my toes met the damp grass outside the back door, I couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh of relief. I could already feel the call of the wild pulling me into its sweet embrace.


    I stood there for a moment, enjoying the feel of the summer night breeze on my skin, watching the moon. Its soft glow was mesmerizing as its full body climbed to the peak of the sky. Slowly at first, I picked my way across the immediate yard surrounding the house, but once I was far enough out, I took off faster across the fields toward the barn and the hidden gate behind it; my favorite place to disappear unnoticed.


    The feeling of the cool wind against my face was delightful, and I couldn¡¯t wait to be flying through the trees on the back of Gingersnap. I could just barely make her out from where I was now, and I pushed myself faster toward the old, red barn where we kept the horses.


    When I reached the metal fence around the barn, I slowed until I was softly dancing through the tall, green grass. I stopped at the gate and looked up at the barn. The fading wooden building had seen better days, though I hadn¡¯t really noticed before how badly it could use a new coat of paint. The wood had even begun to rot in some places and could use some repairs. I scrunched up my nose. Despite the disrepair, I couldn¡¯t help but feel joy at the sight of the building and the fond memories I had of growing up spending my summer evenings with the horses.


    Several of the horses were still meandering about in the corral, despite the late hour. I wasn¡¯t surprised that Gingersnap was one of them; she almost always had a premonition of when we were going for a nighttime ride.


    I watched her slender blonde body gallop toward me. The contrasting brown spots that grew up on her legs added character, making it look like she¡¯d just run through a pool of mud. It fit her personality quite well, I¡¯d always thought. The moonlight bathed her mane as it flew out behind her, making it look like silver fire. She was beautiful, and the only horse I¡¯d ever bonded with despite us having many.


    I didn¡¯t always take her on my adventures, in fact, I mostly liked to go on foot. I didn¡¯t get as far, but it was sometimes more satisfying to have nothing with me but the clothes on my back. I always took her on the first adventure of the season, though. I studied her wild eyes as she grew closer, and I could already tell she was as desperate as I was to run through the forest tonight.


    I slipped through the dark green rungs of the gate and into the corral. I lead Gingersnap to the stables so I could get her saddled up, though I contemplated going bear back in an effort to leave sooner. I quickly scrapped the idea¡ªshe was too frisky for that.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going, ol¡¯ girl?¡± I asked, running my palm down her nose as I approached her. She whinnied softly, nudging me in greeting. ¡°Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d leave without you, did ya?¡± I jokingly teased, heading toward the open barn doors.


    The inside of the barn was dark, the only light coming from the moon through the tiny open windows at the top peaks of the barn. Some of the horses were bedded down for the night and let out soft nickers when I entered. I ignored them, beelining toward where the saddles and other equipment was stored. Gingersnap waltzed in behind me, buzzing with excitement. It put a smile on my own face knowing we were both looking forward to an adventure.


    I pulled down one of the saddles that was sized for me, feeling the worn leather as I did. I¡¯d grown up riding horses, and it was something I¡¯d always enjoyed. I enjoyed it even more when Gingersnap and I were able to leave the confines of the farm and really let lose, even though it wasn¡¯t very often.


    I rested the saddle on her back now, adjusting it to make sure it fitted accordingly. While I adjusted the straps, I could feel soft fur rub against my lower leg, and I looked down to find our barn cat Pudders looking up at me. She was a large black and white, long-haired cat who had been destined for the wild. She¡¯d refused to come into the house with us and preferred to spend her nights on the farm or with the horses in the barn. I supposed I couldn¡¯t blame her. In fact, I was quite envious of her freedom. Ha! Imagine being jealous of a freaking cat.


    I leaned down and patted her on the head, rubbing behind her ears just the way she liked, before turning my attention back to preparing Gingersnap. I didn¡¯t have all night, and I needed to get out sooner rather than later. I hoped father was still snoring away, oblivious to the fact I was not tucked away into bed like I should be.


    I let out a sigh, getting ready to climb up into the saddle. When I reached up to grab the pommel, a deep spasm ran through my entire body starting in my arm and traveling down to my feet. Then, my knees buckled, and I started to tremble as I fell to them in the dirt.


    I sat there for a moment, my shaking hands propped on the ground in front of me as I tried to take deep breaths. I wasn¡¯t in pain, at least I didn¡¯t think I was, but whatever had just happened hadn¡¯t felt right. It was almost like someone had ripped a cord out of my body; an extension of myself; a tether holding me together.


    Slowly, the shaking began to ease, and my breath returned to a steady rhythm. I couldn¡¯t explain what had just happened to me, but I knew one thing. Something had fundamentally changed inside of me, and I didn¡¯t know what.


    Whatever it was, it was gone now. It was almost like it had never happened, but that odd hollow feeling inside of me told me I hadn¡¯t imagined it¡ªthat it had actually happened. I held my palms out in front of me, turning them over and examining my arms. Everything looked normal, though it didn¡¯t feel like it. The strangeness of the whole thing had me on edge, but I wasn¡¯t sure if I was losing my mind, or if something monumental had just happened.


    I looked up, letting my eyes adjust to the dark barn. It took them a moment longer than usual, but eventually my eyes sharpened, and I felt steady enough to stand up again. The animals must have been affected too because they¡¯d grown restless, making uncomfortable whinnies and moans before slowly settling down again. All of them except my father¡¯s oldest and favorite horse, Alastair. Alastair was making loud, almost aggressive sounding snorts. She anxiously paced around her stall, her eyes darting back and forth in fast, sharp movements as if she were about to make a run for it at any moment. I watched her with concern, but even she started to calm into a dulled silence after several minutes.


    Once everything was silent again, I let out a breath I didn¡¯t realize I¡¯d been holding. Perhaps it was a weird magical flare. It was a full moon after all. Though, those only tended to affect magically afflicted beings. I shook my head, to clear it. It didn¡¯t matter. Whatever it had been, it was gone now.


    I grabbed the pommel again and hauled myself up into the saddle, adjusting my skirts up my thighs so I sat comfortably. Gingersnap had returned to her normal self, though I could tell she¡¯d lost some of the excitement for our adventure. She¡¯d feel better once we were out of the barn and running through the forest. We both would.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    With that, I used the reins to quietly lead her out of the metal corral and through the old wooden gate behind the barn that was never used. In just a few moments, we were in the forest moving with increasing speed. The light of the moon was barely visible through the thick canopy above. The previous premonitions of fear were gone. Now all I felt was safe and happy.


    As we raced through the trees, I thought of all the times we¡¯d done this together. My favorite memory had been the first time I¡¯d ever snuck out of the farm nearly tens years ago. I remembered the day almost perfectly.


    It had been a wet and cold spring, and I¡¯d been majorly moody that year. I couldn¡¯t help it¡ªbeing a sixteen-year-old girl came with mood swings and drama. My poor father never had a chance. I¡¯d grown rather irritated with being locked up on the farm by this point, and I had no problems letting him know this, either.


    I remember asking him if I could accompany him to the market the next day, desperately wanting to see anything else the world had to offer other than the homestead we lived on. I had begged and begged, telling him it could be my birthday present that year. He always said no. It didn¡¯t ever matter how many times I groveled. I¡¯d spent days trying to convince him and was heartbroken he hadn¡¯t cracked. He¡¯d even grown rather harsh when I didn¡¯t accept no for an answer. That was the day I knew he¡¯d never let me leave the farm. I¡¯d be stuck there forever if I let him have his way, which I mostly had still to this day.


    That night, I¡¯d waited until he went to bed. I¡¯d been restless the rest of the afternoon, drowning in pent up anger and frustration. As I watched the moon rise to the peak of the sky, I decided to run away under the cover of darkness. I was so angry with him, I never thought I¡¯d forgive him, and all I knew was that I couldn¡¯t be locked away any longer.


    I saddled Gingersnap and together we left the farm in a mad dash through the same back gate. I was honestly surprised he¡¯d never caught me; I wasn¡¯t trying to be quiet. I was an emotional teenage girl who¡¯d been wronged; I didn¡¯t care who I upset or what the consequences would be.


    We galloped faster than I¡¯d ever been before. I think Gingersnap enjoyed the rebellion and freedom just as much as I did. I was so in awe at the landscape just outside of the farm. Everything I¡¯d heard of or seen from afar, but never been able to touch. Things like pine trees, and large ferns the size of my whole body, even a small glowing river that ran through the trees. I¡¯d never felt bark under my fingers, nor did I know that pine needles had a soft earthy smell to them. Oh, the smells! I hadn¡¯t realized what I¡¯d been missing out on. There was only one word to describe the experience. Magical.


    We stopped at a grassy meadow for some time so I could explore. I¡¯d taken off my boots, and the feeling of wild, crisp grass in my toes for the first time was a sensation I¡¯d never forget. It was the very reason I rarely wore shoes anymore¡ªI¡¯d been chasing that feeling ever since.


    Gingersnap meandered around the meadow, happily munching on fresh grass and flowers she¡¯d never experienced. She¡¯d get the occasional burst of excitement and gallop around the meadow with her mane flowing wildly behind her, chasing butterflies and other glowing creatures we¡¯d never known existed.


    At the center of the meadow was a pool of water that collected in a large divot in the ground. It was surrounded by stones in natural formation that had me in complete admiration of its structure and beauty. I was surprised to find after dipping my fingers in that the water was warm. This wasn¡¯t a pool after all, it was a hot water spring! I¡¯d read and heard about them, but never thought I¡¯d get to see one with my own eyes.


    I¡¯d stripped my clothes off almost immediately and crawled in, letting the warm water seep up into my chilled bones. It had been so long since I¡¯d taken a bath in water this warm. It felt so extraordinary that I couldn¡¯t believe I wasn¡¯t dreaming it. All I knew was I never wanted to leave. I stayed like this for a long time, leaning on my back and letting my body float at the service of the hot water while staring up at the sky.


    I watched the stars twinkle. Occasionally a comet would even streak across the expanse above my head. I made wishes, looked for constellations my father had taught me, and just lost myself in the thrill of it all.


    After that, I closed my eyes and listened to the exotic sounds of the unknown forest. Leaves whooshing with the breeze, animals sneaking about. I could even hear the little chatter from small creatures who¡¯d made their home in the trees surrounding the meadow. I could have fallen asleep like that.


    I very well might have. Before I knew it, I¡¯d looked up and it was almost dawn. I¡¯d been out all night, and even Gingersnap had bedded down with her eyes closed not too far away. I began to panic, crawling out of the spring and quickly dawning my clothes despite my wet skin.


    Now that I¡¯d been out all night, I realized how stupid I¡¯d been to think I¡¯d get away with this. I had to get home before father found out and freaked out. Oh, I¡¯d never hear the end of it!


    Gingersnap and I tore out of the meadow, but I realized then that I had no idea where we were, or how to get back. I hadn¡¯t been paying attention to our path the previous night, instead I¡¯d been too distracted by all the beauty of the forest. Hot sticky tears ran down my cheeks and I had let out obnoxious sobs. I was lost, I remember thinking.


    Lucky for me, Gingersnap hadn¡¯t been as careless, and she confidently led us home. She had been a rather new horse to me then, but we bonded that night in a way that could never be broken.


    We galloped so fast that morning all I saw was the colors of the forest flashing by me in swirls of green, brown, and gold. I remember feeling the warm tears dry on my cheeks as I let out belts of laughter, holding my hands out to feel the breeze on my palms as we zigzagged around the trees.


    It was hard to stay upset when something so beautiful surrounded you.


    We made it home with just enough time for me to slip into the house and into my bed unnoticed. Just moments after throwing the covers over my wet body, my father stuck his head into the room to check on me before leaving for the market.


    I¡¯ve been sneaking out ever since, only a couple of times each year. He could never know the joy I felt when I got lost in the woods, or he¡¯d take it away from me. I couldn¡¯t lose the only freedom I had.


    I returned my focus to the present when Gingersnap let out a harsh whinny, pulling into a stop and shaking her mane. I hadn¡¯t been paying attention¡ªI¡¯d been too lost in my own head¡ªso I hadn¡¯t noticed what spooked her. I looked around, but didn¡¯t notice anything immediately.


    ¡°What is it, girl?¡± I asked softly, calmly brushing my palm down the side of her neck.


    After a moment, Gingersnap settled enough so that we could move forward again. I brought her to a trot, keeping my gaze intently focused on my surroundings. It was probably just another animal, but I still had to be careful in case it was a larger animal like a bear or moose. We could outrun it, but only if I was paying enough attention to notice it before it snuck up on us.


    As we slowly weaved through the foliage, I let my muscles relax and the anxiety ease a little. Even Gingersnap had completely calmed down, and I was growing more confident that whatever had freaked her out was gone.


    Crack!


    I whipped my head around the small clearing we¡¯d found ourselves in, looking for signs of movement. I didn¡¯t see anything, but an uneasy feeling descended down my spine. I took a deep breath, giving the clearing one last look over before urging Gingersnap faster. Okay, so not gone after all.


    As we worked back into a gallop, I could hear the leaves rustling behind me. I looked back, but nothing was there. Regardless, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was out there watching me. Following me. I didn¡¯t know whether it was an animal or a human at this point, but I didn¡¯t care. All I cared about what getting the hell out of here.


    I raced Gingersnap through the trees, trying desperately to put distance between me and our mysterious, uninvited visitor. I focused ahead, keeping my eyes pasted on the path in front of us.


    I pulled the reins and led Gingersnap in a sharp turn to the east, trying to loop around and return back to the farm. As we made a large arc back the way we came, I still couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that someone was watching me. It sent a shiver down my spine.


    It dawned on me that I couldn¡¯t go home until we lost whatever was following us, or all I¡¯d do is lead it back to the farm. If it wasn¡¯t just an animal looking for an easy meal, that could be the worst thing I could possibly do. I changed course and now urged Gingersnap to zigzag through the trees in a chaotic pattern, hoping it would be enough to throw off our trail.


    The rustling noises behind us still followed suite, but after a few tricky maneuvers, they seemed to fall further and further behind until I could barely hear them at all. I still couldn¡¯t see anything when I took the chance to peak over my shoulder.


    Finally, after several minutes of this, I pulled Gingersnap to a stop. I cautiously investigated our surroundings until I was certain we were alone. Once I was sure we were safe, I leaned forward in the saddle and rested my head on my horse. I was breathing heavily, and goosebumps still littered my skin as I took a moment to catch my breath.


    Gingersnap didn¡¯t seem bothered anymore, which made me feel better. Whatever had been following us had lost the trail, and we could finally start heading back without worrying about leading something potentially dangerous right to the heart of our home.


    I leaned back up and took the reins in my hands, still trying to recover. I looked up at the stars now that I had a moment to breathe, trying to reclaim myself before moving on.


    ¡°Hello there¡± a soft voice came from behind me. I almost fell off my horse in panic as I twisted my body around sharply, but I didn¡¯t see anything at first. Not until the rather polite voice came again. ¡°Down here, miss¡±.


    When I cast my eyes down, I was startled. Peeking out of the bushes was a small creature that resembled a human with sharp pointed ears and translucent wings as large as its entire body. It was small enough I was certain it wouldn¡¯t even come up to my knees if I were standing next to it.


    He¡ªat least I thought it was he¡ªhad golden curly locks of hair that glowed in the moonlight. His sparkling wings of iridescent rainbow colors twitched as he looked up at me with curiosity. Atop his head were two small brown curled horns that grew around his hair, and he was wearing hardly any clothes¡ªonly a dark cloth wrapped around his mid-section.


    What do I do? I¡¯d never talked to a stranger before, and especially not one that wasn¡¯t human. I¡¯d only ever read about creatures like this. I swallowed the lump in my throat.


    ¡°Hello¡± I responded, my voice shaking.


    I didn¡¯t know what this creature was, though I was certain I¡¯d heard of it before. Had I read about it in one of my many books? Or just heard about it through legend? I knew that some magical creatures inhabited Righhan Tyebeith, but I¡¯d never encountered one myself. I just couldn¡¯t put my finger on what he was.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to startle you. I only wanted to talk¡± his voice was smooth and confident. Had he been the one following me all along? I wasn¡¯t sure if he was going to cause trouble, or if he was dangerous, so I proceeded cautiously.


    ¡°Why are you following me?¡± I asked softly, keeping my hands glued to the reins in case I had to high tail it out of here in a moment¡¯s notice.


    ¡°I think you can help me¡± he replied in a calm voice. I could tell from body language that he was anything but calm, though I was unable to tell what he was truly feeling. Or what his intentions were. He was doing a great job keeping himself together, I had to admit that.


