ã€ŠCrystal Magicã€‹


 Borderlands

    When starships leapt into the atmosphere, they almost looked like shooting stars. With a flash of light, they would appear in the night sky overhead. Then with faint trails of stardust in their wake, they would continue to the spaceport, often flying right over the city of Hoffman.

    ¡°Make a wish.¡±

    Sorrel could hear her father¡¯s voice as clearly as she could see the stars above her, even though it had been over ten years since his death. If she just looked at the sky, she could imagine that she was seven years old again and sitting by her father on the slanted roof outside of her parents¡¯ bedroom. He¡¯d point out the constellations to her, and tell her the stories behind the stars.

    Sometimes they would be stories of grand knights who ventured to defeat an evil witch in a castle, of a princess who ran away with a pirate, of a queen who lived in a castle made of ice. Other times, they would be stories about spacer trading routes and those who¡¯d ventured beyond the borders of the Society of Worlds to undiscovered planets. Or they¡¯d be more mundane explanations of the gases and chemical reactions that made the light seen beyond space and time.

    Sorrel preferred the fairytales or the spacers¡¯ tales.

    She found her hand drifting toward the bronze compact in her pocket, cold from the winter air even in the flannel-lined pocket of her winter jacket. The engraved letters of V. M. were intimately familiar to her, as was the little heart beneath it. She knew that if she took it out, she would see the cracked glass, and the little ticking hands of the clock. In fact, even now she could feel the ticking like a heartbeat beneath her fingertips.

    But she did not take it out now. Instead she sighed and continued scavenging the broken ship at the top of the heap for parts, adding the parts that weren¡¯t completely cracked or decayed from exposure to the elements to the large burlap bag slung across her upper body and over her shoulder.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s about the last of what we can expect from this one.¡± Across from her, on the other side of the open side-panel of the fallen starship, her sister wiped her hands on her stained coveralls. ¡°This one¡¯s pretty old. Vintage parts can go a pretty crown or two¡ªbut the problem is they¡¯re so worn down, we¡¯ll be lucky if even half of what we found will actually function once they¡¯re cleaned up.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then we return the rest for scrap, as usual.¡± Sorrel shrugged.

    Next to the open panel into the innards of the ship, she could start to see the faded purple paint of letters on the side. Eternity, the ship had once been called. The irony wasn¡¯t exactly lost on her.

    ¡°What kind of ship do you think this was?¡± Sorrel brushed her hand over what remained of the ship¡¯s name. ¡°Maybe this belonged to pirates who were headed for the edge of the system¡ªor it could have been a merchant ship, that belonged to a traveling family who brought in goods from the Inner Worlds?¡±

    Gwynn hummed noncommittally and tucked a black curl behind her pale ear. ¡°This is a Rosebrier AT-426 model. A smaller, cheaper cargo freighter, but fairly sturdy. The name suggests it wasn¡¯t owned by one of the larger companies.¡±

    She looked up at Sorrel, meeting her matching eyes¡ªone of the few things the twins had in common, both in appearance and otherwise. She smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯d say your guess about a smaller, independent merchant is likely. Maybe it was a family heirloom, passed on through the ages before it wrecked here.¡±

    She looked back down at the worn metal, her smile deflating. ¡°It feels like everything from space wrecks and dies here.¡±

    Sorrel knew she wasn¡¯t just talking about the ship. She placed her hand over Gwynn¡¯s and didn¡¯t say anything. She didn¡¯t need to.

    For a moment, they sat there under the stars as their shared sorrow passed over them like a shadow. Ten years had crept along like a small eternity and passed like the blink of an eye. They both had been little girls, still, when their father died. At nineteen, would the twins be unrecognizable to him?

    It was a question that kept Sorrel awake at night, with no idea as to how to answer it.

    Gwynn was the first to withdraw her hand and stand up. ¡°I suppose Maman will be waiting for us. We¡¯d better take this back home, and we can clean up and sort through the parts tomorrow morning.¡±

    Sorrel bit her lip and rose to join her. The winter wind picked up, gently blowing strands of her dark red hair free from her loose braid. Snowflakes danced in their airborne waltz, to a tune inaudible to humanity. She paused and turned to look up at the stars one last time. They were so much more visible out here in the junkyards, than back home at the bed-and-breakfast in the center of town.

    She blinked¡ªonce, twice.

    The bright light of a ship flashed into act atmosphere. But it did not dim and glide gracefully to the spaceport.

    No, it was growing brighter, and larger, and was it coming closer¡ª

    ¡°That is not a controlled descent,¡± Gwynn muttered, shielding her eyes from the light.

    Sorrel¡¯s own eyes widened and she grabbed Gwynn¡¯s arm. ¡°And it¡¯s headed straight for us! Come on!¡±

    She glanced around before locating one of the grimy orange safety pads scattered around the piles. She didn¡¯t particularly like the idea of jumping onto one of them. But she liked the idea of being crushed and burned by a falling spacecraft even less.

    She and Gwynn exchanged a glance. Sorrel let go of Gwynn¡¯s arm long enough for both of them to ditch the bags of scrap, tossing them to the dirt at the bottom of the heap. They took each other¡¯s hand and leapt.

    KA-BOOM.

    It was as they crashed onto the landing pad that the shockwave of impact rang out. Sorrel scrambled to her feet and turned to see a sleek silver capsule where they¡¯d once stood on the top of the heap.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s convenient,¡± Gwynn muttered as she rose next to Sorrel. ¡°Looks stable where it is.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯d better check it out.¡± Sorrel started climbing up the heap.

    ¡°Maybe we should call the paramedics¡ªwho knows if the pile is going to hold?¡± Gwynn lingered on the ground, craning her neck up at Sorrel.

    ¡°But what if someone needs us now?¡± Sorrel turned her head as she continued her climb. They¡¯d been scavenging from the Eternity for the last month. She knew the ascent as well as she knew the grooves of her father¡¯s initials and hte little heart on her compass. ¡°We can¡¯t leave someone in trouble.¡±

    Gwynn sighed. ¡°No, we can¡¯t.¡±

    She then joined Sorrel, quickly catching up in the climb back to the top of the scrap heap and the flat side of the Eternity.

    By the time they¡¯d gotten to the top, the silver capsule had cooled considerably. No heat radiated off of it. But still, Sorrel and Gwynn donned their thick work gloves as they approached and Gwynn drew her small metal toolkit from a pouch on her belt.

    ¡°It¡¯s an older style,¡± Gwynn declared, tilting her head as she examined it. ¡°You can see from the bolt shape, that¡¯s from¡ªwait. . .¡±

    She froze in place, her lips still parted. Then she shook her head. ¡°That can¡¯t be right.¡±

    Sorrel frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Gwynn ignored her, crouching down to examine a line of bolts and rivets. ¡°Look at the shape, it¡¯s octagonal, not hexagonal. And it¡¯s got a symbol of a maker that was in business back before the Society of Worlds formed.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Sorrel blinked rapidly. ¡°But that would mean it¡¯s over five-hundred years old.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right, but also. . .¡± Gwynn trailed off, biting her lip. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like this.¡±

    ¡°We should get it open, I think if anyone inside was alright by now, they¡¯d have gotten out.¡± Sorrel stood and looked for a door.

    A very thin line in a vaguely rectangular shape was off to the side, just barely accessible. A degree or more turned, and Sorrel wouldn¡¯t have been able to open it at all because the door would have been partially or completely blocked. There was a black handle right above a viewing port. Sorrel glanced inside, but could only see a very faint glow inside, something white, but she wasn¡¯t sure.

    She tried the handle. To her surprise, the door swung open easily, requiring no extra force than opening the door to her house.

    Inside, lying crumpled between the edge of a seat and the cold metal floor was a boy, who looked to be around her age. He wore a longer dark-blue jacket made of a fine material and a slender golden chain from around his throat with a matching azure stone that glowed. He had a boyish face with freckles like galaxies swirling on his cheeks, but it was somewhat marred by a collection of scars like a spider¡¯s web around his right eye.

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    However, what was most peculiar was the boy¡¯s hair¡ªit was as white as the snow falling around them, and glowing.

    By this point, Gwynn had abandoned her investigation of the capsule to see who or what was inside the capsule¡ªand she gasped.

    ¡°I don¡¯t recognize¡ªI don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone from any of the other worlds in the Society that look like that.¡± Gwynn spoke the words that were on Sorrel¡¯s mind. It was funny, how they had a way of doing that.

    ¡°Is¡ªis he alive?¡± Sorrel reached out to touch his arm.

    His eyelids fluttered and he groaned, but he otherwise did not move.

    Sorrel and Gwynn exchanged a look. With her sister¡¯s help, Sorrel gently moved the boy to see red, stark against the boy¡¯s glowing white hair. The smell of iron filled the air.

    ¡°He¡¯s injured, we should take him to the hospital.¡± Gwynn looked up at Sorrel. ¡°I think we should¡ª¡°

    She was interrupted by a roar like thunder.

    Sorrel looked up. More ships had jumped into the atmosphere. Some were the smaller, standard size Sorrel had come to expect¡ªbut they were all around one massive ship, blocking out the crystalline moon. Even from a distance, Sorrel could recognize the draconic silhouette of an Annwynese warship.

    She¡¯d only seen them on news broadcasts. Most of the Annwynese ships that came to Perrault were merchant ships, here to take advantage of their location as a Border World between the Society of Worlds and the Undiscovered Worlds who refused to join them.

    Never had she imagined that they would be here.

    ¡°We¡¯ve gotta get out of here.¡± Sorrel looked to Gwynn. ¡°And I don¡¯t think we want to take him to a hospital.¡±

    Gwynn¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You mean you think all of that is here for him? Maybe we shouldn¡¯t. . .¡±

    ¡°Look at him, he has to be around our age.¡± Sorrel grabbed one of his arms. ¡°How much trouble can he be? And we¡¯ve seen the newscasts¡ªthe Annwynese are a bunch of bullies, attacking other, smaller worlds every other day it seems.¡±

    Gwynn was quiet for a moment. Then she nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right, we can¡¯t leave him. Where¡¯s the hoverboard?¡±

    ¡°Hang on a sec.¡± Sorrel pulled the remote out of her pocket and hit a button, calling the old hoverboard to the top of the heap. It hadn¡¯t been far, waiting faithfully at the bottom of the pile. ¡°We¡¯ll grab our bags, then we¡¯ll get the hell out of dodge.¡±

    Gwynn nodded, and the girls pulled on the stranger in sync, and managed to lift his unconscious body onto the board. Gwynn and Sorrel climbed on, with Sorrel grabbing the paddle off of the side of the board.

    She looked one last time at the stars and the ships blocking them out. How long had she wished for her life to change?

    Well, she¡¯d finally gotten what she¡¯d wished for all her life. She could only hope that she wouldn¡¯t regret it.

    <hr>

    Never had Sorrel flown so fast on her hoverboard. The wind whistled around them as they raced through the city. Never had she seen the streets of Hoffman so empty, either. The few people and vehicles that were out and about were doing the same as Sorrel and Gwynn¡ªhurrying to the safety of home.

    As they turned onto the street where the Marchand Bed and Breakfast stood, the green street lamps turned red.

    ¡°This is an emergency announcement from your Governor.¡±A cool, detached female voice emanated from the speaker boxes just under the lanterns. ¡°Please return to all dwellings at once. Curfew begins in fifteen minutes.¡±

    ¡°Curfew?¡± Sorrel couldn¡¯t help her frown. ¡°Since when have we had one of those?¡±

    ¡°Since now, I guess.¡± Gwynn set the unconscious boy aside on the board and got on her knees to reach out for the lamp-post in front of the bed-and-breakfast, pulling them to a stop.

    Sorrel leapt off. The snow half-frozen to the cobblestone sidewalks crunched beneath her boots. She turned back to the board and grabbed both bags. ¡°I¡¯ll take the scrap into the back shed, you take him upstairs.¡±

    Gwynn¡¯s pale face turned pink. ¡°What, do you mean in our room?¡±

    ¡°Look, if the Empire of Annwyn is looking for him, then the less our patrons know about him, the better.¡± Sorrel looked skyward again. The Annwynese ships were omnipresent, visible from nearly everywhere in the city. ¡°There¡¯s nowhere else for him to go.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯ll take him in through the back door.¡± Gwynn took the edge of the hoverboard and started pulling it around to the kitchen-side door. ¡°See you in a few.¡±

    Sorrel couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°See you in a few.¡±

    <hr>

    It didn¡¯t take long to take the scrap the shed in the small garden behind the bed-and-breakfast. Once she¡¯d locked the bags away for future sorting, she headed for the back door, in through the laundry room.

    Only the glow of the circular doors of the washing-and-drying machines lit the hallway, with industrial-sized hampers pushed neatly in-between the units to clear the walkway. At the end of the hallway were two doors¡ªone leading to a spiral staircase up to the second floor of the owners¡¯ quarters. The other went into the kitchen, and then out to the parlor where the patrons would no-doubt be waiting.

    ¡°Sorrel! Can you come help serve the last round?¡±

    Sorrel froze, captured by the warm light coming through the kitchen doorway. ¡°Coming, Maman!¡±

    She rushed into the kitchen to have a tray of mugs smelling of warm spices thrust into her hands.

    ¡°This is the last call, I promise, then we¡¯re closing down the parlor for curfew.¡± Her mother stopped, pushing a black lock of hair behind her ear, the spitting image of Gwynn. Indeed, if it weren¡¯t for her delicate blue eyes, perhaps Gwynn and Celine would be the ones accused of being twins. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to push this on you when you were just out, but¡ª¡°

    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Sorrel forced the cheeriest smile that she could manage. ¡°I take it you heard about the curfew and the ships, then?¡±

    ¡°Hard not to, given the announcement from the Governor and whatnot.¡± Celine turned to a mountain of used cups, silverware, and dishes. ¡°But we can discuss that later¡ªthe patrons are upset enough as is, they really could use the pick-me-up of the free warm drinks¡ª¡°

    Ah. So that was what this was about.

    ¡°On it, Maman.¡± Sorrel headed out the other side, into the large parlor and the main entrance to the bed-and-breakfast.

    By the kitchen door was the front desk, a mammoth slab of finely-carved pine, native to the reserves of Perrault with a tapestry hanging behind it. Behind the desk and curving over the high ceiling of the parlor was the stairway into the guest section of the house. From the rafters were red and violet silk banners draped as an attempt at decoration.

    At the farthest end was the elaborate stone fireplace. Well, it had been a fireplace once, before Celine had replaced it with a more modern heater model and had installed a new-at-the-time holo screen into the mantle.

    Around the fireplace were scattered small tables, armchairs, and sofas with knitted blankets tossed over it at a further attempt of decoration, the needlepointed pillows often thrown to the wayside by the patrons. Rugs from the secondhand market littered the floor, all of it creating an illusion of home away from home.

    There weren¡¯t many patrons tonight, and all were gathered around the screen. There was mainly one type of guest at the Marchand Bed and Breakfast these days anyway: the same sort of washed-up spacer who was just stopping by until their next flight out. Usually they were working cargo for the merchants, loading and unloading wares for the next stop in the trade chain.

    They were the gruff, lonesome sorts. But beggars couldn¡¯t be choosers, Sorrel supposed.

    Gwynn was already out and had managed to ditch her coveralls, heavy jacket, and work-gloves for the dress she¡¯d worn underneath. She was passing out drinks without a single word, slipping between the chairs as quickly and silently as a shadow.

    Sorrel did a quick scan, and started setting code mugs at the tables next to patrons who didn¡¯t have mugs¡ªor theirs were already empty, discarded.

    One of the older regulars, a Mr. Teach, glanced up at Sorrel disdainfully as she set the mug at the table by his elbow.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t take the time to change out of those greasy rags, eh?¡±

    Sorrel bit her lip. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re dressed much better.

    He rolled his eyes and raised the mug to his lips. He stopped, frowning a the holo screen. ¡°Seen the news, have you? Apparently Annwyn¡¯s hanging over our skies. Lady on the holos thinks they¡¯re invading.¡±

    ¡°Our skies?¡± Sorrel couldn¡¯t help herself. ¡°Last I checked, you¡¯re from Malcif, Mr. Teach.¡±

    He glared up at her. ¡°It¡¯s about to become our skies for a while, girl. The Governor¡¯s got an embargo on ships leaving, too. Something about trying not to aggravate the Annwynese. No one¡¯s coming in or out until they get what they want, and stars knows what that is.¡±

    Sorrel thought of the boy upstairs.

    ¡°Tell the madame that the drinks are fine, as usual,¡± Mr. Teach continued. ¡°Think I could get another?¡±

    Sorrel shook her head. ¡°Last round, then it¡¯s curfew for all of us.¡±

    He raised his eyebrows. ¡°Curfew is for outside, though, ain¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an order from ¡®the madame,¡¯ as you put it,¡± Sorrel shot back as she set a mug down next to another patron.

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    Sorrel continued around the room, taking the time to pick up any discarded or empty mugs and to place them on her tray. All the while, the newscast kept going. A perky young Lemurian woman with blue-green hair and iridescent markings like scales around her deep blue eyes continued on with a dissonant cheer for the subject matter, with a background showing the Annwynese warships in the atmosphere and several languages beyond just Ondrinan scrolling on a bar under her.

    ¡°Governor Rhodopis has told all citizens of Perrault to stay indoors, especially the people of Hoffman, as the fleet is positioned over the city.¡±

    Sorrel stopped and looked to the screen as Gwynn joined her side. ¡°I hadn¡¯t realized we¡¯d made solar news.¡±

    ¡°I mean, Annwyn and their empire are one of our greatest trade partners outside of the Society of Worlds,¡± Gwynn pointed out. ¡°How could it not?¡±

    An image of the Governor, an older gentleman in a white coat, appeared on the holoscreen in a little box next to the Lemurian reporter¡¯s head.

    ¡°I ask that all citizens of Perrault stay calm, and all operations are halted in the state of emergency until we can get this resolved,¡± the Governor said. ¡°Be assured, our best negotiators are in communication with the diplomats from Annwyn. We will remain a part of the Society of Worlds and we will get through this.¡±

    As the Governor finished speaking, the screen went black. The patrons started yelling, only for a quiet voice to cut through it all, like the deafening silence of snowfall.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s enough of that.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s head turned to see Celine standing in the doorway of the kitchen, the remote in her hand.

    ¡°They¡¯ve said all they¡¯re going to say about that.¡± Celine straightened, looking as austere as was required of an innkeeper. ¡°Off to bed, all of you.¡±

    She glanced out the window at the red city lights and the falling snow. ¡°Might as well get some sleep. Only the stars know what¡¯s to come in the next days.¡±

    There was a dull roar of grumbling among the patrons as they abandoned their soft chairs, reluctantly heading up the main staircase for their rooms. It was only once the last stragglers were gone that Celine turned to her daughters.

