Page 11

He cackled. “Well, I’ve had enough excitement for one night, I think it’s time for bed.” He grabbed his single crutch, propping it under his shoulder as he rose to his feet.

“Oh, now you go to bed?”

“Goodnight, sis,” he called over his shoulder in a melodic tone. Then he headed toward his bedroom, utilizing the crutch for support.

He had been in an accident the month after their mother died, and the bones never healed correctly. His knee and ankle were still not aligned, and he would never be able to walk properly again.

It was part of the reason Dagmara was committed to staying an assassin. If she and Teos hadn’t been living at the fortress, Teos would not have received the advanced medical care and could have lost his left leg entirely. Being an assassin and living at the fortress was the better alternative, especially with the raging disease sweeping the countryside.

“Wait, Teos,” Dagmara called.

Her brother paused.

“Your jasny concoction—the light explosion—saved my life tonight.”

A smile creased his face, revealing two dimples. “Told you it was amazing.” Then he proceeded to his room.

Dagmara remained on the couch for a moment longer, even after Teos had shut the door behind him. She didn’t have the energy left to make it to her bed, even though it was only a room away. Every ounce of her body burned with exhaustion, and she would pay for it tomorrow. But she had to keep going for Teos. She had killed Sabien for her brother. All this work as an assassin was to give her and Teos a better life.

She simply prayed Sabien wasn’t an Ilusaurian nobleman.

Also…what would she tell Magda about the prince?

CHAPTER 4

Magdalena

The morning air was crisp, and harsh wind beat against Magda’s face. Magda picked up speed, dashing through the field on her horse.

Odie sprinted beside her. The dog barked playfully as he crashed through the poppy field, drifting further away from Magda’s view. But his black and white fur and floppy ears were always easy to spot against the blood-red flowers.

Magda picked up speed, urging her horse to follow Odie’s lead. They flew together across the landscape, cutting a path straight through a layer of snow and red flowers that carpeted the ground. On the horizon, the sunrise peaked through the mountains. It was the heart of winter, and the peaks were still white.

Here, despite the soft layer of snow, fully grown poppies marked the path with a sea of scarlet. Some said that the flowers were magical, able to withstand treacherous winters and remain in full bloom. The elders said that these were flowers from the wars long ago, marking the graves of all the men and women who had been slain in wars with their ruby petals. That was before, when the fight over the control of magic belonged to everyone. The ancient stories said that magic lived in all things—the ground, the water, and in people’s minds—and that one only needed to know how to tap into the ancient magic all around them.

That was what the coronation today was truly about, and she was quite nervous. Today, Magda would officially become an heir to the Azuremi throne, naming her a true royal, and a Guardian of Life.

She broke free from the poppy field, emerging onto the banks of an ice-cold river. The rough rapids descended all the way from the glaciers in the mountains, traveling next to the castle before twisting through the rocks toward the town and under the bridge that led into Gorzhelm.

Odie darted to the water, lapping it up with his pink tongue, but even he knew better than to play in the deadly rapids.

Magda pulled the reins to a halt and dismounted her horse. Then, she gingerly tied the reins to a nearby tree. She pensively approached the water with outstretched hands, attempting to mimic the same position that her brother and father always demonstrated when displaying their magic to the court. She squeezed her eyes shut, focusing on moving the frigid stream with her fingertips, but when she opened them, nothing happened.

Odie seemed to understand, letting out a sad yelp next to her.

Magda dropped to her knees. “Don’t worry,” she smiled as she scratched behind the dog’s ears. “Aleksy says I’ll be able to channel the family magic after the coronation.” It wasn’t a lie…her older brother had explained the sensation of harnessing the power of water millions of times. She could almost hear his voice in her head right now, explaining the pure strength needed to hold back the rapids, move glaciers, and burst springs from the earth.

Suddenly Odie’s ears perked up, and he began running off along the riverbank alongside the rocks. He sensed something Magda couldn’t, but by the way his tail began to wag, shaking his entire body, she knew who was nearby.

“Odie!” yelled Magda, “Come back here!”

Magda sprinted after her pet, but it was impossible to keep up with his pace. While Odie scaled the rocks elegantly, maneuvering down the river at ease, Magda struggled to keep up. She bounded across the riverbank, following around the bend just in time to see Odie leaping up into Aleksy’s arms, letting out a slew of friendly barks.

“You followed me?” Magda called.

“I thought you might be running away.” Aleksy laughed.

Magda let out a huff. “You know I would never skip the coronation.”