    ¡°What are you?¡± my voice cracked as I looked around for any other signs of ambush or danger. The clearing was completely quiet, no sounds but the whistling of the wind through the trees and Gingersnap¡¯s breathing as she ducked down and grazed on the grass.


    ¡°I¡¯m a wood nymph. My name is Floryne¡± he seemed friendly, but I was still very overwhelmed. I had heard of wood nymphs before, and now that he said it, I noticed the resemblance to the little creatures from the stories I¡¯d read growing up.


    I hesitated before speaking again. I¡¯d never talked to anybody besides my father, I didn¡¯t know whether I should be scared or trust this creature. I bit my lip, contemplating how to proceed when it took a step closer to me, regarding me with interest.


    ¡°Can you help me?¡± Floryne asked, not taking his eyes off me. I blinked slowly with confusion.


    ¡°What do you need help with?¡± I didn¡¯t know why he thought I¡¯d be able to help him.


    ¡°Something very terrible has happened, don¡¯t you feel it?¡± for the first time since meeting Floryne, I noticed the underlying tones of fear in his voice. The uneasy feeling I¡¯d felt since I first learned I was being followed still rested in my stomach. I was contemplating running away as fast as I could and putting this whole nightmare behind me.


    ¡°No¡± I replied slowly, confused.


    Floryne regarded me with curiosity, before he slowly walked forward so that he was looking up at me from below my horse.


    ¡°Magic has disappeared. I¡¯m surprised you hadn¡¯t noticed¡± he said, holding out a hand gesturing me to come down to his level. It was probably awkward for him all the way down there.


    I ignored him, keeping myself firmly planted in the saddle so I could run at the first sign of danger. Though, his words had caught my interest enough to at least hear more of what he had to say.


    ¡°Magic? How can magic just disappear?¡± I asked, curiosity getting the best of me. I knew magic existed, but I didn¡¯t know it existed in such a state that it could just ¡®disappear¡¯.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t think it was possible either, but it¡¯s happened. You have to help us get it back!¡± the nymph¡¯s voice was shaking, and he fluttered his wings until he was hovering at face level. I was startled at first, but quickly decided that if he was going to hurt me, he¡¯d have done it already.


    ¡°Us?¡± I looked around with anxiety at the prospect that there were more of them. Perhaps I was being ambushed after all and I¡¯d been stupid enough to walk right into it.


    ¡°All the magical creatures of Righhan Tyebeith. You sound surprised¡± his voice was louder now that he was right in front of me. Why did he expect me to know so much? I wasn¡¯t a magical being¡ªhow was I supposed to help?


    ¡°I¡¯m only human, I don¡¯t know what I can do to help you¡± I responded, growing agitated. Floryne cocked his head in confusion, regarding me quizzically now.


    ¡°But you¡¯re not human¡± his response sent a shiver down my spine. What was that supposed to mean?


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve got me confused with someone else¡± I said, shifting uncomfortably in the saddle. Maybe it was time I left; this was getting weirder than I could handle.


    ¡°I can smell the magic in your blood. Do you really not know what you are?¡± Floryne voice echoed in my ears. The magic in my blood. What was he inferring?


    ¡°If I¡¯m not human, then what am I?¡± My voice was shaking enough I could barely get the words out. Floryne let out a soft laugh, before zipping up on his lithe wings and settling in Gingersnaps mane. He kicked back, watching with me big brown curious eyes.


    I was starting to get annoyed, but I kept it hidden. Wood nymphs weren¡¯t tricksters, were they? Was this creature just trying to lead me along and confuse me, just to get a laugh? There was no way what he was saying was true.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re a Fae, of course¡± his voice calmed again, though he still had a smirk on his face. I had a feeling he was getting quite a kick out of this, though I still didn¡¯t understand why he¡¯d want to lie to me. I wasn¡¯t necessarily convinced¡ªI¡¯d know by now if I was Fae, wouldn¡¯t I?


    ¡°How is that possible? I know what Fae look like, and I¡¯m definitely not one. It¡¯s not like I have magic. I would know if I did I¡¯d think. So, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying to play at, but you¡¯re wrong¡± my voice was harsher than I intended. Floryne flinched but kept the same expression on his face.


    While I waited for his response, I remembered the moment in the barn when it felt like some invisible string had been ripped out of me. Had that been magic? Had I had it all along, and never noticed it? I didn¡¯t know if what Floryne was saying was true, but what if it was? What if that had been the moment magic disappeared, and I¡¯d lost it before I even knew I had it?


    ¡°Someone has gone through great lengths to conceal your identity. I¡¯d assumed it was your attempt at staying under the radar. We both know how King Aurther is¡­but maybe I was wrong. Maybe someone is hiding you¡± Floryne¡¯s voice was calculating as he watched me. I looked away.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want from me. Even if what you¡¯re saying is true, what am I supposed to do about it?¡± This was not how I imagined my night going at all.


    ¡°You have to find a way to bring magic back. Some of us can¡¯t survive without magic¡ªit¡¯s only a matter of time before we start getting sick and slowly start to die¡± his voice was sad. I still had too many questions.


    ¡°What do you mean? Magical beings can¡¯t survive without magic?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Not all of them, no. Us smaller creatures can¡¯t acclimate to a world without it like the Fae can. Like you can¡± Floryne¡¯s voice became urgent, and for the first time, I started to feel bad for him.


    ¡°How am I supposed to save magic? I don¡¯t know anything about it¡± My voice was barely a whisper as I let myself make eye contact with the nymph again. This was a dream, right? This wasn¡¯t real.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to figure that out. You have more resources than we do, and we desperately need your help¡±. He regarded me with a desperate expression as he waited for me to answer.


    ¡°What if I say no?¡± This whole thing didn¡¯t feel right. What if this was all just a farce?


    ¡°You must help us! You must, or we¡¯ll be lost forever!¡± Floryne leaned forward as he talked, his voice growing louder. I felt bad for him, but this whole thing was hard to wrap my head around.


    I bit my lip. How could any of this be true? Had I lived my whole life as a lie? Was this why King Aurther had killed my mother? Because she was Fae? I had to admit, it all started to make sense. Now I knew why father kept me locked away on the farm. He didn¡¯t want anyone to know who or what I really was.


    But how did they hide it? Why didn¡¯t I look like a Fae? Why couldn¡¯t I use magic?


    The questions swirled around in my head, and for a moment, I forgot Floryne was still there until his voice interrupted my thoughts.


    ¡°Are you going to help us?¡± His voice oozed with desperation.


    I didn¡¯t say anything at first. I was too overwhelmed. I¡¯d just found out that my whole life was a lie. Now magic had disappeared, and I was being tasked with figuring out what happened. Surely there was someone better for the job.


    ¡°Why me?¡± I finally asked.


    ¡°Because you¡¯re the only one who can help us¡± Floryne¡¯s voice was serious.


    What did that even mean, I was the only one who could help them? I knew King Aurther had been apprehending any magical beings he could get his hands on, but surely there was someone more qualified than me for this. There had to be!


    This was all starting to become too much, and I didn¡¯t know what to do. If I really was the only one who could help, then I didn¡¯t really have a choice, did I? I couldn¡¯t let thousands of magical creatures die when I had the option to do something.


    I wrestled with my emotions for what felt like a long time. I was conflicted¡ªdid I believe him, or was he tricking me? Did I have it in me to even do what he was asking?


    I felt a tremor of fear run through my body. I¡¯d never even been beyond this forest, how was I going to save magic? No matter how much I wanted to be, I wasn¡¯t like the heroes in my novels¡ªdestined to save the world. That had only ever been a dream, and now that dream was becoming a reality.


    Floryne still watched me with anticipation, and I knew I¡¯d have to give him some sort of answer. I wasn¡¯t sure I could do this, but I didn¡¯t really see any other options. After a few deliberating moments, I turned to the nymph with a steeled resolve.


    ¡°I promise I¡¯ll do everything I can¡±. I knew in my heart I meant the promise, despite my fear.

 Chapter Four - Evielynae

    ¡°Come-in!¡± my mother¡¯s voice was muffled as I stood outside of her office, my shaking hand resting on the doorknob. I took a deep breath, my mind still reeling.


    I had just been attacked in the school library by a shadow monster that, until now, I¡¯d thought was only a legend. Now that I knew Umbrath¡¯s were real, their existence¡ªespecially at a school full of witches¡ªcould only mean one thing. That someone was experimenting with dark magic; a practice that had been forbidden for as long as anyone could remember.


    Thankfully I¡¯d made it out relatively unharmed, but I had failed at catching or defeating it. Now it was lose to prey on the other young witches of the school, and it was all my fault. Not only was I embarrassed at my failure, but now I had to face my mother, the High Witch of Litreateine, in shame.


    Stupid, stupid, stupid! I hissed at myself over and over. How could I let this happen? I was supposed to be leagues ahead of my peers, and yet, I¡¯d failed such a simple challenge. Maybe I didn¡¯t deserve to be the Heir Apparent after all.


    ¡°Is someone there?¡± my mother¡¯s voice came again through the door, more irritated now. A pit in my stomach had formed, but I ignored it as I twisted the knob and poked my head in.


    ¡°It¡¯s just me, mom¡± I said softly, afraid to meet her gaze. How could I admit this failure to her? She¡¯d been such an extraordinary student when she attended the school many years ago, and she expected me to live up to the same standards. Unlike my mother, who had accomplished defeating an entire coven of witches using dark magic, I couldn¡¯t even stop a single demon that had been summoned with it. What would she think of me?


    Corrine Gaelaseia sat at her desk with a look of annoyance plastered on the smooth skin of her face. When she saw me, her expression lightened slightly, though the hard look didn¡¯t quite disappear entirely. Her green eyes and light brown skin glowed in the candlelight on her desk, illuminating her as if she were an angel of vengeance.


    ¡°Evielynae, I don¡¯t know how many times I¡¯ve told you not to keep me waiting. It¡¯s rude¡±. My mother greeted me.


    I flinched, hesitating at the door. I didn¡¯t say anything for a moment, the words I wanted to say tumbling over and over in my mind. I didn¡¯t know where to start, but I knew I couldn¡¯t keep her waiting much longer.


    ¡°Sorry, mom. I didn¡¯t mean to. It¡¯s just, something¡ª¡± I started, but was cut off before I could finish.


    ¡°If you say, ¡®something came up¡¯, Evie, I swear to Cyathea you will regret it¡± her voice was harsh. She stood and gestured to me to take a seat in front of her desk. It was unlike her to swear to our Great Goddess Cyathea, and the fact she had meant she was already in a bad mood. Great, I¡¯ll just make it worse!


    My mother had always been rather strict with me, as any ambitious mother who wanted their child to exceed their expectations would be. As her only child it was made worse, as I was expected to succeed her on the throne. There wasn¡¯t room for failure in her eyes, and that reflected heavily on our relationship.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to say that¡± I muttered, slumping down in the cushioned chair and turning my gaze out the window.


    She watched me with inquisitive eyes, though she didn¡¯t say anything. Her lips puckered in that all-knowing look she always seemed to have, before she sat back down and folded her arms in front of her neatly.


    ¡°Spill. What happened?¡± she said, her voice much softer now. Despite the strained relationship, my mother wasn¡¯t stupid. She did know how to be supportive, and she seemed to always know when there was truly something that bothered me. Regardless of her need to push me beyond her own expectations, she was a good mother; most of the time anyway.


    I looked up at her, focusing on her face. It took everything in me not to let the tears start spilling down my cheeks. I had to keep it together. The situation was bad enough, she didn¡¯t need to be dealing with her blubbering daughter on top of the disaster I¡¯d failed to stop.


    ¡°Something bad has happened¡± I started slowly, my voice barely above a whisper. I knew she would be disappointed in me, and I desperately wished I could be anywhere else right now.


    ¡°And what might that be?¡± her voice was calm, despite the tension still between us.


    ¡°I was in the library just now, and I was attacked¡± I started, staring at my hands resting in my lap.


    ¡°Attacked? Evie, are you still getting picked on? You shouldn¡¯t let that bother you¡ªthose girls are just jealous¡± I could tell she was losing patience with me, so I shook my head quickly.


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s nothing like that¡± I spat out, getting flustered.


    ¡°Then who attacked you?¡± her voice was short. Oh Gods, I hoped she would believe me.


    I could barely belief what I was about to tell her myself, and I worried about her reaction. I took a deep breath, feeling the lump settle in my throat before I replied.


    ¡°A monster¡± I whispered, looking up at her.


    She blinked coolly, studying me. She was probably assessing the situation, trying to make sense of what I was saying. I don¡¯t know what I would believe if I was in her shoes¡ªI hope I didn¡¯t sound crazy! What if she thought I was making this all up?


    ¡°What kind of monster?¡± she finally asked, amusing me.


    I thought back to the feeling of uncontrollable dread that had settled over me in the library. The feeling of being tugged by an invisible grip into the dark shadows and the monster waiting for me there. I will never forget the hairsplitting screech of the monster¡¯s laugh echoing in my ears. A shiver ran down my spine at the memory.


    ¡°I think it was an Umbrath¡± I said after a tense moment.


    ¡°Hmm¡± she said, diverting her gaze out the window. She sat like that for several minutes before she stood abruptly and walked over to that window. In front of it was a small bronze cart, stocked with a crystal flask of a strong, deep wine, and two matching crystal drinking glasses.


    She poured herself a glass and downed it, before pouring herself another and turning to face me, drink in hand. She looked at me, though it felt more like she was looking through me. Her eyebrows were scrunched up, and her eyes were darkened as she mulled over the information.


    Finally, she shook her head and sat back down, turning her full attention back to me. ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± she asked.


    I had expected her not to believe me, but it still made me angry when the words left her mouth. Part of me wondered if it was because she didn¡¯t think I was capable of facing such a thing¡ªI knew I didn¡¯t live up to the legendary young witch she¡¯d been, but I was still one of, if not the best in my generation. The other part of me wondered if it was because I¡¯d grown up reading fairytales. Did she think I was imagining things based on those twisted stories I¡¯d spent years studying?


    Whatever the reason, I wouldn¡¯t just make this up. I knew it was her job to question things like this, but it still pained me that she had questioned me.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure¡± I said through gritted teeth. She nodded her head, setting the glass down in front of her.


    ¡°Alright.¡± She took a pause. She seemed to be choosing her next words carefully, but she appeared to believe me now. Or at least, she was entertaining me. ¡°What happened to it? Did it hurt you? Is it dead?¡± her rambling voice made my red-hot emotions begin to temper into trepidation.


    Moments from the library flashed in my mind as I braced myself to tell my mother the next part. The image of the Umbrath pressed against the dark glass with the flame of my soul-fire pressed against its throat was still vivid in my mind. It disappearing right before my eyes still left me in shock.


    I gulped, feeling the lump in my throat grow again. This was the part of the conversation I was afraid of; admitting my failure to my mother. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself, before responding.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay¡± I responded, before looking away. The next words sat on the tip of my tongue for a moment, before I finally had the guts to spit them out. ¡°But it got away¡± I said quickly, wincing as I waited for her angry retort.


    ¡°Hmm¡± was her only response again.


    Now I was getting worried. My mother was never this calm when addressing my failures or shortcomings. I panicked, working myself up to the thought that whatever was going to happen would be worse than I¡¯d originally thought.


    ¡°You do know what this means, don¡¯t you?¡± her next words resonated. Here it was, here was the usual disappointed tone I was used to hearing when I admitted I hadn¡¯t lived up to her hopes.


    ¡°It means that everyone in this school is now in danger because I was reckless and let it get away¡± I admitted, taking a shaky breath. She dismissed my words with a quick flick of her wrist, but didn¡¯t otherwise respond. I nervously continued, ¡°It also means someone is using dark magic, doesn¡¯t it?¡± I asked feebly, though I already knew the answer.


    My mother looked me in the eyes, nodding slowly. I could see the frustration in her gaze. I waited for her to scold me for letting the monster get away, but she stayed silent, staring at me for several long moments.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I let it get away¡± I whispered weakly, letting my own disappointment at myself drip into my voice. I could feel hot tears build up in the corner of my eyes, and I did my best not to let her see them.


    ¡°I¡¯m just glad you are okay, Evie. Umbrath¡¯s are creatures of nightmares¡ªI¡¯m not sure even the most skilled teachers at this school could have taken care of it¡± her voice was soft, but I could still here the aggravation as she spoke.