    ¡°If you wouldn¡¯t mind locking up the doors and shutting the curtains, we can then go and check on what you brought upstairs,¡¯ Celine said.

    ¡°You told her already?¡± Sorrel turned to Gwynn.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t have to¡ªshe carried him through the kitchen, remember?¡± Celine pulled her key-ring off of her belt and handed it to Sorrel. ¡°You did the right thing, by the way.¡±

    Sorrel nodded, not knowing what else to say.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be in the upstairs kitchen if you need me.¡± With that, Celine headed back through the kitchen door.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Sorrel and Gwynn to finish locking up and securing the bed-and-breakfast. It was routine after all. Completely mundane¡ªeven daresay boring. Still, Sorrel was looking forward to getting rid of the coveralls and her work jacket, getting something to eat¡ªand to check in on their mysterious new guest.

 Valiants Lament

    The Marchand sisters shared a room on the second floor overlooking the main street. A large window seat was built into the wall, almost as long as a bed. This was where Sorrel found the boy, still unconscious when she and Gwynn entered their room.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know where else to put him.¡± Gwynn removed her boots by the door. ¡°He only had the one cut. I think he fell off of one of the seats in the capsule and hit his head on impact.¡±

    ¡°Is he going to be okay?¡± Sorrel kicked off her boots and removed her coveralls. There was a relief to just wearing her camisole and shorts. There was no more grime from the junkyard, no more bundling up to fight against the winter cold¡ªjust comfort.

    ¡°I hope so.¡± Gwynn bit her lip. ¡°He¡¯s been out a little longer than I thought he¡¯d be.¡±

    Right on cue, the boy stirred.

    ¡°Oh!¡± Sorrel dashed over to where he lay on the window seat, a strip of gauze taped at the back of his head.

    He blinked up at her with indigo blue eyes. ¡°Where¡ªwhere am I?¡±

    Sorrel glanced over her shoulder. Gwynn had joined her like her own shadow, silently and without asking. ¡°You¡¯re safe now, you weren¡¯t awake at the crash site.¡±

    ¡°Crash?¡± He sat up quickly, only to wince and slowly recline. ¡°Ow.¡±

    ¡°Are you hurt anywhere else?¡± Gwynn asked.

    ¡°Just my head, I think.¡± He propped himself up on his elbows¡ªa happy medium, Sorrel supposed. He looked to the sisters again. ¡°I crashed?¡±

    Gwynn and Sorrel shared a glance.

    ¡°It makes sense you wouldn¡¯t remember, you hit your head pretty hard,¡± Sorrel said. ¡°But yeah¡ªyou ejected your escape capsule and it landed right in the middle of the junkyard where we were working. You were lucky you didn¡¯t crash into the middle of a street or something.¡±

    ¡°Oh, did I? Sorry.¡± His cheeks turned pink. ¡°I think I remember now. . . Where is my ship?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± Sorrel said. ¡°But when we saw Annwynese war ships show up in the atmosphere, we thought it was better to get you out of there. So we took you home, where we can come up with a better plan.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®we¡¯ here.¡± His voice was gentle but firm, and he sat up all the way, swinging his legs down to the floor. He gripped the side of the bench, bracing himself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you¡¯ve all gotten mixed up in this, but this isn¡¯t your fight. They¡¯re here for me. I just need to get off this world, and they¡¯ll leave everyone alone¡ª¡°

    ¡°No can do,¡± Sorrel interrupted. She folded her arms, moving to stand in front of him. ¡°The Annwynese formed a blockade and the Governor¡¯s banned anyone from trying to enter or leave until they get what they want.¡±

    ¡°That. . . makes things more tricky.¡± The boy looked at her. ¡°Where are we, again?¡±

    ¡°Oh, right, never mentioned the world!¡° Sorrel smacked her forehead. ¡°You¡¯re on Perrault, in Hoffman¡ªif you¡¯re familiar with Perrault?¡±

    ¡°Vaguely.¡± He nodded. ¡°Who are you? I want to thank you. Even if I¡¯d rather others weren¡¯t involved, you did save my life.¡±

    ¡°Sorrel and Gwynn Marchand.¡± Sorrel gestured at her sister. ¡°You¡¯re in our family¡¯s bed-and-breakfast. We smuggled you in, though, so no one knows you¡¯re here. Well, except for our mother.¡±

    ¡°You¡ªMarchand?¡± He tilted his head. ¡°I recognize the name.¡±

    ¡°I guess it would be hard not to.¡± Sorrel shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s lots of us on Perrault.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re one of the oldest families who¡¯ve lived here,¡± Gwynn said. ¡°We have a lot of cousins. Maybe you¡¯ve met one of them before?¡±

    ¡°Not me personally, but my father. . .¡± he trailed off, looking at Sorrel like an animal caught in the headlights of a land speeder. ¡°I mean, thank you.¡±

    The room drifted into silence. It felt like a small eternity before Sorrel finally spoke. ¡°Well?¡±

    The boy frowned at her. ¡°Well, what?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t just call you ¡®hey, you.¡¯¡± Sorrel gestured between herself and Gwynn. ¡°We have to call you something. Thought it might as well be your choice.¡±

    She placed a finger on her chin and tilted her head. ¡°Although, I could come up with a nickname, if you prefer. There¡¯s Starboy, Asteroid, the Traveler¡ª¡°

    ¡°Coppelius.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Sorrel hadn¡¯t heard it in her determination to come up with more nicknames, and his quiet tone.

    He paused, looking as if he were thinking better of it. Still, he met her eyes. ¡°You can call me Coppelius.¡±

    He stood up. ¡°Again, I thank you both for your kindness, but I can¡¯t stay. I have to leave.¡±

    ¡°But you can¡¯t, the Governor¡¯s declared a state of emergency.¡± Sorrel didn¡¯t move. ¡°There¡¯s a curfew and the constables are out¡ªthey¡¯ll catch you, and if they know that Annwyn is looking for you, they¡¯ll turn you in to keep the peace.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a risk I have to take.¡± Coppelius took a step forward, only to plunge forward.

    Sorrel caught him by the shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re going anywhere, at the moment.¡±

    He braced himself on her arms, returning to an unsteady standing position. He opened his mouth as if he were going to argue, only to stop as his eyes met hers. She found herself breathless.

    ¡°I guess not,¡± he admitted with a sigh.

    Sorrel gently pushed him back down into the window seat and sat next to him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll help you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what we do.¡± Gwynn managed a smile. ¡°Speaking of which, Maman¡¯s probably done with dinner already. Might as well get out there before she calls us.¡±

    ¡°Then she can think we¡¯re psychic,¡± Sorrel joked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be the first time.¡±

    Coppelius laughed, but there was an uneasiness to it.

    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll help you.¡± Sorrel took his hand, and pulled him to his feet, more quickly than she¡¯d planned.

    He almost tumbled into her again, but he managed to steady himself. Still, Sorrel found her cheeks heating up at their proximity.

    ¡°Sorry!¡± Sorrel backed away, keeping her hand in his. ¡°Is that better?¡±

    ¡°Uh. . . yeah, thank you.¡± His face had turned red, but he couldn¡¯t seem to take his eyes off of Sorrel.

    They managed to get out to the little living room that functioned similarly as the Marchand family¡¯s dining room. It was an open area with the kitchen, the only door being over the stairwell to keep out any of the guests. Sorrel was grateful they were entitled to at least that bit of privacy.

    Coppelius was not nearly so unsteady on his feet by the time they made it to the living room, but he held onto her hand like it was a lifeline nonetheless.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯re hungry.¡± Celine smiled warmly as she set the large tray down on the low table in front of the well-worn sofa. ¡°I take it you¡¯re a long way from home?¡±

    Coppelius nodded. There was something wary in his eyes, and he let go of Sorrel¡¯s hand. Not that she minded for long.

    ¡°You saved some cider for us too?¡± She cried as she accepted a mug with a delicate pattern of red and white roses.

    ¡°Of course I did.¡± Celine smiled. ¡°You were out in the cold looking for those parts, after all.¡±

    ¡°Looking for parts. . .¡± Coppelius turned to Sorrel. ¡°So you don¡¯t just run this. . .bed and breakfast, you said earlier?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, I¡¯m afraid that doesn¡¯t quite pay all the bills, as much as we¡¯d like them to.¡± Celine took her favorite armchair, with the needlepoint pillow with an elaborate heart set upon it.

    Celine picked at the fruit basket on the tray. For a moment, her cheerful, warm expression faltered to one that Sorrel knew all to well. The grim, gray exhaustion that had set in after her father¡¯s death.

    ¡°We scavenge the wrecks of old ships at Madame Abelard¡¯s junkyard for the parts that are salvageable and are either still in good condition or can be restored,¡± Gwynn elaborated. ¡°Madame Abelard cuts us a share of the profits.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a little too old to be climbing around in the wrecks of old starships, so we¡¯re happy to help her,¡± Sorrel added. ¡°If everyone pitches in, everyone wins.¡±

    Coppelius smiled, but there was something nostalgic¡ªa little sorrowful, even¡ªto it. ¡°I grew up somewhere very similar. I¡¯m glad there are still places like that out there.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not really everyone, Hoffman isn¡¯t the village it once was, you know.¡± Sorrel paused to take a sip of her cider. ¡°But there are enough of us who look out for each other, who aren¡¯t just merchants and spacers passing by.¡±

    The room drifted into a comfortable silence of good food and kind company. Between the warm cider, the fresh strawberries imported from one of the warmer Inner Worlds, and the hearty cassoulets, it was a feast on the Marchand family¡¯s table.

    ¡°So what¡¯s got the Empire of Annwyn on your tail?¡± Sorrel finally asked, setting down her fork. ¡°I mean, you must¡¯ve done something to have all those warships looking for just you.¡±

    Coppelius went silent, looking into the depths of his cider. ¡°It¡¯s better for your safety if you don¡¯t know.¡±

    He looked up quickly to Sorrel, and something softened in his gaze. ¡°I wish I could. I really do. But you¡¯re risking your lives enough by helping me as is.¡±

    ¡°We could help you more, if we knew what was wrong.¡± Celine leaned forward, her elbows on her knees and her chin balanced on her folded hands. ¡°I can see you have an honest face, and everyone knows that Annwyn isn¡¯t exactly an upstanding operation. I have no reason to think that you did anything wrong to end up on their wrong side.¡±

    ¡°I¡ªthank you.¡± Coppelius looked smaller beside Sorrel. There was something about him that looked lost, uncertain, even scared. ¡°I really am sorry.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±

    Sorrel turned her head, surprised to see that it was Gwynn who had spoken. Indeed, Gwynn was staring him down with those dark brown eyes they shared, the same intense, warm eyes as their father¡¯s.

    ¡°You have your reasons,¡± Gwynn continued, standing up. ¡°We said we¡¯d help you, though, and we will.¡±

    ¡°You should at least stay tonight, while the curfew is in place.¡± Sorrel turned back to Coppelius and took his hand. ¡°You won¡¯t get anywhere without the constables finding you. And besides, you¡¯re injured.¡±

    Coppelius smiled at that. ¡°But I am recovering quickly.¡± Still, he sobered. ¡°I¡¯ll stay, though, if you have the room.¡±

    ¡°Luckily, we¡¯re a bed and breakfast.¡± Celine also stood and took the tray. ¡°If there¡¯s anything we have enough of, it¡¯s room.¡±

    ¡°You can stay in our room.¡± Gwynn placed her mug in the sink and soaked it in water. ¡°The window seat should be plenty of room, yes?¡±

    ¡°I should think so.¡± Coppelius bit his lip.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead and change,¡± Gwynn continued, as she headed toward the hallway. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when you¡¯re done.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯ll get some of my husband¡¯s old clothes.¡± Celine paused in front of the sink. ¡°They might be a bit roomy, but they should do for the night.¡±

    With that, she hurried off out of the common room, leaving Sorrel and Coppelius alone.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he murmured, staring at how Sorrel had intertwined their hands so casually.

    Even she was surprised at how easily contact with this boy came to her, yet how her heart raced when she did.

    ¡°Of course,¡± she answered. ¡°You¡¯re safe here, like I said.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± His voice cracked, and he turned away. But not before Sorrel caught the glimmer of a single tear down his cheek like crystallized starlight.

    ¡°Here, we¡¯ve even shut the blinds, so no one should see you in here.¡± Sorrel turned the mechanical blinds to the closed setting as Gwynn set the last spare pillows and blankets on the padded window seat. ¡°Will this be comfortable enough?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve stayed in far worse.¡± Coppelius paused, turning pink. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s more than enough. I¡¯m indebted to you. Truly.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯d do it for anyone.¡± Gwynn shrugged. She stepped back, drawing her silk robe more tightly around herself. ¡°I¡¯ve just got some mending to do, then I¡¯ll turn my desk light off.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯m not sure how much I could sleep anyway.¡± Coppelius sighed, tugging at the loose shirt that had once belonged to the girls¡¯ father. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m going to get my ship back. The Annwynese army was forcefully boarding¡ªthat¡¯s why I had to eject. So they probably have it in the holding bay of one of the bigger war ships in the fleet.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll help you,¡± Sorrel promised, taking his hand. ¡°After all, Gwynn is one of the best mechanics in the entire galaxy.¡±

    ¡°Oh, are you?¡± Coppelius turned to where Gwynn now sat on her bed, the basket of items to mend beside her on her cot.

    ¡°I just like fixing things.¡± Gwynn smiled shyly. ¡°Whether that be the pants Sorrel ripped climbing the scrap heap, or the heating unit in the parlor.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re selling yourself short,¡± Sorrel laughed. ¡°You actually made a hoverbike out of parts from Madame Abelard¡¯s junkyard that year I wanted to fly in the Stardust Arena races. Flew like a dream, too.¡±

    Sorrel shook her head and smiled at the memory.

    Coppelius grinned. ¡°So you¡¯re a pilot, then?¡±

    Sorrel¡¯s smile faltered, and she crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°Not exactly. I would if I could.¡±

    ¡°But you were in one of the Stardust Arena tournaments?¡± He sat down on the window seat. ¡°Those are famous!¡±

    ¡°One of the few reasons people come to this nowhere-world,¡± Sorrel agreed as she sat down next to him. ¡°But I only made sixth place. Not really enough to move forward. And it¡¯s not like we could try again, because the dishwasher broke and we needed to get some money, fast, so we sold the hoverbike.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± The smile faded off of Coppelius¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡±

    Sorrel shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s just how things are.¡±

    She turned her head to look at him. ¡°But you¡¯re definitely a pilot. What¡¯s it like, in space?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to put it into words.¡± Coppelius tilted his head, his expression contemplative. ¡°I¡¯ve been traveling for so long among the stars, I wouldn¡¯t know how to compare it to anywhere or anything.¡±

    ¡°You say that like you aren¡¯t our age.¡± Sorrel gently poked his shoulder. ¡°Old soul.¡±

    ¡°If only you knew,¡± he said with a wistful smile. ¡°But you would be a pilot, if you could?¡±

    ¡°Of course I would.¡± Sorrel reached to the open shelf underneath the window seat and removed a bulky black box.

    She flipped up the sliding lock to see a dark green glowing screen. She placed her finger to it. The box vibrated, and with a high-pitched chirp that perhaps was better described as a shriek, it opened.

    ¡°My father left all this to me when he died,¡± she explained as she removed star-maps and starship schematics. ¡°This was all that was left of his spacer days. He was from one of the other rural Outer Worlds, Pastoria, but he always wanted to be among the stars.¡±

    She removed almanacs and travel guides to other planets and took out his pilot¡¯s license and military discharge papers. ¡°He joined up with the Society of Worlds¡¯ fleet for a while, as one of their peacekeepers.¡±

    Coppelius nodded, his indigo blue eyes intent on her. The way he looked at her, Sorrel felt as if he were truly seeing her, truly listening in a way she only really felt around her sister before.

    ¡°It was on a routine stop to Perrault that he met our mother.¡± She removed perhaps the most precious thing she owned. It was a silk flight scarf, red as roses and still smelling faintly of the cologne her mother had liked the most. ¡°The way they told it, it was love at first sight, and he said he couldn¡¯t leave.¡±

    She placed the scarf and the items back in the box. ¡°He left the army and married my mother. Her family didn¡¯t like it, as far as they were concerned, he was a space pirate. Army history or no.¡±

    Coppelius paused, his voice dropping to a murmur. ¡°What happened to him?¡±

    ¡°Starsickness.¡± Sorrel punctuated the curt word with the click of closing the box. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of it.¡±

    ¡°I have.¡± Coppelius was staring at the far corner of the room, only to shake his head slightly and return his gaze to Sorrel. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that. It¡¯s one of the worst fates of a spacer.¡±

    ¡°The oddest thing was that he hadn¡¯t been to space in years, by the time it caught up to him.¡± Sorrel tucked the box away. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter¡ªI always wanted to be like him. But not as a starfighter¡ªas an explorer, or an adventurer. He always wanted to do those things too, but he never had the opportunity,¡±

    ¡°You will,¡± Coppelius said, his voice surprisingly grave. There was a knowing glimmer in his eye. ¡°You¡¯re going to do great things, Sorrel Marchand. You have the stars in your eyes.¡±

    Sorrel felt heat rise into her cheeks. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, but you¡¯re very kind.¡±

    She stood up quickly, and turned to face him. ¡°We should probably try to get some sleep. We don¡¯t know what tomorrow will bring, but we¡¯ll help you get away from the Empire of Annwyn.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± Coppelius met her eyes.

    ¡°I want to.¡± Sorrel glanced at Gwynn, who folded the last shirt into the basket. ¡°You¡¯re just going to have to accept that.¡±

    ¡°I guess I will.¡± A faint smile played at the corners of Coppelius¡¯s mouth. ¡°Sleep well, Sorrel.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, you too.¡± Sorrel turned her head quickly before he could catch more of her red face.

    Luckily, right on cue Gwynn turned out the light, plunging the room into darkness. Sorrel flopped onto her bed, diving in between the warm quilts. In some ways, it was impossible to even try to sleep with all the excitement around her.

    The mysterious stranger, the fleet in the atmosphere, the promise of adventure.

    Still, as her head hit the pillow, she found herself plunged into a world of dreams.

 Tin Soldiers

    The sun aimed true through the mechanical blinds, aided by the snow, right into Sorrel¡¯s face. She squinted and rolled over, turning her face away from the light. As the spots faded from her vision, it hit her.

    The blinds were open.

    She bolted out of bed¡ªCoppelius was gone. She dashed out into the hallway just in time to see Coppelius¡¯s glowing white hair disappear down the stairwell. She sprinted after him, hurling herself down the stairs. She only stopped at the threshold between the kitchen and the parlor when she caught a full view of him.

