《Glass: Retelling the Snow Queen》 Once Upon A Time Do not waste time bothering whether you ¡®love¡¯ your neighbor; act as if you did. As soon as we do this we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him.¡± -C.S. Lewis ¡°A gardener must be diligent. Patient and faithful¡­and unafraid of thorns.¡± -A.R. Chapter One Once Upon A Time ¡°Ow!¡± ¡°What did you do now, Daisy?¡± ¡°It bit me!¡± ¡°Ha! It did not bite you.¡± ¡°Yes, it did!¡± Daisy insisted. ¡°I¡¯m bleeding!¡± Rose snorted and pushed the brim of her straw hat up so she could see the dark-haired girl, across the rose-bed, pull off her glove and shake out her hand. Daisy knelt, her calico dress and cream-colored apron covered in dirt, in front of a particularly old, snarly rosebush. Rose sat back on her haunches and rested her own gloved hands, and spade, on her knees. ¡°Well, were you talking nicely to it?¡± she asked, lifting her eyebrows. ¡°Talking nicely to it?¡± Daisy repeated, shooting Rose a narrow look, her brown eyes flashing. ¡°Why on earth would I talk nicely to something that bites me?¡± Rose smiled, bent forward and continued churning up the soil around the base of her own rosebush. They sat in the full, golden summer sunlight that bathed this side of the mountain, flooding the brilliant flower garden beside the walls of the thick, tall, ivy-draped fortress. She could practically taste the heady scent of roses on the air as she worked, the bees happily buzzing and bumbling through the branches just above her head. She wore her own calico dress and apron, her long, curly, honey-blonde braid tucked up underneath a wide-brimmed hat. And, as she churned up the soil around the roots of a great, ancient bush that bloomed roses the color of midwinter snow, she whispered to it. Then, she paused. Waited. Listened. The wind came up, and the rose bush rustled in reply¡ªlike an old woman laughing. ¡°All right, what are you saying to yours, Rose?¡± Daisy huffed. Rose¡¯s secret smile grew, now. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Right, nothing. I can hear you, you know,¡± Daisy protested. Rose glanced over at the younger woman. ¡°Really. It¡¯s nothing. Just a little¡­extra gardening.¡± ¡°Magic?¡± Daisy demanded. ¡°For what?¡± ¡°Just for encouragement,¡± Rose admitted, gesturing to the twisted plant. ¡°This one is a grandmother, after all.¡± Rose reached into her bucket for the scoop of bone meal, and began scattering it around the roots. ¡°She¡¯s survived decades of frost, and the ice this past winter could have broken her graft.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking to the plant,¡± Daisy said flatly. Rose stopped, and looked at Daisy. ¡°All right, madam¡ªwhat kind of curses did you come here to learn how to break?¡± ¡°Dragon curses,¡± Daisy answered, glaring at the cut on her hand. ¡°Then you¡¯ll need to learn the fundamentals,¡± Rose told her. ¡°I know the fundamentals,¡± Daisy replied, lifting her uninjured hand and counting off on her fingers. ¡°Defy the nature of the curse; Deny it power over you; Design a sanctuary; Destroy darkness with that which was lost; Decide to do the impossible.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Rose said, stirring the soil over the bone meal. ¡°So how are you going to decide to do the impossible if you can¡¯t even talk to a plant?¡± Daisy snorted. ¡°I think Effrain just put me out here because of my name,¡± she muttered. Rose laughed out loud. The sound rang through the garden¡ªand past it, the boughs of the pines chuckled. Daisy heaved a sigh, tossed down her gloves and threw off her hat, then trudged round the corner of the bed toward Rose. She flopped down onto her back on the grassy path and closed her eyes against the sunlight. ¡°You¡¯ll get more freckles if you don¡¯t cover your face with your hat,¡± Rose remarked. ¡°Good.¡± Daisy grinned. ¡°I like freckles.¡± Rose returned her grin. ¡°How long have you been here?¡± Daisy asked, shifting her position. ¡°Twenty years. I was sent here when I was five,¡± Rose answered, finishing stirring the ground. ¡°And why did you come?¡± Daisy probed, playfully lowering her voice to secret-telling pitch. ¡°So you can learn break the curse on your family castle? Wake your parents from an unwakeable sleep?¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Rose frowned at her. ¡°Who told you that?¡± Daisy sat up on one elbow. ¡°You¡¯re a princess.¡± Rose let out another light laugh. ¡°I¡¯m certain you are,¡± Daisy insisted, sitting up even further. ¡°You look exactly like very princess in every story there is. Your amber eyes, and hair gold as the sunshine¡ª¡± ¡°Clanahan¡¯s been letting you read too many books,¡± Rose answered, taking off her gloves and sitting back onto the grass, stretching out her legs next to Daisy. ¡°I know you have royal blood,¡± Daisy said flatly. ¡°Admit it.¡± ¡°I wish I did!¡± Rose stretched her back. ¡°But unfortunately, no. And my family is un-cursed and unexciting. A lord and lady in a little valley, with three boys and four girls, all grown up.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± Daisy stated. ¡°Well, you will when they all come here next month to visit.¡± Daisy leaned close to her, very low and very serious. ¡°Do you have any handsome brothers?¡± ¡°Oh, good grief!¡± Rose laughed, shoving her. Giggling, Daisy fell onto her back. Just then, the bell in the fortress tower rang¡ªa bright, merry peal that resounded over the mountaintops and down into the neighboring valley. ¡°Oh, no¡ªI¡¯m not nearly ready for dinner,¡± Rose realized, climbing to her feet and dusting off her skirt. ¡°Quick, grab your hat!¡± Daisy leaped up with the ease of an elf, darted over and snatched up her hat, and together the two young women hurried toward the open door in the mighty tower wall. R Rose tied off her long braid after brushing out and plaiting her hair, fastening it with twine first and then a white ribbon. She had changed into a simple, flowing, long-sleeved pink dress with a sash, and donned a gold chain bearing a single ruby. She glanced around the room to see if she had forgotten to do anything¡ªshe¡¯d gotten ready in such a rush. Her room was in the second story of the castle, with a wide, northern facing window. In the spring and summer, she opened the shutters every morning and never closed them until evening had fallen. She set vases and planters of bright flowers to sun there, and often the bees and butterflies would enter as if they were quite welcome to do as they pleased. And indeed they were. Her whole chamber had been made of dark wood, polished by centuries of feet and hands and cloth. Little playful faces had been carved into the posts and lintels ages ago by a forgotten artist with a definite sense of humor. A tall clock, made from the twisted, gnarled trunk of a tree, stood in the corner opposite her bed, and it gonged the hours at her in the deep, rusty tone of a grandfather. Faded woven tapestries bearing gallant figures chasing white stags and unicorns draped around her four-poster bed, and a scarlet-and-gold comforter lay across the mattress. A wardrobe and trunk set, fashioned to look like glowering mouths with glaring eyes, guarded her hand-made garments. Woven rugs, of floral pattern, spread out across the floor, bearing the marks of the footpaths Rose had tread into them over these past many years. Paintings of faraway landscapes hung from the few smooth places on the walls. Musical mobiles dripping with red, green and purple dragon scales glittered and jingled by the shutters. An exotic breed of ivy sprang from a large planter in one corner and crept up the wall and partway across the ceiling. Scented candles and lamps twinkled in fine crystal settings, and dried herbs and flowers hung in bunches from the beams, filling the air with earthy deliciousness. Through a low side door was another room with a window¡ªthis room filled with shelves of books, several armchairs, and a tattered bearskin lying before a small stone hearth. All of this¡ªexcept the tapestries, which had been given her by her father¡ªhad been gifts from the other Curse-Breakers. She had known so many, all of them vivid adventurers and hearty travelers. They came first as young, inexperienced thrill-seekers with an aptitude for magic, and learned for years from the masters, and even from her (though only about using plants for healing, and breaking thorn curses). Then, they would venture out, to the wildlands and the peaks and the forests, disappearing for months, even years. But then, they returned¡ªwith the most fantastic stories, magical souvenirs, and tale-telling scars. And they were always eagerly delighted to share every detail of their travels with Rose. A rap came at the bedroom door. Rose left her dresser and hurried across the rug to the door, and opened it. Daisy stood there, wearing fitted green trousers and a loose blouse bound by a belt, her hair pinned up in loose braids atop her head. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Daisy asked, smiling. ¡°Yes, just,¡± Rose nodded, stepping out the door onto the landing and shutting it behind her. Together the two young ladies trotted down the winding wooden staircase, each step squeaking like a different note on a harpsichord. They rounded three corners, and then the stairwell opened up to a wide, stone-floored room lit by dozens of hanging lamps. Long, weathered tables and benches marched down the center, and more tables and cabinets stood off to the left-hand side bearing baskets of apples, bread and cheese; and barrels of water and honey mead. A dozen young men, and five young women, all sat already at the tables, eating and laughing. Rose and Daisy, however, made for a different table, close to the stairs, where sat two women and one man: Effrain, Reola, and Clanahan. Effrain was willowy and strikingly-beautiful in a cool, dangerous way, with long, smooth, rose-gold hair¡ªshe was half-elvish, so she had pointed ears and aqua-colored, flashing eyes. She wore the colors of the earth, in flowing garments that never caught on anything. Reola had black, glowing skin and white feathery hair that she kept bound in a long braid. She possessed a ready smile, brilliant eyes and a graceful posture¡ªshe was older than the fortress itself, but no one would ever suspect it. She always wore a simple, homespun white dress. Clanahan, an old sea-farer from the east, had a faded red hair, and a beard he kept in two braids, and deep scars in his forearms from fighting sea monsters. He wore leather and fur, and had a laugh that could shake down the rafters. ¡°Hullo, hullo,¡± he bellowed, motioning to the two girls. ¡°And what do the roses say today?¡± ¡°They say that they don¡¯t much like Daisy Winderthorn,¡± Daisy replied, swinging her leg over and plopping down on a bench across from him. He laughed, and roughly patted her head, which made her giggle. ¡°What, did they bite you?¡± he asked. ¡°See?¡± Daisy said to Rose, pointing at Clanahan. ¡°He understands.¡± Rose suppressed a smile and easily sat down next to her, in front of an empty board and goblet. ¡°Roses merely defend themselves against foolishness,¡± Effrain said serenely, pouring herself some honey mead. ¡°Well, ours are too vain, if you ask me,¡± Reola remarked, cutting a piece of bread. ¡°But can anyone blame them? Our Rosie spoils them constantly.¡± ¡°Aye!¡± Clanahan agreed, thumping the table. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such gorgeous flowers in all my days¡ªnot even at a king¡¯s garden. We could rival any of them¡ªand in such dreadful weather as we have here, that¡¯s saying a mite!¡± Rose beamed at him. ¡°Do eat,¡± Effrain urged, meeting Rose¡¯s eyes with her vibrant sea-colored ones. ¡°We have plenty.¡± So, both Rose and Daisy spread apple butter on thick slices of bread, tugged large bits of steamy, juicy meat from off a roasted country bird, carved slices of white cheese and snatched up the last of the sliced apple. Effrain poured them their own honey mead, which flooded Rose¡¯s mouth with sweetness alongside Reola¡¯s savory cooking. Soon, an animated Clanahan started in on another of his rollicking sea stories, and as his narration rushed and rolled and thundered, Rose grew warm all through her chest, down to her feet and her toes, as she smiled, ate, and listened. It didn¡¯t matter if she¡¯d heard this same story a dozen times. The rhythm and lilt of the tale beat alongside her heart, as familiar as the scent in her room, the sun upon the peaks, and the taste of mountain honey. The front door banged open. Clanahan stopped, his arms freezing in mid-gesture. Rose spun around, along with everyone else¡­ To see Galahad Stormcrane stride through. He was a young man, perhaps thirty, with black hair and a billowing grey cape. Rose had glimpsed him only a handful of times before¡ªfor he wandered the darkest and most perilous portions of the wildlands¡ªbut not once had she ever seen a smile cross his handsome, scarred face. Reola immediately arose, slipped away from the table, and started toward him with a keen frown. Galahad stopped before her, and inclined his head. ¡°Stormcrane,¡± Reola watched him. ¡°What is it?