    I was so surprised at her response I whipped my head back to face her. It was unlike her to make excuses for me, so I was caught off guard by her words. My stomach did summersaults as the nerves continued to grow.


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± I asked, almost afraid of the answer.


    She didn¡¯t say anything for a long moment. Instead, she downed the rest of her glass of wine and looked at the empty glass. My fingers twitched in my lap as I watched, waiting for her response.


    Just then, a new idea popped into my head. Perhaps I wasn¡¯t a failure, not yet anyway. If only I could find the monster and take care of it the way I should have in the library, it would make up for my mistake in the first place. I mulled over the idea in my head, trying to figure out a way to capture the monster.


    My head filled with images of defeating the gruesome creature, and being celebrated not only by mother, but by the entire school. All the negative thoughts and feelings I¡¯d had growing up dissipated as I dreamed of the future I so desperately wanted.


    Finally, she spoke, her voice pulling me out of my daydream.


    ¡°I will find the witch responsible for this and punish her accordingly. I want you to go back to your room and stay there until I can take care of the Umbrath¡±. Her words made my stomach drop. No! I couldn¡¯t just sit around! This was my chance to prove myself!


    ¡°I want to help¡± I demanded.


    ¡°Evie, this is dangerous. You were already attacked, you¡¯re lucky you¡¯re not hurt!¡± She exclaimed.


    ¡°I can do this! I know I can. I almost had it before!¡± I retorted.


    ¡°I¡¯m not willing to put you into danger like that¡± she said in her ¡®this conversation is over¡¯ tone of voice. I ignored it.


    ¡°I¡¯m already in danger with it being here! Every student is! Let me prove myself¡± I said, standing up and waving my hands animatedly.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t above proving yourself, Evie. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong that you have to make up for¡± her voice was angry, but I could hear the underlying worry.


    ¡°Yes, I do! It¡¯s because of me that every other student is now in danger. I should have killed it back in the library. Let me do it now!¡± I begged.


    ¡°No, Evie¡± my mother said with authority. I scoffed, turning away hotly and pacing the room.


    ¡°You can¡¯t stop me, mother. I¡¯m doing this. Don¡¯t make me remind you that you did something way more dangerous when you were my age and look where it got you!¡± I exclaimed, gesturing to her. She scrunched her eyes as she stared at me with fire in her eyes. I could tell she wanted to yell, but she held her tongue.


    Instead, she said ¡°So that¡¯s what this is about. You think you need to put your life in danger to prove yourself as my Heir¡± she said, her voice filled with chagrin. I tried to ignore the disappointment that washed over me. How did she not understand?


    ¡°It¡¯s more than that¡± I said, my voice soft now.


    She didn¡¯t say anything. We just stood there staring at each other, breathing heavily. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for us to argue like this, in fact, it happened quite frequently. She always told me it was because we were too similar; too determined to have our own way. Maybe she was right.


    I finally came to terms that we weren¡¯t going to agree on the issue. I let out breath I hadn¡¯t realized I was holding and turned toward the door to leave. Her voice abruptly filled the silence in the room, and I stopped with my hand half-way to the doorknob.


    ¡°Fine. You can help. But you¡¯re not going after the Umbrath. Not by yourself. I want you to find out who summoned it, and that¡¯s it¡± her voice was serious, but I could still see the pride glittering in her eyes, even if she was dismayed at my determination to put myself in the line of fire.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel excitement wash over me. I was going to have a chance to prove myself once and for all! Finally, I could prove to my mother that I could live up to her expectations; that I could be half the witch she is.


    ¡°Thank you¡± I said, letting a small, crooked smile grow on my face.


    This was it. This was my moment to shine. If I didn¡¯t succeed at this, then that would be it, it would all be over. I¡¯d never be Heir apparent, I¡¯d never be the High Witch. My entire future rested on my shoulders in this very moment. Could I do it?


    ***


    When I reached my room that night, I was so exhausted I felt like I could barely stand up. It was very late, and despite my body¡¯s desire for sleep, my mind was still racing. Not only were the events of the day playing on repeat in my head, but I was also growing anxious for what came next¡ªI had so much to do, and so little time.


    There was only three days left on campus before school let out for summer beak; if I was going to find the witch, or witches, responsible for this, I didn¡¯t have long to do it. If they left campus before I figured it out, it would be exponentially more challenging to find answers when everyone was scattered across Litreateine for the next two moons.


    I let my bag fall off my shoulder and onto the ground before I tugged off my shoes. Despite my nerves, I was looking forward to the challenge ahead of me. Just hours ago, I was worried that I¡¯d never be able to prove myself to my mother, and now, I was being handed the opportunity on a silver platter.


    Well, not really a silver platter¡ªbut there is definitely a silver lining, here! I thought with anticipation.


    A glimmer caught the corner of my eye as the one lamp in the room glared off the glass mirror hanging on the back of my bedroom door. I looked at myself in the long mirror for a brief moment, taking in my ragged appearance.


    My auburn-colored hair was askew with lose strands flying around my head like I¡¯d been struck with electricity. My face was littered with smudges of dirt, and dark shadows were beginning to form under my eyes. At some point, I must have bitten my lip as there was a cut on my bottom lip that was crusted with blood now. I could see bruises beginning to form on my wrists and on my chin, and I wondered if they were marks from the Umbrath and its invisible grip pulling me into the shadows.


    No wonder mother could tell something was wrong earlier. I looked almost worse than I felt .


    As I studied myself, I noticed a tare in the sleeve of my silk school-robe, and I let my finger run over the torn edge. I¡¯d have to get a new one before school started again.


    It dawned on me then as I stared at the torn fabric that maybe my mom was right, maybe I was lucky I hadn¡¯t been hurt today. I had come so close to being caught by the Umbrath¡­If I had been a lesser witch, I might not be standing here right now. That thought sent a shiver down my spine, but also steeled my resolve. I may never live up to my mother¡¯s accomplishments, but I still needed to give myself credit for the witch I had become.


    I turned away from the mirror, bringing my arms up around myself in an embrace. I hope no one else falls prey to the Umbrath before we catch it, I thought glumly. The next witch might not be as lucky as I was.


    Exhausted, I dawned some pj¡¯s, grabbed my mother¡¯s journal, and retired to bed, ready to put the day behind me. As I curled up and tried to get comfortable, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the mission ahead of me. Would I be able to stop the witch behind this, or would I end up failing like I had in the library?


    Time seemed to pass slowly as I sat there. Though I had mother¡¯s journal open, I hadn¡¯t been able to focus long enough to actually read a single word. Instead, a mixture of emotions and thoughts played out in my head as I thought of all the possibilities in front of me.


    Suddenly, an idea popped into my head. I tossed mother¡¯s journal to the side; it landed gently on the end of my bed as I threw the covers off myself and pillaged through my room for the supplies I needed. The last item was a little trickier to find, but after searching through all the drawers of my desk in the corner, I came out successful. A blank journal-like book I¡¯d bought for class and never used.


    It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it would do. I returned to bed, tucking my bare feet under the large blankets piled up. I set the blank journal on my lap and pulled out one of the pens from my clenched fist, letting it hover over the first page.


    If I was going to do this, then I wanted a written record of the events. Something I could go back to later and learn from. What had been my mistakes, what had I done right? One day, this would either be the book of my legend; or the book of my failure. Whatever it ended up being, I thought it was important to have on paper. Maybe my own child would even read my journal one day like I did my mother¡¯s now.


    I bit my lip as I thought about what to write. It didn¡¯t take long for the right words to come to me, and I put the pen to paper. There would be time for details later¡ªmaybe I would never even want to recount today in great detail. Right now, I needed to get my most prominent thoughts on paper. There was no going back as the pen scrawled along the smooth page.


    Day 132, 6299 A.C.


    Today I was attacked by a monster from my nightmares. A monster that can only be summoned with dark magic.


    I survived, but I will not rest until I catch the Umbrath, and whoever is responsible for summoning it. This school will be safe place again; there is no room for dark magic here.


    I may not be as good of a witch as Corrine Gaelaseia is and was, but I promise to put everything I have into protecting the young witches of my generation.


    I will prove myself as her Heir, or I will die trying.


    -Evie G.

 Chapter Five - Arryanntheia

    With the sunrise the next morning, I watched through the window over my bed as my father¡¯s shadowy figure trotted along the dirt road leading away from the farm, growing smaller and smaller before disappearing completely. Tears stained my rosy cheeks as I pulled the covers up to my chin, focusing now on the beautiful warm bursts of light painting the sky.


    I hadn¡¯t slept the night before. When I¡¯d returned home from my whirlwind adventure, I¡¯d been too preoccupied to bother with it, and even now I couldn¡¯t get my brain to quiet enough to appease the exhaustion I felt in every corner of my body.


    How could my father not tell me? Why would he keep this a secret?


    In one night, my entire life had been turned upside down. Everything I knew was a lie. I was a Fae. I had magic. Magic that I couldn¡¯t even use because it had supposedly disappeared. It made me wonder what else my father had hidden from me or lied about. Had my mother been Fae? Had that been the real reason the Crown had her killed?


    Tears threatened to spill out of the corner of my eyes again, and I desperately brushed them away with a rough hand. I¡¯d had enough wallowing. It was time to do something about it.


    I crawled out of the warm covers and dragged my feet across the old wooden floor until I was standing in front of my dresser. I still wore the same dress from yesterday. It was dusty, and the edge was torn from the terrifying chase through the forest. I honestly looked like I did after any busy day on the farm; I didn¡¯t look out of the ordinary at all despite the shenanigans I¡¯d been up to. Inside the dresser drawers, my clothes were folded nicely, but I didn¡¯t have the energy to change.


    Instead, the reflection in the old, milky mirror hanging above the dresser caught my eye. I stared at my image for several long moments, and it stared back. I was still shocked about what Floryne had told me. How could I be Fae? I looked so plain, when Fae were supposed to be gorgeous. I wasn¡¯t slender, or agile. I didn¡¯t have pointed ears, or sharp canine teeth. Not even wings.


    No, I just looked like a boring human. My pale blonde hair fell in tangled ringlets around my waist, unkempt and unbrushed from the night before. My eyes were a lifeless shade of grey, devoid of any actual color. My cheeks were littered with freckles, and small blemishes, and my teeth were slightly crooked. I was short, small, and pale-skinned. My appearance was nothing but underwhelming¡ªthe exact opposite of what it should have been if I was Fae.


    I thought of all the times father had told me I looked just like my mother. Had she looked as human as I did? Or did she look like a Fae? She must have done something to disguise herself, but what? Whatever it had been, I wondered if she¡¯d done the same to me.


    In my reflection, my eyes focused on the golden locket around my neck. It was slightly bigger than my fingernail, and had a rose etched into one side. On the other side were small, engraved words I couldn¡¯t quite make out. I didn¡¯t know what inside the locket, as I¡¯d never been able to open the rusted metal clasp. Eventually, I¡¯d stopped prying, afraid I¡¯d break it. It had been an heirloom from my mother, the last present she had ever given me before her death.


    I didn¡¯t remember anything about my mother, I¡¯d only been two when she died, but I did remember the one and only story my father had told me about her.


    ¡°You were the light of your mother¡¯s eyes. There was nothing in this world that made her happier than you, and because of it, she spoiled you rotten from the moment you were born. She¡¯d buy you every trinket she could every time we went to the market, even if we didn¡¯t have the money for it. ¡®Anything for my sweet Arry¡¯ she used to say.


    She knew this locket was for you the moment she laid eyes on it at the market in Pandorr. We rarely made the trip all the way to the big city, but it had been a particularly gruesome winter and we were still desperately looking for supplies to recover. Being the heart of the King¡¯s court, Pandorr was rumored to have an abundance of supplies we couldn¡¯t get at the markets in Rexithian or Loros, so we made the trip.


    They were right. The market was huge and crowded. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d ever seen it so busy, though we¡¯d only been a handful of times. There were so many stalls selling this and that; food, resources, anything you could dream of. Everywhere you turned someone was trying to sell us something.


    We didn¡¯t have much in terms of money, so we were diligent while we looked around. I reminded your mother that we had to spend our money wisely, and we couldn¡¯t blow it on useless trinkets this time. She nodded her head, but it didn¡¯t take long for an older woman selling her wares to pop out of nowhere, peddling her precious jewelry to your mother¡¯s wondering eye.


    Your mother spent nearly all of our money on that locket, insisting that she would find a way to make up for the other supplies we needed. The joy that sparkled in her eyes when she put the locket around your neck made me forget all of our troubles. I couldn¡¯t stay mad at her, even for spending all of our money.


    Your mother was a head-strong, determined woman. When she told me not to worry about our lack of money, I trusted her. She told me she¡¯d be right back; she knew of a place where she could get the supplies we needed still. I believed her, and I watched her disappear into the crowd, not knowing it would be the last time I ever talked to her.


    After some time, I began to grow worried that she hadn¡¯t returned. I made my way through the packed market, looking for any signs of her. She would be hard to miss with her white-blond hair that had been tied up with a red ribbon that morning¡ªsomething she rarely did.


    By the time I reached the center of the market, I still hadn¡¯t found her. Panic had set in by this time, and I was growing desperate. You had begun to cry, not understanding why she wasn¡¯t there to hold you. I was worried she¡¯d gotten lost or hurt. Every bad scenario I could think of played out in my head.


    That¡¯s when I saw her.


    It was worse than everything I¡¯d thought of. The city guards had her in their custody, and they had ushered her onto the platform in the center of the square. I knew instantly what was going to happen¡ªthis was the place they executed people with magic. Not her! I remember thinking. She¡¯s innocent!


    I pushed my way through the crowd, ready to speak out on her behalf, but when she noticed me, she shook her head. I was bewildered, but then she looked at you, and I knew exactly what she was saying with just that one gaze. ¡®Protect our girl. They¡¯ll come for her next¡¯. I didn¡¯t know what to do. I knew she was right, if the King new you existed, he¡¯d kill you too, just because you were a girl. The daughter of a witch¡ªhe would have assumed you were one too.


    Before I knew it, the King made his away across the platform. He¡¯d only been King for a couple of years at this point, and he was adamant on being the one to perform the executions, you see. He had his famous dark-stone sword clasped tightly in his hand, and he called out over the crowd. ¡®Let it be known that this woman has been caught doing witchcraft. She will be punished for her sins! There is no place for witches in Righhan Tyebeith!¡¯ he yelled over the people gathered. I could barely hear over the cheers of the people around me.


    I am ashamed to say that I stood there, clutching you to my chest, as the King executed your mother right there and then. I should have left, I shouldn¡¯t have kept you there, but I couldn¡¯t leave her. I wished I could have saved her, but it would have only put you in danger, and I couldn¡¯t lose you both. Perhaps that makes me selfish.


    I fled as soon as it was done, leaving with nothing but you and the locket your mother had purchased. We had very little for so long that it was very tempting to pawn that pure gold locket for some money to buy supplies. I¡¯d told myself if only we¡¯d just bought the supplies we needed in the first place that day at the market, maybe your mother would still be here.


    But I saw the joy in your face when you saw it, when you held it in your tiny little hands, and I couldn¡¯t take that away from you. That was the last thing your mother would ever give you, the last thing you would have of her. So I didn¡¯t sell it, and we made do. In the end, we may not have had much, be we had each other, and that was all that mattered.


    I wish she was still here, but I see her in you each and every day. She would have been proud to be your mother.


    Now, as I watched myself in the mirror with my fingers clasped around the same locket, I couldn¡¯t stop the tears from flowing again at the memory. Had the whole thing been a lie, or just certain details? Had she even given me this locket, or had my father made that up so I wouldn¡¯t question it?


    What was true? Was any of it?


    I angrily brushed the tears off my cheeks, turning away from the mirror. It was useless mulling over questions like this. Until I confronted my father, they were nothing but speculations. I was mad, I was hurt, but it did me no good to stew on it all day.


    This was not how I envisioned spending my birthday.


    I sulked through the dark house and found myself in the kitchen, boiling a pot of water over the wood-burning stove. The room was dark and cold. It gave off a completely different feel than it had last night when father was seated in the chair, and I on the couch across from him.


    Had the room changed, or just my perspective?


    I sighed, looking around the room. The blanket I¡¯d been using last night still sat disarranged on the couch, tossed aside as I left in a hurry. My book lay open on top of it, the warn pages face down, and the old spine cracked open. I shuffled over and closed the book, setting it on the table beside the couch, and folded the blanket.