    He already had his clothes from the day before back on and was opening the front door.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    Coppelius stopped in the doorway. He closed the door and turned to face her, his expression softening.

    Sorrel stepped forward. ¡°Where are you going? Let me go with you, maybe I can help¡ª¡°

    ¡°No, Sorrel.¡± His eyes were wistful. ¡°I wish I could. But you and your family are better off not involved in this fight. I¡¯ve already brought enough danger to your doorstep.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t get to decide that.¡± Sorrel took another step forward. ¡°What if I want to take on the danger?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even know me.¡± He closed his eyes, reaching for the deep blue glowing stone on the end of the slender golden chain around his neck.

    ¡°But I want to.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Sorrel opened her mouth to argue, only to be interrupted by a knock at the door.

    Coppelius froze and visibly paled. ¡°Are you expecting anybody?¡±

    ¡°By the order of the Empire of Annwyn, open up!¡±

    Well, that answers that question.

    ¡°Get upstairs, I¡¯ll handle this,¡± Sorrel hissed.

    Coppelius lingered by her, conflict as clear as day hanging over his face like a shadow. All the while, the pounding on the door continued.

    ¡°It won¡¯t be long before one of the patrons comes out to see what¡¯s going on and sees you.¡± Sorrel glanced up the stairway to the guest rooms. No activity yet. ¡°Go upstairs, get Gwynn. She¡¯ll know what to do.¡±

    He nodded, suddenly resolute. Then he bolted back through the kitchen and up the stairs, leaving Sorrel alone in the parlor. Only once she could no longer see any sign of him did she turn back to the door.

    ¡°The Governor of Perrault has ordered all citizens of Hoffman to comply with orders from the Empire of Annwyn! Failure to do so will result in legal consequences¡ª¡°

    Sorrel pulled the door open at exactly that moment, cutting the soldier off. ¡°Yes, yes, sorry, some of us were still asleep, you know.¡±

    On the front porch was one Annwynese soldier, on the younger side and with a fancier uniform than the other three behind him on the street. All had the dark hair, jeweled eyes, and freckles like diamond dust over their cheeks that was characteristic of the Annwynese, with fine features like a doll¡¯s and a height closer to Sorrel¡¯s than that of the usual human man. They were wearing the turquoise, white and gold dress uniforms Sorrel had seen in news broadcasts and textbooks in class.

    Perhaps most menacing were their shining gold polearms, with the crystal centers. The sinister hum of electricity ready to be deployed at any moment, powered by the magic only practiced by the few who could afford the right crystals and the right teachers. It was a reminder of what was at stake by going against Annwyn.

    The young soldier met her eyes, then pulled a holo-disk out of a pocket in his jacket, balancing it flat in the palm of his hand. ¡°My apologies. I am Captain Honor Ardell of the 53rd Unit, in Legion 709. I have come in search of a fugitive from justice who escaped our custody.¡±

    ¡°A fugitive from justice?¡± Sorrel crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow. ¡°What did they do?¡±

    ¡°I am not permitted to disclose his crimes at this current time.¡± Captain Ardell swiped at the hologram emitting from his palm. The text switched to a blurry image of what was clearly Coppelius, shining white hair and all. ¡°Do you recognize this man?¡±

    ¡°Nope, never seen him in my life.¡± Sorrel shook her head.

    ¡°Do you mind if we take a brief look around, just to make sure?¡± Captain Ardell turned off the holo-disk and placed it back in his pocket. ¡°This fugitive is very dangerous, it¡¯s important that we find him as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Do you have a warrant?¡±

    Captain Ardell paused, hesitation crossing over his face. ¡°Technically, no. But the Governor has granted whatever authority is needed to assure our task and to allow us to leave as quickly as possible. Your cooperation with this would be greatly appreciated.¡±

    ¡°No warrant, no entry.¡± Sorrel started to close the door. ¡°Sorry, Captain.¡±

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you.¡± Captain Ardell reached for the polearm strapped to his back. ¡°Trust me, I don¡¯t want it to come to it, but we will use force if deemed necessary. Please don¡¯t make it necessary.¡±

    ¡°Then come back with a warrant.¡± She pushed the door closed, only for Captain Ardell to stop her with his foot.

    ¡°Come on, you¡¯re not stupid enough to not see what¡¯s at stake here?¡± He tilted his head.

    ¡°Not so stupid that I don¡¯t know my rights,¡± Sorrel retorted. ¡°Look, just because the Governor¡¯s let you trample all over our world doesn¡¯t mean that the rest of us who live here will.¡±

    ¡°I really didn¡¯t want to do this, but you¡¯ve given me no choice.¡± Captain Ardell drew his polearm and it sparked to life, pale violet lightning coursing over the golden end of the staff. ¡°Against the wall, hands up. I won¡¯t ask again.¡±

    Time seemed to slow for a second. Sorrel was out of options, but her mind raced right along with her thundering heart. She couldn¡¯t let the soldiers into the inn, and risk them finding Coppelius. But Celine didn¡¯t deserve the trouble that would come with trying to fight them. Not that she could fight them.

    She started to back away, hands up.

    Come on, think of something, anything¡ª

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    Both she and the soldiers froze and turned their heads to see Coppelius standing in the doorway between the kitchen and parlor, Gwynn and Celine a few paces behind him.

    From the moment she¡¯d first laid eyes on him last night, Sorrel had considered Coppelius to have an innocent, boyish face. He inherently did not seem like the kind of person who could call down the wrath of the system¡¯s most powerful empire.

    But something about him shifted now, as he looked angry. There was a shadow over his face and a blaze in his eye that matched the blue stone dangling from his neck.

    ¡°Looking for me?¡± His tone was still jovial, an eerie contrast to the way he held himself now. He lifted his palm, and there was light gathering into his palm like the formation of a small sun.

    By the time the soldiers turned fully toward him, it was too late.

    He flung the orb of sunlight, and it scattered, turning into stardust and arcing around Captain Ardell, knocking him off of his feet.

    The other three soldiers rushed in, just as Coppelius summoned another ball of light to his hand. He plunged to the ground, thrusting the light into the floorboards.

    Sorrel¡¯s entire world flashed white as she crashed onto one of the mismatched rugs. Blinking away black spots, she scrambled back to her feet. It took several heartbeats for her to realize the soldiers were all on the floor, completely still except for the rise and fall of their chests and covered in a glimmering golden dust.

    ¡°What in the stars¡ª¡° She looked to Coppelius, kneeling on the ground and breathing heavily. ¡°Explain. Now.¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°No time. Someone heard that, and there¡¯s going to be more of them coming.¡±

    Celine strode forward and shut the door. The lock turned with a final-sounding click. She closed her eyes, took a deep, heaving breath, and turned back around to face her daughters and the mysterious visitor.

    ¡°You have magic.¡± Celine folded her arms over her chest. ¡°I don¡¯t know how we all missed that, it¡¯s obvious in your hair.¡±

    She sighed again, looking down at the crumpled Annwynese soldiers. ¡°I¡¯m guessing that has something to do with the real reason they are looking for you, yes?¡±

    Coppelius blinked up at Celine. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should never have stayed here, I¡¯ve put you all in grave danger and it was selfish to stay¡ª¡°

    ¡°None of that now.¡± Celine¡¯s voice was firm. ¡°We insisted you stay, and we knew what we were getting into. Well, somewhat. You said that they have your ship, yes?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately.¡± He paused. ¡°My coming here wasn¡¯t an accident. I didn¡¯t mean to crash-land, but there¡¯s something here on Perrault, near Hoffman that I need to find. I can¡¯t explain what it is¡ªbut the Prince, one of the most powerful sorcerers in the emperor¡¯s army, he¡¯s also found this lead. I can¡¯t let it fall into his hands.¡±

    ¡°The Prince?¡± Gwynn stepped forward. ¡°I know there was a new emperor recently coronated on Annwyn, but I didn¡¯t know there was another prince.¡±

    Coppelius shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s not a prince like that, it¡¯s a codename. Big secret. If you¡¯ve heard of this one, you¡¯re already in big trouble.¡±

    ¡°It looks like we¡¯re already in pretty big trouble.¡± Sorrel prodded Captain Ardell with her foot. ¡°Knocking out four Annwynese soldiers and resisting their search warrant will do that.¡±

    She then looked to Coppelius and outstretched her hand. ¡°But never mind that. We¡¯ll help you find it, whatever you¡¯re looking for.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Coppelius blinked. ¡°Why¡ªwhy would you help me?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve been listening or not, but it¡¯s what we do.¡± Gwynn stood next to Sorrel, holding the boots she had forgotten in her early morning dash. ¡°Now, we¡¯d better get a move on if we want to get out of here before more soldiers or constables come asking questions.

    ¡°I¡ª thank you.¡± Coppelius accepted Sorrel¡¯s hand.

    She pulled him to his feet and smiled. ¡°I should be saying that to you. You saved my life just now.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t let them just hurt you.¡± There was a way that his eyes lingered on her, on their joined hands that made Sorrel¡¯s face unbearably warm.

    Maybe that was why Sorrel was the first to let go.

    Well, that or that she needed her boots.

    ¡°Do you know where we¡¯re looking?¡± Gwynn asked as she handed Sorrel her boots.

    ¡°I only know that it¡¯s in a forest.¡± Coppelius sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s not helpful.¡±

    Gwynn and Sorrel glanced at each other, and found themselves laughing.

    ¡°More than you realize,¡± Sorrel finally said. ¡°When the Society came here, they wanted to bulldoze nearly everything to make this whole world a trading hub for the likes of Annwyn and Inner World merchants.¡±

    ¡°But we loved our forests, and our ancestors were among the ones who fought to keep some of the wilderness on Perrault,¡± Gwynn continued. ¡°There¡¯s only one area in every city where the old forests remain, courtesy of the donation of the land from the Marchands of the time.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s there, then.¡± Recognition dawned on Coppelius¡¯s face. ¡°I can never thank you enough, truly.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s get going, then.¡± Gwynn gestured for Sorrel to follow her. ¡°Two of our own jackets just got out of the wash. We¡¯ll leave through the laundry room and the side-gate.¡±

    ¡°Good idea, they won¡¯t be expecting that.¡± Sorrel turned to face their mother and she paused. ¡°Will you be alright here?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± A faint smile hovered over Celine¡¯s delicate face. ¡°This wouldn¡¯t be the first spot of trouble I¡¯ve been in, you know. Back when I met your father, well. . .¡±

    She trailed off, her expression contemplative. ¡°If they come, I¡¯ll tell them that a man came and attacked them and like I was just about to call for help.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Sorrel wanted to press on, to ask exactly how her mother would stay out of the mess she made. But time was ticking, and she couldn¡¯t exactly stand around and demand answers. There would be time for that later¡ªthere had to be time for that later.

    She embraced her mother. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon, Maman.¡±

    Celine hugged her tighter. ¡°Stay safe, my little briar rose.¡±

    She then let go and looked to Gwynn. ¡°You too, snowdrop.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡± Gwynn nodded resolutely.

    With that, the trio darted back through the kitchen and into the laundry hall. The twins took jackets from the washer unit that they used for their personal items, marked with a red handkerchief tied around the handle. Sorrel took the hoverboard by where it was propped against the backdoor.

    They set out, through the frozen back garden and flying into the streets.

 Two Princes

    wynn and Sorrel had visited the Reserve several times before, on school trips and during summer and winter vacations. Near the outskirts of the city, the ancient pines stretched taller than all but the highest spires. They invoked a mystic awe that left all visitors quiet in reverence. For hours, she would chase after her sister and explore the forest, taking in the beauty of a forgotten age. Sometimes, Gwynn would even catch a glimpse of animals whose last refuge in the planet were these very woods.

    Even now, covered in ice and snow, it was more beautiful than the rest of Perrault put together.

    There was always a sorrow to the beauty and mysticism of the forest, Gwynn found. It made her wonder what Perrault used to be like¡ªand why it had been destroyed to make the dying port city of the Border Worlds.

    This was all that was left of what Perrault once was.

    Getting to the Reserve was surprisingly easy. Sorrel was a fast flyer. For all her claims the previous night of being no pilot, Gwynn could tell that their father''s gift for flight was there. With the hoverboard preventing the making of tracks and its relative silence, it was easy to get past the soldiers in the area.

    Even getting past the tall gates was easier than Gwynn had anticipated. None of the usual guards were out, given the lockdown, so it was only a matter of flying high enough and they were through.

    Once they''d landed in the Reserve, they dismounted the hoverboard and left it behind a tree. The forest was too dense to be traversed that way.

    Coppelius lifted the magic crystal in one hand and waved the other over it. Matching the deep blue of the crystal, a spectral arrow appeared in the air, pointing a tentative direction.

    "Is that a finding spell?" Sorrel asked, bounding up next to him.

    "It is, but I have to have a pretty good idea what I''m looking for, for it to work." Coppelius started forward. "Luckily, what we''re looking for has a strong aura of magic."

    Gwynn bit her lip and said nothing, falling into her usual place as Sorrel''s shadow. She could see the sparkle in her twin sister''s eyes when she looked at the mysterious stranger. It put a pit in her stomach, the precipice of a free-fall.

    They might be twins, but Sorrel was the younger of the two and she had always been, in a way, her little sister. She always would be. And her little sister was in love with a spacer sorcerer on the run from the law.

    Gwynn wanted nothing more than to grab her sister''s arm and run home, leave Coppelius behind and pretend none of this ever happened.

    But she couldn''t. Not just because they were in too deep as it was. But it was like they kept telling Coppelius, over and over again. He was someone in trouble, someone who needed help. They were someone who could give it, and were as used to giving as breathing.

    For all her concerns, the doubts she harbored about Coppelius and the chaos he brought, even if Sorrel had nothing to do with any of this, Gwynn knew she would make the same choices.

    "So, what''s the aura of this thing like?" Sorrel asked, bounding through the snow after Coppelius as he continued to make a compass of his amulet. "Does it glow or something? Do you have special magic-sight?"

    "It''s not quite like that." Coppelius stopped as the arrow wobbled. "It''s more like a feeling. Have you ever just known something, courtesy of intuition?"

    "Yeah." Sorrel stepped beyond Coppelius. "Of course I have."

    "It''s like that, just a sort of gut feeling." Coppelius frowned. "The thing we''re looking for¡ªit''s supposed to feel like the sun on a summer''s day, like standing a little too close to a fire on a warm night. Not enough to hurt or burn¡ªbut enough to remind you of the power of light."

    "Wow," Sorrel whispered, and Gwynn could feel her slipping away.

    The arrow turned, pointing to an archway of sorts, formed by two thin ebony trees and a fallen one caught in the branches over the top.

    "I think we''re getting closer," Coppelius declared. He didn''t look any happier for it.

    They passed under the archway and bounded over a hill to enter a clearing as Coppelius''s arrow dissolved.

    A pond stood completely frozen, and partially growing over it was a short, gnarled tree unlike any other in the Reserve. The taller trees had shielded it from snow, and so it somehow held onto its petals of snow-white and rose-red.

    Gwynn''s breath hitched and Sorrel froze in her tracks. Sorrel turned her head, reaching out a hand to Gwynn. Gwynn instantly understood.

    "What''s wrong?" Coppelius turned to the twins.

    "I''ve seen this before." Sorrel''s eyes were wide, fixated on the tree.

    Gwynn accepted her sister''s hand, their freckled fingers entwined. "Only in dreams, though."

    Coppelius''s own eyes widened. "Have you ever dreamed before of other places and times, with the lingering certainty that what you saw was true?"

    "Yes." Gwynn found herself speaking. "Both of us have. Or at least, I used to."

    "I still sometimes do," Sorrel added. She then frowned. "Is this what you were talking about, the auras? Because I think I can feel it. Not like what you described¡ªbut there''s something here."

    "I think it is." Coppelius returned his eyes to the tree. "But you''re right¡ªsomething''s wrong."

    A finger hovered over his chin. "I can''t tell what it is, though."

    Sorrel looked to Gwynn, a silent plea in her big brown eyes, a sudden vulnerability. What do we do?

    In the face of her sister''s dawning terror, Gwynn knew there was only one thing they could do.

    "We continue forward, then. We can''t stop now."

    At that, as if in a trance, Sorrel walked towards it, reaching out for the symbol carved onto the tree. Only to stop a foot shy and retract her hand.

    Gwynn joined her sister at her side, and she took Sorrel''s hand once more. They exchanged a look, and Gwynn knew that they both knew there was no room for misgivings or turning back.

    They nodded, and touched the trunk at the same time.

    Starting in the carved symbol and flowing through the grooves of the bark, a golden light filled the tree, and Gwynn felt a spark awaken inside of her. It had always been there, she realized. But now she was aware of it, and nearly exploding with this energy. She could even see a faint glow around Sorrel''s skin. The ground rumbled beneath them, and the mark shone with all the brilliance of the sun.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    When Gwynn could see again, there was an open hollow in the center of the tree. Sitting there was a crystal blade, the color of grass in the springtime just after the rain. It was set in a fine golden hilt and glowed the same way Coppelius''s crystal did.

    Sorrel reached for the hilt of the blade, her eyes fixed on the blade and strangely blank.

    "I never thought I''d see my father''s sword again."

    Sorrel stopped, and both she and Gwynn turned to see Coppelius approach. He looked disappointed by the miracle before them.

    "Isn''t this what we were looking for?" Sorrel''s voice warbled.

    "I still wouldn''t want this to fall in the wrong hands." Coppelius stepped between the sisters and drew the sword. "But I''d hoped to find my father here instead."

    "Your father¡ª" Gwynn''s brain was whirring. "You said that there would be an explanation. Now''s the time. What''s this tree, this sword, your father¡ª"

    Coppelius turned back to Gwynn. "You''re right. I''m sorry. I don''t know though if now''s the time¡ª"

    "No." Gwynn looked to her sister, to the dazzled look in her eyes. "We''ve put everything on the line to help you. There are unconscious soldiers in our home, there''s a blockade around our planet, and you''re at the center of all of it. The time for secrets is over. It''s time to tell us what in the stars above is going on."

    "I¡ª" Coppelius began to stammer, a sorrowful shadow crossing over his face. "I¡ª"

    Before he could form a coherent answer, he was interrupted by the sound of footsteps crunching in the snow and the hum of electricity.

    "Sorry to interrupt, but this ends here."

    The three of them turned to see a figure standing between the trees. Clad almost entirely in black, with a scarf turned to a hood and shawl around his pale angular face and dark hair, the silhouette of the warrior was stark against the snow and ice. He carried a polearm like that of the soldiers, but with a larger end. From around his neck dangled a crystal amulet like Coppelius''s, colored violet rather than azure blue.

    His fair, freckled face was similar to Coppelius''s, Gwynn realized, and they shared the same indigo starry eyes. Those intense, blazing starry eyes were aimed directly at Coppelius.

