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Her connection to the virgin twins was strong, rushing through her like a powerful current, keeping her anchored in the great sea of uncontrolled magic .

Wielding a golden orb in her palms, she watched it spin, casting rays of sunshine over the manicured lawns.

The orb expanded to the size of a globe. She parted her lips—a warm sensation tingled her skin as she overlooked her growing power. Then the orb’s surface crackled and sparked, the light flickering in and out of existence.

She stumbled backwards, losing control of her connection to the Supreme Power. The magic exploded from her hands, hurtling broken golden glass through the air and into the panels of the prism world. Shards erupted around her.

Dropping to the floor, she drew her knees to her chest, tucked her head in, and shielded her face with her arms. The sharp fragments rained onto her, tearing at the bare flesh of her lower arms. Her thick, dark curls covered her nape, but one piece slid past her cheek, nicking the skin. The surface stung.

She touched the wound on her cheek, then peered at her fingers. Drops of blood dribbled down the digits.

A portal zapped into existence, and a voice yelled from the other side.

“Adelina! Are you okay?”

Yelena hurried to her, wrapped an arm around her, and guided her out of the prism world and onto the solid training room floor.

Lips trembling, Adelina wiped her clammy hands on her clothing. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words were frozen somewhere in her throat. Spinning, she fixed her gaze on the spot where the portal had been and shook .

“It’s all right,” Yelena soothed, rubbing her back. “All is well.”

“It h-happened again.” Adelina’s eyes were damp. “The p-prism world. I th-thought I had c-control of the s-spell.”

Yelena helped Adelina into a chair beside the table, then fetched a flask of water for her. She unscrewed the cap and pressed it against Adelina’s lips. A few gulps later, her shaking subsided.

“Are you feeling better now?” Yelena stroked Adelina’s shoulder.

She nodded.

“I haven’t seen your magic lose control this badly before.” Yelena placed her fingers on her chin. “Perhaps we ought to find a way to make it less…volatile. Maybe we could ask Filip to join you tomorrow.”

Glancing up through watery eyes, Adelina nodded again. “Do you think he’ll help?”

“Of course,” Yelena chirped. “His presence in the prism world should ensure your control over the Supreme Power. Yes…there should be no issues with that. Now, why don’t you finish early for the day, hmm?

Soak in a bath and have Natasha tend to these scratches of yours.

” She held Adelina’s chin between her fingers, tilting her head to assess the injury on her face. “It shouldn’t require stitches.”

∞∞∞

The next day, Filip joined Adelina and Yelena in the training room. There was an air of unease around him. Occasionally he’d check the time of his pocket watch, the ever so slightly curl of his fingers into loose fists, before flattening them against his dark breeches.

Adelina pursed her lips, following his moves. She sensed something was wrong—perhaps he’d had a stressful morning—but decided not to press him on the matter.

“I will conjure a passageway to the prism world,” Yelena said. “Filip, you need to stand beside Adelina while she conjures the spell. We can observe how it behaves and see if there is a way to control her magic, even when you are not so close.”

He nodded curtly.

Swiping her index finger through the air, Yelena drew a circle, materialising the golden, flickering circle of a portal.

Adelina puffed out a sharp breath, then crossed into the other dimension in quick strides. Filip followed her and the portal snapped shut behind them.

Stood side by side on the manicured lawn of the palace, Adelina flexed her fingers.

Pushing her shoulders back, she cupped her hands together.

“ Linasriel ,” she said.

The golden orb flickered into existence, hovering a few centimetres above her outstretched palms. Filip’s gaze rested on her.

A few moments passed, and the ball of magic hadn’t crackled, sparked, or shot into the panels of the prism world.

“It’s working.” Filip’s eyebrows rose .

A wide grin spread across Adelina’s lips, and a burst of pride shot through her core. Yet her look of pleasure evaporated the second the ball fizzed and popped.

“Oh no,” she muttered to herself. “Filip, drop to the floor!”

The golden orb shot into the sky, pelted into the top of the prism where the light shone the brightest, and glass exploded around them, littering onto the grass.

The portal zapped in front of them, and Yelena flapped her hands at them. “Hurry!”

Filip and Adelina dashed out of the prism world and stumbled across the stone floor of the training room.

“Damn,” Adelina cursed. “For a second there, I thought it would work.”

“So did I,” he said.

Yelena pressed her fingers to her chin, a frown creasing her brows.

“What is it?” Adelina asked.

