Kendra found a shockingly beautiful woman waiting in her cell, dressed in a pale frock. She had ethereal white skin and a luminous face that seemed to have recently reached adulthood. Her silken hair hung long and straight, silver-white. Somehow her physique blended the lines of a fashion model with the athleticism of a track star.

The fairies escorting Kendra guided her forward through the opening into the cell. After the guards stepped back, the wall behind Kendra flowed together like liquid, leaving no seams to hint at a portal. The room lacked corners—the floor sloped into walls, which curved into the ceiling. Soft light radiated from all surfaces of the translucent enclosure.

“You must be Kendra,” the young woman said.

“This is a prison cell?” Kendra asked, running a hand along the smooth wall, which she found somewhat warm to the touch.

“We can’t get out,” the young woman said.

“Will we run out of air?” Kendra asked.

The young woman smiled disarmingly. “You won’t suffocate. The walls allow oxygen to pass.”

“Who are you?” Kendra asked. “Is this some trick of Ronodin’s?”

The young woman raised her delicate eyebrows. “You are wise to expect deception. But I am a fellow captive. Do I not remind you of anyone?”

Only one possibility came to mind. “Are you a unicorn?” She was the same kind of perfect as Bracken.

“I’m related to someone you know,” she said.

“Bracken? Are you his sister?”

“Which one?” the young woman asked.

“The warrior?” Kendra asked.

“Does Bracken speak of me so little that you cannot recall my name?”

“Bracken doesn’t discuss his family much,” Kendra said.

The young woman rolled her eyes and gave an exasperated sigh. “Lizelle. I am the former captain of the guard here at the palace.”

“You used to command the fairies?” Kendra asked.

“The fairy soldiers, up until very recently,” Lizelle said. “Don’t blame them for their behavior. They must heed the crown. Nevertheless, it is especially frustrating to be detained by the same warriors I trained.”

“Where is Bracken?” Kendra asked.

“Were you hoping to see him here?” Lizelle teased.

Kendra felt her face grow hot. “I’m worried about him.”

“My brother put up a fight after Ronodin stole the crown,” Lizelle said. “Bracken managed to rally the astrids, but in the end he was unwilling to harm the fairies under Ronodin’s control, and he was captured. He’s here at the palace, in one of the deepest cells.”

“What about the other unicorns?” Kendra asked.

“Those who agreed to surrender were put out to pasture,” Lizelle said. “They are tucked away in a far corner of the Fairy Realm, what has essentially become a unicorn preserve. The unicorns who resisted were captured and are now prisoners. I’m unsure about the fate of my mother. She has not passed out of this realm, yet none of us can reach her.”

“How did Ronodin get the crown?” Kendra asked.

Lizelle looked at her with concern. “All in good time, Kendra. Why did you come here? That was brave and foolish. Bracken is furious.”

“I heard Ronodin took control,” Kendra said. “I wanted to help.”

“You should have known you could not defeat him head-on,” Lizelle said. “Not here, while he wears the crown.”

“It may have been impulsive,” Kendra said. “I hoped to help Ronodin see reason. The Fairy Queen has done so much for me. And Bracken . . .”

Lizelle grinned. “I’m used to Bracken drawing female attention.”

Kendra wished she could shrink out of sight. “He’s one of my best friends.”

Lizelle nodded knowingly. “You’re not wasting your time. By all signs, the feeling is mutual. But it will be difficult to aid him from this cell.”

“Can you communicate with him?” Kendra asked.

“Only in brief bursts, and with great effort,” Lizelle said. “Ronodin is attempting to shield his cell and mine from outside influences. Thankfully, the dark unicorn’s nature runs contrary to the power of the crown. Despite his sophistication, Ronodin wields it clumsily.”

“Let’s hope he’s not a quick learner,” Kendra said.

“I think there is a ceiling to how far he can progress without yielding to the light,” Lizelle said, “which would require undoing many of his actions.”