    On the other side of the room, the only window was shut, the heavy curtains drawn over it blocking out the light. I crossed the room and flicked them open, letting the early morning sunlight filter in the room. That was better.


    Feeling slightly more lifted now that sunlight was filtering into the otherwise gloomy room, I plopped on the floor in front of the fire and watched the flames dance inside the enclosed metal box. So much had changed in such a short amount of time. I wished I could go back to yesterday when everything was easy. Simple.


    As I waited for the water come to a boil, my mind shifted focus to the quest I had advertently accepted. I had no idea how I was going save magic, but I resolved myself to it regardless. If anything, having something to focus on would distract me from all the pain that now rested in my heart.


    When the water started boiling, I yanked it off and brought it to the kitchen, where I poured it into a cup for morning tea. I grabbed a piece of leftover bread from last night¡¯s dinner to accompany my breakfast before sitting at the small kitchen table in the center of the room.


    Maybe it was the warmth form the hot liquid easing my strained muscles, or the nourishment from the food in my belly, but I almost fell asleep with my head resting in my hand with my elbow pushed into the table for support. There would be time for sleep later, I mused as I shook myself awake.


    Once I cleared the table of my dishes and placed them in the sink, I grabbed a notepad and pen from the drawer by the back door and sat back down at the table, ready to jot down any ideas about saving magic that I could muster up.


    I stayed like that for a long time, drumming my fingers on the wood finish, anticipation and frustration warring inside me. I had gotten nowhere, had absolutely no idea where to start. What had I gotten myself into?


    This sure would be a lot more helpful if I knew a damn thing about magic! I thought, banging my head down on the tabletop.


    I pushed the pen and paper aside angrily. I wasn¡¯t going to give up this easily, but maybe I did need some sleep after all. Clearly I wasn¡¯t going to get anywhere with my mind as tired as it was.


    I meandered back down the hallway toward my room, guided only by the light from windows in the kitchen and living room. Before I reached my room, I paused outside of the room my father had always forbidden me from going inside. His office.


    Despite being rebellious and sneaking around behind his back to explore the woods outside our farm, I¡¯d never broken his rule about entering this private space of his. I don¡¯t know why, I¡¯d just never bothered. But something inside me now tugged toward this mysterious room. What did he keep in here? Would I find any answers?


    I hesitated at the door, biting my lip. Once I did this, there was no going back. What if I couldn¡¯t find what I was looking for? Or worse, what if I did find it, but I didn¡¯t like what I¡¯d found?


    I couldn¡¯t think like that¡ªthis could be my only chance. Father would be gone for several more hours at least, and who knew when he¡¯d be gone again. I needed answers, and I needed them now. Magic wouldn¡¯t wait. I couldn¡¯t wait.


    I let out a breath and twisted the knob. It was locked.


    Of course it would be locked! You didn¡¯t think it would be that easy, did you? I chastised myself as I crossed my arms over my chest, thinking. I decided to look in the once place I thought he¡¯d keep the key if it wasn¡¯t on him: his bedroom.


    I turned and walked a little further down the hall to his room, before slipping inside quietly. I knew I was alone, but it felt better to be careful with all this sneaking around I was doing.


    Once my eyes adjusted to the dark room, I looked around for somewhere obvious he would store the key. His room was rather simple. His bed was in the center of the room, pushed up against the wall opposite of me. There was just enough room on each side of it for a person to walk around. A window was directly above the bed, its curtains drawn shut, and a dark oak end-table was on each side. To my left was a dresser in matching oak that took up three quarters of the wall.


    I smiled when I saw the wooden bowl of trinkets and keys on the dresser. I leaned over, rummaging through it. There were buttons, thimbles, screws¡ªall random junk, really, but more importantly, there was three keys in the bowl.


    I grabbed all three, before hurrying back to the office door. Though humans didn¡¯t typically worship any of the Gods (that had been a tradition magic-wielders followed), I sent out a quick prayer, not sure if any were listening. If I was Fae, I should probably get used to that practice, shouldn¡¯t I? No better time than now to start, I thought.


    My hands were shaking with nerves, and I tried to steady them before I tried the first key. I held it up to the handle but became discouraged when it didn¡¯t fit. I fumbled with it in my hands, a frown growing on my face. Don¡¯t panic, I told myself. It was just the first key, this could still work.


    I tried the second. This time, the key slid into the hole, but I still held my breath as I began to turn it. I let out an irritated grunt when it didn¡¯t work. I didn¡¯t know if it was my desperation to find the information I was seeking, or the stress of sneaking behind my father¡¯s back, but I looked at the third key in my fingers with anticipation. This had to be it, right?


    If this didn¡¯t work, I had no back-up plans, no other way to move forward on my quest. I¡¯d still confront my father, yes, but I would feel a hell of a lot better if I had some other, any other, background information to support the claims I would be flouting against him. It¡¯s not like I could tell him how I really knew. Besides, it would be nice to have something else to back up what Floryne had told me. I still wasn¡¯t certain I could trust the nymph I¡¯d met in the woods.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    With a shaky breath, I put the third key in the lock. I hesitated before twisting my hand and was almost surprised when it turned. The door popped open into the unfamiliar room. It worked!


    I pocketed all three keys, careful to put the one that worked in my right pocket, and the ones that didn¡¯t in my left. I¡¯d have to lock it again when I was done, and if I was in a hurry, I wouldn¡¯t have time to fumble with all the keys again.


    I carefully pushed inside the room, taking in its foreign appearance. It was slightly larger than his bedroom, but smaller than mine in size. The walls were lined with bookshelves, each shelf filled with books of all sizes and colors. In the center of the room sat an oak desk, and an aged wooden chair.


    I stared in awe. This room was magnificent. I could spend hours, days even, exploring all the books he¡¯d hidden away for years. I ran my hand across the smooth desktop, my eyes catching on the papers scattered across it. Some were new, crisp and clean, while others had clearly sat there for who knew how long, yellowing with age.


    On the corner of the desk was a small, dark green lamp. I reached out my hand, feeling for the little metal string that when pulled, would turn it on. With a little click, light engulfed the entire room and I set out to work.


    I started by rummaging through the papers on his desk, looking to see if there was anything that might be of importance. Most of them were about things I didn¡¯t understand, or the farm and the financials involved with running it.


    Unsatisfied, I turned next to the bookshelves, running my fingers gingerly down the spines, reading the titles with squinting eyes. Some were small in print, or in font I couldn¡¯t quite make-out. Some even were so worn with age, the titles had all but faded from the book entirely.


    I wondered where my father had gotten on all these books, and why he kept them hidden. Some of them were about history, others about topics that must have interested him at some point in his youth. I was so amazed by all the volumes displayed that I almost didn¡¯t question it.


    Then, I remembered all the teasing my father had done of my reading growing up. He¡¯d always made it seem like he had no interest, but this room said otherwise. My mother had always been the one to read, he¡¯d always told me. It dawned on me that maybe this wasn¡¯t my father¡¯s collection of books after all.


    Maybe it was my mother¡¯s. Maybe I¡¯d find some clue, some information, about who she¡¯d really been.


    I pushed the excitement down. I was on a mission, and there was no point getting my hopes up anyway. If I found some clues about my mother, that would just be a bonus. A birthday present to myself. But I wouldn¡¯t let myself be disappointed if I didn¡¯t.


    My fingers stopped on a book titled ¡°Magical History of Righhan Tyebeith¡±. I didn¡¯t know if it would have the information I needed, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to look. I pulled the book out of its pocket on the shelf, watching as the book to the right fell over with a soft thud into the book next to it, almost as if they were mourning the loss of the missing book now in my hands. I wondered how long it had been since any of these books had been read.


    I didn¡¯t stop there. I wanted an entire arsenal of books to thumb through. I didn¡¯t know what I was even looking for, but I hoped I¡¯d know when I saw it. Before I knew it, my arms were piled with books, some larger than I¡¯d ever seen before. If I couldn¡¯t find the information I needed in one of them, then maybe I wouldn¡¯t find what I was looking for in here at all.


    I sat down in the rickety chair in front of the desk and cracked open one of the books, letting my eyes wonder over the various pages that I flicked through gingerly. I rested my head in the palm of my hand, fascinated by what I was reading.


    Righhan Tyebeith, named after human war heroes Righhan Braun and Tyeler Beith, was settled in the year 2106 A.C., three years after the successful rebellion against the oppressive reign of High King Alaric Edgewood III. Contrary to popular belief, the rebellion was not driven by a desire to rid the world of magic, but rather by a fervent wish to escape the domination of the Old Fae who had held sway over the land. Both Braun and Beith sought autonomy for their people, not the eradication of the very magic that had been interwoven into the fabric of their world, despite being human. Under the rule of their sons, Forrester Braun of South Righhan Tyebeith and Ashtynn Beith of North Righhan Tyebeith, magic was not only present but embraced as a vital and integral part of life in the new realm.


    I scrunched my eyebrows. It was common knowledge that Righhan Tyebeith had been settled after the Great War of Trinyaddae. Before the war, we¡¯d all occupied one continent named Trinyaddae, and were ruled by one king, known as the High King. The High King had been always been from the same Old Fae bloodline since the dawn of A.C., following the imprisonment of Cyathea and the abandonment from the Gods¡¯. After the war, the population had been divided¡ªsplit into three continents and seven Kingdoms, each ruled by a different species. It was known as The Birth of the Seven Kingdoms era.


    Righhan Tyebeith had been the land the humans had settled. I had always assumed magic was forbidden in Righhan Tyebeith, like it was now. I didn¡¯t know that there was a time we welcomed, celebrated it even. I wonder when that changed. I flipped through more pages detailing the years after the war, looking for more answers.


    For nearly four millennia, Righhan Tyebeith remained a land of relative peace, where the coexistence of humans and magical beings was accepted. However, this balance was shattered in 6069 A.C., with the unexpected death of King Righhan Braun VI. Less than a year after ascending to the throne following the death of his father, King Righhan fell victim to a sudden and mysterious illness, leaving his younger brother, Edwinn Braun, to inherit the southern throne. It was under King Edwinn''s rule that the kingdom would undergo a profound and tumultuous shift.


    King Edwinn, in stark contrast to his forebears, harbored a deep disdain for magic, and viewed it as a foreign influence that undermined the purity of human power. He believed that the continent of Righhan Tyebeith should be ruled by humans alone, free from the influence of magical creatures and their arcane abilities. To this end, he initiated a brutal campaign to rid the southern part of the realm of anyone suspected of magical abilities. Initially, these individuals were imprisoned in the royal dungeons, but as time passed, Edwinn¡¯s resolve grew colder, and he began issuing executions for any who were believed to wield magic.


    The methods for identifying those with magical powers were vague at best, and accusations were often based on little more than rumor and hearsay. As a result, many innocent lives were lost under the pretext of magical crimes. For over thirty years, this persecution persisted unchecked, before it was codified into law in 6099 A.C. Executions became more frequent, and with the rise of public executions, the Crown used them as a tool to instill fear and maintain control over the populace. By the time of King Harrold Braun''s ascension to the throne, the hatred for magical beings had become entrenched in the very foundation of Southern Righhan Tyebeith.


    King Harrold, like his forefathers, believed in the sanctity of a "pure" human kingdom, and he continued the brutal policies of his predecessors. The Crown even incentivized the betrayal of magical beings by offering substantial rewards to those who turned in individuals suspected of using magic. The kingdom had become a treacherous place for any who bore the gift¡ªor the curse¡ªof magic, and by 6100 A.C., Righhan Tyebeith was a land where suspicion and fear ruled the day.


    A pit grew in my stomach. This was not what I¡¯d been taught. This was not the history I knew from the books my father had always brought home from the markets. I flipped over the cover of the book, studying it. I wondered if the King had outlawed books like this. Had he hidden this knowledge, the true history of our realm, so that nobody would stand against him? Afterall, it was easier to believe the crowns crimes were fair and just when you that was just how humans had always behaved toward magical beings.


    Did the King have something to do with magic disappearing now? Had he found out a way to truly obtain his vision for the human realm? I bit my lip¡ªthis was more than I had signed up for, but I was more determined than ever to find out what happened to magic.


    I turned my attention back to the book, desperate to learn more. I was hungry for the knowledge that had been kept away from me, kept away from all the inhabitants of South Righhan Tyebeith under the crushing reign of the Southern Kingdom.


    Despite the horrors unfolding in the South, the North remained a refuge for those persecuted by the Southern Crown. While relations between the North and South remained fragile, the Northern Kingdom, led by King Philip Darchester, did not adopt the same anti-magic policies. Fearing a potential civil war, the North quietly became a sanctuary for magical beings, offering them protection from the violence and oppression that characterized life in the South.


    In 6099 A.C., King Philip Darchester, a ruler of great conviction, took it upon himself to lead a small, secretive group of rebels into the South in an effort to rescue those who had been condemned for their magical abilities. Though these early efforts were limited in scope and resources, rumors persisted of a growing resistance movement¡ªa network of individuals who would later become known as The Guardians. Though they once operated under the leadership of King Philip and his descendants, The Guardians would secede and continue to operate in secrecy, providing aid to magical beings in the South and advocating for their rights.. While the Crown¡¯s control over the Southern Kingdom remained largely unchallenged, The Guardians endured, their organization growing in both numbers and influence, as they continued to defy the harsh laws of King Harrold and his successors.


    To this day, the North remains a sanctuary for those who possess magical abilities, and The Guardians are believed to continue their work¡ªthough they now operate more discretely than ever, seeking peace between the divided realms while remaining ever vigilant in their defense of magical beings. The legacy of King Philip Darchester, a king who dared to stand against the tyranny of the South, remains a quiet yet powerful force, shaping the future of Righhan Tyebeith and its inhabitants.


    This was a clue! I let my finger caress the page as I read the passage over and over again. There was a rebel group in the North that fought against the Southern Crown¡¯s oppression. Maybe they can help me, I thought with new excitement. Briefly I wondered how I would even find them, but the thought didn¡¯t stick around long.


    Distantly, I heard the squeaking of wood groan, and my heart rate sped up. I stood up sharply, running to the dark window in the corner of the room. I held my breath as I saw my father riding through the fields on Alastair, his cloak whipping behind him as he slowed to approach the barn and the fenced yard around it.


    He¡¯s home already! I thought with panic, turning back toward the desk. I glanced once more at the page, before ripping it out of the book and stuffing it in the pocket of my dress. This was the next step in my mission, I had to find The Guardians, and I needed their help. If anyone knew what happened to the magic in the realm, it would surely be them.


    I¡¯d spent hours in here and I hadn¡¯t even realized it. A twinge of sadness washed over me, knowing I hadn¡¯t had time to find more. I hadn¡¯t even found anything about my mother. I patted my pocket to make sure the page was secure; I was =grateful I¡¯d found at least one clue. It would have to be enough.


    With that, I shoved the remaining books on the desk back into the shelves, anxious to return the room to how I¡¯d found it that morning. I was afraid to find out how he¡¯d react if he ever found out I¡¯d been in here. With quick fingers, I clicked the lamp until it was off, before twirling around and exiting the room, locking it with the key in my pocket.


    I was just quick enough to return the keys to his room, shut the door, and plop on the couch with my book open in my hands just as father walked through the back door. His arms were loaded with the supplies he¡¯d bought at the market, and he let out a soft groan with the effort.


    I looked up from my book, pretending I¡¯d been there for hours, as he dropped the supplies on the floor in the kitchen and sat down with a huff.


    ¡°How was the market?¡± I asked, trying to keep my voice normal. In truth, my heart was beating erratically as I thought about all that had happened since I¡¯d last spoken to him.


    ¡°Just like any other day¡± he grumbled, untying his boots.


    ¡°Did you find everything you were looking for?¡± I asked, biting my lip. I still wanted to question him about my true heritage, but I needed to lead into it. I couldn¡¯t just bombard him, I had to try to coax it out of him.


    ¡°And then some¡± he smiled, before grabbing a box wrapped in paper and waltzing into the living room. He stopped to kiss the side of my head, before handing me the small box in his hand. ¡°Happy Birthday, Arry¡±.


    I took the box in my fingers, letting a smile play out on my face. It was genuine, despite the nerves growing in my stomach.


    ¡°Thank you, father¡± I said, hesitating to open it. I decided to lay the present down on the couch, before looking up to him. ¡°I actually had something in mind that I¡¯d like for my birthday¡± I started, a pit growing in my stomach.