¡± He straightened up, reached inside his cloak with a gloved hand, and withdrew a scroll, tied with a silvery ribbon. ¡°I have intercepted a message,¡± he declared. ¡°From the kingdom of Spegel.¡± Startled murmurs rippled through the room. Rose, eyes wide, glanced at Daisy. ¡°Spegel,¡± Reola repeated, eyes narrow. ¡°Nothing has been heard from beyond those borders in thirty years.¡± ¡°Indeed, ma¡¯am,¡± Galahad agreed. ¡°Though many have tried to send messages past the borders and into that place, this is the first correspondence that has come from within¡ªand even more: this comes from Glas.¡± ¡°The palace?¡± Clanahan cried. ¡°Yes,¡± Galahad nodded to him. ¡°What is it?¡± Effrain asked, her voice low and precise. Galahad held it up. ¡°It is a request for a doctor. Someone in the palace is complaining of terrible headaches,¡± he said. ¡°But I don¡¯t believe that is truly the case.¡± ¡°And what is it you suspect?¡± Reola asked. Galahad regarded her gravely. ¡°I believe the prince of Spegel is under a curse.¡± There Came a Message Chapter Two There Came a Message l Rose paced back and forth in her room, her long skirt swishing around her bare feet, even as the candles burned down. Effrain, Clanahan, Reola and Galahad Stormcrane had been in private council together for hours now. She could hear their voices in the next room over, but the walls were so thick she couldn¡¯t understand them¡ªand she didn¡¯t dare try to work any sort of listening charm for fear of being caught. A tiny rap came at the door. She jumped, then hurried quietly across the rugs and slipped the door open. Daisy stood on the other side, still dressed but wrapped around with a brown housecoat. ¡°You¡¯re still awake too?¡± Daisy whispered. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep with this going on!¡± Rose hissed, opening the door further so Daisy could slide inside. ¡°So what is all the fuss about, do you know?¡± Daisy pressed, wrapping her arms around herself. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Rose shook her head. ¡°Except they must be deciding who to send to break the curse.¡± ¡°Surely Stormcrane will want to,¡± Daisy surmised. ¡°Since he uncovered it.¡± ¡°Yes¡­probably,¡± Rose hesitated. Daisy frowned at her. ¡°What do you mean? He¡¯s one of the most famous and experienced Curse-Breakers we have!¡± Footsteps outside the door. Both women froze, and stared at it. Knock, knock, knock. Rose gulped. ¡°Yes?¡± The latch worked and the door swung open. Clanahan stood outside¡ªhis face set and grim. ¡°Come with me, Rose.¡± A shiver slid down her spine. But she nodded, and started toward him. Daisy followed. ¡°Just Rose,¡± Clanahan held up a hand. Daisy jerked to a stop. Rose gave her a helpless glance, but couldn¡¯t do anything except follow Clanahan¡¯s hulking form through the door and down the squeaky stairs. When they came to a door to their left hand, Clanahan led her through it, and then back up another flight of stairs¡ªthese were stone. They belonged to an older wing of the fortress. Very soon, he opened a door into a short hallway, and then they passed into a large, circular meeting chamber. A fire burned in the wide hearth to the right, and lit lamps hung from the ceiling. Shields and faded banners from all kingdoms hung in a row around the wall. Chairs surrounded a beaten round table that bore the Curse-Breakers¡¯ crest: a central chalice, surrounded by stars. No one sat around this table, however. Instead, Reola sat in an armchair and Effrain on a bench by the fire, and Galahad Stormcrane stalked in the shadows behind them, his arms folded. The three already present looked up when Clanahan led Rose inside. And, to Rose¡¯s shock, Stormcrane instantly scowled, and turned his head away. ¡°Rose, please sit down,¡± Reola invited, gesturing to a chair across from her. ¡°We¡¯d like to hear your opinion on something.