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The queen narrowed her eyes while the king’s seemed to brighten at my bargain. I could have sworn I saw a tug on the corner of the king’s lips like the thought was amusing to him.

“What are you talking about?” the queen asked, hands unlocking from each other and falling to her sides.

“You can take my magic. Keep it here. Marry it to whoever you want to lift the enchantments. And you’ll never have to see Fletcher again.”

The queen’s demeanor shifted swiftly again. Her body looked at ease as she stepped aside and linked her fingers together. “If a deal is what will make you feel more comfortable, then we will entertain it. But, we will need time to talk about it.”

“I want to settle this now,” I demanded.

“Honey, we have been waiting for you—our daughter to return. We have missed you so much—”

My body reacted to hearing the words, eager to be accepted, chosen, and loved. But, I wasn’t going to continue to make the same mistakes. I could trust no one who hadn’t earned it. “I haven’t missed you. This is strictly a business deal.” I clenched my teeth. “How long will you need?”

She took a step forward, and I took a step back. My back grazing the frigid barrier.

“Please, Ripley. Come and greet your people. They have been waiting a really long time to meet you.” The queen took a deep breath, closed her eyes, then opened them again.

I straightened my spine. “Last chance.”

The queen fisted her hands and her shoulders rose with tension like she was preparing to yell at me.

The king took a hard swallow as he tapped the queen on her shoulder. “Give us at least twenty-four hours of your time, Ripley. Please. Get to know us. Your people. If you can do that, I will have an answer by the time our welcome home ceremony is finished for you tomorrow.”

Without letting it show on my face, I contemplated the proposition.

It sounded reasonable. I had been dying to quench this curiosity about my kingdom.

I could feel this place in every breath I took as much as I had with the creatures of the ?lden Lands.

Even so, I felt like I was already breaking under pressure by entertaining their deal.

Twenty-four hours and a welcoming ceremony wouldn’t absolutely crush me.

Within a day, Fletcher could have his magic back.

I rotated to square my shoulders toward the king and queen of Elizy. “You have twenty-four hours.”

“Oh, thank you,” the queen and king said, but only the king stepped forward and placed a hand on my shoulder.

My magic acted on impulse, sending a forceful wave of blue flame up into his palm.

He stumbled back with wide eyes, shaking his hand.

The queen looked up at him with concern, reaching for his hand like she wanted to absorb his pain, but the king yanked it away from her, smiled, and held his hands behind his back.

“Lapse of judgment,” he said with a nervous chuckle in his voice. “Sorry, Ripley. ”

The apology settled in all the right places.

I’d never heard an apology from Mother before.

So this one felt good. But not good enough to lower my guard.

“I want to be clear. I have been through a lot in the outside world.” I tilted my chin down, glaring at them from beneath my brows.

“I am no naive child. Do not mistake me for a young, impressionable daughter. I do not see you as my parents. I only know you as the people who are trying to keep me away from Fletcher. And you don’t want to know what it’s like take him away from me. ”

They both nodded.

“Come,” the king said. “Let’s take a walk.”

They led me across the grass and onto the winding, paved roads that had single-story houses on either side.

When either of them attempted to start small talk, I stonewalled them. I was here for a purpose and I would have no one distracting me. I was not there to get to know them or show how chipper their lost princess could be.

I kept my focus on every detail of Elizy that I could see in front of me.

Just like the downtown shops of Ellion City, each house was different.

The homes here were magnificent. As if an architect had designed a house specifically for each resident.

Some were perfectly cylindrical, adorned with vines of all colors winding from top to bottom.

Some had slanted roofs that arched down toward the grass below, sheltering ponds filled with local fish that jumped from level to level with playful abandon.

Dispersed throughout the picturesque view were differently shaped doors, weathered shingles, and red-bricked chimneys that seemed to sway gently in the wind.

When we had passed most of the housing and walked toward the road that led closer to the mountain, I spotted a group of school children sitting at desks on the grass in front of a large building with a pointed top.