“Perhaps there is something that could help,” Yelena muttered as she wandered over to the books sprawled across the table. She flipped through the pages, then tapped her finger on a section of calligraphy. “Ah, yes. An amulet.”

“Amulet?” Adelina said. “Like a talisman?”

“Exactly.” Yelena shifted, focusing her gaze on Adelina. “We could charm a piece of jewellery against evil forces. This would inevitably allow you to have better control of your magic.”

“I have my father’s necklace.” Adelina’s fingers wrapped around the locket hanging from the chain around her slender neck .

“Perfect.” Yelena beamed.

“It seems you have everything under control here.” Filip backed towards the door—the afternoon sunlight illuminated the beads of sweat along his hairline.

He disappeared from the room before Adelina could say a word.

She turned to Yelena. “Did something seem wrong with Filip to you?”

“He’s had a busy morning dealing with the benefactors.” Yelena waved the matter away.

“Didn’t your letters deal with the benefactors’ curiosity and demands for progress updates?” Adelina said.

“Yes, but Filip must still speak of his plans once you’ve completed training,” Yelena said. “The benefactors want to know how he will reunite the countries and ensure it happens.”

Adelina smiled, squashing her concern. Or was it suspicion? She couldn’t decide.

“Pass me your necklace.” Yelena held out her hand.

Unclasping the chain, Adelina dropped her father’s locket into Yelena’s palm.

“Now I’m going to need a few drops of your blood.” Yelena wandered to the shelves positioned behind her desk, grabbed a bowl no bigger than a mortar, and a blade.

A chill tickled Adelina’s nape as Yelena settled the mortar and blade on the table between them.

Yelena placed the necklace inside the bowl, then grasped Adelina’s left wrist .

“This will sting a little, but it won’t be deep enough to require stitches.” Yelena ran the blade widthways across Adelina’s wrist.

As she sucked in a sharp intake of breath, beads of blood blossomed from the cut.

Yelena tilted Adelina’s wrist—four tiny drops of life splattered onto the cross and chain.

“ Tyleiri sinriyn, ” Yelena said while she drew a circular motion in the air above the mortar.

A sheen layer of light sprung from the bowl, like sunlight on floating dust. The blood was absorbed by the metal and a golden glow emanated from the locket.

When the glow faded, she scooped up the necklace. “Here. Put it on. This will reduce the chances of your magic losing control.”

“Thank you.” Adelina fastened it around her neck.

“Come back tomorrow morning and we shall test it in the prism world.” Yelena gestured to the door—an act of dismissal.

Nodding once, Adelina slipped out of the training room, made her way across the gardens running the length of the conservatories, then entered the palace.

As she wandered along the high ceiling corridors, something called to her from Filip’s office, like an unwavering compulsion. Other than the distant mutterings of servants, the palace was silent.

Finding herself outside the wooden door to Filip’s office, she rapped on it.

“Not now.” Filip’s deep voice huffed from the other side.

Perhaps he’d assumed a servant had come to tend to his needs, and Adelina did need to speak to him if she was going to put her suspicion to rest .

She opened the door and peered into the sunlit room. “It’s me, Adelina.”

Filip, who was sitting at his desk, hands resting on a stack of parchment, glanced up. His cheeks were red. “Oh. What can I do for you?”

She edged into the room—her shoes sinking into the thick, red carpet—and made her way to the free chair opposite Filip.

Clasping her hands, she dipped into the chair and returned the smile.

“Yelena has created me an amulet. I wanted to reassure you my magic will now be in control, and I can continue with my training. Will you be joining me for further sessions? I’m sure it will be beneficial to see how our powers work together. ”

“Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend your training.

” He moved his stack of parchment into the desk drawer and locked it.

He slipped the key into his breast pocket.

“My father requires a personal visit, so I am making the journey to his home in north Toichrist. I shall return in time for the spring equinox next month.”

“What about the benefactors?” she asked.

“They have been made aware of this emergency,” he said, rather nonchalantly. “Yelena will continue to send her letters regarding your progress. By the time we are reunited, you’ll have completed your training.”

“I do hope your father is well,” she said, then mustered the courage to continue. “Although Yelena had said I’d be practising my magic with you.”

“Your amulet controls your magic, does it not?” Filip’s tone turned sharp.

Adelina flinched. “Yes. ”

Filip’s tense features relaxed. “Apologies. My father is unwell, and the news has stirred…unpleasant emotions within me.”