“How did you know I was in the Fairy Realm?” Kendra asked.

I sensed many of the conversations between Bracken and the astrids, Lizelle communicated telepathically.

Should we speak mentally? Kendra asked.

“I am shielding our conversation,” Lizelle said. “Ronodin is not adept enough to eavesdrop without my consent.”

“Why would he put me in here with you?” Kendra asked.

“He must want you trained,” Lizelle said.

“You can train me?”

“Have you agreed to help him with something?”

“No,” Kendra said. “I asked for his help. I’m involved in the war against the dragons.”

Lizelle nodded. “Interesting. He must want you to become a more significant obstacle for the dragons. He probably intends to let you go.”

“Do you think so?” Kendra asked.

“I see no other reason to let you consult with one of his greatest enemies,” Lizelle said.

“Will you help me?” Kendra asked.

Lizelle held out a hand. “I can and I will, if you are a true friend to light. Will you let me search your mind?”

Staring at the proffered hand, Kendra hesitated. “How do I know this is safe?”

“Your fairykind status protects your mind from intrusion,” Lizelle said. “You can grant access on whatever conditions you choose. For example, please grant me access on the condition that I am on your side, and only if my observations are to confirm you are an ally as well.”

“And if you’re not an ally?” Kendra asked.

“I won’t be able to see anything,” Lizelle said. “Nobody can force their way into your mind.”

“Then I consent,” Kendra said, taking Lizelle’s hand.

Lizelle closed her eyes, and Kendra did likewise. Soothing feelings began to flow through her. Her body sagged. She wanted to lie down. Kendra was settling into a deeply relaxed state when Lizelle released her hand. The broken contact snapped Kendra back to alertness.

“You are clearly aligned with the light,” Lizelle said. “I am happy to assist an earnest friend of my family.”

“What can you teach me?” Kendra asked.

“I can see you have never been formally instructed regarding the nature and uses of your power,” Lizelle said. “You have learned a fair amount through trial and error. And there is much you do not yet understand.”

“That sounds about right,” Kendra said.

“I now comprehend why you shine so brightly,” Lizelle said. “When Mother made you fairykind, she linked your power to one of our Source wells.”

“I don’t know what that means,” Kendra said.

“What you call magic flows into your world from two primary fountainheads—light magic comes from the Source, dark magic from the Void. Both are portals to other planes of existence. Long ago, unknown forces cut off direct access to the Source. Only a handful of items bonded permanently to the Source provide ongoing access to its power. These items are Source wells. The Fairy Queen’s crown is one. You are bonded to another.”

“Which one?” Kendra asked.

“It is not my place to tell you,” Lizelle said.

“Don’t you draw from the Source?” Kendra asked. “You have light magic. And Bracken does too.”

“All creatures who originate from the Source have their own light, their own magic,” Lizelle said. “It is part of our nature, and, when spent, the power gradually replenishes. But Source wells can restore that power much more quickly and easily.”

“That’s why I can recharge magical items,” Kendra said. “And why Raxtus shines brighter when I touch him.”

“Because of your bond to a Source well, you have essentially become a Source well, like the crown, or the Everbloom.”

“Can I run dry?” Kendra asked.

“Any well can run dry,” Lizelle said. “But it would take extreme circumstances.”

“Can my power help you?” Kendra asked.

“You could refresh me if I were spent,” Lizelle said. “But more importantly, there are ways you could harness that power to help yourself.”

“Why has nobody taught me yet?” Kendra asked.

“Why do we let birds force their own way out of the egg?” Lizelle responded. “Normally these abilities develop over time, to the extent that they should. But in times of extreme need, there can be value in helping them along.”

“What can I do?” Kendra asked.

“You do not perceive the light you emanate,” Lizelle said.

“I’ve heard that before,” Kendra said. “I can’t see it.”

“But you can see in the dark,” Lizelle said.

“Yes,” Kendra replied.