It reminded me of a handkerchief taken from the center and pulled upward.

The tiles of the roof curved with every hill and valley of the structure.

Hanging off the soffit were glass lanterns that protected lilac candles and their flickering flames atop black wicks.

Across the top was a white sign surrounded by morning glory that read, “Lekzion School of Magic”.

A school.

My eyes flitted back to the children who were leaning forward, very interested in what the woman with bright indigo eyes was saying. She weaved between desks, eyeing each child with a smile. Her dark hair was bunched in a thick bun that rested at the base of her neck.

“You may begin,” she instructed.

The kids all turned to a partner and rolled up their sleeves. I listened carefully as the teacher said, “Think about bending. We want those beautiful swirls down your arms.”

My feet treaded faster across the lush grass toward the class, enthralled.

I came to a halt a few feet away from a desk.

The teacher flicked her eyes to me, grinned, then turned back to the class.

“I’m hearing some great conversations. Talk about what it feels like inside your body.

” The students called forth their magic, streaking down their arms in gentle bends. “There you go, Hatia! Good job.”

My breathing hitched. Someone who knew about magic—someone who could teach me about magic. While the students spoke amongst themselves, I came to the teacher’s side. “Hi.”

“Hello.” She smiled, briefly looked at the king and queen who had situated themselves in the back of the class, then back at me.

I stepped closer to her, until her long-sleeved navy dress that fell to her ankles swept by mine. I leaned in to whisper so the king and queen couldn’t hear. If they knew I had a curiosity—a desire to harness my powers, it may sway their decision to the bargain. “Will you teach me to use my magic?”

I let my eyes wander to the king and queen, watching their arms wrapped around each other’s waists with smiles on their faces as they spoke to two students in the back.

The teacher’s kind gaze fell on me. Her hair was parted down the center, black bangs flaring out around her cheeks and pinned back.

Long, loose strands fell over her shoulders.

Her high-arched brows lifted in surprise by my question and her raspberry lips with a deep cupid’s bow twitched upward into a pleasant grin. “I can certainly help you.”

An uncontrollable squeal burst through my lips.

It caught the queen’s attention because I heard her announce, “Teacher Talia, meet Princess Ripley.”

At the sound of my name, the class went quiet. In fact, I think possibly all of Elizy went quiet. For a split second, I could hear the refreshing wind swooshing by and insects buzzing. Hell, I could hear the hum of the barrier.

Gasps filled the air, the student’s eyes widening as they zeroed in on me .

Talia lifted a hand, palm facing the students as she smiled at me and said with enthusiasm, “Oh my goodness.”

I swallowed hard. I did not want this to be about my title. I wanted this to be about honing my magic. I sent a hard glower at my parents before I huffed.

Talia’s grin reached her eyes, making the indigo pigment of her irises illuminate her features. She put her hand down and turned to the class. “Princess Ripley wants to learn to use her magic, so let’s teach her, yeah?”

I cringed then clenched my teeth, annoyed that she had just announced my intentions. Daring not to glance at the king and queen, I kept my eyes glued to her delicate movements.

The crowd of students agreed in unison. The sound of their squeals and chatter soothed a part of my soul that I had lost two months ago. Caring for Ellion City’s children was a joy I had really missed.

Babysitting. I had made money. The stash must still be somewhere in Aldris’s house. I mumbled quietly into her ear, “I will pay you for private lessons. ”

She shook her head and smiled. “You will do no such thing. You will join the class. We learn from each other.”

The students cheered with agreement. Their faces lit up and it ignited a joy in my heart I couldn’t deny.

“Would you like to show us what your magic looks like? Call it forward, down your arms.”

I cringed thinking about how mine didn’t even slightly resemble the beautiful patterns down all the children’s arms. My heart raced, and the pressure from fifty prying eyes made me want to run and hide.

“Don’t worry,” Talia encouraged, “we all had to start somewhere. We’d never judge.”

“Fine.” I let the aquas streak down my arm in shaky lines. Each held a glimmer of sparkle, but it was inconsistent.