    How was I going to word this so I didn¡¯t make him angry? How was I going to talk about this, without letting him know how I truly knew? I nearly chickened out, but instead, focused on my determination; focused on the mixture of anger and sadness I¡¯d felt since last night.


    ¡°Oh, and what is that?¡± He asked with a wry smile of his own. He sat in his usual chair, the weak afternoon sunlight filtering in through the window spilling over him.


    ¡°I want to know the truth about mom¡± I said evenly. There was no point beating around the bush, I just needed to get this over with.


    ¡°I have told you the truth about your mother, Arry. She was killed by King¡± he replied, confusion weathering his features.


    ¡°Why was she killed?¡± I asked again. I knew how he¡¯d respond already, but I needed to hear him say it. I needed to hear him lie again, before I confronted him. What if he told the truth now? What if he¡¯d just been keeping it from me until he thought I was old enough to understand? I had to reserve my anger until I truly knew he deserved it.


    ¡°The Crown thought she was a witch. There was nothing I could have done to prove them wrong¡± his voice cracked and he looked away from me. ¡°Surely, this isn¡¯t what you want to talk about on your birthday¡± his voice grew more agitated.


    I didn¡¯t respond right away, instead letting his words marinate. He¡¯d lied. Deep down I knew he would, but it still hurt to know he¡¯d been lying to me my whole life, and that he was still lying to me, even now. Finally, I broke the silence.


    ¡°She was a Fae, wasn¡¯t she?¡±


    Now it was his turn to hold his tongue. His head whipped back to me faster than I¡¯d expected, but he didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he looked at me like he¡¯d seen a ghost. He must be wondering how I knew.


    ¡°She was a Fae, and I¡¯m a Fae. That¡¯s why you keep me locked up here¡± I said, my voice barely a whisper as tears threatened to spill down my face.


    ¡°What makes you think that?¡± He finally said, not denying it, but also not confirming it, either. I could feel my blood heat up at his non-answer.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it, father. I know that¡¯s the truth¡± I tried desperately to keep my voice from shaking as I said the words out loud.


    ¡°You are not Fae, Arry. Your mother wasn¡¯t, either. I don¡¯t know where you came up with this silly nonsense¡± He started to say.


    I stood up abruptly, pacing the small room. My whole body was on the verge of trembling. I couldn¡¯t believe he still wouldn¡¯t tell me the truth. I was giving him the choice; the chance to do the right thing, and he was still betraying me.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying to me! Why?¡± The tears I¡¯d tried to keep at bay finally broke the surface, bubbling in the corner of my eyes.


    Now, he was mad. His face turned red and he also stood, stomping across the room to the window, keeping his gaze everywhere but on me. For one small moment, I started second guessing myself. Maybe he wasn¡¯t lying after all. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe Floryne had been confused.


    Something inside told me that wasn¡¯t the case. There was no other explanations to what had happened last night. If we wasn¡¯t willing to tell me the truth, I¡¯d find out some other way.


    ¡°Where did this come from, hmm Arry? You¡¯re spoiling your birthday with this gibberish!¡± He continued to deny the reality of the situation.


    Frustration grew inside me. I bit my tongue, deciding very carefully what to say next. The look of annoyance plastered on his face sent me boiling over though, and I couldn¡¯t stop myself before yelling, ¡°Screw my birthday! Stop lying to me!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me like that! I am your father. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into you but show me some damn respect!¡± He howled, and I shrank back.


    ¡°Magic disappeared. Did you know that? Last night, just poof¡ªgone!¡± I started with a small voice. The look of recollection on his face encouraged me to continue. My voice began to rise, and now hot tears fell down my cheek. ¡°You want to know how I know you¡¯ve been lying to me? Because I felt it. I felt something fundamentally change in me¡ªsomething that can only be explained by magic¡± I continued, falling into a heap on the floor, one step away from full on sobbing.


    He studied me for a long moment now, his face still heated with anger. I didn¡¯t need to hear his next words to know what they were going to be. ¡°You¡¯re imaging things. You probably fell asleep reading one of those damn fantasy books of yours and now you think you¡¯re something you¡¯re not!¡± he protested.


    ¡°I am not making this up!¡± I yelled. ¡°If you won¡¯t tell me, I will find someone who will¡± I threatened, my voice was barely a whisper as I looked up at him through my tear-soaked eyes.


    ¡°You will do no such thing! You are not leaving this farm, Arryanntheia¡± his tone was sharp, and I flinched as he walked across the room toward me.


    ¡°Watch me¡± I defied, pushing myself up before he reached me and running toward the door. Before I got there, his hand clasped around my arm and pulled me into his large chest.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to lock you away, but I will¡± his voice was loud, but I barely heard him as I desperately tried to free myself from his strong grip.


    ¡°Let me go! You can¡¯t keep me locked up here forever!¡± I cried frantically.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t stop, you¡¯ll leave me no choice¡± he was so close, I could feel his breath on my ear as he talked. I tried to push away from him, but my arms were quickly weakening.


    How had it gotten to this point so fast? Why was he continuing to lie to me, when I clearly knew the truth?


    ¡°I will never stop. You¡¯ve kept me locked away for too long, ignorant to the world around me. Not anymore¡ªI will find a way to leave and find the answers you clearly don¡¯t want me to have¡± I all but spat at him.


    In response, he dragged me behind him, his large footsteps echoing down the hallway. His grip grew tighter around my arm. There was no hope of escaping, and the tears flowed hotter down my cheeks. Ange flushed my face as I kicked and clawed, but it was no use.


    He reached my bedroom door and threw me inside, slamming the door behind me. Before I could recover from the fall, I heard the lock click on the outside of the door. I quickly stood and rattled the knob, but it was no use. He¡¯d locked me in.


    ¡°You leave me no choice, Arry¡± his voice was sad, and then his steps retreated down the hallway. My birthday, the present, the page from the book¡ªit was all forgotten as I fell to the ground in tears.


    How could he do this?


    After several moments of my pathetic display, I let anger fuel me again. He thought he could just keep me here, shield me away from the truth, but he was wrong. I wouldn¡¯t stop until I got far away from here, from him.


    My hand brushed against the cold metal of my locket, and with an angry hiss, I clasped my hand completely around it, before yanking it off and throwing it across the floor. It was a lie. It was all a lie. I¡¯d find a way out of this room, out of this house. I would find the truth, even it if it killed me doing so.

 Chapter Six - Kyrion

    My breath caught in my throat as the shadows closed in around me, cutting me off from everything I knew. I looked around frantically, but all I could see was darkness. It became hard to breathe, and I clawed at my throat as if the air had been stolen from my lungs.


    I fell to my knees, feeling an overwhelming sense of dread and loss out of nowhere. I didn¡¯t remember how I got here, or what I was doing before this. All I knew was the present and the feeling that something had been stolen from me by the shadows.


    As I began to lose hope and accept the dark fate surrounding me, a soft glow appeared in my vision. It was so gentle I nearly convinced myself that it was just a figment of my imagination, but then it grew brighter and closer. The golden hue dimmed the shadows surrounding me, and I held my hand out toward it instinctively.


    Then, I knew what it was, though it hadn¡¯t yet become visually clear.


    Her purple eyes filled my vision, and a renewed sense of determination settled over me.


    I couldn¡¯t make out any of her features, I never could. All I could see was the golden silhouette and purple eyes that had appeared in my dreams for years. I always had the overwhelming sense to get closer to her; to feel the hope and calmness that always washed over me when she was near.


    As I watched her, I forgot all about the shadows surrounding us. All I could see was her, and all I could feel was the desire to push past the unclear fog of golden light surrounding her to find out who she was, and why she was here.


    I stood, letting the invisible shackles of darkness shed from my skin as I stepped toward her light. Her gaze fell on mine, and a sense of panic washed over me again. Something was wrong, I could see it clear as day in the reflection of her eyes. I tried to push closer, but every step I took pulled me further and further away.


    Fear. That was the look in her eyes. She opened her mouth as if to call out to me, but no sound came. Her voice came out as a silent plea for help, her hazy arm reaching for me.


    Around her, silhouettes of shadow formed into the half-shapes of men, each closing in on her. Swirls of golden light attacked each figure, but as one fell, another took its place. She couldn¡¯t escape; she was surrounded by an invisible army of enemies.


    Each time they reformed around her, they became clearer and more defined. I could even make out the shapes of swords made of shadow before long. I couldn¡¯t make sense of what was happening, but I knew she was in trouble. I felt the overwhelming pressure to save her.


    I called out to her, but my voice echoed in a quiet whisper that was barely discernable. It was almost like I¡¯d been thrust underwater, and my words were coming out in a gurgling echo of what they should be. Was this how she felt moments ago calling out to me? What was happening?


    I thrashed through the thick shadows growing around me again. Her mysterious glow was growing dimmer, as if her light were being put out by the shadowed figures that were now fully surrounding her. More than before, I could feel the fear coming off of her in waves, but no matter how hard I fought, I couldn¡¯t get closer to her. I couldn¡¯t save her.


    The shadow figures had grown in number, and they surrounded her on all fronts. I tried to scream for her, summoning my magic around me in swirls of fiery embers, but it made no use. Her light had grown so dim, I could barely make it out.


    The purple eyes that silently called to me were fading. They locked onto me, and I could almost hear a final plea before they were gone entirely. A gurgled scream left my lips again, as I fell to my knees.


    I felt life leave my body as the darkness swelled once more. I¡¯d failed her. The shadows had surrounded her, and I¡¯d failed to save her from them. She was gone, and it was all my fault. I couldn¡¯t make sense of why I felt so strongly abut her, about this failure, but the weight of it was crushing.


    As I felt myself drifting in the nothingness around me, my body grew numb of feeling. I felt no fear, no sadness, only loss once again.


    Then, with a silent bang, a flash of golden light shot through the darkness until it was all I could see. The last thing I remember is the gaze of purple eyes on mine in a sea of light.


    Then, I woke up.


    ***


    I groggily walked through the dingy castle halls with a distracted mind. All I could think about was the dream I¡¯d had the night before. It wasn¡¯t the first time I¡¯d seen the mysterious, purple-eyed female there, and yet, I was no closer to figuring out who she was or why she continued to visit me when I was sleeping. She¡¯d appeared so often, I started referring to her as goldilocks just so I¡¯d have something to call her. Since I didn¡¯t know her name or anything else about her, it only seemed fitting.


    It had to mean something, right? That¡¯s what they say about recurring dreams; that they mean something. I just didn¡¯t know what, and I was growing rather desperate to find out.


    The sound of my feet echoing against the stone masonry of the castle reminded me of the reality around me. I withheld a grunt as I remembered what I was doing. I was not looking forward to the small council meeting this morning. I was still reeling after what had happened the night before, and I knew it would be further discussed with the rest of the council today. Not something I wanted to do or think about right now.


    King Sebastian was about get everything he ever dreamed of. The Elf King had agreed to the alliance so long as we helped rescue his daughter, Princess Natori. I was to be married to her once she was safe and sound in Trnyauriea once more.


    I¡¯d spent so long thinking about it that I had almost started to feel numb at the thought. I¡¯d barely gotten any sleep the night before, my mind grasping onto the horror of a forced marriage. By the time I did finally fall asleep in the early hours of the morning, I¡¯d resigned myself to a life of misery married to someone I didn¡¯t love. My mind was drained.


    Then, I¡¯d had a dream about goldilocks and now I just felt worse. The dream only left me more exhausted and confused than I¡¯d felt before.


    My feelings about my new reality aside, I couldn¡¯t shake the impending danger that had blanketed my mind in the dream; I couldn¡¯t explain it, but it felt as real as the nightmare I was already living. It rattled me almost as much as my engagement had.


    More than ever I mourned the fact I couldn¡¯t just mount Shadowfire and leave Draoinearea behind me, but even that idea was growing too distant as my responsibilities to the Fae court became more pressing. Why had I ever agreed to serve them? Oh right, I didn¡¯t have a choice.


    In just a quarter moon my whole life had me turned upside down, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel like I was drowning. I desperately wanted to clutch any last semblance of control I could, but the prospects were too grim.


    Soft whispers behind me stole my attention. Refocusing on my surroundings, I could now hear the guards behind me chatting as we made our way to the council room.


    ¡°Do you think the wedding will be held here in Draoinearea?¡± One of them whispered, almost too softly for me to hear. I imagine that had been on purpose, though they weren¡¯t being as quiet as they¡¯d thought.


    ¡°I¡¯d bet my moons wages that King Sebastian would never let it happen in Aosipora. He¡¯s been pining for this alliance way to long¡± the other guard responded, holding back a hushed chuckle.


    I could feel my blood rising as I heard them gossiping about me. I was right here for Cyathea¡¯s sake! Did they have no dignity? How did they even know already? They hadn¡¯t been on duty the night before, which could only mean one thing. The guards in this castle were bigger gossips than the handmaidens!


    A chilling thought washed over me. Did the whole castle know about my bleak future before freaking breakfast?


    ¡°I bet Ser Kyrion will lose his temper before the wedding¡¯s over. He never did like being told what to do, and you¡¯ve seen him when he¡¯s angry. Let¡¯s hope the princess can handle him¡± the first guard quipped, a jaunty laugh leaving his lips.


    I spun around with my teeth gritted, staring them both down.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you two have something better to do? I don¡¯t need an escort¡± I hissed, feeling my wings flutter with frustration..


    Despite the anxious look they shared, they held their heads high as they addressed me. I was mad, but I could respect them holding their own.


    ¡°Ser, we always accompany you to the small council meetings¡± one of the guards spoke.


    ¡°Not today you¡¯re not. You can go gossip elsewhere¡± I mumbled. My mood was bad enough as it was, I didn¡¯t need these two fools making it worse.


    Identical looks of fear washed over their faces before they scurried off. No doubt they were embarrassed at being caught. As they should be. Hadn¡¯t anyone taught them not to gossip about someone literally behind their backs?


    Oh, I didn¡¯t blame them really. Now that I was engaged, I had a feeling I¡¯d be the center of court gossip for moons to come. I just didn¡¯t have the capacity to deal with it today. I¡¯d need to apologize later, but for now, all I could think of was how I¡¯d get through this council meeting.


    The doors to the council chambers were open when I arrived, and I was not surprised to find I was the last to enter the sun-lit room.


    In the center of the small space was a large oak table surrounded by nine chairs; one being at the head of the table. Each one was adorned with a dark purple velvet cushion, and in front of each place at the table was a black wooden ball that sit in a grove of the wood. Only one chair was empty; I made my way there.


    On the north wall were two large floor to ceiling windows that let in an abundance of light. With the harsh desert-like climate of Draoineara, the light was blinding at this hour. How lucky I was that my chair faced that light; maybe it would put me in a better mood, despite already causing me to squint.


    The King was sitting in the chair at the head of the table, while the other small court members were already seated in their respective chairs around him.


    My father, who sat to the right of the King, looked at me with guilt when he saw me enter the room. Though I hadn¡¯t spoken to him since the feast, I knew he felt bad for working with Sebastian behind my back to arrange this marriage.


    I didn¡¯t have it in my heart to forgive him just yet. I wasn¡¯t going to make a show of it in front of the entire room though, so I ignored him.


    Instead, I sat quietly in the empty chair on the left of the King; the chair designated for the Commander of the Kings Guard. I made point not to meet my father¡¯s eyes as he stared insistently from directly across the table from me.


    The Master (or in this case, Mistress) of Coin, Lady Lesandra Covington, sat next to me. She made a soft clicking noise with her tongue as she placed her hand on my arm, snagging my attention.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Ser Kyrion, I hear congratulations are in order¡± a furtive smile spread across her face. ¡°Princess Natori is one lucky bride to find herself betrothed to the Crown Prince of Draoinearea. She must be excited to be the Queen consort¡± Lesandra¡¯s voice was soft as silk, something I¡¯d only ever noticed when she was trying to butter me, or anyone else for that matter, up. She may have been playing nice now, but I knew she was hiding her jealousy.


    Lesandra Covington had spent years trying to earn my favor, no doubt in a ploy to gain access to the crown, but I¡¯d never paid her much attention. She was beautiful with her long brown hair and slender features, but not really my type. She was to conniving and vicious; too willing to do whatever it took to get her way. She reminded me too much of Sebastian in that way¡ªsomething he had also noticed.


