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One gestures to the second-floor balcony towering behind us. “This is a common area for all trainees. You can grab a bite to eat up there at any hour, and the bibliotheca is right through these doors.” He points to the gold-plated double doors under the balcony.

A man stalks out of the shade of the common area and curls his hands around the railing. “Mara,” he calls out.

The redhead waves goodbye. “I’m late. I’ll see you later.”

The newcomer’s mask is made of shattered glass, and my heart hammers.

“That’s…” I trail off, shocked.

“Two.”

Blood races at my temples. “He’s?—”

“Identical? Not precisely.” One offers his brother a curt nod, his bottom lip tucked between his teeth.

As precisely as I can tell, the newcomer is an exact copy of the man by my side, though I have only his body type, mouth, and chin to compare. A swimmer’s body, Mara called it, though I’m not sure how that expression equates to appealing.

But it does. No question about it.

The shattered glass on his mask reflects the bright sun and blinds me for a second. My entire being quakes under his scrutiny, his predatory stance curdling my blood, but he quickly slips back inside the building.

Chapter 8

All the Way

The next day, I awaken from a slumber so deep, I might as well have flirted with death. It pains me to admit, but One was right. I’m not in shape. I ran my heart out yesterday morning, midday, and evening, and crashed in bed early, the stress and exhaustion of my first day in Faerie catching up to my body. Nothing bad had happened, and yet I tremble at the thought of doing it all over again today, my calves and hamstrings riddled with pain.

“Good morning, Nell,” Baka greets me from the foot of the bed.

I stretch out my sore arms and crack my neck. “Good morning.”

A fresh uniform lies on the duvet, but Baka points to the back of the room. “I took the liberty of drawing you a fresh, hot bath.”

My heart sings at the prospect. “I love you.”

She giggles at my outburst. “Come on now, princess. Let’s soothe yer sore muscles. Stretch first, then the bathtub. I added a few of my special herbs to the water to get ye ready for the day.” She teaches me a few stretching exercises that turn my cramped muscles into a slightly more supple mass.

After we’re done, I sink inside the tub with a low hum. The water is smooth and velvety, like I’m sinking into a tub of heated honey—but without the stickiness.

Baka starts brushing my long mane. “It’s so long. Doesn’t it get in the way? Do you want me to cut it?”

I purse my lips, considering her question. No other woman here wears her hair quite as long as me, but I’m torn. “A princess is expected to never cut her hair.”

“In Demeter, maybe. But not here.”

“I like it as it is, but thank you.”

The discussion does bring me back to my first night, and Mara’s ambiguous comment. Water sloshes around me as I shift to look at Baka. “Why did Mara say that I had bleached hair? What does it mean?”

The sprite snorts. “She’s ignorant is all. Ye have what they call platinum blonde hair, and in the new world, women use a product called bleach to achieve that look.”

“Oh.” I frown at her answer, unsure why anyone would want to change the color of their hair. I relax in the water, pondering the differences between the old world and the new.

After the bath, Baka sends me on my way. The layout of the tunnels and stairs that lead to the palace’s ground floor is starting to make sense, and I quickly reach the long trail that weaves in and out of the gardens. Still too sore to run, I keep a brisk pace and walk a full loop.

Near the end of the path, a low buzzing sound captures my attention. Small black birds whistle and cackle in the small fountain near the arched trellis, and I inch closer to take a better look. The wings of the creatures are thin and papery, with matching ears. Oblivious to my presence, they frolic in the water.

Not birds… They’ve got long, pointy noses, and a few of them hold small flowers to their mouth like big jugs of nectar. And they’re all naked.