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IT TOOK A LONG MOMENT for Theo to react to the reality before him. Then, suddenly, something inside of him broke. After all the years he had traveled the world, looking for answers to his family’s killer, he knew the truth—and now, at last, he was able to take matters into his own hands.
As he stood there, watching Everon, Theo remembered that night, the night his uncle had roused him from his bed, before being sent off to a new world, one without his parents and his childhood home. He saw the tapestry hanging in his mother’s house, the one that allowed Queen Lucia to watch over him and weave herself into his dreams. He saw her eyes burn in a fire of pink and green dust.
Theo had felt his heart break in despair and rage, saving that feeling for the moment when he could finally demand someone pay for causing him pain. All the goodness of his innocence, all the truth of his training, and all the beauty of love in his heart disappeared as only his young anger returned in a flash of pain and heartache.
Quickly, he drew his sword, grappling with the hilt as he began to hurry forward.
“What are you doing?” Bachas hissed. “Stop!” At his command, Theo felt his legs stick to the ground.
“What am I doing? What about you?” Theo snapped angrily, trying his hardest to fight against the magic holding him back from moving forward. “That’s the fairy who killed my family.”
“Yeah, but he’ll kill us too, if we walk in on him and his lady love.”
“Lady love?” Theo saw the woman running out to greet Everon and stopped fighting against Bachas’ hold.
The woman reached out to Everon, wrapping her arms around him. Theo blinked, suddenly dazzled by her. She had the same color of hair as Theo, only it was long and loose; from where he stood, Theo could just make out the familiar, simple lines of her face.
“Mother?” His voice was barely a whisper. After so many years, it was hard to believe that it could be anyone else besides his mother.
He watched as Everon, with his fierce features, pressed himself into the woman’s embrace, clutching at her as he leaned down and kissed her. “Annalora.”
Theo understood at once. He straightened, relieved and depressed all at the same time. It isn’t my mother.
He shook his head. He knew he should have realized it before. He knew his mother was dead; the vicar of his home village had confirmed both his parents’ deaths and then buried them. It had been over ten years since Theo had last seen her.
“Well,” Bachas whispered. “Looks like we found your aunt.”
“Yes.” Theo barely felt himself speak. He was still stunned, not only at how much his aunt looked like his mother, but because she held Everon in her arms.
It took a long moment, but Theo was glad, finally, that Bachas had stopped him. He breathed out quietly.
“I’ll bet anything that Elva’s magic is the reason she looks so young,” Bachas said. “Typical human. Using magic to keep outward appearances up.”
Theo nodded glumly. He had to agree; his mother had been the youngest sibling of their family. There was no way Annalora would have managed to look so young without magic. From what he could see, she looked no older than he was.
Although she could have had Everon’s help with that, rather than Elva’s, he thought to himself.
As Annalora and Everon began making their way to a small cottage, Theo felt Bachas’ magic hold on him disappear. He still stayed where he was, his fury simmering as bitter betrayal took its place, and memories, memories he had buried for years, came rushing forward.
He thought of his mother, her vivid cheerfulness, and his father, with his purposeful movements. His childhood was dotted with happy times, as his mother worked on her weaving and sewing, and his father would travel for the kingdom as a knight, with his brother, Theo’s Uncle Thom, often at his side.
Only a few times did he remember his parents arguing. He frowned as he thought about what Thad had said before, about how close his father and mother were to fighting all the time, and their trust in each other was quickly breaking down, closer to the end.
Queen Lucia’s threaded eyes gleamed at him from her tapestry, and he forced himself back into the present.
From what his grandfather had told him, his parents had worked to save King Stefanos from madness before, after Magdalina had tried to poison him with Magdust. His Uncle Thom had been able to write down the name of their killer before he succumbed to his own deadly wounds.
Annalora was still working against the King of Rhone. She was still making tapestries that would charm or poison people.
The soldiers in town were waiting for her to finish her latest project, commissioned by Rose’s uncle, before they were going to march on Havilah.
At the thought of her, Theo suddenly wished Rose were there with him. She would know what to do. She would reach out and squeeze his hand in comfort, and he would be able to face whatever challenge came next.
Theo watched the last glimpse of his aunt disappear behind the cottage door.
Was he ready to take his revenge? What if his aunt was just as responsible for the death of his family as Everon was?
“It doesn’t matter,” he told himself. “It doesn’t matter. They’re still dead.”
His parents and his uncle were still dead—and all their happy memories were just memories.
“What doesn’t matter?” Bachas asked.
Theo sighed. “Nothing.”
Having fought on the battlefield, he was no stranger to killing and death. But it had been a long time, he knew, since he had allowed himself to feel the personal side of it. Despite all the years of planning for this day, Theo suddenly felt uncertain.
“A whole lot of nothing is keeping you from moving.”
“You were the one who used magic to stop me before.”
“Magic is nothing compared to the power inside your own heart,” Bachas said gruffly. “I might have used magic to stop you before, but there’s nothing keeping you there now. Come on, we’re here to get Elva first, remember?”
“You’re right.” Theo took a deep breath, trying to center himself, angry that he was unable to find peace. Then he began to move forward again, his steps calculated and slow. He held his sword by his side, gradually stepping out of the shadows. Before he could get too far, Bachas climbed down from his back.
The moment he did, Theo heard a quiet gasp.