    "I''ve followed you far, Coppelius, but you still can''t outrun what is inevitable." The warrior twirled his polearm. "Her Majesty is merciful¡ªyou still could come home to the dark, if you wished it, and spare yourself the destruction."

    "I''m not like you, Versailles," Coppelius spat. "You know what the Spider-Queen is, and you still made a deal with her for your own selfish reasons, damn everyone else!"

    The Spider Queen? Gwynn looked to Sorrel, to find her looking back with the same confusion. Gwynn recalled the name in the stories their father used to tell, the generic villainess of every story across the Society of Worlds and beyond.

    How could any of this be?

    "Watch your tone." The warrior¡ªVersailles¡ª his face darkened. "You know nothing of my reasons."

    "The Spider Queen?" Sorrel''s voice cut between the two outlanders. "But she''s just a fairytale, a myth."

    "How far the knowledge of magic has fallen in the Society of Worlds." Versailles turned his attention to Gwynn and Sorrel. "Stand aside. The Queen and I have no quarrel with you."

    "No." Sorrel moved to join Coppelius''s side. "The Spider Queen is a villain in all the old stories. If she''s really real and you''re working with her, then you''re not up to anything good."

    "I would prefer not to fight any who are not necessary to the Queen''s commands." Versailles'' violet amulet began to glow brighter, a swirl of matching light surrounding him like an ominous mist. "But I cannot stop you from acting recklessly and I must carry out Her Majesty''s wishes."

    With that, he raised his polearm, pointing toward Coppelius and the sisters. The violet light plunged toward them, and it was all Gwynn could do to grab the collars of Coppelius and Sorrel''s jackets and pull them to the ground with her.

    The light soared over them, narrowly missed the ancient tree, and hit a thinner pine behind them, causing it to burst into flames.

    Coppelius shot to his feet, weaving a spell of arcane symbols in azure light. As he did, Versailles stalked toward him, clearly in no rush. It reminded her of a predator, in perfect control and self-assured in the inevitability of catching trapped prey.

    Coppelius released the spell, and Versailles merely raised his electrified polearm and swatted at it. The light scattered and died as embers in the snow. Coppelius''s hands moved quicker, mumbling something that Gwynn couldn''t quite make out or understand.

    Gwynn heard movement behind her, and turned her head to see Sorrel remove the crystal blade from the tree hollow.

    Before Gwynn could say or do anything, Sorrel charged at Versailles. He only spotted her just in time, hastily blocking her and turning away from Coppelius. Sorrel forced him to stumble back, and readied her swing again, meeting Versailles'' blade at its electrified tip.

    The force of the blow sent the polearm flying, only to land several feet away in the snow, the tip buried in the ground.

    But that was the least of Versailles'' problems.

    "Coppelius! Catch!" Sorrel tossed the blade to Coppelius. He caught the hilt out of the air and he strode forward to the champion of the Spider Queen, now disarmed.

    That didn''t mean, however, that Versailles was out of tricks.

    With a sweep of his arms, violet light appeared in the blink of an eye, pushing both Sorrel and Coppelius back and onto the ground. The sword fell out of Coppelius''s hand, clattering to the ground beside him.

    Versailles then raised his hand, and Coppelius was raised high into the air, only to be slammed to the ground with a sickening sound.

    "NO!" Sorrel screamed in anguish, and she scrambled over to his side. Coppelius stirred, but his eyes were unfocused, and he was bleeding again. The wound on his head had reopened, and something was wrong about his right leg.

    Gwynn felt frozen in all the chaos, as everything slowed to the pace of her ever-beating heart. She had to do something, anything. She couldn''t let Versailles hurt Sorrel or Coppelius. Like a wolf once again, he was heading straight for them, weaving a spell in his hands.

    Gwynn looked around for something, anything that she could use¡ªand her eyes locked on the discarded polearm.

    That was when she knew what she had to do.

    She sprinted through the snow, faster than she''d ever moved in her life. Everything, or so it seemed, hinged on this one thing.

    Out of her peripheral vision, she saw Versailles stop, caught off-guard by her action. Footsteps crunched in the snow, he was coming, and fast. But she was certain she could get there first.

    She outstretched her long, pale fingers as she closed in, and the awakened spark inside of her sang. The polearm lifted itself out of the ground and into Gwynn''s hand. Her fingers closed around it, and her thumb found the button that turned on the electricity. She slammed it and turned just in time to thrust the electrified end at Versailles'' chest.

    He didn''t even have time to scream, he crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

    Gwynn blinked. For a few moments, her enemy was deathly still.

    Did I kill him?

    Right then, she could see the rise and fall of his chest, but no other stirring. Gwynn breathed a sigh of relief. He was out still, alive but unconscious. But he wouldn''t be for long,

    She turned off the polearm and dropped it, hurrying over to Coppelius, her sister, and the crystal blade.

    "Are you alright?" She asked them both as she crouched in the snow.

    "I am, but I don''t think he is." Sorrel''s voice was shaky from panic.

    "I''ll be fine," Coppelius groaned in a voice that suggested otherwise. "Hang on, I think¡ª"

    He raised a hand and cast another spell, bathing him in a shower of what looked like stardust. As it made contact with the cuts and Coppelius''s leg, his skin shone like a small sun. Gwynn had no choice but to shield her eyes and avert her gaze.

    When she could see him again, the cut was gone and his leg was put right again. But he sank into the snow, with dark circles under his eyes that weren''t there before and a paler, weary face.

    "Sorry, that took more out of me than I expected." With the help of Sorrel and Gwynn, he sat up and looked around him. "I really didn''t want you to get caught up in all of this."

    His eyes locked on Versailles and he stiffened. "We have to get out of here, before he wakes up."

    Sorrel picked up the sword and wordlessly offered it to him. Coppelius said nothing. He did not take it, but rather stared at it.

    "I really had hoped he would be here, not a sword." He sighed finally. "But I guess that it''s for the better. It means Versailles hasn''t found him."

    "What is the deal with your father¡ªand well, everything?" In the new quiet of just the wind between the trees and the renewed snowfall, Gwynn''s head was spinning. Spider Queens and ancient magic and mysterious swords¡ªit was all beyond what little fantasy Gwynn knew existed in this world.

    "I will tell you, I promise." Looking into his eyes, Gwynn found she believed him. Even if she knew that the ''but'' was coming. "But not here. Not until we''re far away from him."

    "You said that you had a ship that the Annwynese took," she said, looking skyward. "We''ll need to get you that, won''t we?"

    Before he could answer, however, there came a roar unlike anything Gwynn had ever heard, and she could see in the clouds what looked like a thousand falling stars.

    But even Gwynn knew that those weren''t falling stars.

 Trial by Fire

    "They''re firebombing us¡ªwhy are they firebombing us?" Sorrel looked from Coppelius to Gwynn, then back again.

    "I believe they have a sort of tracker on him." Coppelius stood and grabbed the sword. The smell of smoke filled the air, and the ground began to rumble from the impact. "Or something¡ªor maybe a spell. If he ended up incapacitated, then. . ."

    "Then they try to smoke you out." Gwynn''s expression was grim. "We have to get you out of here."

    "I don''t think we''ll be able to steal my ship back¡ª"

    Coppelius''s pondering was interrupted by the all-consuming roar and the shockwave that emanated from it. The smell of smoke filled Sorrel''s nostrils and her ears rang as she found herself in the snow, not entirely sure how she got there.

    The white of the trees and the stark dark wood of the pines blurred around her. The ringing in her ears grew louder, as shrill as screams and drowning out everything else around her. The ground shook as she tried to push herself up and off the ground, only to fall back down again.

    Before she could hit the snow again, Coppelius grabbed her arm and pulled her up. Gwynn somehow had gotten to her other side and placed her hand on her other shoulder, stabilizing her.

    Still, Gwynn turned her head back to the dark prince lying unconscious in the snow. There was a high-pitched note of uncertainty in her voice, laden with the compassion that came as easily to her gentle-natured twin as breathing. "What about him?"

    "He won''t be coming after us any time soon." Coppelius let go of Sorrel''s arm and started forward. "But I''d rather not stick around to find out."

    Sorrel shook her head, Coppelius didn''t understand. "She means that no one deserves to die like this."

    Coppelius stopped and turned back around. Sorrel couldn''t quite understand the look in his eyes. "Look, this isn''t my first encounter with him. He''s tougher than you think¡ªhe''s gotten out of worse before and he probably will now."

    The wind picked up, and there was ash already mixing with the snow¡ªor maybe that was just Sorrel''s imagination. Whistling of more fire-bombs drew her attention overhead. It was an endless meteor shower, the kind of apocalypse only in the movies.

    And yet where she stood, it was as if time stood still.

    Something''s not right. It was a strange, clinical observation. But one that Sorrel noticed all the same.

    "Trust your instincts."

    She could hear her father''s voice, as if he were right beside her here and now.

    "Come on, we''ve got to move, we''ve got to find Maman and leave!" Gwynn was tugging at her arm again. "Sorrel, we have to go!"

    Hearing her sister call her name broke the spell. Sorrel shook her head. "You''re right!"

    She grabbed her sister''s hand, and then Coppelius, and the three took off into the final daybreak on Perrault.

    <hr>

    The streets were frantic, the opposite of the eerie silence of just a few hours before. The streetlights were as red as blood and roses, flashing as sirens mixed into screams and shouting, a symphony of terror. People filled the streets, all hoverboards and land speeders forgotten in the desperation, the urgency to move, just move¡ª

    Sorrel clung tightly to her Coppelius and her sister''s hands, knowing that one wrong push and they could be separated, possibly forever.

    The Annwynese soldiers had disappeared, and not even the usual constables of the Society were out. All while the ground continued to rock and shudder, the air filling with more smoke and snow and ash becoming further indistinguishable in the sight and the smell, all with the bombs whistling and roaring.

    Still, somehow they made a break for the Marchand Bed and Breakfast just as Celine burst through the door, carrying a large mechanical box in her arms¡ªtwo of them, Sorrel realized in a heartbeat.

    "Maman!" She cried, letting go of both her sister and Coppelius to embrace her.

    Instead, Celine pushed the smaller of the two boxes into Sorrel''s open arms. It was her father''s box.

    "You shouldn''t have come back here, you should have gone straight for the spaceport!" Celine yelled over the cacophony.

    "We couldn''t leave without you!" Gwynn shouted back as she joined Sorrel''s side.

    Celine sighed, a reluctant fondness surfacing in her eyes. "I know, Gwyneira."

    She looked around at the madness in the streets, and beckoned Sorrel and Gwynn to lean in. "Everyone else is risking the spaceports¡ªbut Madame Abelard has something ready, she was waiting for you girls."

    "Oh." Something in Sorrel''s heart swelled, thinking of the older woman who ran the junkyard. Thinking of how the solitary and cranky older woman''s last grand gesture reminded her of exactly why they were helping Coppelius.

    "We''d better go, though." Celine adjusted her hold on the box. "I don''t know how much longer we have, either before Abelard decides to go anyway, or before there isn''t much of a chance of getting through the blockade."

    Sorrel looked to Coppelius, but he wasn''t paying attention to her mother or the Marchand sisters. Rather, he was watching wide-eyed at everything unfolding around him, at the rising fires and the last bid of desperation for survival, a planet''s undoing.

    "Come on." Sorrel''s voice was gentle as she reached to take his hand, at sharp contrast to the violence and tragedy in the making. "We''ve got a ride out of here."

    He accepted her hand, but he turned towards her and looked as if he were seeing through her, or perhaps something that wasn''t quite there. He didn''t seem all there, Sorrel realized.

    "This was all for me." His voice cracked at the horror. "Forgive me."

    Sorrel shook her head. "Nothing to forgive. That is, unless we don''t get off this rock. Now let''s go, before Madame Abelard decides to leave us behind!"

    This seemed to rouse Coppelius from his trancelike state. He blinked rapidly, then gripped her hand more tightly as the light returned to his eyes. A determined expression came over him.

    "You''re right. Let''s go."

    ...

    Keeping to the sides of the roads and weaving around, the party somehow managed to stay together as they ran against the tide of those fleeing for the spaceport. It wasn''t long before they reached the gates of the junkyard, completely locked and closed.

    "No!" Sorrel let go of Coppelius''s hand when she saw the chained-up gate. She glanced up its towering height. Without the hoverboard she''d carelessly abandoned in the forest, there was no way that she would be able to get over that.

    "I thought she was waiting for us?" Sorrel looked to her mother, whose brows were furrowed in matched confusion.

    She then looked to Gwynn, who nodded back¡ªthey were on the same page once more. They stepped forward up to the gate, to the little black intercom box. Gwynn tapped the button, and one of the little lights blinked red, then blue.

    "Madame Abelard, are you there? It''s me, Gwynn Marchand, I have Sorrel and my mother and a friend with me." Gwynn glanced back, gesturing at everyone in the party. "Maman said you were waiting for us¡ªI hope you haven''t waited too long."

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Silence answered her.

    "Uh, Madame Abelard?"

    Sorrel shook her head and approached the gate. She grabbed the metal chain links and started shaking it. "Come on, at least let us in to fend for ourselves if you''re going to be stubborn!"

    "Stars above, Sorrel, child, you are so impatient!"

    A figure approached the gate, and opened a little hidden side-door not too far from where Sorrel was shaking said gate. Sorrel was then greeted with the diminutive, but no less domineering, figure of Madame Abelard.

    She wasn''t much older than Celine, with certainly a higher percentage of silver in her hair and matching shrewd silver eyes. She wore a purple spacer''s jacket, the logo of the company almost completely worn off.

    "You didn''t really think I''d leave you all behind, did you?" She surveyed the party, her eyes locking on Coppelius. "So this is what landed in my yard last night. Interesting."

    She then looked to Celine, her eyes softening. "I am happy to see you here, dear. I''m glad at least Valiant didn''t have to see this."

    "Me too." Celine looked over her shoulder. "You said you have a ship?"

    "I''ve been fixing one up for the last twenty years, don''t you worry." Madame Abelard beckoned for them to follow her through the side-entrance to the main gate. "Gwynn, do be a dear and lock up behind you. I don''t need any thieves rummaging through my property."

    "Yes, Madame."

    Sorrel took Coppelius''s hand again and pulled him along with her. "Are you sure it''s a sky-faring ship, Madame Abelard?"

    "Just as sky-faring as those monsters above us right now, I won''t have you doubting my craftsmanship." Madame Abelard led them around heaps of scrap and junk to a small ship in the clearing. "I''ve been running this scrapyard since you were born, and before that I was a well-seasoned spacer. I know how to make a sky-worthy ship, don''t you worry about that."

    "It''s also wise not to look at a miracle too closely," Celine added with a knowing look at Sorrel.

    Sorrel bit her lip. "You''re right. Thank you Madame Abelard."

    Madame Abelard smirked. "That''s much better, child."

    She grew solemn then as they approached the open door to the vessel. "Now, I hope your friend is also somewhat well-versed in piloting?"

    "What do you mean?" Sorrel tilted her head.

    "Well, you didn''t think I''m going to fly it, did you?" Madame Abelard laughed. "Stars above, no, that''s what I needed you here for."

    "I knew there had to be more to it," Sorrel muttered. She turned to Coppelius. "You said you piloted your own ship for a while?"

    He nodded. "But it sounds like I''ll need a co-pilot."

    "You''ve got one."

    He smiled at that, in spite of everything.

    "Alright, what are we working with, any weapons? Shields?" Sorrel scanned the control panel in front of her.

    Madame Abelard stood behind her, gripping onto an exposed pipe in the ceiling. "Of course not! I''m afraid to say I didn''t build this thing with this dreadful scenario in mind!"

    "It''s alright, we''ll manage." Coppelius''s hands started flying across the control panel, the lights and screens coming to life. The metal of the ship''s floorboards hummed beneath Sorrel''s boots. "At least we have fast-travel¡ªonce we get clear of the atmosphere, we can make the jump and head to Lemuria."

    "Why Lemuria?" Sorrel asked as she started turning the dials and pushing buttons. She''d previously only dreamed of flying a true spacecraft like this, but all of her years of flight-simulators and studying manuals was paying off.

    "They''re the furthest from here, and in the heart of the Society of Worlds, Annwyn''s going to have a lot harder time pulling anything." Coppelius pulled a lever, and the ship started to lift off of the ground, the metal creaking and groaning from the pains of first flight.

    "The Governor of Lemuria also announced that she''s taking any refugees from the crisis, it was our Governor''s last transmission before we were left to fend for ourselves," Celine added.

    She and Gwynn were standing around a pole in the cramped cabin. Technically, there was a toilet and a small cargo area behind them, but Sorrel suspected that none of them wanted any separation from each other. At least, not right now. Not when survival was on the line.

    "Let''s do it then." Sorrel hit the booster button, and threw the gear-lever into full power.

    The makeshift spacecraft zoomed forward, and Coppelius yanked the gear back a few notches.

    "Let''s build up to that!" He grabbed the steering just in time to swerve around another escaping ship.

    Sorrel nodded and started flipping switches to prepare the orbital shield. It wouldn''t be enough to deflect any hits from the Annwynese ships¡ªbut it would provide some reinforcement from exiting Perrault''s atmosphere.

    Another ship pulled up beside them, and Sorrel couldn''t help but glance at it. It was one of the larger passenger ships, the ferries used to traverse routes between planets and moons in the Society of Worlds.

    One moment, it was gliding beside them.

    The next, the fire was all that remained.

    "We''ve got an Annwynese fighter on our tail!" Coppelius glanced at the rudimentary sonar screen acting as a rear-view to his left. "Everyone hold on tight!"

    With that, he plunged the ship down into a dive headfirst.

    "What are you doing¡ªthe atmosphere is up, there''s no survival on the ground!" Madame Abelard screamed.

    As if to answer her, Coppelius then threw the ship back up and turned sharply to the right. As they turned, Sorrel could see the Annwynese ship struggling to pull up, and continuing straight instead of turning with them.

    "Okay, now''s the time for full power!"

    Sorrel eagerly slammed the throttle forward, and Coppelius began to execute spins and swerves upwards, further than Sorrel had ever been before. All while avoiding the others attempting to flee and the Annwynese ships, whether they were the greater warships raining down fire on the place Sorrel had once called home or the smaller starfighters meant to pick them off.

    For all the races Sorrel had flown through her teen years, or the wistful watchings of ships taking off and coming in at the spaceport, she''d never seen flying like this. What Coppelius was doing was a whole new level of mastery. The way he moved his hands across the control console and adapted to the haphazard space ship looked like a dance, natural as breathing, beautiful even.

    Sorrel could only hope to fly like that someday.

    For what it was worth, she found herself falling into a rhythm of sorts with him, anticipating what switches needed to be flips, what dials needed to be turned and where before he could call it.

    Working in tandem, Sorrel felt a surge of triumph rush through her with the adrenaline as they hit the black.