    Only a few years my senior, she¡¯d taken office when her father, the previous Master of Coin, had passed of an illness. I had no doubt she¡¯d flirted her way into King Sebastian¡¯s good graces; a scheme to convince him to let her resume her father¡¯s seat on the small council. She was the only female in the room, and with King Sebastian¡¯s disdain for females of power, it was obvious to everyone what had happened. Whatever she¡¯d done had worked well. The glances the King stole of her made my disgust of them both deepen.


    ¡°Thank you, Lady Covington¡± I said, giving a slight nod of my head. ¡°It¡¯s a shame you didn¡¯t get to meet her properly the other night¡± I added, knowing damn well that Lesandra was not happy that she hadn¡¯t been invited to dine on the Kings¡¯ dais the night of the feast. ¡°If you had, you¡¯d have discovered that the princess is far too busy preparing to be Queen of the Elves than Queen consort of the Fae¡±.


    She scoffed and pulled her hand back, turning her attention away from me. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the small victory, but I quickly hid it as the King stood, pulling our attention toward him. My father stood with him, as did the rest of the small council. As customary, we all did a small bow to the King, before taking our seats again. The King remained standing.


    ¡°This meeting is called to order¡± The King¡¯s voice pierced my ears, and I did my best to hide my grimace. ¡°We have many matters to discuss, today¡± he continued, slowly walking around the table with his hands behind his back.


    ¡°Congratulations, your Highness, on securing the alliance with the Elves¡± the Chief Minister, Conrad Kole, spoke loudly. It was no secret that he had been the King¡¯s biggest supporter in securing the alliance; after all, he was in charge of the diplomatic affairs of the Kingdom. The two of them have been secretly plotting for years.


    ¡°Don¡¯t congratulate me yet, Conrad. There are prerequisites, if you will, that we must meet before the alliance is set in stone. And that is exactly what I¡¯d like to talk about today¡± Sebastian responded. Once he made a full circuit around the room, he resumed his place at the head of the table, staring down on us all as he remained standing. He always liked to show off his power.


    ¡°Why should we do anything they say? We¡¯re far more powerful than they, we can force their hands¡± Lady Covington voiced, holding her chin up high. She always knew how to appeal to Sebastian¡¯s cocky opinion of himself.


    ¡°We will do what it takes to meet the demands the Elves have given us. There is more at stake than this little alliance, and I will not take any chances by pissing them off¡± his voice was sinister, and Lesandra cowered slightly in her seat at his response.


    ¡°Say that to the Elven Servant you¡¯ve locked in our dungeons. I¡¯m sure they won¡¯t be pissed at all about that¡± I muttered, rolling my eyes. Unfortunately, every one of the council had heard the comment and they all turned to me with curious eyes. The King¡¯s, however, were glowing with anger.


    ¡°Ser Kyrion, do you have something to add?¡± his voice was lined with warning, and I knew better than to speak up again now.


    ¡°No, your Highness¡± I said slowly, matching his fiery gaze. With a snort, Sebastian turned away from me.


    ¡°What Elven servant?¡± Lesandra whispered in my ear, but I ignored her. For once, it felt good to have information she didn¡¯t.


    ¡°The Elves have not only agreed to the marriage-alliance. No, they¡¯ve also offered something much grander¡± he took a dramatic pause, before continuing ¡°something I¡¯ve wanted for so long, I¡¯d bend over and kiss King Fernand¡¯s ass to have it¡± Sebastian continued crudely as if our little interruption hadn¡¯t even taken place.


    Lady Lesandra scrunched her nose at the visual the King had painted, but otherwise, the council stayed silent, eagerly waiting for the King to continue.


    Content that he had the council¡¯s full attention, Sebastian continued. ¡°He has offered to hand over Irrhueitha Edgewood¡± he said, a malicious smile growing across his face.


    I did my very best to hide my disgust. I couldn¡¯t believe the Elf King had offered Irrhueitha up like she was nothing; like she wasn¡¯t a person. Fernand was supposed to be kind, thoughtful. And yet, he¡¯d done the very thing he¡¯d always pretended to look down upon. He¡¯d be no better than Sebastian if he followed through with this¡ªnot something I wanted in a future father-in-law.


    ¡°Irrhueitha Edgewood? The Lost Princess?¡± The High Acolyte muttered, shocked. Tobias, only referred to by his given name in this room, had served the late King Alaric Edgewood IV and was the only person on the council that Sebastian hadn¡¯t replaced when he killed King Alaric and took the Fae throne. As such, he had known the little princess before she¡¯d disappeared.


    King Sebastian gave him a look of warning, causing Tobias to quickly shut his mouth. I knew something had happened between the two behind closed doors when Sebastian took the throne; it was the only reason Tobias hadn¡¯t been murdered with the rest of Alaric¡¯s loyal small council. I had a feeling Tobias was remembering that silent agreement now as he cowered in his seat before the King.


    Sebastian addressed the rest of the council now. ¡°King Fernand has found the Lost Princess and will hand her over to me. We can finally end the Old Fae, once and for all¡± he clasped his hands together with triumph as he said this.


    My father stirred uncomfortably in his seat. ¡°And what are their demands of us in return of this?¡± he asked, looking up at the King sheepishly.


    ¡°Why, they only have one request. Simple, really. They¡¯d like us to rescue their daughter and return her safely to their courts. Natori in exchange for Irrhueitha and the alliance¡± Sebastian replied enthusiastically.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be that simple. We don¡¯t even know where Natori is!¡± Horrace Conners, the Chief Commander, spoke up.


    ¡°Yeah! We¡¯ve been searching land and sea, there¡¯s been no sign of her¡± agreed the High Admiral, Winston Fotheringham.


    I watched them all debate in knowing silence. It was taking everything in me to keep my opinions to myself, but I persevered, not wanting to cause another scene.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be happy, Ser Kyrion? You¡¯re missing bride won¡¯t be missing much longer¡± Lady Covington whispered in my ear coyly, letting a sharp laugh escape her lips as she pulled away.


    I ignored her again, but not before shooting her an angry scowl. She must have been catching on that I wasn¡¯t too thrilled with this arrangement.


    ¡°I have it on good authority that King Aurther Braun has taken her. We just need to travel to Righhan Tyebeith, negotiate her release, and just like that, everything we¡¯ve always wanted will fall right into our laps¡± Sebastian said as he plopped in his chair again, letting one leg swing over the other. He watched his council react with a sly smile.


    I bit my tongue. I knew King Fernand had been the one to locate his daughter, and yet, King Sebastian threw it around like he¡¯d been the one to find her. Like he was the hero. I rolled my eyes, leaning back in my chair. What a pompous piece of shit, I thought.


    I¡¯d learned a long time ago to keep my mouth shut, though. Today, I wasn¡¯t willing to deal with the consequences of standing against the King by calling him out, so I chose to keep quiet as I continued to watch them all.


    ¡°The human King? How do you know he took her? What did he want with her?¡± Ser Winston questioned, confusion marring his voice.


    ¡°How should I know? All I know is that he has her, and we need to get her back¡± Sebastian replied with boredom, dismissing Ser Winston¡¯s concerns with a flick of his wrist.


    ¡°I¡¯ll prepare a battalion right away. I¡¯ll coordinate with Ser Winston to arrange for a boat; we¡¯ll have them on the water toward Righhan Tyebeith by sunrise tomorrow¡± Ser Horrace spoke with confidence, meeting the Kings gaze.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, Horrace¡± Sebastian replied.


    ¡°I beg your pardon, your Highness? Surely, you¡¯re not thinking of going yourself, are you?¡± Ser Horrace countered.


    I could tell right away that King Sebastian was not happy with Horrace¡¯s comment. Surprisingly, however, he did not yell or snap back like he usually would. Instead, a grin grew on his face as he turned to me.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m going to send Kyrion¡± we stared at one another as he said the words. The rest of the council fell quiet.


    I¡¯d gotten the hunch this would happen when we spoke in the throne room last night. I should be in Beacastieal  by now, but I¡¯d been commanded to stay at court. Why else would he keep me here if he hadn¡¯t been planning to send me after the Princess? Though I¡¯d expected it, it hadn¡¯t dampened my anger about the situation. I was still pissed and trying my best to hide it.


    ¡°Ser Kyrion?¡± It was my father¡¯s voice now, and for the first time since entering the room, I turned my full attention to him. His voice had betrayed a quiver of nervousness when he spoke. He was worried.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have Conrad send a note before hand to negotiate her release, of course. But with their engagement, I think it¡¯s rather fitting that Kyrion be the one to swoop in and rescue her. Don¡¯t you think?¡± he turned his attention back to the council.


    I had to admit, as much as I hated his scheming and the politics, it was a smart move. I¡¯d be a hero to the Elves, and they¡¯d have no choice but to accept the marriage and the alliance. It was everything the King wanted.


    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he¡¯d somehow orchestrated the whole thing. It was all lining up just too perfectly. I quickly dismissed the thought, though. Surely that was too evil, even for him. Or at least, too clever.


    ¡°Ser Kyrion being the face of the rescue party is a great plan, your Highness¡± Ser Horrace started, briefly looking at me before returning his attention back to the King. ¡°But this mission is too important for just one Fae to accomplish. We should still send a battalion with him¡± he continued.


    The King sat in silence for a moment, thinking. I raised my eyebrows at the Commander¡¯s comment that I wouldn¡¯t be enough. He may have been in charge of the King¡¯s armies, but I was in charge of the security of the King himself. We both knew which position held more esteem; which required more strength, and cunning. It was something Horrace would never be able to do.


    Finally, the King spoke. ¡°No, it will take too long for an entire battalion to go by boat. Kyrion will take his dragon. You¡¯ve seen how intimidating that beast is¡ªKyrion will be more than enough¡±.


    I smirked at Horrace, before leaning back in my chair with my arms crossed. I may not have wanted to go on this mission, but I wouldn¡¯t sit here and be disrespected, either.


    ¡°Are you okay with this, Kyrion?¡± My father¡¯s voice broke the silent staring match between myself, the King and Horrace. I turned my attention to him.


    I replied, ¡°If these are the Kings wishes, then I will abide them¡±. It was a non-answer really. My father knew I wasn¡¯t okay with this, but I couldn¡¯t say that in front of the King and the other council members.


    The King clapped his hands in two loud thumps, standing again. ¡°Great! It¡¯s settled. You¡¯ll leave in three sunrises time. Conrad, we¡¯ll send a bird at once to King Aurther¡± he spoke, but I tuned out the rest of the conversation.


    I had no idea how I was supposed to rescue Natori from the human King. I just hoped that whatever negotiations Sebastian made with Aurther would be enough for me to walk in and walk out. Easy. Nothing more than a day¡¯s worth of work.


    Unfortunately, I had a feeling deep down that that would not be the case.


    ***


    I let out a sigh of relief as I leaned against Shadowfire, feeling her scaley skin against the back of my neck. We¡¯d gone on a long ride that I hadn¡¯t realize I¡¯d needed as badly as I did, and now we rested on one of the large sandy peaks overlooking City of Asolia. It wasn¡¯t home, but it was a close replacement for now.


    I felt better than I had in days; since before the feast even. Nothing cured the soul like a dragon-ride. But even souring through the skies like there was nothing but me and Shadowfire couldn¡¯t completely brighten the dark mood that had settled over me ever since last night.


    With my head leaned against her leathery skin, I let my eyes crawl up to the darkening sky. In just a few days, I¡¯d be flying to Righhan Tyebeith, rescuing my betrothed.  I don¡¯t know how things had gotten here.


    I focused on the memory of dancing with Natori. She¡¯d been just as angry as I felt now. How would she react when I showed up on my dragon, saving her from who-knew-what torture, just to tell her that her worst fears were true?


    We were to be married.


    I could still barely wrap my mind around the thought, myself. I didn¡¯t want to marry her. I didn¡¯t want to have the alliance the King desperately wanted weighing on my shoulders for the rest of my life. It wasn¡¯t who I was. It wasn¡¯t who I wanted to be.


    My mind reached for any and every possible way I could get out of this, but I continued to come up empty handed. There would be no disobeying King Sebastian. If this is what he wanted, this is what he¡¯d get. He was a lot of things, but I had to admit I was impressed with his determination. Cruel as he may be, he never let anything get in the way of what we wanted.


    Why couldn¡¯t I be like that?


    I thought briefly of running away. If I just got on Shadowfire¡¯s back right now, I could be gone without a trace, and no one would ever find me¡ªnot unless I wanted them to. It could be my last hope. But did I want to live a life of exile, just to get out of a marriage?


    I shook my head with frustration. I couldn¡¯t do that. I had responsibilities, family to look after. I couldn¡¯t disappoint them. I may not have been happy with my father, but I still wanted him to be proud of me and the choices I made. I always had.


    Natori¡¯s face faded from my mind and was quickly replaced by one more pleasant. One that always managed to reappear, no matter how hard I tried. Though the details were much murkier, I would never forget the purple eyes I¡¯d grown accustomed to seeing.


    What did it mean that I could never see her face? That she had been visiting my dreams much more often lately? I¡¯d always wondered if her appearance had something to do with some prophecy, some distant future that I was destined for. As much as I wanted to believe that, I could never find any proof that she was real, or that I¡¯d ever see more of her than the light-refracted glow of her silhouette in my head.


    It was time to put those hopes and dreams aside. I had a very real fianc¨¦ now to worry about. A fianc¨¦ who had been kidnapped by one of the human kings for unknown reasons. Should I hope she was okay? Should I be worried? Why couldn¡¯t I muster these feelings for her?


    Shadowfire let out a long snort, a small billow of smoke rising from her nose and she nuzzled her head against my shoulder.


    ¡°I know, girl. Things are about to get interesting¡± I whispered, my hand resting on her snoot. At least I would always have her, and that¡¯s all I really needed.

 Chapter Seven - Evielynae

    ¡°Evie!¡± a familiar voice hollered, followed by loud thumps pounding against my door. ¡°Evie, open up!¡±


    I sat up in my bed, brushing the hair out of my eyes. I didn¡¯t know when I¡¯d finally fallen asleep, but it must not have been for very long. I felt exhausted. I sat there in a daze, forgetting for a moment what I¡¯d been woken up by, when I was brought back out of it with the loud noise of fists against my door.


    The pounding continued, and I worked up the energy to crawl out of bed and trudge across the room. As soon as I swung open the door, my cousin came bounding in, her voice alarmed. Her long, dark hair was strung up in a tight pony tail, and I briefly wondered if it had been cutting off her circulation with all the yelling she was doing.


    ¡°You have to come now! One of the underclassman was found dead this morning!¡±


    I stood there, blinking at her without recognition. She stared at me like I¡¯d gone mad as she waited for understanding to sink in. It didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Did you hear me?¡± she asked impatiently.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± I finally answered, my brain slowly coming back to life.


    ¡°An underclassman was murdered, Evie! For Cyathea¡¯s sake, what¡¯s gotten into you?¡± her voice pierced my ears and realization finally dawned on me. Murdered? What was she talking about?


    Then I remembered last night¡¯s events and a chill washed over me. This was bad. Very bad.


    ¡°What, why? When?¡± I rambled, running to my dresser to pull out clean clothes. I could sense the urgency in her voice, and I was desperate to go investigate. She continued on with her fast-worded explanation while I rummaged for pants.


    ¡°They found her this morning. They don¡¯t know what happened, but your mom was just arriving when I left¡± Korrheya, my cousin and closest friend, yelled at me. ¡°We have to get back there!¡± she exclaimed, her high energy making me feel even more exhausted than I already felt.


    I quickly changed out of my pink-plaid pajama pants and threw on jeans instead. I went to pull off my shirt, then decided that my plain white t-shirt was fine enough. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and all but groaned at my appearance.


    I looked like shit!


    I didn¡¯t have time to do much about it, but I did settle on grabbing a hairbrush at the very least.


    ¡°Okay, okay, just let me brush my hair¡± I choked out.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for that!¡± She screeched, before pausing momentary and finally taking a moment to notice my disheveled appearance. ¡°Damn, you really do need it, though. What happened to you? Are you alright? You look like you saw the bad end of a spell¡± her voice filled with concern.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯ll explain on the way there. Who was killed?¡± I asked nervously. Only one thought was echoing in my head at this point. The Umbrath had to have done this, right?


    ¡°Charlotte¡± Korrheya¡¯s voice was skeptical as she watched me finish getting ready. I slipped on my last shoe and stood back up, a frown on my face.


    ¡°Oh¡± my voice was filled with sadness. I¡¯d barely known Charlotte, but she¡¯d always been kind to me. I felt something in my heart shift at the thought that she was now dead. How did this happen? How had one of us died? I didn¡¯t really need to confirm what had happened. Deep down, I knew. It could have been me, after all.