“Bachas?” The small cry was as hesitant as it was hopeful. Theo momentarily forgot his own inner struggle as it was Bachas’ turn to go still. He watched the hard look on his pixie companion’s face melt into a mixture of shock and overwhelming gratitude.
“Elva!” Bachas ran toward the cottage, and Theo was just about to call out to him when he saw the air ripple with power. The call caught in his throat when he saw a new pixie emerging from the center of the aura.
Elva was just like the image he’d seen before the Bachas’ seeing crystal, Theo realized. She had eyes that shimmered with green and blue speckles, while her skin was a soft blue-gray, close to what Bachas had. She was wearing a simple dress and an apron that seemed very well worn.
Theo watched as the pixies hugged, and while he was happy for the two of them, to have found each other again after so long, he couldn’t help wondering if Rose would welcome him back in such a loving manner. He turned away as the two pixies celebrated together, both of them talking quickly in hushed tones.
Theo glanced back over at the cottage, surprised to see Elva had managed to tear through some of the protective barrier around it. Theo could see the familiar blue aura of fairy blood coming out from the chimney like smoke.
Theo thought of Mary, of how good and beautiful she made the world, just by being a friend. How many other fairies has the world lost to such treachery? Theo wondered sadly.
“It’s awful, isn’t it?” Elva said as she stepped up next to him, with Bachas’ arm tight around her waist. “She’s killed so many using my power.”
Theo glanced down at Elva. He had not seen too many pixies other than Bachas. As Bachas quickly introduced them, her blue-green eyes glisten with tears as she dropped her pointed chin in resignation.
“I’ve come to stop her,” Theo said, “at the request of my grandfather.”
Elva sighed wistfully. “If only you could.”
“Why can’t we?” Bachas asked her, his twig-like fingers tightening around her.
“No human can enter into the cottage,” she said. “Except for her, of course. Even with Everon’s power, she’s still a human.”
“We’re in luck,” Bachas said. “Elva, this is Annalora’s nephew.”
“Oh, my.” Elva gasped and tried to take a step back, as she looked up at Theo in horror. She did not get very far, as Bachas was still holding onto her.
“What’s wrong?” Theo asked. “It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“You have to understand,” Elva said. “My mistress has been around for many years, even before she managed to find me. She has put every last bit of her power into making sure she gets exactly what she wants. She will turn deadly if she feels threatened.”
“I already know she is dangerous,” Theo assured her. “She was the one who recently tried to enchant one of my friends’ relatives.”
“It’s not just her you have to worry about,” Elva whispered fearfully, as her eyes darted to the window.
Theo followed her gaze, able to catch a glimpse of Everon’s dark hair and powerful wings through the wooden shutters. Recalling their intimate greeting, he said, “She works with Everon.”
“Yes.” Elva sighed.
“Tell us,” Bachas implored, surprising Theo with a kind and gentle tone, one he’d never heard his pixie companion use before.
Elva hesitated.
“We’re here to take her back to my grandfather,” Theo told her. “By force, if necessary. She will be arrested for conspiracy against the crown and for her participation in the Magdust trade. Please, help us. We will do all we can to help you get free from her.”
At Bachas’ prodding, Elva finally nodded. “Alright. Annalora is not just conspiring against the crown. She wants it for herself. Well, for herself and Everon. The two of them have been together for almost twenty years. He brings her the fairies—the ones that try to set up a rebellion against his mother, Magdalina, and I ... I have to ... subdue them.”
Theo gave her a sympathetic look, while Bachas began muttering about humans and sorcery all over again.
Before he could stop Bachas, a loud bang! echoed from the cottage.
“Don’t worry,” Elva said. “It’s just part of the spell she uses to spin the Magdust into her thread. She had a good supply before Everon came. I am not sure if he has another shipment of fairies for her or not today. Sometimes he just comes and visits.”
“How terrible for you,” Theo said sympathetically.
“I actually like it when he visits. Annalora does terrible things, but she is not too bad of a mistress. She allows me to have more free time when he comes, which is why I was able to see you today. I was out gathering food.” She jiggled her apron, and for the first time, Theo noticed that Elva had several pockets full of truffles.
“How long does he usually stay?” Theo asked. He thought about the soldiers in the village. His plan had been simple enough, just minutes before. He knew he would need to stop his aunt from finishing the duke’s order. He could take her, along with Elva, to his grandfather, before turning her over to King Stefanos.
Assuming Annalora would testify against Hebert, the duke’s plans would fall through, and his aunt would never participate in the Magdust trade ever again.
It was a plan entirely too neat and tidy for reality, Theo thought bitterly. Now, in addition to a coup from Hebert, he had to deal with his aunt’s attempt to take the crown, and he would finally face Everon.
He nodded to Elva politely. “Excuse me.” Slowly, Theo turned around and headed back toward town.
“What are you doing?” Bachas asked, hurrying after him.
“I need some time,” Theo said. “We have to think of a better plan, or we’re not going to be able to do anything, like Elva said.”
“How long do you need?”
“I don’t know.” Theo glanced back at the cottage again, watching as Everon’s shadow disappeared from the window. Despite everything, some part of him felt glad. At least, Theo thought, Everon did not seem to want to marry Rose as much as Magdalina wanted him to. “But see what you can find out about the cottage and its barriers. I don’t know the specifics, but when we go in, it’ll be a fight, one way or another.”
“I can tell you the specifics if you want,” Bachas said, patting his pocket, where he had placed his seeing crystal.
Theo almost smiled. “I guess I should know that by now.”