    But what greeted them in the black wasn''t empty but for stars.

    What greeted them was a bloodbath.

    The Annwynese ships had them surrounded, and were picking off refugee ships. Explosions like their own small stars were born and died within seconds, all without a sound. Only the debris remained, drawn to the atmosphere of the world they had all fought so hard to escape.

    "Hold tight." Coppelius began flipping switches. "We''re jumping to fast-travel."

    "With all these ships around?" Sorrel was drawn out of the horror unfolding around her by Coppelius''s plan. "That would kill us!"

    "It won''t." He paused, hand hovering over the blue crystal. "I think we have a chance. I can''t explain it¡ªbut I can feel it."

    He looked into her eyes. "Just like I could feel that you were safe, that you would help me."

    Sorrel found she couldn''t argue with that. And she knew that if she did nothing, it would only be a matter of time before they would fall victim to the same horrible fate burning around them.

    "Do it."

    Coppelius didn''t hesitate. Sorrel shut her eyes as the metal whined around them, preparing for a sudden impact and the end.

    But to her surprise, there was no such thing.

    The whining ceased, and gradually returned to hum, and she opened her eyes to see the stars streaking in lines around her, forming a rainbow of colors in the signature sight of space at light-speed.

    "Whoa." Sorrel could not help herself. It was a wonder unlike anything she''d ever seen before, and with it came a sense of calm, of serenity.

    Coppelius sank back against his chair, strands of his white-blond hair falling in his face. "We''re safe now."

    He glanced at the mapping screen, a more advanced piece of tech than the radar. "We''re en route for Lemuria. We should be there in about eight hours."

    Sorrel looked back out at the stars streaking by her. "It''s so beautiful. I hadn''t realized. . ."

    However, she was drawn out of her reverie of admiration by the soft pattering of footsteps. She turned her head to see Gwynn and Celine disappearing into the back room of the ship.

    She stood up and turned the chair to Madame Abelard. "Here, why don''t you take a seat for a little while?"

    Madame Abelard stared her down with her sharp silver eyes. Sorrel knew from her encounters with the master of the scrapyard before that she was sizing her up. A valuable skill for an older woman living on her own and running a business.

    Something in her gaze softened. "You''re a sweet child, Sorrel."

    With that, she took Sorrel''s seat, and Sorrel headed to the back.

    Her mother and sister sat on the floor close to the wall. Celine was clutching the larger of the two boxes, tears shining in her deep blue eyes.

    "It''s all gone," Celine whispered over and over again. "Everything is gone."

    Gwynn reached out to touch her mother''s arm in an attempt at reassurance. "We''re still here. And you saved Papa''s things. That''s not nothing."

    "I know." Celine swiped at her tears with the sleeve of her coat. "But the Bed and Breakfast¡ªI put everything into it. I made it a home, I built that place with your father into what it is¡ªwas."

    Sorrel felt as if her heart were in her throat. Her eyes began to burn as she locked eyes on the box beside Gwynn, where she''d tossed her precious box from her father aside in the chaos of the escape.

    That was now all that remained of her childhood home and of her father''s legacy.

    Sorrel silently joined her mother and sister. She opened the box of her father''s things and pulled out the rose-red silk flight scarf. Her father had left it to her in hopes that she would do what he had not¡ªbecome a pilot, a spacer, an adventurer.

    What price had she paid for the wish to come true?

    One of the largest empires outside of the Society of Worlds had fire-bombed her home, reduced it to rubble and ash to smoke out a boy like starlight. She''d helped the boy, but now everything was uncertain.

    No, it was as Celine had said. Everything was gone.

    Sorrel felt a hot tear roll down her cheek, and then one joined the other, then another. Soon, all three of them were crying for the home they had lost, the home to which it was likely they would never return.

 Crossroads

    When they leapt out of fast-travel and into the orbit just outside of Lemuria, Sorrel couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Madame Abelard had been true to her word¡ªher craftmanship had held up against the forces of space. As she switched seats with the older woman, Sorrel resolved that she¡¯d have to do something to thank her, somehow.

    For now, she turned her sights to the watery world of Lemuria on the horizon. Covered in water, it appeared mostly a perfect crystal blue, glowing even on the dark side of the planet. Sorrel once recalled a unit in her school about the capitol of the Society of Worlds. They had a special type of bioluminescence in the plankton and algae in the water, or something, causing it to do that.

    Still, even against the crystalline blue glow, the lights of the cities on the archipelagos were stark, little stars on the great seas.

    Of course Sorrel had seen pictures before on screens, but it was nothing like seeing the real thing, just like the stars streaking past into rainbows in fast-travel and the black of true space. A part of her knew that this would only be one of yet another marvel coming her way.

    Her heart ached for it, thinking of the tall pines of the Reserve back home and the snow falling over the green lanterns and window-gardens.

    The radio crackled to life, reminding Sorrel of what was at stake.

    ¡°Unknown ship, please identify yourself. This is the Lemurian space patrol. You are not approved on the arrival dockets for any of the spaceports.¡±

    ¡°Well, they¡¯re fast about it,¡± Coppelius muttered.

    Sorrel tapped the ¡®speak¡¯ button. ¡°Hello? Can you hear me?¡±

    ¡°We can read you, unknown ship. Please identify yourselves.¡±

    ¡°¡±Uh, we don¡¯t really have a ship name, we kind of just. . . cobbled it together, but that¡¯s not the point,¡± Sorrel added hastily. ¡°We¡¯re refugees from Perrault, we didn¡¯t know where else to go. There are¡ª¡°

    She stopped, mentally counting everyone in the room.

    ¡°There are five of us on board, we¡¯re not carrying anything, they were bombing out home¡ªplease help.¡± Sorrel¡¯s voice cracked at the end of her plea.

    The silence of the next three minutes seemed like an eternity. As they sat there, waiting. And waiting.

    Coppelius grabbed the amulet around his neck and cupped the blue crystal into folded hands and closed his eyes. A prayer of sorts, Sorrel could recognize.

    ¡°Unnamed ship, you are cleared for landing. Please make your way to the Avalon spaceport.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank you!¡± Sorrel cried, and she grabbed Coppelius¡¯s shoulder, shaking it gently. ¡°Thank you so much!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± With that, the radio went silent again, and Sorrel and Coppelius shared a look.

    It was time for landing.

    <hr>

    Avalon was one of the southern archipelagos, not where the Society of Worlds met¡ªthat was Solaris. But it was one of the larger archipelagos, and one of the larger spaceports, Sorrel realized once they landed.

    An entire island was devoted to the spaceport. At the landing strip, there waited a team of several Lemurian constables and Society of Worlds official rangers. There were other ships parked on the same strip, and outside of them was a flood of people dressed for winter¡ªat stark contrast to the locals that Sorrel spotted on the high walkways of the open buildings. They wore the loose, colorful fabrics associated with the native Lemurian textiles that glowed in the dark as the aquatic wildlife did.

    The party joined the other refugees outside of their haphazard ship. The rangers and constables came around, offering vouchers of credits for immediate adjustments to the new world and a key to a room at one of the grand hotels. They were asked for accounts about the disaster, to which only Coppelius asked not to be recorded. They acquiesced, but Sorrel and Gwynn both felt as if they had to pay witness to the destruction of their own home.

    It was after this that they were all shuffled off to mass-passenger land-speeders to head to the hotel. It was there, the constables told them, that the Governor would personally pay for their housing until the Society of Worlds voted about what to do about the crisis on Perrault.

    It was a nice room, as far as Sorrel was concerned. Far nicer than anything she¡¯d ever seen in Hoffman. It was all fine white stone-work, from the tiles in the floor to the pristine walls to the pillars and archways in every doorway and the baseboards with their intricate carvings.

    All the color in the room came from the fine textiles in the colorful curtains draped over the windows and walls, the blankets and pillows scattered about on the beds and the sofa itself in a jeweled orange.

    It felt like a palace. Sorrel was out of place in such finery, with her grease-stained jacket, worn-out boots, and nightgown, a detail she¡¯d forgotten until she was standing here.

    If Celine or Gwynn held any similar reservations, they weren¡¯t showing it. Both had gone about the room, marveling at the fineries and wondering aloud about what a new life in Avalon, Lemuria, would look like.

    Sorrel volunteered to take the sofa so her sister and mother could have the beds. It was there that she returned the flight-scarf to her father¡¯s box and tucked it under the sofa. Once she¡¯d done so, she left her mother and sister to appreciate the finery in the current situation, instead taking to the balcony.

    The sun was beginning to rise over the endless ocean, painting the clouds pink and violet and turning the sea a deep orange. The bioluminescence was gone, no longer revealed by the night. But stars, that too was beautiful.

    In feeling the sea-breeze through her hair, pulling deep red curls free of her loose ponytail, Sorrel realized how small she truly was. Everything had changed, so quickly that she could hardly believe it.

    The boy like stardust had crashed onto her world, bringing with him the wrath of an empire.

    She had discovered the crystal blade in the forest her family had saved, a magical legacy of which she¡¯d never known.

    She¡¯d incurred the wrath of that same empire that chased the boy from the stars across the universe.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Then she¡¯d had to flee her home as it was turned to ash, all in the hopes of smoking him out.

    She supposed Coppelius had tried to warn them. Multiple times. And yet she¡¯d been stubborn, she¡¯d refused to listen.

    And yet, she knew she¡¯d do it all again. Even with her home in ash, her future uncertain.

    That led her to look to the balcony next door. Supposedly Coppelius had been assigned that room. The officers were handing out room keys altogether, so parties would probably have rooms close together in these hotels.

    And yet she saw no sign of him in the other room.

    She looked down to the sea and sand below. This was the point where their paths could diverge. He¡¯d probably want them to never see each other again, given all the warnings. Sorrel couldn¡¯t blame him for that.

    Admittedly, a part of her did want to ignore the room next door and let him go. Lemuria was a beautiful place to make a new home. It had its own excitement that she never would have found on Perrault. This was a chance to make a new life, maybe become a pilot and a spacer like her father had always wanted, with no obligation to the Bed & Breakfast or the life she had before.

    But she could still see the unconscious boy in the space capsule, the uncertainty in his eyes when he first woke up, and the strange sorrow that followed him.

    Who exactly was his father, then? What legacy did he hold? Where did the crystal blade come from, and what was it exactly? Who was he, and why did Versailles and the Empire of Annwyn burn down an entire planet to try to find him?

    The questions burned at Sorrel, as strongly as the desire to take to the skies and the stars.

    For all she knew that Gwynn and their mother would disapprove, would beg her to leave it be as they had helped more than enough and received only misfortune for their troubles, she knew she couldn¡¯t.

    She had to know. She had to help him.

    No matter the cost.

    <hr>

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Gwynn turned around to see Sorrel walking from the balcony to the door, a fire in her deep brown eyes and a stride filled with purpose.

    There was a dread in her stomach, a part of her knew what was coming next.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to talk to Coppelius.¡± Sorrel stopped by the door and pulled her boots back on. ¡°Make sure he¡¯s settling in well and all.¡±

    ¡°Briar. . . ¡° Their mother stopped looking through the holo-channels and her voice took on a sympathetic but cautionary tone. ¡°I¡¯d really rather you didn¡¯t. Leave that boy alone.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± From the look in Sorrel¡¯s eyes, the stony expression that crossed over her face, Gwynn knew that her sister already knew the answer.

    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, don¡¯t get me wrong, but I don¡¯t think he needs any more help from us.¡± Celine¡¯s eyes drifted wistfully towards the larger box of Valiant¡¯s things. ¡°I understand wanting to help. . . but he¡¯s dangerous. There¡¯s something off about him. Surely you can see it?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Sorrel crossed her arms over her chest and Gwynn internally braced herself.

    ¡°While you were out in the forest, I couldn¡¯t help but think about it, all of those soldiers and then the fleet for one person. . . ¡° Celine trailed off before meeting Sorrel¡¯s eyes. ¡°Maybe he didn¡¯t do anything wrong. But what if he did? What if he really is that dangerous? He¡¯s already led to the destruction of our home, land our family¡¯s held for generations. Maybe we don¡¯t need to be involved any further, before he destroys our new one.¡±

    Sorrel¡¯s mouth opened, then closed. Then it opened again. ¡°But what if he isn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that, Sorrel.¡± Celine¡¯s voice was gentle, but firm. ¡°Something¡¯s not right about all of this.¡±

    ¡°But maybe that¡¯s why we should help him¡ªhow else will we get answers?¡± Gwynn recognized the earnestness in her twin¡¯s voice. It was the call to the stars, the curiosity that burned in her blood, the desire to break free. It was the call that Sorrel heeded and Gwynn tried to block out.

    ¡°But you won¡¯t.¡± Celine sat on the bed. ¡°He¡¯ll keep his secrets, and you¡¯ll be left wondering if you ever really knew him at all.¡±

    ¡°Dad kept secrets?¡± Gwynn couldn¡¯t help herself from blurting it out.

    ¡°There were parts of him I could never understand, the parts of him that he left in space.¡± Celine looked back to her box of Valiant¡¯s things. ¡°He saw something out there that caused him to leave his spacer days behind, I just know it. But he never told me what.¡±

    ¡°I thought Dad left because he was in love.¡± Sorrel frowned. ¡°That wasn¡¯t true?¡±

    Celine smiled sadly. ¡°It was only a part of the truth. I think you and I both know his true love was the stars. Something happened, for him to leave it all behind. He kept longing to go back, but he wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he knew he was at risk for the star-sickness,¡± Gwynn suggested.

    Celine shook her head. ¡°This was before that. But I¡¯m not talking about your father, Sorrel. This is about you getting in over your head.¡±

    Sorrel blinked, then tilted her head. Something in Gwynn¡¯s stomach lurched. She wanted to throw herself between them, to outstretch her arms and stop her somehow, before things went too far.

    But Gwynn couldn¡¯t even bring herself to do that.

    All she could do was sit there, uselessly, with her hands folded delicately in her lap as everything fell apart.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you think I¡¯m in over my head.¡± Sorrel¡¯s voice was calm, her tone even. But her brown eyes blazed like her hair. ¡°I¡¯m not going to stay here for you. I¡¯m not like Papa.¡±

    Celine visibly recoiled, as if Sorrel had struck her. She opened her lips to speak, but stopped. Never had Gwynn seen her mother so speechless. Even Sorrel¡¯s expression faltered, the sparks in her eyes flickering out. But only for a moment.

    ¡°You¡¯ll see that I¡¯m not like him.¡± She grabbed her jacket off of the sofa, and removed the red flight-scarf from their father¡¯s box underneath. She approached Celine and pressed the scarf into her mother¡¯s hands. ¡°I will come back. Then you¡¯ll see.¡±

    Celine held the flight-scarf limply in her hands. She blinked up at Sorrel, her expression blank.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have to go.¡± It was a whisper so inaudible, Gwynn almost didn¡¯t hear her. Sorrel then straightened, the fire back in her eyes.

    And so she left, without another word. The hotel room door closed with a quiet click that carried all the finality of their jump into fast-travel, or the closing of their father¡¯s coffin.

    Celine broke down sobbing, pressing the flight-scarf to her face.

    Gwynn embraced her mother. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Maman, it¡¯s going to be alright.¡±

    Celine resurfaced from the scarf and turned to Gwynn, uncertainty haunting her delicate features. ¡°I¡¯m glad I have you, Gwyneira. I don¡¯t know what I would do, if I lost you too.¡±

    With that, Celine embraced her, breaking down into a new round of sobbing. Gwynn merely hugged her mother tighter. But as she did, she felt a deeper sense of melancholy wash over her. It was a thing she would never voice¡ªcould never voice.

    Because her twin was so determined to shine bright, Gwynn could never escape the shadows, the supporting role. Her own dreams of adventure beyond the stars would never come true.

    Sorrel had all but assured that.

    <hr>

    Sorrel¡¯s heart was pounding as she stepped out into the hallway, the hotel door sliding closed behind her. Lightning coursed through her veins instead of blood, each step felt like it was preceding a free-fall. It was terrifying and exhilarating.

    Yet she felt a sense of purpose as she approached the next door and raised her fist to knock. She was meant to help Coppelius, she somehow knew it. Every strange dream, every wild fantasy of what lay beyond the stars¡ªit all led to him, she was realizing.

    And now that her home was destroyed, what left did she have to lose?

    She knocked on the door three times.

    It slid open almost immediately to Coppelius standing there. His indigo eyes were unreadable.

    ¡°Sorrel? What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I came to help.¡± She drew herself to her full height.

    ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± His expression grew soft. ¡°It¡¯s my fault you¡¯re here¡ªyou don¡¯t need to get yourself involved any further. This is where your role in the story ends.¡±

    He paused, and something Sorrel could only describe as longing filled his eyes. He crossed his arms over his chest, more like an attempt to hug himself than an intimidating gesture. ¡°I¡¯ll never forget you, though.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d never forget you either.¡± There was so much loaded into those words, all the things Sorrel was struggling to say, to put into words that made sense. . .

    Coppelius froze. In that moment, she knew he felt it too.

    ¡°Let me come with you.¡± Sorrel seized her opening. ¡°I want to help you. And I want to know more about. . . well, all of it.¡±

    She outstretched her arms helplessly. ¡°Magic, your family, the sword we found¡ªthis galaxy is so much bigger than I ever thought it would be. Dreamed it would be. I¡¯ve always wanted to be out in the stars, like my father before me. I have to do this.¡±

    Coppelius stared at her for a long time. The silence was deafening. It seemed like a small eternity was passing before Sorrel¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be alone anymore,¡± he said in a very small voice.

    With that, he stepped aside. Sorrel passed through the doorway, with a sense that there was no going back.

 Ancient Lights

    They didn¡¯t stay in the hotel room for long. As soon as the door had closed behind them both, Coppelius had taken one look to the rising sun outside, then the credits-chip placed on the table, and then looked back to Sorrel with a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been to Lemuria before. I think we should explore it.¡±

    Sorrel found herself grinning back. ¡°I agree.¡±

    Coppelius¡¯s smile softened, a sorrow in his eyes. ¡°And we¡¯ll find someplace where we can talk. About everything.¡±

    You¡¯re in over your head. Her mother¡¯s warning echoed in her mind. But it was too late for doubts now. Sorrel had made her choice, fueled by courage and the curiosity that had burned within her for all her life. She wasn¡¯t like her mother or Gwynn, she could not ignore that call inside of her.

    She wouldn¡¯t. Not anymore.

    She would trust this boy made of secrets and stardust. She had to, if she was going to aid him on his mysterious quest.

    ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡±

    <hr>

    The first order of business had been finding more clothes.

    ¡°That coat is heavy for the summers here on Lemuria, and you can¡¯t just go around in your nightgown all the time,¡± Coppelius had pointed out. He¡¯d then gestured to himself. ¡°And I stick out like a sore thumb anywhere, but I¡¯d probably stick out less if I wasn¡¯t wearing this.¡±

    ¡°The coat and the scarf are a bit much,¡± Sorrel agreed.

