Chapter 4

I barely slept. I felt sick about what I knew I was going to have to do. My mother often suffered from bouts of anxiety and so with her consent I had used my power to calm her. But I’d never used my magic on my father because he’d explicitly asked me not to.

“All set?” my father asked as I approached the carriage with a giant fake smile plastered on my face.

I simply nodded so that he would get into the carriage and then my mother went in after him.

Our people had already begun the miles-long caravan toward the Spring Court and we were the last, bringing up the rear so no citizen was left behind. It was noble if you looked past the fact that we were all total cowards, fleeing danger. I didn’t blame my people, they should go to safety elsewhere, but my mother, father, and myself should stay with the land until the very last moment.

When I saw that Falana had jumped into the carriage ahead of ours, I leaned my head into the carriage and prepared to push the most complex magic I’d ever done over my mother and father. It would have to be multilayered.

“Father and mother,” I spoke softly. “I won’t be going. I need to stay back and help this little girl I found.”

Their faces melted with concern, but I pushed contentment into them and the concern washed away.

“What girl?” my mother asked, confused.

“A little orphan who needs me. I’ll take her to Spring Court by horseback and we will be a half-day behind you.”

I pushed the feeling of calmness throughout the both of them, and then a little confusion because I didn’t want them digging for all the details. It was better to make up a semi-believable story and then just nudge them to accept it.

“Isn’t that nice of me? Responsible? And loving?” I pushed emotions with each word.

My father’s eyes glazed over as he nodded first, then my mother. “Be safe,” he said almost dreamily, and guilt wormed its way through me. I hated that I had to do this.

I was pushing gratitude and pride and so many emotions into them I wasn’t even sure how to tease them apart now.

“Okay, I love you.” I tried not to let my voice catch. This would be the last time I would see either of them for a while. Or maybe ever.

“Love you, darling. You will make such a great mother one day.” My mother squeezed my hand and my face fell.

I knew she was just saying that because of my story of taking care of the orphan, but it stung. I wasn’t sure I would ever be a mother. I wasn’t sure I would survive the next forty-eight hours.

“And a compassionate future queen,” my father added.

I hugged them both and then slipped away, back into the palace before anyone else needed to be emotionally manipulated.

That’s what it was. Suggestive magic was a kind term for what I did. Mind control, brainwashing was more accurate.

I’d never tested the limits to my magic, to how far I could physically be from a person before pulling the emotions back, but we were about to find out. Because I had about twelve more hours before this portal opened. The danger there was that anything anyone told my mother or father over the next twelve hours, they would probably agree with. They could advise my father to cut out my mother’s heart and he might think it was a fabulous idea.

The thought made me sick.

I just had to make it to tonight, then I would pull my magic back and the emotions I forced on them would disappear.

Assuming I could.

My parents would probably realize what I’d done and head back here, but by then I’d be gone.

* * *

The day passed quickly and night fell on me along with a bundle of nerves. I’d packed my bag with maps that Master Duncan had given me and a few Ethereum coins. I wore the leather-corseted outfit I’d trained in and I’d broken the glass case holding the red carnelian faestone-encrusted dagger that I would need to carve out the heart of the Ethereum lord, and to return home again. After sharpening the dull blade, I stashed it in a sheath at my waist and made my way to the throne room.

My steps echoed as I strode toward the raised dais at the end of the cavernous stone chamber. If Queen Liliana hadn’t found out about my weak heart, there would have been a grand ceremony to see me off.

Queen Liliana, my parents, the masters I trained with over the couple last months, as well as my friends and courtiers from the Fall Court would have all been in attendance. But instead I was sneaking away in the middle of the night like a criminal.

There were no well-wishers to wave goodbye and offer me support. No final hugs or tears of pride from my parents. It was only me and perhaps a few mice who had ventured out into the open now that the palace was empty.

The palace had never been so quiet and it was eerie to know that I was the only fae remaining here. In all of our history there had never been a time when the Fall Court had been abandoned. I understood my father’s decision to evacuate our people. They were the beating heart of the Fall Court and it was our duty to protect them. But complete abandonment of our lands felt wrong. Like we were giving up.

I would never give up.

As I walked up the steps to the dais only the moonlight streaming through the windows lit my way. I reached the thrones, skimming my fingers over the top of my mother’s and father’s gilded seats. They were the same height, signifying that they both ruled over the Fall Court equally, even though everyone knew it was my father who kept things running.

My father was a just and fair ruler and if I made it back—no, when I made it back—I intended to be just like him.

Passing the thrones, I went to the back wall. The door to the mirror room was cleverly hidden within the wall, blending seamlessly into the mortar between stones. It was almost impossible to find if you hadn’t been shown where it was. Many of the residents of the palace didn’t even know it existed. And why would they? A Fall princess had never served as champion before.

I ran my fingers along the stones, feeling for the break at the door’s edge. It took a little bit of time to find in the low light, but eventually I worked out where it was and pressed in the stone that would cause the hidden door to pop open.

The door groaned as it slowly moved, as if protesting at being woken after such a long rest.

When I entered the windowless room the air was stale and filled with dust. The space was empty except for a full-length mirror propped up against the wall.

I was relieved to see that the portal hadn’t opened yet, and the mirror looked perfectly normal. Its ornate frame was probably impressive at one time, but now was caked with so much dust that its luster and details were hidden.

Using my sleeve I cleared some of the dust from the mirror’s surface, and when I stepped back I was immediately underwhelmed. All I saw when I stared into the mirror was myself. A petite girl with fair skin and a mane of braided red locks hanging over her shoulder.

I hated to admit it, but she didn’t look fearsome or mighty, both things I believed a warrior should. She looked breakable, like a delicate piece of porcelain that was beautiful to look at, but rarely used because of its fragility. And in her eyes, in my eyes, I saw the most un-champion-like emotion of all.

Fear.

In that moment, I wished I could work my own magic on myself. I’d infuse my body to the brim with courage, wiping away the uncertainty shining from my eyes.

I wanted to step through the portal, knowing I could complete my mission, rather than fearing I’d fail like the champion before me and be forever cut off from the people and land I loved, or worse. I knew I only had thirty days to find an Ethereum lord and carve out his heart before the portal home would close and trap me there forever.

Before my eyes the glass in the mirror started to ripple. I caught my breath and took an involuntary step back as metallic swirls appeared within the frame.

It was exactly how Master Duncan had explained it would be.

It was time.

Now, even if my parents figured out what I had done, they couldn’t stop me and so I took a deep breath and pulled for the emotions and feelings I had left with them: contentment, amiableness, gratitude and pride. I sighed in relief when I felt them snap back into me like a rope breaking over a long distance.

I didn’t want my father being taken advantage of while I was gone and I had no idea how long my powers lasted when used in this way.

Next, I closed my eyes and envisioned the black heart of an Ethereum lord, pumping not only black blood but its evil magic throughout its host as well.

Holding the image in my mind just as Master Duncan taught me, I opened my eyes and walked forward. Fear threatened to overtake me, but I pushed back against it. I was determined to enter Ethereum with open eyes and my head held high.

Right before stepping into the portal I paused and pulled my faestone dagger from its sheath, clutching it tightly in my fist.

Master Duncan’s command flitted through my mind. Strike before the villain has a chance to even utter a word .

With the image of the black heart still firmly in my mind’s eye, I took a final step forward and into the mirror.