    If only I hadn¡¯t let it get away the night before, then an innocent student would still be alive. This was all my fault!


    Moments later we left my room and were racing down the halls toward the underclassman dormitories where Charlotte had been found.


    ¡°So, are you going to tell me what happened now?¡± Korrheya¡¯s voice broke through my thoughts.


    I took a moment to think about the events myself. Being chased through the dark library by a creature I couldn¡¯t see. The dread and fear I¡¯d felt that night and still felt this morning despite having escaped the situation. I finally pulled out of the nightmare and told her about what happened.


    ¡°I was attacked in the library last night¡± I grunted, putting extra focus on where I was putting my feet. I didn¡¯t have time for my usual clumsiness.


    ¡°What?! Why are you just now telling me?¡± Korrheya screeched, practically pulling us to a halt as she placed her hand on my arm to slow me down and meet her gaze.


    ¡°It was nothing¡± I assured her, pulling her back to a run. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I promise¡±.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look fine¡± She shot back.


    ¡°Well, I am. Just exhausted, that¡¯s all. We have much bigger issues to worry about¡± I kept my voice as calm as possible.


    ¡°Who attacked you, anyway?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Not who. What¡± I corrected her after a moment¡¯s pause. She snorted in disbelief.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll bite. What attacked you?¡± her voice was strained. I couldn¡¯t tell whether she was running out of breath trying to keep up with my long legs (which happened often), or if she was finding it hard to believe the words I was saying.


    ¡°You won¡¯t believe me¡± I responded a little too quickly. I had already prepared myself to receive a bad reaction. My own mother had barely believed me for crying out loud, why would Korrheya?


    ¡°Try me¡± her response was lighthearted, but she had a skeptical look on her face.


    ¡°It was an Umbrath¡± my words had her stopping in her tracks again.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious!¡± her eyes were wide, and when I didn¡¯t respond, she muttered, ¡°You¡¯re not lying, are you?¡±. The look in her eyes told me was conflicted. She wanted to believe me but couldn¡¯t convince herself I wasn¡¯t pulling some kind of sick joke.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious. It got away, and I fear that¡¯s what attacked Charlotte¡± my voice came out in a guilty whisper.


    ¡°Evielynae. Why didn¡¯t you tell me as soon as this happened!?¡± she pulled me into a tight hug, surprising me.


    After a moment, I let out a long sigh. Korrheya knew me well, and she must have read my thoughts, for she squeezed me tighter and whispered into my ear, ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault¡±.


    ¡°It is my fault. I let it get away, and now it¡¯s gone off and killed one of us!¡± I yelled, letting anger overtake me as I pulled out of her arms.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know for sure that¡¯s what killed Charlotte¡± Korrheya¡¯s voice was level-headed, and calm despite my outburst.


    ¡°Yes we do. What else who have done it?¡± I said, defeat marring my voice.


    ¡°It still wouldn¡¯t be your fault. You didn¡¯t bring the Umbrath here, did you? You didn¡¯t tell it to go after Charlotte¡± her voice was an echo in my ears as I flashed back into the darkness again. I felt uneasy as I recalled the moments when it had been so near, ready to close in on me. Is that how Charlotte felt when it attacked her, too?


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. If I¡¯d killed it last night, none of this would have happened¡± I said, turning my attention away from her in shame.


    I may still have a chance to prove myself, but no matter what happened now, I¡¯d never forgive myself. Another witch had lost her life because of my failure.


    ¡°Come one, let¡¯s go¡± I started forward again, not waiting for her response. She took my cue and stayed silent the rest of the way.


    When we arrived at the dormitories, a large crowd had grown around the crime scene. I looked around in despair and nearly crumbled in on myself when I met my mother¡¯s gaze. She stood in the center of the witches, preceding over the investigation.


    I drowned out the noise of all the young girls gossiping around me and felt my heart crack even more with the look she gave me. It was a look of confirmation. I didn¡¯t need to talk to her to know for sure this was the Umbrath.


    ¡°Okay, everyone. Go back to your classes. It¡¯s finals week, and you needn¡¯t let this set you back. I will handle it from here¡± her voice was calm, yet firm. It left no room for misinterpretation or disagreement.


    I watched as all the girls slowly disappeared; their voices all muffled as they scrambled around me. I didn¡¯t even notice Korrheya anymore. I stood frozen to the ground, guilt weighing me down as my focus narrowed on the broken body on the ground. Someone had thought to put a sheet over her at least, but I could still tell it had been a brutal death.


    ¡°Come one, Evie. We should go¡± Korrheya pulled at my arm, finally bringing me out of my daze. I looked up at her, then at her hand on my arm, but I made no efforts to move from where I was standing.


    ¡°Korrheya, why don¡¯t you head to class. Evie will catch up with you¡± my mother¡¯s voice pierced the quiet between us, and I was thankful I didn¡¯t have to say anything myself.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you later¡± she said to me, letting her hand come up to briefly caress my cheek in silent knowing before she walked away without another word.


    I knew she was only worried about me, but right now I couldn¡¯t muster the energy to reassure her. I could barely process Charlotte¡¯s death. I¡¯d failed her, and if I didn¡¯t hurry up and find the witch behind this, I¡¯d fail more people. I couldn¡¯t let that happen.


    ¡°Well, this definitely puts more urgency on the situation we discussed last night¡± my mother¡¯s voice reminded me that I wasn¡¯t the only one here.


    I looked up at her and saw the stressed look that was evident across her facial features. It was a rare look; not one she typically shared with others, which meant this was as bad as I thought it was.


    The headmaster stood off to the side, unsure what to do. Normally, this would be her jurisdiction, but with the High Witch taking charge, that left little room for her to interfere. I barely noticed her, instead turning my full attention to my mother.


    ¡°This is my fault¡± my voice cracked as I addressed her.


    ¡°No, it is not¡± my mother responded with frustration.


    ¡°Yes, it is! Why can¡¯t anybody see that? If I¡¯d caught the damn thing last night like I should have, Charlotte would be alive right now¡± I hissed back at her.


    She looked at me, and her expression burned with fiery determination. She stormed forward, her finger extended accusingly at me.


    ¡°For Cyathea¡¯s sake, Evielynae. Stop making this about you! Quit whining about what you didn¡¯t do and help me find the damn witch actually responsible for this! I don¡¯t have time to hold your hand and tell you it¡¯s going to be okay¡±. Her angry words stung.


    She was right. I¡¯d been so caught up in my feelings and putting the blame on myself that all I¡¯d really done was make the whole thing about me. I felt ashamed of myself. I may still be filled with intense remorse, but it would be far better suited turning that disappointment into finding the witch who¡¯d done this rather than chastising myself over it.


    ¡°I¡ª¡± I started but was caught off before I finished.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say you¡¯re sorry. I don¡¯t want to hear it. Just do something now¡± her voice was starting to lose the harsh tones, though she hadn¡¯t completely thawed out.


    The headmaster, understanding that this was turning into a family matter, dipped her head, and returned in the direction the other students had disappeared to. My mother half-heartedly acknowledged her as she took her leave.


    I turned away from my mother with a nod and approached the still body on the ground, reading myself to investigate the scene. I stood frozen for a moment as I stared down at what had been Charlotte, but quickly shook myself out of it. I had a job to do.


    I looked around the area for any signs of the Umbrath. Now that I was looking, I immediately noticed the circle of black powder surrounding Charlotte¡¯s body. I bent down, and dusted my finger through it, rubbing it between my fingers. It felt like chalk between my fingers but peculiarly smelled like sulfur.


    I scrunched up my nose at the smell, rubbing the powder off on my jeans. My skin was starting to burn where it had touched, and I stared at my fingers with wonder. How odd. Must be some sort of byproduct of the dark magic; it wasn¡¯t something I¡¯d seen before.


    I made to lift the sheet covering Charlotte¡¯s body to look for more clues, but a sharp voice stopped me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at the body¡± my mother¡¯s voice was stern.


    ¡°Why not?¡± I shot back.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to see it. I¡¯ve already examined it. There is nothing to see that will help you¡± she left no room in her voice for me to argue. I let out a sigh and leaned back up. How bad had it been if my mother wouldn¡¯t even let me see it?


    I spent another ten minutes searching the area but came up empty handed. I was starting to convince myself there was nothing else there, when I caught sight of something sparkling in the bushes several feet away.


    As I approached, I noticed an object that looked like a piece of broken glass, though it was silver and more shiny than glass could be on closer inspection. Whatever the material was, it was about as pliably as paper, though based on the angle it was stuck in the bushes, I assumed it was more sturdy.


    I picked it up and examined it closely. It crinkled softly in my fingers, but didn¡¯t tare or rip. I¡¯d never seen anything like it, so I waved over my mother.


    ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± I asked, holding it up.


    She looked at it as she approached, pulling it out of my hands to feel it in her own fingers. A shadow seemed to fall over her face as she scrutinized it.


    ¡°Caragin. It¡¯s an ingredient typically only used in dark-magic spells¡± her voice was dark, and I felt a shiver run down my spine.


    ¡°Do you think it was used to summon the Umbrath?¡± I asked curiously.


    ¡°No, it wouldn¡¯t have been used in the summoning spell. I¡¯m pretty sure this is used for spying spells¡± her voice was curious. She handed it back to me.


    ¡°How do you know all this?¡± I looked from her to the thing she¡¯d called Caragin as I scrunched it between my fingers. It reflected the sunlight in a bright beam that I was careful not to shine right into my eyes, though I still squinted as I looked at it.


    ¡°I learned a lot about dark magic when I was investigating the coven all those years ago¡± her voice turned sad, and I suddenly felt bad for her. It must be hard for her to see the same thing happening again.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t I seen this kind of information in your journal?¡± I asked, looking back up at her with curiosity. I¡¯d read her journal so many times, and yet I¡¯d never seen any mention of details about things like Caragin.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was necessary. Besides, I didn¡¯t want dark magic spells to land in the wrong hands if someone had happened upon my notes, not after everything I¡¯d seen¡± she turned away before I could see her expression.


    ¡°A spying spell, then¡± I mumbled, returning my attention back to the present. ¡°Do you think they were watching when Charlotte was killed?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised. They¡¯d have wanted to be there to make sure whatever they were doing worked, but they also wouldn¡¯t want to get caught, either¡± her tone turned inquisitive again.


    ¡°Is there any way to trace it?¡± I felt hope as the words left my mouth, but it quickly fell away. The look on my mother¡¯s face answered me before she did.


    ¡°Yes and no. You won¡¯t be able to trace the person from that by itself, but if you can find where it came from, you might be able to trace the person who bought it. Caragin is not easy to come by. You¡¯ll probably have a hard time finding the source, though. With it being forbidden, you¡¯ll only find it in the underground market¡±.


    ¡°Sounds like I¡¯ve got some work to do, then¡± I let a small smile play the edges of my lips. I didn¡¯t let her words deter me. I was determined to solve this case and put a stop to the witch responsible for using dark magic.


    I caught a hint of pride flash across my mother¡¯s face before she left.


    ***


    I hated to admit it, but I was too afraid to return to the library by myself so soon after the attack. Instead, I returned to class and found Korrheya. After I filled her in, I asked her to join me on my mission to acquire more information once classes were out for the day. She was only too eager to help, as I knew she would be.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Hours later, we sat at one of the tables near the beautifully carved library doors. Though desperate as I was to catch the Umbrath, I was still afraid of it and wanted an easy exit. I knew it was cowardly, but if things went awry, I didn¡¯t want to be trapped with no way out.


    ¡°What did you say the stuff was called again?¡± Korrheya asked, looking up from one of the large tomes sitting in front of us. My mother had asked the librarian to give us access to the forbidden texts they stored in a locked vault underneath the library. We were combing through a handful of them now.


    The librarian, who hadn¡¯t been pleased with the request, was sitting at her desk not too far away, eyeballing us warily. She hadn¡¯t been on duty last night when I was attacked and my mother hadn¡¯t provided her any details, so she didn¡¯t understand the urgency of our situation.


    ¡°Caragin¡± I whispered, in case anyone else in the library was listening in.


    Korrheya returned to the text in front of her with a nod. We¡¯d been searching for any mention of the dark-magic ingredient for several hours now but hadn¡¯t come up with anything useful yet. I was starting to think we¡¯d hit a dead end but willed myself not to lose hope.


    I returned my attention to my own book, which detailed the history of dark magic. I hoped to find some sort of information that would help me in my search, but I wasn¡¯t sure exactly what I was looking for.


    Dark magic as we know it wasn¡¯t always what it seemed. In the era when the Gods reigned over Trinyaddae, such a force did not exist in the form we understand it today. Each of the Gods possessed unique powers, and it was through their divine wills that magic was shaped and brought into being. What is recognized as dark magic in the present, is the magic that can be traced to one God in particular¡ªValkar.


    Initially, Valkar did not embody the dark attributes we know now. When the Gods first inhabited Trinyaddae, Valkar was primarily a scholar, consumed by a relentless desire to expand his knowledge. He sought to improve himself and his powers through study and experimentation. However, while Valkar dedicated himself to self-betterment, the other Gods turned their attention to the creation of life upon the lands. Uninterested in further personal growth, they focused on shaping and ruling over their creations. They sought only to live in harmony with what they¡¯d built. This divergence in priorities led to a growing rift between Valkar and the eleven other Gods.


    As the Gods distanced themselves from him, Valkar began to experience deep isolation. His yearning to share the fruits of his studies with others went unheeded, as the Gods rejected his advancements. They only viewed his pursuit of power as unnatural and believed the types of magic Valkar sought to harness violated the very essence of their existence. This rejection fostered a bitterness within Valkar, one that only deepened over the course of centuries.


    In his solitude, Valkar increasingly turned to darker methods to augment his magic. Unbeknownst to him, these methods began to corrupt the natural order of Trinyaddae, an outcome the other Gods had feared from the beginning. Driven by a desire to gain the Gods¡¯ approval, Valkar sought to use his newfound powers to manipulate them. Believing that he could force their compliance with his will, Valkar wielded his dark magic as a weapon against the divine.


    This culminated in a catastrophic conflict, and the other Gods united in an effort to neutralize Valkar¡¯s influence over their creation. A fierce battle ensued, with Valkar fiercely resisting, but ultimately, the Gods prevailed. In the end, Valkar was driven from Trinyaddae, fleeing into the void between worlds to escape the wrath of his former kin.


    Although Valkar himself departed from Trinyaddae, his magic endured. Fragments of his dark power were scattered across the land as remnants of his earlier studies and the final battle. This magic, now forbidden, continues to linger within the world. While it is not easily wielded due to the diverse magical abilities of the species in Trinyaddae today, those who can tap into it are to be feared, for they have the potential to rival the power of the Dark God himself.


    My curiosity peaked as I read the text. Since Dark magic was forbidden, most were also prohibited from learning about its history. I¡¯d briefly heard of the Dark God Valkar, but I hadn¡¯t known much outside of that fact that he had been a bad guy and the good guys had chased him off. I certainly didn¡¯t know that he¡¯d been the original source of dark magic.


    I was shocked to discover that dark magic hadn¡¯t always been inherently bad, as it was seen now. It had simply been born of the desires for one to be more powerful; to have more knowledge.


    Today, most scholars were celebrated, never shamed for their desire to know more. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if things would have been different if the other Gods had just accepted Valkar as he was and not pushed him away. After all, it was that act of discrimination that pushed him toward the darkness in the first place.


    I¡¯d always wondered what had made it so that only witches could harness dark magic, unlike any of the other magical-species alive today. What made us so special? Did we have some sort of unique connection to Valkar that I didn¡¯t know about?


    Though fascinating, the text wasn¡¯t truly helping me now. It may have leant insight to the desires a witch might want to use dark magic, but it didn¡¯t point me to who was doing it now. Just as I let out a sigh of disappointment, Korrheya practically screeched with excitement.


    ¡°I found it!¡± her voice was loud, causing others to turn to us in curiosity.


    I was briefly embarrassed by her outburst, but too thrilled to hear what she had to say to scold her. Instead, I leaned toward her, my voice trembling with anticipation; ¡°Show me!¡±


    ¡°It says here that Caragin is a product of the Ice Flower, a forgeable plant that only grows in the remote parts of Our Lady of the Cauldron Mountains.¡± She started, jumping from one spot to the next in the book, ¡°It was created on accident by a witch who was trying to harvest the flower for medicinal purposes, though she could never figure out what it was then. Centuries later, a witch experimenting with dark magic discovered that when combined with Foxglove, it can be used to look through the very fabric of space as easy as looking through a mirror¡± Korrheya said, looking up at me. ¡°Basically, you could spy on anyone in Trinyaddae with nothing more than a hand-mirror¡±.