    Luckily, it seemed that many businesses in the archipelago of Avalon were ready to take advantage of the new situation. Stalls filled the plazas and streets around the shops, all with brightly-colored signs competing for passerby¡¯s attention. Sorrel noticed many other individuals with the same winter jacket she¡¯d left in the hotel room, all with the same idea that she and Coppelius had.

    ¡°A dress for the lady?¡± An older Lemurian woman called out, turquoise hair pulled back by a colorful headscarf. Around the crinkle lines of her golden eyes were iridescent scale-like spots like pearls inlaid in her sun-bronzed skin. She gestured toward the dresses hanging off the metal grid forming a wall underneath the tent of her stall. ¡°That red hair would look beautiful with perhaps a blue or a purple dress. . ¡°

    Sorrel stopped. Her breath hitched as she saw it. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s beautiful.¡±

    Among the traditional Lemurian dresses was a sea green, with layers of peach gauze that matched the details of peach-pink and orange flowers embroidered along the hems and edges of the dress, ending in a handkerchief hemline.

    ¡°You like this one?¡± Coppelius stepped into the stall, allowing others to pass them by. He looked to the stall-owner. ¡°Anything for men?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes!¡± The stall-owner stood, her golden eyes glowing with delight. ¡°I believe we have a matching set, perfect for the happy couple, yes?¡±

    Sorrel opened her mouth to protest, heat rising in her cheeks when Coppelius stretched his arm around her shoulders.

    ¡°Yes, this wasn¡¯t exactly the honeymoon we¡¯d hoped for, but we might as well make the best of it.¡± He smiled at the stall-owner conspiratorially.

    The stall-owner nodded enthusiastically, rising from her table and chair to take the green dress off of the makeshift wall. ¡°Indeed! You know how the saying goes¡ªwhen life gives you the sun-fruit, you must made it into a cocktail!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with that one,¡± Sorrel admitted.

    The stall-owner waved a dismissive hand. ¡°You¡¯ll learn soon enough. There¡¯s a reason every politician and businessman and celebrity wants a mansion in Avalon. It¡¯s the good life here¡ªmuch better than the Border Worlds like Perrault, or whichever one it was.¡±

    Rage rose in Sorrel¡¯s throat, suffocating and thick¡ªbut it gave way to the taste of melancholy on her tongue.

    For how long had she wanted and wished and waited for a chance to leave Perrault behind? Hadn¡¯t she said the same things?

    And yet it was different, hearing them from an older woman she¡¯d never met before, one who would now never get to see races at the Stardust Arena or shop at the Bazaar or witness the winter snows on Bonfire Night.

    ¡°Here, take the matching set, and I¡¯ll even throw in a slip to give to Makoa down the street, he¡¯ll discount you on hats.¡± The older woman continued on, blithely ignorant of Sorrel¡¯s internal storm. She tossed the colorful clothes onto a sheet of tissue paper and wrapped it. ¡°Tell him that Anyu sent you.¡±

    ¡°We will.¡± Coppelius smiled and offered the credit-chip.

    A beep confirmed the transaction, and Anyu thrust the wrapped parcel into Sorrel¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Enjoy Avalon, make sure to try the sun-fruit juice while you¡¯re here!¡±

    In spite of the little jab earlier, Sorrel couldn¡¯t help but smile genuinely at the stall-owner. There was something so earnest about how Anyu had said it.

    With that, she and Coppelius continued down the street.

    <hr>

    By the time the sun had fully risen over the Avalon Archipelago, Sorrel and Coppelius looked more like they belonged among the water and beaches. They weaved under the palm trees, with drinks and a boxed breakfast-to-go from one of the many cafes and between the emerging crowds.

    Now that it was late morning, the locals had joined the refugees, making it near-impossible to traverse the main roads and walkways. Thus, Sorrel and Coppelius were driven to wandering off in attempt to find some place to eat and talk, just as they¡¯d thought they would earlier that day.

    It was underneath one of the stone bridges that Sorrel spotted a little stretch of sand, completely devoid of people. Perfect for their purposes.

    She laid down one of the towels they purchased, then set the drinks and the boxed breakfast on it. They both kicked off their new sandals and tipped their toes into the crystalline waters and looked up at the underside of the bridge.

    These stone bridges connected all of the islands and are constructed in the same style as many of the buildings with their stone pillars and runic inscriptions as decoration. Yet Sorrel noticed there was something different here. Underneath the bridge and on the supports, there was arcane graffiti, in shapes resembling the runes¡ªbut noticeably different¡ªthat glowed in the shadows.

    ¡°Do you know what these are?¡± Sorrel gestured at the graffiti with her plastic to-go cup of sun-fruit juice. It glimmered red-gold in the plastic. A sip revealed that it was both sour and sweet, with a richness that Sorrel was completely unused to.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Coppelius frowned, looking up from a sandwich made with round savory biscuits, with egg, cheese, sausages, and brightly-colored peppers peeking out. ¡°I think the dye glows like that though because most pigments made in Lemuria have some kind of luminescent qualities.¡±

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Really?¡± Sorrel had never gotten a good look at the Lemurian goods at the Bazaar. Those were usually snapped up by Annwynese merchants before anyone else got in another word about it.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s also how they make their fireworks, it¡¯s more to do with the dye than explosives.¡± Coppelius¡¯s frown deepened between words and bites. ¡°Those runes, however. . . I¡¯ve seen them somewhere before.I don¡¯t know where, though.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡± Sorrel wasn¡¯t sure to make of it¡ªbut it reminded her of the conversation that had been put off long enough. ¡°It sounds like you¡¯ve seen a lot on your travels.¡±

    Coppelius smiled wryly. ¡°And it¡¯s time I told you how the travels started?¡±

    Sorrel nodded. ¡°Yes. You can start now.¡±

    Coppelius laughed. ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡±

    He reached for the amulet around his neck, playing with the deep blue stone and the slender golden chain between his fingers as he stared off at the water.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never told anyone all of this, so I¡¯m not entirely sure where to start,¡± he admitted. ¡°But I¡¯ll try my best.¡±

    Sorrel watched him with large brown eyes, awaiting his every word with hitched breath.

    ¡°What do you know about fairytales?¡± He asked, turning his gaze back to her.

    Sorrel frowned. She hadn¡¯t expected that kind of question.

    ¡°I mean, I heard stories growing up, I think everyone did.¡± She pondered the question. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Have you ever heard any stories about a character known as the Spider-Queen?¡±

    Suddenly the sunlight felt a little colder, the water less inviting, the sunlight more dim.

    ¡°Versailles mentioned that name. He said he serves her.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Coppelius shifted next to her, setting his sandwich back down in the box and drawing his knees to his chest. ¡°Do you know her story?¡±

    Sorrel shrugged. ¡°Vaguely. I don¡¯t remember well, though. There was this beautiful storybook my father read to us when we were little, I remember the illustrations. But I hated the book because despite how beautiful all the pictures were, the story was so dark, and it didn¡¯t end happy.¡±

    She looked Coppelius. ¡°There¡¯s truth to it, isn¡¯t there?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Every world in the Society of Worlds and beyond in this star-system has a version of her story. I¡¯d like to tell you mine.¡±

    He looked back out to the waves. ¡°Then you¡¯d understand, and all of your questions will be answered.¡±

    To say her interest wasn¡¯t piqued would be a lie. Sorrel frowned, moving closer to Coppelius. ¡°Tell me.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± He closed his eyes. When he opened them again, there was a light to them, an animation in his face as the amulet glowed. His hands moved, weaving an image of a great palace, one that resembled the storybook on the shelf. ¡°Once, there was a kingdom that spanned the entirety of a star and its surrounding worlds, ruled by the children of the King and Queen of the Cosmos.¡±

    With a flick of his fingers, people appeared on the parapets and balconies of the grand palace. They all resembled Coppelius, with freckled faces, shining white hair, and deep blue eyes. Dressed in ethereal finery, there was something alien and distant about them, even in a mere glamour or projection.

    ¡°They created the Celestial Dynasty, and ruled their heavenly kingdom, protecting it from the threats that lurk in the abyss between the stars, as the King and Queen of All the Cosmos had set them there to do.¡±

    The little people drew wands and swords and other crystalline weapons, and banished shadowy monsters that belonged in Sorrel¡¯s nightmares.

    ¡°Within generations, the monsters disappeared and the kingdom prospered, the Celestial Dynasty was hailed as heroes and continued to rule as was their edict.¡±

    The people and the monsters and the palace disappeared in a shower of stardust. Then they reformed into a beautiful throne room, with the white pillars and marble similar to the architecture in Lemura. More beautiful people appeared in the room, with two figureheads, a man and a woman standing in front of shining white thrones.

    Then, off to the side and away from everyone else, was a girl, dressed entirely in black.

    ¡°But generations of peace could not prosper,¡± Coppelius continued. ¡°There was a Princess who betrayed her family, choosing to ally herself with the abyss, with the monsters they had banished generations ago. She decided that the kingdom must fall, and the Celestial Dynasty with it.¡±

    The throne room turned red, turning to flames as the silhouettes of the family members disappeared. The girl¡¯s silhouette turned pitch-black with red eyes, growing taller and a spiked crown emerging from her head. The monsters from before returned, soaring around the scene.

    But the king and queen remained. ¡°One by one, all of the descendants of the House of Ondrina were struck down by the rise of the Spider-Queen. But there was still hope.¡±

    In the queen¡¯s arms appeared a baby with a shining face.

    ¡°The Queen of the Heavens took her youngest son, the little Prince of Light, and hid him away to hide him from the Spider-Queen¡¯s gaze,¡± Coppelius continued, and with a flick of his fingers, the queen shuffled offstage of the projection, leaving the king and a few remaining nobles. Above their head floated items like a sword, a cloak, a crown, a scepter, a book, and a mirror. Then the queen reappeared¡ªthe baby was gone.

    ¡°The survivors hid the Royal Regalia and made their last stand.¡± Coppelius¡¯s voice went quiet, so much so that Sorrel strained to hear him. ¡°They sacrificed themselves to send their homeworld away to the far edges of the star-system, and sealed the Spider-Queen inside their castle.¡±

    The image vanished again in stardust. Coppelius¡¯s hands dropped to his lap. His fingers curled into fists around the brightly-colored Lemurian shirt he¡¯d bought. Sorrel noticed a ring on his right index finger, with a reddish-pink stone that was set to look like a rose in all its petaled glory.

    ¡°The Prince of Light was prophesied to be the one who would return and defeat the Spider-Queen once and for all.¡± Coppelius looked up to Sorrel, now silent. His indigo eyes were wide, awaiting her response, she realized.

    ¡°Then you¡¯re the Prince of Light.¡± She thought of the sword they¡¯d found in the Reserve. ¡°And you¡¯re trying to gather all of the regalia, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    To her surprise, he shook his head. ¡°Not exactly.¡±

    He looked out to the water. ¡°The Prince of Light was my father. He left me and my mother not long after I was born to fulfill the prophecy. But no one¡¯s heard from him since.¡±

    He twisted the rose-like ring on his finger. ¡°I want to find him, help him finish what we started. I¡¯ve been looking all across Ondrina for any sign of him.¡±

    ¡°What do you think happened, that he hasn¡¯t done it already?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Coppelius sighed and looked back to Sorrel. ¡°But I¡¯m done sitting around and waiting for the prophecy to happen.¡±

    There was a moment of quiet between them, just the sand and the sea.

    Coppelius smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sure you must have a lot of questions for me. It¡¯s not everyday a fairytale comes true.¡±

    ¡°Not the fairytale I would¡¯ve picked,¡± Sorrel muttered. She tilted her head, taking him in. ¡°Ondrina¡ªthat¡¯s the name of our star.¡±

    ¡°And my family, yes.¡± Coppelius nodded. ¡°I believe that the star was actually named for us.¡±

    Sorrel frowned. ¡°I thought all of that was just a story, I mean the Society of Worlds says that we were just disorganized chaos before they got going.¡±

    ¡°I mean, that did kind of happen, from what I understand, between the fall of the House of Ondrina and the rise of the Society of Worlds.¡± Coppelius clasped his amulet. ¡°But I don¡¯t know the details. I¡¯ve mostly just pieced some things together, in the gaps between the stories.¡±

    ¡°How long have you been alive?¡± The gears in Sorrel¡¯s brain were turning. ¡°You must be. . . .¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, the Society¡¯s date system didn¡¯t get going for a while, and their establishment didn¡¯t reach my homeworld for a long time.¡± Coppelius shrugged. ¡°But I¡¯ve seen a few things.¡±

    ¡°I imagine.¡± Sorrel looked out at the ocean, her head whirling with all of this new information.

    ¡°I understand if after hearing all this, if you¡¯ve changed your mind.¡± Coppelius spoke slowly and softly, as if he didn¡¯t really want to say it, as if he were struggling to force the words out. ¡°I was born to all of this. You get the choice, whether you want to get caught up in it or not.¡±

    He sighed and ran a hand through his white hair, also looking out to the waves again. ¡°I¡¯d rather no one else get caught up in this. But I¡¯d be lying if I said it wasn¡¯t lonely. If I said that a part of me didn¡¯t feel relieved when I saw you outside my door.¡±

    Sorrel reached for his hand. He turned to her, eyes wide.

    ¡°I already made my choice.¡± Her voice was even, calmer and more confident than she felt. ¡°I¡¯m in this with you until the end.¡±

    She glanced up at the graffiti under the bridge. ¡°My last question is¡ªwhat happens next?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about that.¡± Coppelius squeezed her hand tighter, as if she were made of sand and would crumble through his fingers any second. ¡°Before we leave¡ªwe¡¯ll have to find a ship, of course¡ªthere¡¯s a lead I want to pursue.¡±

    ¡°A lead?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Coppelius let go of her hand and stood up. ¡°I sensed it when we first arrived, but it¡¯s stronger now. That feeling, of the magic that runs in my family, that I told you about in Perrault?¡±

    ¡°The one you used to find the sword, yes?¡± Sorrel recalled the search in the forest.

    ¡°I feel it here, and it¡¯s only growing stronger.¡± He turned back to her, his indigo eyes ecstatic. ¡°I think my father¡ªor maybe something left for him¡ªmight be here.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to find it.¡± Sorrel glanced down at the box and the food inside. ¡°After breakfast, that is.¡±

    Coppelius smiled, sitting back down beside her. He picked up the sandwich he¡¯d started and took a bite.

    ¡°Right, after that,¡± he said.

 Daughter of the Sun

    All her life, Sorrel had lived in a city. But she¡¯d never seen a city quite like this. Every building looked more like an ivory palace, with pillars and parapets and stretching far above most of the buildings she had seen in the Avalon Archipelago, and even most parts of Hoffman.

    ¡°Watch your step now.¡± Coppelius turned back to her and took her hand as she stepped off the ferry.

    ¡°Thanks.¡± Sorrel nearly lost a sandal to the gap between the ferry and the stone dock, so she was grateful for the assist. She glanced around her, taking in her surroundings.

    From every level hung colorful banner and streamers trimmed with golds. Passerby in silks and golden masks rushed about, cackling and leaping with the ecstasy Sorel only witnessed during the rowdier hours of Bonfire Night. Others carried large shopping bags and boxes with names and logos on the side that Sorrel had never seen before.

    ¡°Where are we, exactly?¡± She started following Coppelius through the crowds. He held tightly to her hand, keeping them together through the thousand faces.

    ¡°Carnivale, the high-end luxury district of Lemuria.¡± Coppelius was looking around, clearly seeing something that she couldn¡¯t. ¡°They say that there¡¯s at least one party every night on the Avalon Archipelago¡ªbut in Carnivale, there¡¯s one every hour.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t an archipelago, though, is it?¡± Sorrel noticed that instead of roads for hovercraft, there were water canals with bridges in-between that curved upwards to give watercraft much smaller than the ferry clearance.

    ¡°No, it was once an island, but I remember hearing about the construction efforts to create something more solid when it started sinking into the ocean.¡±

    Sorrel was struck by the sudden awareness that to passerby, one might assume that he was speaking about reading or learning about the construction that had likely taken place hundreds of years ago¡ªthe city looked old to Sorrel¡¯s young eyes.

    But if he had been around when the Society of Worlds had been born, he¡¯d likely seen or at least been alive when the reconstruction of Carnivale had occurred.

    ¡°You said that you sensed something that felt like your father.¡±

    Coppelius¡¯s steps had slowed as they entered a chokepoint in the pathways. Outside the buildings were haphazard tents and stalls, just like the main streets of the Avalon Archipelago. However, given the waterways and the narrow stone streets, it was more suffocating. Sorrel feared if she let go of Coppelius¡¯s hand even for a second, she would be lost in the sea of people.

    ¡°I did,¡± he finally said. ¡°I mean, I do.¡±

    He scanned ahead in the crowd, his eyes strangely blank. ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡ªhe should be here. He should be close. It feels like the sun, it¡¯s so bright. Not even the sword was like this. . .¡±

    Sorrel frowned, and opened her mouth to ask what was wrong. Then she felt it. Like the tugging of a string, a glimmer in the corner of her eye. Nothing she could point to as an obvious source or cue.

    But she turned her head and saw her.

    There was a small alleyway between buildings, with a trickle of people opting to pass through there than continue to brave the main street. By the third backdoor was one makeshift tent. A deep purple trimmed with gold, it was striking against the ancient gray columns. On the floor of the tent was a colorful rug made of a similar material to Sorrel¡¯s dress and several cushions. Sitting on the rug was was the girl, no older than Sorrel herself.

    She was radiant¡ªthere was no other word for her. Most striking about her was the white-blonde hair that glowed like Coppelius¡¯s, woven into a braid that curled around her on the floor with sea-glass and ribbon entwined in her tresses. Around her neck and wrists dangled crystals and pendants.

    And yet one that dangled right over her heart caught Sorrel¡¯s attention immediately. It was the same spark that had awakened in her chest in the Reserve, kindled by the proximity of its like.

    ¡°Over here.¡± Sorrel tapped Coppelius¡¯s shoulder and nodded in the girl¡¯s direction.

    He blinked, eyes widening. ¡°I have no idea how I missed her.¡±

    ¡°But she¡¯s definitely then¡ª¡°

    Coppelius nodded, cutting her off. ¡°Follow my lead.¡±

    They wove their way between the other passerby, and entered the alleyway. As soon as they stepped foot off of the main street, the girl looked up from her cards and met their eyes. The girl froze, her fine features blank¡ªonly for a moment. Faster than Sorrel could¡¯ve guessed, with a flick of her wrist the cards returned to a stack in the girl¡¯s wrist and she stowed them in a pocket of her long green silk dress. A sweeping flourish of the arm, and the tent disappeared, with a small purple bag dangling from the slender golden chain around the girl¡¯s waist.