¡± Rose¡¯s chest instantly relaxed. ¡°Oh! Of course,¡± she nodded quickly, smiling, and sat down where invited. Reola, her warm skin and features richened by the firelight, exchanged a glance with the ethereal Effrain, then sat forward and folded her elegant hands in her lap. ¡°I suppose you¡¯ve heard of the kingdom of Spegel,¡± she said. Rose nodded again. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve read about it.¡± ¡°What have you read?¡± Effrain wondered. Rose canted her head and considered. ¡°I read that magic is particularly at home in their woods,¡± she said. ¡°So that the trees move, and speak¡ªand the water sings. And that the craftsmen of the king contrived a way to make glass that cannot break.¡± Rose glanced at the others in the room. ¡°In fact, they used to trade this glass throughout the world for all kinds of riches. One six-inch pane of simple, colorless glass half an inch thick was worth a pound of gold.¡± ¡°And so of course you¡¯ve heard of the famous Palace of Glas,¡± Reola assumed. ¡°Yes,¡± Rose replied. ¡°Made entirely from this glass, in thousands of colors.¡± Rose halfway smiled. ¡°I have to admit, though, that it sounds like a fairy story. I don¡¯t know of anyone who has actually seen it.¡± ¡°I have seen it,¡± Effrain said, her eyes downcast. ¡°Long ago.¡± Rose blinked, and stared at her. When an elf said ¡°long ago¡­¡± ¡°Have you ever seen a piece of Spegel glass, Rosie?¡± Clanahan asked, coming around to face her, his arms folded. She shook her head. Clanahan took a deep breath. ¡°That is because, in the entirety of your lifetime, no one has come forth from the kingdom of Spegel¡ªthough many emissaries have ventured in.¡± Rose frowned at him. ¡°Yes, I have gathered that,¡± she said. ¡°But do any of you know why?¡± ¡°No,¡± Reola replied. ¡°All we know is that no one who has entered¡­has ever come back out.¡± A chill washed through Rose¡¯s body. ¡°That is why you think it¡¯s a curse,¡± she realized, hushed. ¡°The message Galahad has brought¡ªsomeone in the palace complaining of headaches. You believe it¡¯s someone who has finally been able to get word to the outside world that they need help.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Possible,¡± Stormcrane finally spoke up. ¡°Or it could be a lure of some kind.¡± ¡°From whom did you intercept this message?¡± Rose wondered. ¡°An owl,¡± Stormcrane answered. ¡°I have brought it with me.¡± Rose looked at him. ¡°Really,¡± she said quietly, her eyes narrowing. ¡°And where was it headed?¡± ¡°South. Toward King Herrard¡¯s lands.¡± ¡°The Halls of Healing lie directly beyond them,¡± Rose said, turning back to Reola. ¡°They do want a doctor.¡± ¡°That is also what we have deduced,¡± Effrain said evenly¡ªand Stormcrane turned away again. ¡°And if the message bears the royal seal,¡± Rose went on, her thoughts flying. ¡°That must mean that someone is still living in the palace¡ªsomeone very important that they can¡¯t seem to assist themselves. Which is why they¡¯ve broken their silence!¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Reola nodded, watching her with something like cool satisfaction. ¡°Would you like to hear the message?¡± ¡°Yes, very much,¡± Rose nodded, sitting forward in her chair. Reola held out her hand, and Stormcrane passed the scroll to her. She unrolled it, held it toward the firelight, and read aloud. ¡°¡®His Royal Highness, Prince Nikolas, begs the indulgence of the High Healer of Oxforth and requests that a superior healer be sent immediately to the kingdom of Spegel to the capital of Glas. His Royal Highness suffers nightly from punishing headaches that disturb his sleep and plague his evenings. Payment for a cure for His Royal Highness shall be thirty pounds of Spegel glass, in any color requested. Respond by way of this owl upon receipt of Our message.¡¯¡± ¡°Fascinating,¡± Rose whispered. ¡°How old is the prince?¡± ¡°He is thirty years old,¡± Clanahan murmured. ¡°And that¡­is the same length of time that the kingdom has been shut to the rest of the world.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Rose gasped, her eyes flashing to him. ¡°You¡ªYou think it¡¯s he that¡¯s cursed?