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“Yes.” Sarrasine clapped her hands together joyfully. “I’m here to take you back with me, Medra. Would you like that? To join me and meet your grandfather and the rest of your family?”

“But this is my home. I’ve always lived here.”

“Always is a very short time when one is a child, isn’t it?” she said gently, lifting her hand to push a strand of my hair behind my ear.

I wanted to argue and say I wasn’t a child. Not really. But then I realized she might know what I really was. And perhaps she could explain it all to me if I went with her.

“It must feel very strange to think of leaving. But your grandfather very much wishes to see you, Medra. He sent me to fetch you.”

I thought of Odessa. The way she had stayed with me. Cared for me. Trained me when Sir Ector had given up on me.

Then I thought of all the things I hadn’t told Odessa. The things I couldn’t say. For fear she’d run the other way, despite her claims she’d always stay.

I looked at my aunt with the ruby hair and lips and said, “My eyes aren’t always black.”

“Oh, no?” She looked curious, interested. In no way frightened by my revelation.

I shook my head. “No.”

I looked at the window beyond her. Outside, a hawk was flying past.

I took a deep breath, then let my eyes flare red.

The hawk burst into flames and plummeted to the ground.

My aunt watched as the bird fell. She did not run. She did not flinch.

“Incredible,” she said, finally. “You have incredible power, Medra. Such a thing is not uncommon amongst the fae. Surely, you know this? You have been told?”

I nodded. “But my power is different.”

“Different how?” She leaned forward, peering at me closely. “Tell me.”

I hesitated. “Sometimes I hear voices.”

“Yes? And what do they say?”

I bit my lip.

“Go on, Child,” she encouraged. “It’s all right. You may tell me.”

“They tell me to kill. To destroy.” Not just a bird. No, not just a bird.

Sarrasine smiled. It was a true smile. Not one hiding fear. “It’s very good I came then. Your grandfather will be so pleased to see how far you’ve already progressed.”

“He will?”

“Yes, he certainly will. We left you too long. It was nearly too late.”

“Too late? Too late for what?”

“Why, you might have harmed yourself. Or harmed someone else. And we wouldn’t want that, would we, Medra? You wouldn’t want to stay here and hurt someone you cared about, would you?”

I thought of Odessa and her burned arm. “No. I wouldn’t.”

“Your grandfather will help you from harming anyone ever again. Wouldn’t you like that? To be taught and properly trained? Everyone in your family is special. We are of royal blood, you see. The oldest of all the fae. But you, Medra, may be the most gifted one of all. The most special child. And it’s my job to bring you straight to him, to your grandfather.”

Sarrasine rose from the seat by the window and smoothed down her gown. “Gorlois le Fay. My father. Our most extraordinary, most powerful king. Only he is worthy of our full devotion. Soon, he’ll rule over all of the world. Just as he did once before.”