    ¡°Does it say where you can get it now?¡± I asked, trying to keep my voice low, which was very hard with the exhilaration I was currently reeling in.


    ¡°No, but knowing it¡¯s derived from the Ice Flower might help. There are only a couple of witches in Litreateine who harvest and work with it because of how remote the source is¡± she said with triumph.


    ¡°Do you happen to know who they are?¡± I asked, noting her building excitement.


    ¡°Why, however did you know to ask?¡± she said with a wink. ¡°I happen to know of one, yes. She¡¯s right here in Beehana. She sells medicines and other magical knick-knacks at the local market¡± a mischievous look had grown on her face.


    ¡°When''s the next market?¡± I asked, trying to figure out how we¡¯d sneak away to go.


    ¡°Not for another quarter moon¡­¡± Korrheya trailed off for a moment, ¡°but I know where she does business outside of the market. We can go there now, if you want¡± she shut the book in front of her with a smirk.


    ¡°What are we waiting for, then?¡±


    ***


    Once in the city, we crept through allies I¡¯d never seen before, though I¡¯d grown up here all my life. I was surprised that Korrheya knew about this part of town, though I supposed it did make sense. She had always been an adventurous spirit and always found herself in some trouble or another.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± I asked hesitantly, not entirely sure I wanted to know the answer.


    ¡°Maker¡¯s street. It¡¯s where a lot of the underground market stuff takes place¡± her voice was hushed.


    ¡°Oh¡± I felt myself say. We were at the heart of the underground market. I could feel my heartrate speeding up with anxiety at the realization.


    ¡°When we get there, don¡¯t say anything about who you are. This crowd won¡¯t take kindly to the High Witches daughter¡± she warned.


    I wanted to ask why, but something had me holding my tongue. I felt a lump grow in my throat, but I managed to squeak out an ¡°okay¡± instead.


    I stayed silent as we winded our way through the busy, derelict streets. I was too busy looking around us. The homes and stores were crafted of old wood, chipped stone and other poor-quality resources. Most were falling apart and dirty, barely still standing. The roofs on the buildings were made of straw or other soft materials that couldn¡¯t keep out the cold, and most were caving in from wear. It looked like the whole street was one storm away from being lost to history.


    The people didn¡¯t look much better, either. They all wore tattered, dirty clothes, some not even wearing shoes. Their faces were covered in grime, just as the streets, and the children clung to dark corners like street-rats. They looked up at us with large, hungry eyes, holding out their hands as if begging for anything we could spare.


    I was astonished. I knew that parts of Beehana city didn¡¯t have the same kind of money the royal grounds and school did, but how had we let it get this bad? Why hadn¡¯t my mother done something to help these people?


    ¡°Does my mother know about this place?¡± I whispered so softly that I wasn¡¯t sure she¡¯d heard me. I didn¡¯t want any of the citizens to hear my words. I feared what would happen if they learned my identity after Korrheya¡¯s warning.


    ¡°Yes¡± her voice was tinged with anger, catching me off guard. Was she angry with me for asking these questions? Regardless, I was too desperate for the answers to stop now.


    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t she sent any money for maintenance? This place looks like it¡¯s falling to pieces¡± I couldn¡¯t imagine her leaving them to fend for themselves.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s the underground market, Evie. She doesn¡¯t want any money supporting the forbidden parts of the Witch Kingdom. No matter how badly some of the citizens here suffer for it¡± she all but hissed. I knew she wasn¡¯t angry at me, probably just the situation, but I bristled just the same, feeling na?ve for even asking.


    I didn¡¯t respond or ask further questions, though I still had some. I could tell it was a sore subject. I felt horrible for how so many people were neglected by my mother¡¯s administration. It wasn¡¯t right, even if this was the birthplace of the underground market. I vowed to myself that this would change one day. If I ever had the opportunity to change it, that is.


    Korrheya stopped and clung to the shadows of an old brick building, gesturing me to follow her lead. I leaned into her under the cover of the shadows, as she pointed at a stone cottage across the way. Moss was growing in the cracks of the building, and I could smell the musty scent from here. Some of the windows were broken, and the door had a large crack growing up the center. On the front, a small sign was plastered above the porch steps: ¡°Maggie¡¯s Medicines, Potions and Wears¡±.


    ¡°That¡¯s it¡± Korrheya kept her voice hushed. I nodded at her, letting her take the lead on this. She was far better suited for this part of town, evidently.


    We crossed the street, keeping our heads down, and Korrheya knocked softly on the cottage door. A grunt sounded from inside, and she took that as permission to enter.


    Dingy light streamed in from a frosted window on the south side of the cottage, and it was hard to see clearly as we stepped inside. I held my breath at the smell of mildew and cigar smoke that hit me in the face, and I tried to look around at the dark room. It took me a moment to notice the older woman sitting in a beaten rocking chair in the corner of the room.


    ¡°You girls look lost¡± her voice croaked. It sent a shiver down my spine, but I tried not to let me fear show on my face.


    ¡°We are looking for Maggie¡± Korrheya spoke evenly. I wondered if she¡¯d done something like this before to earn the confidence she clearly displayed.


    ¡°Well, you found her. What do you want¡± the woman¡¯s voice was husky, and she didn¡¯t look up from whatever she was looking at in her lap, which I couldn¡¯t make out from here.


    ¡°We are looking for Caragin¡± Korrheya spoke again. I was surprised with how straight forward she¡¯d been. Wasn¡¯t she afraid we¡¯d get in trouble so blatantly looking for something we shouldn¡¯t?


    ¡°Don¡¯t sell it¡± the woman replied with dark, curious eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the word around the block. I¡¯m willing to pay top dollar for it¡± Korrheya spoke clearly, now holding up a dark velvet pouch for the woman to see. It was clearly filled with coins I hadn¡¯t known she¡¯d brought.


    The woman, Maggie, stared at Korrheya for a long time, before setting down whatever she was holding and pulling herself out of her chair with a huff. She approached us cautiously, before snatching the pouch out of Korrheya¡¯s hands and moving toward the room in the back of the cottage.


    ¡°Follow me¡± she grunted.


    I shared a look with Korrheya, before we obeyed Maggie¡¯s demand. I was glad to have her expertise; I wasn¡¯t so sure I¡¯d have spotted the woman¡¯s bluff had I been alone.


    Once in the back room, I could feel my throat tighten. The rooms was filled with potions, spell ingredients and tomes, and I could only guess how many were forbidden. I kept my mouth shut, only observing, as Korrheya continued the deal.


    Maggie was rifling through a drawer at the back of the room, letting out soft wheezes with every breath. ¡°You came at the right time, I only have a little left¡±


    ¡°Just my luck¡± Korrheya said with a fake sweet smile, trying to play off the scheme she was clearly up to.


    ¡°What did ya say you needed it for?¡± Maggie asked, looking up with the silver ingredient in her hand.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡± Korrheya replied, her voice tinged with coldness.


    ¡°Hmph. You youngsters have gotten rude these days. Ye don¡¯t show a lick of respect to your elders. You must be with the young miss who came in here a couple a days ago. Looking for the same stuff. Something going on at that school up the hill?¡± Maggie eyed Korrheya warily.


    ¡°Someone from the school bought Caragin from you?¡± Korrheya questioned carefully.


    ¡°I rather ¡¯sumed you were with that smart-mouthed brat. I don¡¯t ask names in this business, but you both have a similar look to ya. She also had a nice sum of coins for me in the same velvet pouch. Kept her mouth shut just as tight as yours, too¡± Maggie grumbled. She placed the Caragin in a small, clear pouch, but held on to it as she looked Korrheya up and down questioningly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know nothing ¡®bout it¡± she mimicked the old woman¡¯s accent, pretending to lose interest. I thought she might be growing uncomfortable at the woman¡¯s questioning, though you couldn¡¯t tell it by looking at her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be damned if I believe that!¡± the old lady grunted, continuing to stare at us. She made no move to hand over the package. I could feel sweat begin to drip down my forehead, and I couldn¡¯t be more grateful that I wasn¡¯t the one under Maggie¡¯s intense gaze right now.


    Finally, with an exasperated sigh, Korrheya broke the silence as if she¡¯d been caught red-handed.


    ¡°Fine, I might as well tell ya then¡± Korrheya confessed with exasperation, looking back at me with mischief. She returned her attention back to Maggie with a straight face. ¡°There¡¯s a little competition going on between some of us girls up at the school. Trying to see who can come up with the coolest spell without getting caught by the headmaster. Whoever does, wins¡± she lied.


    I felt a knot grow in the pit of my stomach. I could only hope we wouldn¡¯t get caught; who knew what this Maggie character was capable of.


    The old woman merely rolled her eyes, tossing Korrheya the bag of Caragin. ¡°Better know what to do with that then, young¡¯n¡± she remarked.


    ¡°Say, mind telling me what this other girl looked like? Sounds like she had the same idea as me, might be my only real competition¡± Korrheya drawled inquisitively. So this is where this whole plan had been leading. I had to give it to her, it was very clever.


    ¡°Why should I tell you? I keep my business affairs private. Discreet¡± It was Maggie¡¯s turn to become icy with her response.


    ¡°You see, I don¡¯t like to lose, Maggie. That includes this little competition, too¡± Korrheya took a step closer to the old woman. ¡°Sure would be a shame if the headmaster discovered students were purchasing forbidden ingredients from your respectable establishment¡± she winked.


    The old woman balked at her, and I did my very best not to do the same. Was she out of her mind? Where had this side of Korrheya come from? I¡¯d certainly never seen it before.


    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± Maggie hissed back. Korrheya inspected the pouch of Caragin, before shoving it into her pocket.


    ¡°No, of course not. Just speaking aloud, is all¡± Korrheya responded with a sweet smile.


    The old woman didn¡¯t say anything as she stared at Korrheya, and then me, with a suspicious glare. Finally, she signed, throwing her hands into the air.


    ¡°Fine. There was nothing remarkable about that girl, though she did have a marking on her neck. Right side¡ªlooked like a dove¡± Maggie spat, before marching back through the house to the front where we¡¯d first met her. It wasn¡¯t much of a description, but it was unique enough I hoped it would do.


    ¡°Is that all?¡± Korrheya asked.


    ¡°She also purchased Veran root, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking. Now I¡¯ve given you all the information I¡¯ll share, you best be leaving now¡± she spat, plopping down in her chair once more.


    Veran root? If I wasn¡¯t mistaken, I thought that might be a substance used in summoning spells, but I¡¯d have to double check with my mother to be sure. Whoever this witch was, she was up to no good. It had to be who we were looking for, I was sure of it. It was too much of a coincidence that someone else from the school had purchased dark magic ingredients just days before the Umbrath attack.


    Korrheya nodded politely, making way for the door. Just before we stepped back out on the street, Korrheya turned back to the old woman. ¡°Pleasure doing business with ya, Maggie¡±.


    I stayed silent as we wound our way back through Maker¡¯s Street, keeping my head down. Once we were clear of all the people who would possibly be listening in, I reached out and wrapped my hand delicately around her arm to draw her attention.


    ¡°How did you know what to do back there?¡± I asked with peaking curiosity.


    ¡°Not all of us can be the perfect little Heiress, Evie. Some of us have to learn how to get through life thinking outside of the box¡± she responded, a smirk playing out on her face. I knew she didn¡¯t mean offense, but I still took some. I chose to ignore it.


    ¡°Do you know who she was talking about?¡± I asked instead.


    ¡°As of matter of fact, I think I do¡± she said with a wink, grabbing my hand and leading me back to the school.


    Once we were on campus grounds again, I felt like I could finally breath. Though I had grown up in the city, I had spent must of the last four years of my life behind these very gates. I certainly hadn¡¯t spent any time in what I¡¯d always known as the slums.


    I felt a multitude of remorse and anger for the situation I¡¯d seen. Remorse that I had grown up part of the problem; living pretentiously on the royal grounds without a care in the world for anything but myself, only referring to the poor parts of our city as nothing more than the slums. I also felt a deep anger for what my mother had done. She known known about the neglect of her people and chose not to do anything about it because it would support the darker parts of our kingdom.


    The underground market would always find a way to flourish. That was just the nature of the beings inhabiting Trinyaddae; where there was good, there would always be bad. Instead of punishing the bad, my mother had turned a blind eye to those less fortunate. Those who couldn¡¯t afford to live outside the underground market.


    She may not have known it, but her very actions were fueling the underground market; making it as strong as it had become. By turning her back on those who needed her most, she gave them no other options than turning to the place that would shelter them; give them any semblance of power. This in turn, made this side of the Witch Kingdom stronger.


    I tried not to focus on that now. There would be plenty of time to confront her; time to make a change. Right now, I had to focus on the mission at hand. We were closer than ever before to finding the witch who¡¯d summoned the Umbrath and put the whole school in danger.


    Korrheya led me toward the office buildings near the front of the school. These buildings where the residence and offices of the school administrators, teachers, and the headmaster. She carefully snuck us around the back of the building, attempting to stay hidden in the bushes that surrounded the old brick walls.


    Once we were on the west side of the building, she stopped just under a window near the front. She held her finger up to her lips in a silent way to tell me to stay quiet and then crept up to peer through the bottom of the window, careful that she wasn¡¯t in view from the occupants of the room we were spying into.


    I copied her execution, and found myself squinting my eyes into a dark, empty room. Or I thought it had been empty, until I caught site of a lone girl sitting at the front desk, hair brushed over her shoulder as she worked. On the right side of her neck, the side facing us, was the dark dove-shaped marking.


    I held my tongue as I looked to Korrheya with exasperation. This was her! I couldn¡¯t believe we¡¯d found her this quickly.


    ¡°Demi Veratoth¡± Korrheya mouthed to me.


    I made a mental note of the name, trying to recall if I recognized it. She pulled me down back into the bushes, and only when we were certain we had enough cover, she leaned into me and told me more.


    ¡°Demi¡¯s part of a newer coven if I remember correctly¡± she started, and I listened diligently. ¡°There¡¯s maybe only 5 of them in total. Demi works as the school secretary, and two of the younger witches are students here.¡± Korrheya told me.


    ¡°Veratoth. I don¡¯t recognize the name. What grades are the students in?¡± I inquired.


    ¡°One of them just started as an underclassman. The other is a sophomore. That¡¯s how I know her¡± Korrheya responded. So Korrheya was a classmate of one of them. That was interesting. I wondered if we could use that to get more information.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s just Demi, or are the other two in on it?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but wonder. I had always assumed the Umbrath had gone after an underclassman because she wouldn¡¯t be able to fight back like I had in the library. Now I wondered if the underclassman from the coven had been in on it helped arrange the whole thing. Did she knew Charlotte? Pretend to be her friend?


    Bile rose up in my throat at the thought. Who could be so evil as that?


    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know. I think it¡¯s time we go back to Corrine¡± Korrheya admitted. She wanted to take all we¡¯d learn and go running back to my mother? Where was the sense of adventure she¡¯d shown earlier?


    I bit my lip. I knew she was technically right, but I couldn¡¯t help but want to take matters into my owns hands. This was supposed to be how I proved myself, after all. I could just catch Demi in her schemes and apprehend her for what she¡¯d done. I could force her to dispel the Umbrath, and have this whole mess cleaned up before even approaching my mother.


    Just as I was resolved to do just this, a commotion in the building caught our attention. Korrheya and I leaned back up on her knees to peer into the window. We could just barely make out the voices.


    ¡°There¡¯s another attack!¡± it was the headmasters voice, she¡¯d stormed into the front office room and was waving her hands frantically at Demi. ¡°Call Corrine, tell her to meet me at the food hall!¡±


    Her voice sent alarm ringing through my body. Another attack? Was it still happening, or had the monster already made its next kill?


    I didn¡¯t wait to find out. Without waiting for Korrheya, I ran as fast as my legs could carry me to the food hall.


    As I ran into the danger itself, I could only hope that the shadow-creature was still there. It may have gotten away the first time, but that wasn¡¯t going to happen again. No, now was time for me to let out the Evie I¡¯d been training my whole life to be.


    The Evie capable of killing a dark creature.


    The Evie who¡¯d save the whole school.