“When you see in the dark, you are seeing by your own light, without perceiving the light itself. I can also see in the dark by my own light, and I can recognize my light, but I could see much farther by your light, if you stood near me.”

“Is there an advantage to me being able to see my light?” Kendra asked.

“It might help you better understand the great power within you,” Lizelle said. “But there would be a higher advantage if you could make your light visible to all, especially to beings of darkness. It could stun and repel them.”

“Like when I had the Fairy Queen’s crown in the Under Realm,” Kendra said. “How can I make my light visible to all?”

“I believe I can teach you,” Lizelle said. “And I can set you on a path to develop other aspects of your gift. Now, you wanted to know how Ronodin gained my mother’s crown.”

“Yes,” Kendra said.

Lizelle considered Kendra for a prolonged moment. “My mother trusted you with her crown, to rescue my brother. And you returned it. You came here despite grave danger in an attempt to help us. I have seen into your mind and have personally recognized that your good intentions are genuine. And so I will share with you a tale known to very few, even in our kingdom. You must promise never to repeat it.”

“I promise,” Kendra said.

“Not with allies,” Lizelle said. “Not with your grandparents or your brother. This is my family’s tale to tell.”

“I understand,” Kendra said.

Lizelle nodded. “Fair enough. I believe my mother and brother would approve. Probably my father too. First I will tell you how Ronodin acquired the crown. And then I will tell you why. After all you have risked and all you have done, you deserve to know.”

“Thanks,” Kendra said.

“I have not mentioned where my father is presently located,” Lizelle said.

“True,” Kendra replied. “Where is he?”

“None of us know, except that he left this realm,” Lizelle said. “But we do know that he let Ronodin into our domain.”

“I heard that,” Kendra said.

Lizelle looked puzzled for a moment. “Oh, Father sent a fairy to you.”

“Can you still see into my mind?” Kendra asked.

“No, but I remember what I saw,” Lizelle said. “I have processed much of it, but not all. That information gives me hope.”

“Why?” Kendra asked.

“Because if Father sent Gwendolyn to you, he was trying to make amends,” Lizelle said. “The same is true of his actions to seal off access to Titan Valley. Perhaps he had reasons other than sabotage for granting Ronodin access to our realm, though it is hard to imagine what they might be.”

“I can’t think of any,” Kendra said.

“Father attempted to warn us,” Lizelle said. “He felt his presence in the Fairy Realm put us all at risk, that he had been tainted by his time in Zzyzx.”

“He told me and Bracken something similar,” Kendra said.

“We heard him without believing him,” Lizelle said. “We thought he was being noble, trying to protect us from having to witness him diminished and recovering. None of us foresaw such a devastatingly treacherous act.”

“Even with access to this realm, how did Ronodin get the crown?” Kendra asked.

“He came through with dragons,” Lizelle said. “The attack force contained some of Celebrant’s best, including Mephisto and Jeruwat. Many fairies and several unicorns perished. At least ten astrids as well. Ronodin stormed the palace like lightning and wrested the crown from Mother before Bracken or I could arrive. Many of our best warriors weren’t present to defend her because they were with us, trying to expel the rest of the demons.”

“Did the demons join Ronodin?” Kendra asked.

Lizelle shook her head. “No, he succeeded where we had failed. The demons departed peaceably after Ronodin took power.”

“They must have owed him a favor,” Kendra said.

“Or else it was part of a larger scheme,” Lizelle said. “It hurt that I was not there to defend Mother. I don’t know exactly how the transfer of power took place. The astrids guarding her were slain. Mother lost the crown to Ronodin without being banished or killed. Beyond that, I can only imagine.”

“I’m sorry,” Kendra said.

Lizelle tightened her jaw. “I have shared how Ronodin took the crown. You will have future dealings with my wayward cousin. He tends to hide his history. It is only right that you should know his past. Take my hand, and I shall endeavor to show you why he took the crown.”

Kendra stepped forward and accepted Lizelle’s hand . . .