¡± Effrain and Reola nodded. ¡°We do,¡± Reola said. ¡°Cursed since birth?¡± Rose kept on. ¡°Most likely,¡± Clanahan replied. ¡°You are forgetting the most important detail,¡± Stormcrane cut in, holding his hand expectantly out to Reola. Reola considered him a moment, then handed the scroll to him. Stormcrane stepped closer to Rose, and pointed to the two broken wax seals on its edge. One blue, one white. ¡°Do you recognize either of these seals?¡± Rose frowned at them. ¡°No,¡± she admitted. ¡°Neither of them belong to any heraldry I¡¯ve studied.¡± ¡°This,¡± he pointed to the blue one. ¡°Is the royal seal of Spegel, specifically the royal family at the Palace of Glas. Note the fire, and tongs for glassmaking. This¡­¡± he pointed gravely to the white one. ¡°Can you distinguish the symbol?¡± Rose squinted at it. ¡°It appears to be a snowflake.¡± ¡°Indeed it is,¡± Stormcrane crisply withdrew the parchment. ¡°It is the royal seal of the kingdom of Iss.¡± Rose stared at him. ¡°Iss?¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡­I thought that was a myth!¡± She quickly looked to all the others. ¡°A story our mothers told us when we misbehaved! Iss was a terrible country in the north where the Snow Queen lived¡ªand if you were naughty she¡¯d come and snatch you out of your bed¡ª¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t a myth,¡± Reola said, her voice low and solemn. ¡°Except perhaps the bit about her snatching children from their beds.¡± Rose couldn¡¯t tear her eyes from her. ¡°The Snow Queen is real?¡± ¡°She is,¡± Effrain said, capturing Rose¡¯s gaze. ¡°And her name is Iskyla.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± Rose breathed. ¡°Have you seen her, too?¡± ¡°Yes, I have,¡± Effrain replied. ¡°She is an ice fairy.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Rose¡¯s mind spun again. ¡°Why would her seal be set upon a correspondence from Spegel?¡± Silence fell. Rose glanced at all of her masters¡ªand then her attention fell upon Stormcrane¡¯s dark countenance. ¡°You think she¡¯s there, don¡¯t you, Galahad?¡± she said. ¡°You think she¡¯s captured the palace¡ªthat she¡¯s put the prince under a curse.¡± ¡°I do,¡± Stormcrane stated, lifting his chin. ¡°And I do not,¡± Effrain countered. Rose¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because she¡¯s your kin¡ªthat¡¯s the only reason,¡± Stormcrane cut in. ¡°She is not kin¡ªI am half elf,¡± Effrain shot back, her eyes flashing. Stormcrane was unruffled. ¡°You are all fae creatures¡ªancient and lofty and set apart from mortals, even Curse-Breakers,¡± Stormcrane answered. ¡°And even if fairies haven¡¯t gone about stealing children from their cradles¡ªwhich no one can say for certain that they haven¡¯t¡ªthey have certainly laid curses upon them, and those children suffered all their lives. Why would Iskyla be above that?¡± ¡°It is not in her nature,¡± Effrain stated. ¡°She is winter. Winter is hard, cold, unyielding, quiet and lone-some. But it is not evil in itself. Besides,¡± Effrain faced the fire, the flamelight shimmering against her pearly skin. ¡°If she had cursed him, she would not have put her seal to a cry for help for him, and sent it in the direction of the most powerful magic-wielders aside from ourselves.¡± ¡°So you suspect that he is cursed, but that Queen Iskyla didn¡¯t do it,¡± Rose surmised. ¡°But instead, she has a vested interest in keeping him alive.¡± ¡°Perhaps she means to marry him,¡± Clanahan rumbled. Effrain¡¯s eyes flashed to him. ¡°She could not marry him,¡± she stated. ¡°Not unless he had never loved anyone or anything in all his life.¡± Terrible silence fell. ¡°What?¡± Rose gasped. ¡°Ice fairies cannot be bonded with warmth,¡± Effrain replied, turning to her. ¡°And love, in its nature, is warmth. Such a binding covenant would destroy her.¡± ¡°Good heavens,¡± Rose breathed. ¡°Surely you don¡¯t believe that about the prince¡­do you?¡± She turned to Reola. ¡°Do you, Reola?¡± Reola took a breath, and sat back. ¡°At this point, even with all our experience and knowledge, we are merely speculating. But what we can all agree upon is that someone must go.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Rose nodded firmly. ¡°Yes, I agree also.¡± She lifted her head, and turned to the young man. ¡°When do you plan to leave, Galahad?