Chapter 6

Ipracticed moving my wings as we walked to the Maestro’s residence and office tower. According to Violet, the Maestro was basically the Dean and had a spire all to herself near the center of campus where she could keep an eye on things.

That probably meant that more often than not, something went wrong in this little paradise.

Vibrant sunlight shone down as purple clouds continued to toil through the sky, making me wonder what was going on at my Academy.

Did they think I had died?

“What if I don’t like it here? Can I go back home?” I asked, figuring that was a safe question even if others were listening.

Violet gave me a soft smile. “Sorry, Vivienne. Our village was destroyed. I know you hit your head, but you’re going to have to wrap your mind around the fact that we’re going to be here for a while. We have a lot of work to do.”

That was code for No, and don’t even think about trying.

I wasn’t going to put my mom or my friends through that. I needed to know what had happened to Vern and Jasmine, and I needed to find Killian.

This was turning out to be a real mess.

When Violet led me down the cobblestone streets to the more gorgeous buildings, I eyed the obvious tower near the center that was now further away than I remembered. “I thought we were going to see the Maestro?”

She vibrated her wings before responding, making her skirt flutter. “I can pick up your schedule for you. It’s probably better that you rest and acclimate for the rest of the day, given your bump on the head.” She eyed Solstice, who was still asleep around my neck. “And your familiar seems to be recovering from travel, too. It’s probably best that you both get some downtime before classes start tomorrow.”

I chewed on my cheek, preventing myself from telling her she was the reason Solstice was so tired. We had been in the Shadow Realm looking for her. My soul had nearly been ripped out of my body, meaning Solstice had gone through the same effects. She was more of a spiritual creature than I was, meaning her recovery was going to be more difficult.

And she hadn’t been interested in the healing water, either.

I had also been feeling dizzy, at least until a dose of unicorn horn powder and mint tea. Illy and Tilly were excellent healers and when this was all over, I fully intended to invite them part-time back to Dragonrider Academy. We could certainly use their help.

When Violet dropped me off at a little series of cottages and showed me which one was mine, I couldn’t shake a sense of foreboding that had me glancing at the sky.

I was used to Wild Dragons descending when it was least expected, but Violet seemed to be convinced we’d be safe here.

She also had assumed I had been the one to wake her. So, I wasn’t sure how right she might be about that.

“Here we are,” Violet said cheerfully as she pulled me into a luxurious room with the most adorable, frilly decor I had ever seen. “This is your cottage. Mine is right next to yours, so if you need anything, don’t hesitate to come knock. I’ll be heading to the Maestro, then running some errands before I retire as well.”

I hadn’t noticed it before, but she seemed tired, as she should be. Shadows lingered underneath her eyes and she seemed to favor one hip when she stood, if I paid attention.

“I’ll see you in the morning, then,” I said.

She bit her lip as if she wanted to add something, but then offered me a polite nod before saying goodbye and shutting me inside my room.

It wasn’t like I would be suffering here. I had a small, but efficiently laid out living room with a circular dining table with two chairs, a love seat in front of a fireplace, and a small attached kitchen with a wind chime in the window.

Venturing around the corner revealed a bedroom with the fluffiest bed I’d ever seen, a nightstand, and a candle instead of a lamp. A little butterfly cage hung by the window in this room with real butterflies fluttering around inside.

I opened it and watched them drift out the window, not seeming to realize I’d just given them their freedom.

That done, I moved the candle out of the way, pulled out some extra clothes from the dresser and made a nest for Solstice on the nightstand. I settled her into it and she blinked open her gorgeous golden eyes, chirped her thanks, then fell asleep again.

“Get some rest, girl. We’re exploring when it’s dark,” I whispered, hoping that it did get dark in this realm.

One never knew.

Since I had to wait anyway, I grabbed an apple from the kitchen and devoured it. It had to have been the juiciest, most delicious apple I had ever had in my life.

Sated, I ventured into the bathroom that had perfectly white marble tiles and glass light fixtures, these with little glowing balls inside of them instead of candles. I assumed magic powered these.

While the bath sent steam billowing into the air, I stared at my reflection.

The birthmark on my shoulder had faded, but it was still there. I quelled the bubbling fear that had me wondering if Violet had taken so much of my goddess magic, that the state of my birthmark was a reflection of how much power she had actually drained and not just part of the transformation she had forced on me.

The rest of me seemed more or less the same, minus the wings fluttering at my back. I still had soft red hair that seemed more burgundy compared to Kai’s vibrant red locks, light green eyes, and a faint red line across my forehead where I must have hit it after falling out of a portal.

The wings drew my attention, though, and I practiced fluttering them again. They obeyed, shifting the steam around me like a cloud.

I wish I didn’t have those, I thought absently, then screeched when they sucked into my back with a pop.

Well, that explains why some of the faeries didn’t have wings.

“Nifty trick,” I muttered, a little shaken as I climbed into the bath.

It took me the rest of the evening to somewhat acclimate to this new realm. I made myself a meal with what ingredients I could find in the kitchen—thankfully my cooking skills I’d picked up while my mother had worked all the time was paying off. There was enough to make steamy soup, some bread to dip it in, and chunks of meat for sustenance.

I blinked a few times in shock when my dirty dishes floated to the sink and cleaned themselves.

A girl could get used to this.

Despite the nice accommodations, that sense of dread returned when the sun finally started to go down. I leaned out of my window and peered out, finding that everyone had disappeared from the streets.

There wasn’t a single soul in sight.

Violet hadn’t mentioned anything about a curfew, but if that was a recent rule, then she might not have known about it.

I strapped on some boots instead of frilly sandals, then noticed a shadowed figure disappearing behind a building.

Who are you? I wondered.

I glanced at Solstice, seeing her still fast asleep in the nest I’d made on the nightstand. “I’ll be back girl,” I whispered, softly petting her before I slipped outside.