    ¡°Sorry, no more readings for today,¡± the girl announced in a clipped voice as Sorrel and Coppelius drew closer.

    ¡°We¡¯re not here for the readings, we¡¯re just here to talk.¡± Coppelius raised his hands in a placating gesture. ¡°We¡¯re friends.¡±

    The girl¡¯s eyes darted between Coppelius and Sorrel. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think you are.¡±

    She turned, only for Coppelius to catch her shoulder.

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Wait, please.¡± He spun her back around. ¡°I¡¯ve only met one other like me.¡±

    The girl held her chin high in defiance. Sorrel couldn¡¯t help but think of the princesses in her painted storybook. A storybook that was likely ash by now on Perrault, she realized.

    ¡°I can see traces of both of them in your aura.¡± She narrowed her eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve been careless. Do you even realize what you¡¯ve done?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡°

    ¡°Of course you don¡¯t.¡± The girl glanced over her shoulder and when her eyes returned to Coppelius and Sorrel, she looked less angry. ¡°It¡¯s not safe to speak here.¡±

    She then stepped out of Coppelius¡¯s grasp and walked past him without another word.

    Sorrel stared after her, unsure of what had just happened. The girl then abruptly stopped and turned. She placed a hand on her hip.

    ¡°Well? I¡¯m not waiting all day for you two.¡±

    Coppelius and Sorrel exchanged a look, then scurried to catch up to the girl.

    The sun was starting to sink back into the sea as the girl finally stopped. She¡¯d led them through several roads and alleyways over the past hour or so, with the intimate knowledge of Carnival and its pathways only a well-seasoned local could have. Sorrel saw it in her own movements back in Hoffman.

    Her heart ached to think of the shortcuts, the little corners and pathways of the city that no longer remained.

    But now they stood in front of a stone wall, and the girl looked over her shoulder once more. She then looked back to the wall. The sea-green stone that had caught Sorrel¡¯s attention began to glow as the girl whispered words Sorrel could not hear. Stone rumbled and the ground shook as the wall gave way to a doorway that wasn¡¯t there before.

    ¡°After you,¡± the girl said.

    Sorrel looked to Coppelius. He nodded for her to go first.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Sorrel turned her nose up into the air and entered the hidden staircase.

    The top of the dark staircase opened to a room that reminded Sorrel of the tent. Banners and curtains were strewn everywhere, the main centerpiece being a sofa and a stove, both low to the ground. There was a window with red gauze curtains over it, and several plants growing in the sill.

    ¡°Find a cushion, make yourselves comfortable, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll be staying here much longer.¡± The girl slid a trapdoor closed over the staircase and adjusted the rug to cover it.

    ¡°Why are you leaving?¡± Coppelius obliged and sat, and patted a cushion next to Sorrel.

    She elected, however, to remain standing.

    The girl scurried about, packing up boxes and trinkets into bigger boxes hidden beneath fabric.

    ¡°You¡¯ve drawn the eyes of her and her servants here, and even if you¡¯d never run into them before, it would have been only a matter of time anyway before they would have come looking for the light.¡± The girl stopped and knelt by her plants. Her amulet glowed again as she waved her fingers over them. Raindrops fell from her fingertips, watering the plants.

    She looked over her shoulder at Sorrel and Coppelius. Her eyes were the same indigo as Coppelius¡¯s, with silver flecks like stardust in the iris. Her matching eyes were now filled with pity rather than ire or fear, as they had been before.

    ¡°There¡¯s many things the old hag was wrong about.¡± She spoke softly, as if more to herself than to Sorrel or Coppelius. ¡°But she wasn¡¯t wrong about this. She¡¯d always told me that if I met another who carried stardust in their blood, to run.¡±

    The girl looked back to her plants and sighed. ¡°She said that the Celestial Dynasty died for a reason, that all of their problems deserve to remain in the past.¡±

    She stood and turned back to Sorrel and Coppelius. ¡°She also told me that our light is too strong when united. The dark knows the light like nothing else¡ªand they love to snuff it out like nothing else. That they know you makes it all the more dangerous. They know your candle and will be able to find it across any dark sea.¡±

    Coppelius raised his eyebrows and blinked. ¡°I had no idea¡ªI¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s clear you didn¡¯t know.¡± The girl folded her arms over her chest, a more protective than defensive measure. ¡°No one has taught you anything, have they?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Coppelius¡¯s shoulders rose and he averted his gaze. ¡°I know a little bit of our story. But that was all my mother knew. My father left before he could teach me any of the important things, like magic. That I pieced together.¡±

    The girl nodded. ¡°Right.Your father was the one of the Celestial Dynasty, then?¡±

    ¡°I was told he was the Prince of Light.¡±

    The girl¡¯s eyes widened and she stumbled back a step. ¡°You¡¯re joking¡ªI know you must be of our bloodline, the signs are there as plain as the day, and yet. . .¡±

    She turned away and began to walk in a circle, a hand to her chin. Only for her to stop abruptly. She looked to Sorrel and frowned. ¡°And who are you? You shouldn¡¯t be in this story.¡±

    Sorrel crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°A friend. My name is Sorrel.¡±

    The girl hesitated. ¡°Delphine.¡±

    She then looked down. ¡°And you?¡±

    ¡°Coppelius.¡±

    ¡°And your father¡¯s name?¡±

    Coppelius twisted the ring on his finger. ¡°Apollo.¡±

    ¡°Then it is as you¡¯ve said, your father truly was the Prince of Light.¡± Delphine nodded. ¡°It brings great hope, to know that he lives still.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Coppelius¡¯s eyes were far away now. ¡°I¡¯ve never met him. He might be gone for all I know.¡±

    Delphine shook her head. ¡°We mustn¡¯t lose hope.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re looking for him.¡± Sorrel stepped towards the girl. ¡°You could help us. You clearly know more than we do.¡±

    Delphine shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Coppelius scrambled to stand up next to Sorrel. ¡°The Spider-Queen¡¯s a danger to the rest of the system. If we worked together to find my father, maybe he could stop her once and for all.¡±

    ¡°I might have left behind most of what the old hag who raised me taught me, but I do believe her about the fate of the House of Ondrina.¡± Delphine toyed with the crystal amulet. ¡°All that dies should remain dead.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that.¡± Coppelius reached for Sorrel¡¯s hand. ¡°I wish you could help us, Delphine. I want only what¡¯s best for this star.¡±

    ¡°As do I.¡± She turned away. ¡°But even if we combined our lights, we are not strong enough to fight the Spider-Queen, or the puppets under her dominion, or her champion. I¡¯m sorry, Coppelius.¡±

    ¡°But you said that if she¡¯s encountered us, or her champion has¡ªI¡¯m guessing that¡¯s Versailles¡ªthat we¡¯re in danger already.¡± Sorrel stepped forward again. ¡°Aren¡¯t you in danger because we¡¯ve brought their ¡®trace¡¯?¡±

    Delphine looked back to her and smiled wryly. ¡°I know a little more than you do how to protect myself from prying eyes. Her contamination will not leave its lingering traces on me. And you shall not see me again¡ªif I am lucky.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡± Coppelius clearly didn¡¯t. ¡°I wish that you find what you¡¯re looking for, Delphine Ondrina.¡±

    He then looked to Sorrel. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to find our leads elsewhere.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t care, then, about the rest of the system?¡± Sorrel couldn¡¯t help herself, the words came falling out of her mouth. ¡°As long as it doesn¡¯t affect you, as long as you get to keep running from you, no one else matters?¡±

    Delphine whirled back around, but she said nothing. In fact, she looked uncertain, afraid. ¡°I¡ª¡°

    ¡°They destroyed my world, do you know that?¡± Rage and grief came pouring out. ¡°My home was completely destroyed just to smoke out one person who¡¯s never done anything to them. You don¡¯t deserve to be hunted and neither does he!¡±

    Delphine avoided her gaze, and still said nothing.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Sorrel swiped her own tears away. ¡°You said I¡¯m not supposed to be in this story. Funny that a girl who has no place in this story is willing to do more than you to save this system.¡±

    She then looked to Coppelius. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

 A Night to Remember

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that the lead was a bust.¡± Sorrel perched on the balcony railing, enjoying the cool night air. ¡°I don¡¯t understand how she can just walk away like that.¡±

    Coppelius shifted, turning away so she could not catch a clear view of his face, except for the scar like a spider¡¯s web around his eye. ¡°I don¡¯t blame her. I can¡¯t blame anyone, for not wanting to get involved in all of this.¡±

    He fiddled with the slender silver chain around his neck. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I would¡¯ve gotten involved, if she hadn¡¯t. . . ¡°

    He suddenly turned to her, something earnest and pleading in those indigo eyes. ¡°It¡¯s the same for you, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Was it?

    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure.¡± She looked out to the water. The moon of Lemuria was much bigger and closer than the ones hanging over Perrault. ¡°I never knew you were out there. And I never had the opportunity to even leave home, to be a part of this story. I guess I¡¯d like to think that even if the Annwynese Empire never came to Perrault that I would have still helped you, one way or another.¡±

    When she looked back to Coppelius, he was smiling with a wistfulness she couldn¡¯t entirely understand.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    She tilted her head. ¡°It¡¯s never nothing, not with a look like that.¡±

    He laughed, before his expression grew solemn and contemplative. ¡°I guess. . . I just wish I had your courage. And that there were more people like you.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Sorrel wasn¡¯t entirely sure what to say to that. She reached out to touch his hand.

    He did not shy away from the action, and so they sat there for a moment in the quiet.

    That part wasn¡¯t so different from home, Sorrel decided. There was never silence on Perrault either, not even on the nights of the heaviest snowfall. There was always the hum of electricity, the sounds of the city coming from somewhere. With Lemuria, it was the tides and the distant sounds of fireworks and cheers of party-goers.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s next?¡± Sorrel finally asked, ready to breach the silence. ¡°Since the lead didn¡¯t work out, I guess that leaves us to find a ship, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It does.¡± Coppelius looked to her with a twinkle in his eye, with a mischievous smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. ¡°But, I also know that tomorrow is the start of the Seaborn Festival, one of the biggest holidays on Lemuria. And given how Lemurian parties are legendary. . .¡±

    ¡°Wait, really?¡± Sorrel shook her head. ¡°But don¡¯t we have more important things to do?¡±

    Coppelius shrugged. ¡°We do. But also, I¡¯ve never been to Lemuria in all my travels before. Who knows when I¡¯ll get to see it again?¡±

    He looked down to the water. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong¡ªI want to find my father and bring in the Spider-Queen¡¯s defeat. And that¡¯s what I¡¯ll do. But I don¡¯t think she has the right to stop me from living either.¡±

    Sorrel considered that. ¡°I guess not.¡±

    Besides, now that he¡¯d mentioned it¡ªthe idea of experiencing some big party on a tropical world like this was tempting. An adventure in its own right.

    ¡°Deal, then.¡±

    He smiled. ¡°Oh, I think you¡¯ll love it¡ªif you like the fireworks tonight, they are nothing compared to what¡¯s happening tomorrow night.¡±

    <hr>

    He wasn¡¯t wrong, Sorrel couldn¡¯t help but think as they approached the Governor¡¯s mansion.

    People were pouring in and out, as Governor Albion had opened her home to the festivities of the opening night of the Seaborn Festivals. Everyone was dressed in finery of the Lemurian styles, in bright colors with embroidery that glowed in the dark and flowing silhouettes. All wore masks covering the top half of their face. Some had more elaborate masks with glowing paint, while others settled for simple shiny domino-masks with no details. Many carried either drinks or little sparkler-fireworks, oblivious to the elaborate ones soaring overhead.

    ¡°How do they do that?¡± Sorrel murmured, watching a multi-colored dragon made of fireworks soar and move around before disappearing.

    Coppelius chuckled. ¡°Lemurian fireworks are famous for being so intricate. I¡¯ve heard that it takes twenty years to apprentice yourself to an expert pyrotechnic here before they start teaching you the secret stuff.¡±

    ¡°Whoa.¡± Sorrel stopped in the middle of the street, just to watch as this time fish appeared, swirled in a circle together, and then merged into one before disappearing entirely.

    ¡°You¡¯re also going to love the food and the dancing inside,¡± Coppelius declared as he linked his arm into Sorrel¡¯s.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait.¡± Sorrel couldn¡¯t help but put a little bounce in her step.

    Tonight she could forget the mission, the destruction of Perrault, the Spider-Queen and the task in front of her. Tonight, she was a girl in love at the greatest party in the entire system.

    <hr>

    Gwynn could never have imagined such splendor before in her life. Everywhere she turned in the Governor¡¯s ballroom, there was gold. Gold on the necks, ears, and wrists of every woman and many of the men in the ballroom, gold in the wiring of the glass cage that formed the dome of the ceiling, gold of the pinpricks of stars making their light shine through the fireworks and the lights of the people below.

    A full symphony was at work, all for the benefit of the dancers on the center of the floor. They whirled together like gears in a clock, moving together perfectly. Others around them busied themselves with talk over finger-foods consisting of fish, rice, and pineapples or glasses of champagne.

    Gwynn stood paralyzed in the corner, clutching fistfuls of her red satin gown. She hadn¡¯t expected it to be quite so busy or so crowded. Even the center of town on Bonfire Night wasn¡¯t like this.

    She wasn¡¯t even sure why she¡¯d come. Maybe it was to try and spark an adventure of her own, given that any chances of being anything more than the shy homebody had been shot down by her older sister. There was still a bitter pang there, when she thought of Sorrel. It had barely been two days since she¡¯d turned around and walked away.

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    She missed her. She was sure that if Sorrel were here with her, she¡¯d be pulling her onto the dance floor in spite of all her reservations. She¡¯d find some way to make her laugh, to make her enjoy the night, to dance.

    For all she knew, her sister could be here, although it would be impossible to tell with all of the people. But functionally, Gwynn was still all alone here, unable to step out from one of the ballroom columns and the shadow behind it into the light.

    There was one person she recognized, however. In the center of the dance floor, all night was none other than Kiana Albion, the young governor of Lemuria.

    Her flowing sleeveless dress with organza layers and a sweetheart neckline was the same turquoise blue as her hair, with shimmering magenta embroidery in the shape of lotus-like flowers. Her skirt layers and hair flared out as she twirled and twirled, gliding through the air as if through water. She had not once strayed from the dance floor the entire night. With endless energy, she was there for every dance, for every waltz and every fast-paced skipping song.

    Over the last two days, Gwynn might have only seen glimpses of the Governor of Lemuria once or twice. But what she saw of her character, from her handling of the Perraultian refugee crisis to the Seaborn Festival had her intrigued.

    Observing her like this, Gwynn realized that Kiana Albion wasn¡¯t much older than she was. How did she bear it, all that responsibility at so young?

    Maybe that was why she danced like that, Gwynn thought. That was the only way you could bear responsibility like that. Maybe that was why she couldn¡¯t bear hers¡ªbecause she could never bring herself to dance.

    She was drawn out of her thoughts by what felt like a little pin-prick, a little nudge from some deeper part of her mind, a tingle down her spine. She turned to see a figure approaching, a man only barely taller than her, dressed entirely in black with a golden mask that resembled a wolf somewhat.

    ¡°Hello there.¡± She tilted her head as he slowed his approach. Something about him felt hauntingly familiar¡ªbut she could not place why. ¡°You must be here for the party too.¡±

    ¡°I am.¡± The wolf¡¯s voice was slow, stilting¡ªas if he were struggling for words. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but come over to you.¡±

    Gwynn raised her eyebrows. ¡°And why is that?¡±

    The wolf smiled¡ªbut it was a kind smile, Gwynn decided. ¡°I saw you standing by yourself and thought a pretty girl like yourself couldn¡¯t be left alone like that.¡±

    He then offered her a gloved hand. ¡°May I?¡±

    Gwynn could feel the heat radiating from her cheeks as she smiled all the same. ¡°You may.¡±

    <hr>

    Outside of the glass-covered ballroom was a patio of sorts, lined with a marble railing and several giant pots of flower-hedges unique to the Avalon Archipelago of Lemuria, those magenta flowers that were embroidered over Kiana¡¯s dress. The tides were filled with little blue stars that were not reflections of the ones above¡ªno, it was a unique phenomenon found in the waters of Lemuria.

    Sorrel stumbled out onto this patio, holding onto Coppelius¡¯s arm for dear life.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± He helped her sit down on the railing.

    ¡°Yeah, I just have to get these shoes off.¡± Sorrel swung her legs up onto the railing and pushed aside the white petal-like top layers of her skirt and the black organza under-layers to get at the straps of the black dancing shoes.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, they must not have fit right.¡± Coppelius removed his mask. ¡°Do you need help?¡±

    ¡°No, no, I¡¯ve got it.¡± At that, Sorrel had finally undone the lace on the left foot. Relief bloomed down her ankle and where the edges of the shoe had pushed into her skin, leaving angry red marks behind. She made work of the right shoe far more quickly, now that she¡¯d figured out the trick. While she was in the business of removing uncomfortable items, she decided to match Coppelius and ditch her mask as well.

    The sea breeze blew a little more fiercely on this side of the Governor¡¯s mansion, enough to cover most sounds coming from inside. The wind was also somewhat of a relief after the suffocating heat of the ballroom. And there was something to be said about a better view of the fireworks from out here.

    She glanced out at the sea a moment as Coppelius leaned over the side.

    ¡°It¡¯s a lovely night.¡±

    ¡°It certainly is.¡± He wasn¡¯t looking at the view, but rather directly at her.

    When she met his gaze, however, he quickly looked away. He fiddled with the signet ring.

    ¡°Tell me, how have you been enjoying the party?¡±

    ¡°I love it, the food is so good, and the dancing was just like on Bonfire Night, but there were so many more people and¡ª¡° Sorrel cut herself off with a smile. ¡°It was just a wonderful night, thank you.¡±

    She reached for his hand. It was almost worrying, how comfortably and casually she was slipping her hand into his like this. ¡°Do you do things like this often?¡±

    ¡°Nothing like the Seaborn Festival, of course.¡± He grinned and gently squeezed her hand. ¡°But doing things like this¡ªan immortal life isn¡¯t one worth living, without nights like this.¡±

    He peered out at the water again. He could change so quickly, Sorrel noticed, between mischief and solemnity.

    ¡°It¡¯s nights like these that we¡¯ll feel human.¡±

    He then straightened. ¡°Do you want to go back and have another dance?¡±

    Sorrel shook her head. ¡°I¡¯d like to stay out here, if you don¡¯t mind. But you can go back in if you want to.¡±

    He instead hopped up on the railing beside her. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±

    <hr>

    The wolf led Gwynn onto the dance floor with all of the grace of a nobleman, or someone upper-class, anyway. Someone who would know all of the fancy dances that the people dancing with the Governor and her cohort would, at least. She¡¯d simply have to follow his lead. After all, what would an innkeeper¡¯s daughter from the Border Worlds know of such things?