¡± He glowered at her, then flashed his eyebrows and gave a crooked smile. ¡°Apparently¡­¡± he folded his arms. ¡°Our masters have declared that I am not suited.¡± Rose instantly frowned. ¡°Truly?¡± she said, then looked at the others. ¡°Are you sure? This seems to be a very dangerous mission¡ªsince no one has ever returned from Spegel. Galahad has broken out of at least three unbreakable curses in the north¡ªone of them was a dragon curse!¡± ¡°We don¡¯t doubt Stormcrane¡¯s prowess,¡± Clanahan said. ¡°But the reason he¡¯s not going is the same reason that I¡¯m not going.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rose wondered. ¡°We don¡¯t need someone to break out,¡± Effrain said smoothly, gazing at her. ¡°We need someone to break in.¡± ¡°In,¡± Rose repeated. ¡°Yes,¡± Reola nodded. ¡°But not in the way you¡¯d expect.¡± Rose frowned harder. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t follow.¡± ¡°Based on the evidence, and what we have discussed,¡± Effrain said. ¡°We do not believe that anyone in Spegel realizes that the prince is cursed. Which is why they sent for a healer rather than a Curse-Breaker.¡± ¡°But also,¡± Reola added. ¡°If Queen Iskyla is present in Spegel and adding her seal to the prince¡¯s, the political situation may be precarious. Nikolas is still referring to himself as ¡®prince¡¯¡ª¡± ¡°Which means his father, King Alexei, is somehow incapacitated, or missing,¡± Clanahan finished. ¡°All parties currently in power must certainly feel dangerously insecure. Especially since they have not risked trade, alliance or communication with any kingdom but Iss for three decades.¡± ¡°Meaning?¡± Rose prodded. ¡°We cannot send anyone threatening,¡± Reola said. ¡°And we certainly cannot send a man.¡± ¡°Why not a man?¡± Rose wondered. ¡°Because all the greatest doctors in the Halls of Healing are women,¡± Effrain reminded her ¡°What¡ªyou¡¯re going to send someone to pretend to be the doctor they asked for?¡± Rose realized. ¡°We are going to send you to pretend to be the doctor they asked for,¡± Reola said. Rose went still. Her mouth worked for a moment, but no sound came out. Her hand flew to her chest. ¡°Me?¡± she cried. ¡°I¡¯ve¡­I¡¯ve never been out in the wilds, I¡¯ve never broken any curses on living people. I¡¯ve never even left here!¡± ¡°Which is why no word of you as a Curse-Breaker would have reached Queen Iskyla,¡± Clanahan said. ¡°And by the looks of you, neither she nor Prince Nikolas would have any reason to suspect you are anything powerful or disruptive.¡± ¡°Disruptive?¡± Rose said. ¡°Yes,¡± Effrain nodded. ¡°If the prince is indeed under a curse, then breaking it could change the very fabric of the way the kingdom is ruled. And that change may or may not be welcome.¡± ¡°This is extremely important, Rose,¡± Reola leaned toward her. ¡°We need you to act as the prince¡¯s doctor, treating his headaches¡ªwhich you are more than capable of doing¡ªand also discover what has happened to King Alexei, find out Queen Iskyla¡¯s motivation for being in Spegel with the prince¡ª¡± ¡°And break a curse,¡± Rose whispered. ¡°Yes,¡± Effrain said simply. ¡°Which is the most important task of all.¡± Rose just sat there, her hands in her lap, searching the faces of her teachers. She squeezed her fingers. ¡°I have never done this before,¡± she murmured. ¡°But you know how,¡± Reola stated. ¡°You¡¯ve remained here, studying, almost a decade longer than any other Curse-Breaker. And our intuitions tell us that this particular task calls for someone who is not flashy, nor a fighter, nor someone with a temper. Someone quiet, who looks beneath, inside, who is a puzzle-solver; who will work through the inevitable trouble with a great deal of patience.¡± Reola smiled softly. ¡°I don¡¯t think any of us could conjure up someone who more closely fits that description than you.¡± ¡°We have full confidence in you, lass,¡± Clanahan assured her. ¡°We know you can do this.¡± Rose¡¯s heart hammered against her ribs. She squeezed her fingers together even harder. ¡°Well,¡± she managed¡ªher voice faint. ¡°Then I¡­I ought to try.¡± ¡°Good girl,¡± Reola beamed. Effrain smiled too, and Clanahan chuckled. But Galahad stood like a silent storm, and stared into the fire.