    Still, she had to admit that she was thrilled that such a thing was happening to her of all people!

    The musicians paused for a little longer, as the dancers shuffled into the crowd and vice-versa. Even Kiana Albion had finally vanished into the crowd. Far fewer dancers now stood in the center of the ballroom, leaving Gwynn feeling exposed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous,¡± the wolf murmured. ¡°I¡¯ll guide you.¡±

    Gwynn nodded and bit her lip, not trusting herself to speak.

    Then the orchestra began again. This song was slower, with more tension in the strings. A waltz, perhaps, but one with an edge that left goosebumps on Gwynn¡¯s pale skin. Beautiful, of course, but a far cry from the previous fast-paced joyous melodies that had filled the ballroom just before.

    The wolf stayed true to his word. With a gentle yet firm grip on her hand and her waist, he guided her across the ballroom in the spins and footwork of a more elaborate dance, one that Gwynn wasn¡¯t entirely sure she knew the name of.

    ¡°Have you danced before?¡± The wolf asked as he guided her into a spin under his arm.

    ¡°Only when I was little,¡± Gwynn answered. ¡°My sister and I took lessons at a ballet troupe¡¯s studio not far from home.¡±

    Madame Ciaravola, she remembered the name was. She¡¯d been a student at the Aggripina Ballet School, one of the best in the system. With striking red hair, a more coppery color than the darker auburn-adjacent of Sorrel¡¯s, she commanded attention on the stage. She¡¯d originally come from Perrault, and had formed her troupe in attempt to bring more attention to the stories and culture of their tiny Border World by bringing their stories to life.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t last long in those, though,¡± Gwynn assured the wolf as they came back together. ¡°My sister, she was too impatient, she could never keep still or listen for very long.¡±

    ¡°And what about you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, well, I didn¡¯t want to do it without my sister.¡± Gwynn could feel her cheeks heating up again. ¡°We were inseparable then. I wouldn¡¯t have thought of it.¡±

    The wolf said nothing, merely nodding to indicate that he was listening.

    ¡°Besides, it wouldn¡¯t have lasted long anyway,¡± she added. ¡°I doubt we really had enough money to keep doing it forever.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± The wolf had her on the back-foot, stepping back in time to the music before another spin, the two of them interlocked. ¡°Where is your sister, then?¡±

    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re not really together anymore.¡± Gwynn¡¯s throat went dry. ¡°She. . . she had her own journey to go on. One I couldn¡¯t really follow.¡±

    He then pulled back, and it was him moving back to the music.

    ¡°Have we met before, sir?¡± Gwynn could no longer push back the nagging doubts in her mind. She had thought it to be nervousness or anxiety about being in the center of the ballroom like this. But there was something else to it, too. Something she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on.

    ¡°I¡¯m no sir,¡± he laughed. ¡°I¡¯d rather you never called me that again.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± Gwynn bit her lip again.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t do that,¡± the wolf chided. ¡°I¡¯d hate for a pretty girl such as yourself to get hurt.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my question.¡± Her voice dropped, cold as the snows she had left behind.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t,¡± he agreed, and he lifted his arm again for her to spin under. ¡°But I had hoped to avoid the unpleasantness for at least another song.¡±

    ¡°The unpleasantness?¡± Gwynn¡¯s mind was whirring as she faced him again, her hand in his, the other on her waist. A chill went down her spine. ¡°Versailles!¡±

    He pulled her into a dip, and his grin seemed all the more wolfish as he looked down at her. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you, Gwyneira.¡±

 The Sunken Pavilion

    In one moment, Sorrel and Coppelius had been dancing outside in the night air, a simple box-step with her barefoot, and him nearly stumbling over her the entire time. Everything just perfect in its imperfection, the epitome of a lovely night.

    The next, there was a bright light, and a rumble that shook the stone beneath her feet emanated from the ballroom. Before Sorrel could figure out what was happening, she was knocked to the ground.

    In a few heartbeats, she realized Coppelius was crouched over her, holding her tight to his body. Shouts and screams filled the air, and glass surrounded them. Coppelius leapt to his feet, pulling Sorrel up with him.

    She whirled around to see the ballroom, now looking like a bird''s cage without the glass in it. People were running in all directions, the chaos taking on an entirely new, more frantic shape.

    In the center of it all were two figures. One of which was her sister and none other than¡ª

    "Versailles!" Coppelius cried, before cursing under his breath. "I never thought they''d be so bold as to come here."

    "What''s he doing with Gwynn?" Sorrel''s chest went tight, she felt as if she wasn''t breathing at all. "GWYNN!"

    In spite of everything, she screamed her name as she charged back in. Nothing mattered now besides getting to her, making sure she was safe. She leapt over people and darted between fleeing party-goers. She stumbled on the hem of her grown, leading to a large shredding noise. Segments of the black tulle underskirt came flying off in her frenzy to get to the center.

    But Coppelius somehow was faster, having outpaced her and ran in-between a shaken-looking Gwynn and the figure proclaiming to be Versailles, wearing a sinister-looking wolf-mask.

    Sorrel rushed to Gwynn''s side, grabbing her shoulders to shield her from the champion of the Spider-Queen.

    "Are you alright?" She asked.

    "I''m fine." Gwynn wasn''t looking at her, but was glaring straight at Versailles with an intensity Sorrel had never seen before in her little sister.

    "I knew you were still around." Versailles pulled the hilt of his polearm from a hidden pocket in his tunic. With a flick of his wrist, it extended into the polearm that Sorrel remembered from the forest. "And I knew she had to be with you. And that she would come to her aid."

    With that, he pointed at Gwynn with his polearm.

    "Leave her out of this," Coppelius snarled, as he began to weave his spells. "It''s me you''re after."

    "Oh, so you''re finally willing to fight instead of running?" Versailles spun his polearm, winding it up. "Well then, amuse me."

    At once, Sorrel realized that she had been a fool. The crystal sword, the artifact that was supposed to be used by Coppelius''s father, was left back in their hotel room.

    She had no way to defend him, to help. There was no backup in sight. He was ultimately alone.

    All she could do was scream as a ray of green light hit Coppelius in the chest. She could only watch as he crumpled to the ground.

    Everything came back in a screaming blur when his eyes closed. Sorrel wasn''t sure how, but she managed to dive to the floor, to take him into her arms and cradle him. She fumbled for a pulse¡ªhe was still alive, it was still beating steadily in his wrist.

    But she had bigger problems coming.

    Versailles was approaching. Slowly, like a wolf stalking his prey.

    Get up, get up¡ªit''s not over yet!

    Gritting her teeth, she slung Coppelius''s arm around her shoulder and attempted to rise. But she couldn''t get him off the ground. He was too heavy, too tall for her to carry on her own.

    "Come on, we''ve got to go!"

    She felt Coppelius''s weight shift. She turned to see Gwynn sling Coppelius''s other arm over her shoulder. With one look, they were in sync, they knew what to do.

    As they started to move, Versailles lifted his hand in a casual gesture, weaving an eerie spell that shone a sterile white. Sorrel braced herself, there was nowhere to run.

    But the spell never landed.

    Instead, standing in front of them was none other than Delphine, shining long blonde hair and all.

    The spell dissolved against an translucent shield like a folding fan in front of her. This new combatant stopped Versailles in his tracks.

    "I never knew that there was another survivor," he marveled aloud. "Hiding under our noses this entire time. You don''t have to suffer his fate."

    "Shut up!" Delphine snarled. She twisted her hands, re-forming the magic of her shield into a ball of seafoam green light. "I''ve spent enough time running from you and your kind."

    With that, she flung the ball of light at Versailles. It sailed harmlessly over his shoulder, igniting the chocolate fountain on fire.

    Delphine started to weave another spell, but was forced to dodge as Versailles took a swing with his polearm. All the while, Sorrel and Gwynn had continued to try and drag Coppelius back.

    Why was this harder than it had been at the junkyard?

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    And still Versailles came closer.

    "Niniane, I believe now would be a good time to act." Kiana Albion''s cool voice cut through the chaos.

    The woman beside her, Niniane, flexed her fingers, quickly weaving a spell of a pale lavender, sending it straight to Versailles. He dodged it and stopped, turning to observe the newcomers to the battle.

    Kiana and her entourage of young women, all Lemurian like herself, strode between the combatants as if they were walking underwater. Every movement flowed with ethereal grace and a solemnity that would cause anyone to take pause.

    They formed a barrier between the Marchand sisters and the Ondrinas.

    "I didn''t know the Governor of Lemuria was a sorceress." Versailles did not sound so amused as he had when Delphine had joined the fight. "You don''t have to do this."

    Kiana to her credit, ignored him.

    "Follow us, we''ll explain later¡ªbut we have to leave now!" Kiana shouted over her shoulder.

    With a large, swirling gesture, a shield of indigo light surrounded them, knocking Versailles back and splitting the marble floor in two. Kiana created a ball of light in her hands, like a moon or a pearl, before tossing it up. It hit the crystal chandelier that had somehow avoided being shattered before.

    Kiana then touched Sorrel''s arm, pushing her away, and they all started to run.

    Just as they passed through the threshold between the grand ballroom and the main mansion, a rumble passed through the floor. Sorrel stumbled, nearly falling from the force of it. But somehow, she''d managed to stay upright, and more importantly, keep moving.

    In her peripheral vision, it was like the sun had erupted in the ballroom behind them.

    But she had to keep going, they weren''t out of the woods yet. Never had she been more grateful for Gwynn''s assistance than right now, as she took each heavy, shuddering step into the gardens and then the streets outside of the manor. Other party-goers weaved around them, but they blended in all the same in the panic.

    It was all she could do to keep putting one foot in front of the other and to keep Kiana Albion and her blue-green hair in her sights. Other Avalon girls had fallen into a formation around Sorrel, Gwynn, Delphine, and the fallen prince Coppelius, a wordless act of solidarity that Sorrel could not entirely understand. At least, not yet.

    They crossed the bridge connecting the Governor''s mansion to the rest of the archipelago. Fireworks waltzed with explosions in the night sky, the chaos palpable. They hurried past the marketplace vendors, and followed Kiana''s flowing aquamarine silhouette down the stairs to the stone docks.

    None of the boats were tied down¡ªthey were all bobbing and celebrating out in the sea. Only they were safe from the fear and merriment mixed on land.

    "Where are we going?" Sorrel risked a glance over her shoulder. She wasn''t certain, but she thought she could see the rigid silhouettes of Annwynese soldiers forcing their way through the crowds. She looked back to Kiana, who kept striding ahead. She''d slowed, but she looked no less imperious.

    "Are we going to take a boat?" There wasn''t much dock left to go, and they were sitting ducks if they ended up at the end with no means of escape. Sorrel wouldn''t be able to swim long enough to make it to a distant island, especially not if she was trying to support Coppelius too.

    "No, we''ve got something better," Niniane informed her from behind. "Trust in Kiana¡ªshe''s more of an ally than her father ever would have been."

    As Niniane spoke, Kiana stopped at one of the carved panels in the stone wall that separated the raised street from the docks. On the panel were several symbols carved into it, ones that Sorrel recognized from underneath the bridge between the spaceport and the marketplace.

    Kiana touched the symbol and it lit up the same aquamarine as her hair and her dress. The panel in the stone-stacked wall pulled away, folding into a blue light. She looked over her shoulder at Sorrel.

    "We''d better get going¡ªlooks like we have company."

    Sorrel glanced behind her once more. There were indeed Annwynese soldiers on Lemuria, in their turquoise and gold uniforms and golden masks, and they were descending the steps to the docks.

    The other girls started to run through, only Niniane and Kiana remaining behind.

    Sorrel exchanged a look with Gwynn. They both knew that there was no other choice but a leap of faith.

    She tilted his head ever-so-slightly, doubt crossing her face like a shadow and she somehow knew what her sister was asking.

    She nodded. She believed in the young Governor.

    With that, they carried Coppelius into the light.

    Sorrel blinked her surprise¡ªfor she had entered a space unlike any she had seen before. She stumbled through a corridor of stone with glowing runes on the side, that opened into the most beautiful pavilion she had ever seen.

    It was a garden that she had only seen in dreams, with golden pillars and trees of jeweled fruit. Above was a dome that looked like water all around them, with fish and the faint light of the moon making its way through the depths. In one of the grassy pavilions was an elevated bed of gold. Had it been waiting for her? Had Kiana Albion and her entourage somehow. . . known?

    Her mind was whirling at the implications, just like the dancers on the floor of the Governor''s ballroom had just a few moments before. Her head pounded in the aftermath of what had come before. Between the exhilaration of the Seaborn Festival and the devastation of the battle that had come after, everything had changed so quickly.

    "You can set him down here." One of the other members of Kiana''s entourage beckoned the twins and Delphine down to where the bed was.

    Sorrel and Gwynn did so. Coppelius only faintly stirred, wincing as they set him down. Sorrel reached for his hand. There was still warmth there, still the rise and fall of his chest. He was still alive, his hair still glowed with the power of the stars.

    As did Delphine''s, she realized, finally seeing her in an environment that wasn''t daylight, or so brightly lit that it could be confused with such. A further evidence of her celestial heritage.

    She turned to Gwynn, and thought of what she had seen in the ballroom, when Versailles had shattered the glass dome. Her sister had been shaken, standing alone with him. He''d gone for Gwynn to draw her and Coppelius out.

    It was her fault that her sweet, gentle sister''s night had been ruined.

    "Gwynn, I''m so sorry¡ª"

    "You didn''t do this." Gwynn''s hands clutched fistfuls of her red skirt as she stared straight at Coppelius. "Neither did he."

    There it was again, that intensity that was so uncharacteristic of her sister. When she looked back to Sorrel, her dark gaze softened.

    "Versailles did this. And he won''t leave us alone until either he''s dead or the Spider-Queen''s defeated." Gwynn bit her lip, clearly hesitating. "I don''t think we have any other choice but to stop them both."

    Sorrel parted her lips to speak¡ªbut she had no idea what to say. There was relief, that her sister was back by her side, delight that they would be able to embark on the adventures she''d always dreamed of. But with it, there was also a sorrow that her sister felt forced to be by her side, anger at whatever it was that Versailles had done to her, to trick her.

    Instead, Sorrel reached her hand to Gwynn''s. And Gwynn accepted it, as she always did, and met her eyes. A faint smile tugged at her face. No words needed.

    Sorrel looked away, to Coppelius again, and her own smile vanished.

    The Lemurian girl that was a part of Kiana''s entourage, the one who lured them over here, was hovering her hands over Coppelius''s unconscious body, a twinkle of light between her hands and her eyebrows furrowed together in deep concentration.

    "Is he going to be okay?"

    "That depends all on both of you."

    The twins turned to see Kiana Albion and Niniane approaching, exactly as they had in the ballroom. Kiana stopped, her blue-green eyes flicking up and down the girls. "Perhaps we should change into something more comfortable and have a private conversation, yes? Then we can talk."

    She then looked to another member of her entourage. "Coralia, if you would?"

    The girls nodded, linking arms with Sorrel and Gwynn.

    "Come on," said Coralia, smiling brightly. "Let''s get you out of those ruined clothes."

    With that, the sisters were led away across the endless pavilions.

 The Governor Who Fought the Tide

    Coralia had led them to a building within three pavilions of the one they had entered in. Gwynn had been unable to see it until they had entered the pavilion that served as its home, as if it had only appeared right before they had arrived.

    The building looked like some of the older structures she¡¯d seen in Lemuria, carved from pale gray stone with columns and flat roofs with statues and fountains built into the outside. Lanterns made of glowing pearls provided a pastel light, bathing the pavilion in a soft glow.

    Inside, the room was fairly sterile, with no windows to the outside and more pearl lanterns. However, in the center on the raised square pedestal was a golden clothing rack with two outfits on it that was done clearly in the Lemurian style, and painted screens with the images of waves in glow-in-the dark paint that resembled the glimmers of blue starlight-algae in the waves above.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you two get changed,¡± Coralia said with a smile. ¡°Let me know if you need anything.¡±

    ¡°But what if these don¡¯t fit?¡± Gwynn asked. ¡°I only see two on there, and well, we¡¯ve never met before.¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that.¡± Coralia dismissed Gwynn¡¯s concerns with a casual wave of her hand. ¡°They¡¯ll fit.¡±

    With that, she disappeared out of the building, letting the great stone doors shut behind her.

    Gwynn looked to Sorrel. Her sister seemed more reserved than she normally was, far more withdrawn within herself.

    ¡°You¡¯re worried about him, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Her twin sister¡¯s face betrayed her before she could even speak a word. A sad smile played on her mouth. ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°Maybe they¡¯ll be able to help him.¡±

    ¡°I hope that they can.¡± Sorrel stepped past her and approached the rack of clothes.

    Functionally, the clothes were identical. Both were sleeveless knee-length dresses, with patches of different coordinating patterned cloth forming the handkerchief skirt and the crossed neckline of the blouse.

    One set was a deep azure blue, with reddish-pink flowers and golden embroidery, and tones of pale pink and pale blue in some of the contrasting pattern designs. Lying draped over the hanger were coordinating fingerless gloves that went up to the elbow in that same deep blue as the background of all of the fabrics used to construct the dress.

    The other set was a garnet red with gold as well in its designs, but also a sage green, pale pink, and black in some of the patches, coordinated with sage green gloves.

    Set under the rack were sets of ankle boots and stockings that would be hidden by the top of the boots, easily coordinated with the outfits.

    Both were coordinated to their individual tastes¡ªas if the Governor and her associates of other young Lemurian girls about her age had known that they would arrive.

    ¡°You take red, I¡¯ll take blue?¡±

    Gwynn nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She accepted the hanger from her sister and darted behind one of the dressing screens.

    True to Coral¡¯s word, the clothes had in fact fit. The measurements were impossibly perfect, a comfortable fit that left Gwynn even more unsettled than she already was. She found herself pinching her arm in hopes that maybe all of this would be a dream.

    But the world had ceased to be what she knew exactly four days ago.

    ¡°I guess we should go talk to Governor Albion.¡± She tugged at the top of the fingerless gloves, unsure of what else to do with her hands.

    ¡°Before we do, I should probably explain some things.¡± Sorrel was already fiddling with the asymmetric hem of her skirt. ¡°About who the girl with the golden hair was. . . and who Coppelius really is.¡±

    Kiana Albion was waiting for the sisters under a gazebo surrounded with pastel streamers and bushes of the magenta flowers Sorrel had seen on her ballgown before. She was set up for a tea party, as if this weren¡¯t a crisis, Nininane and Delphine by her sides. All were dressed in similar outfits to Sorrel and Gwynn.

    Speaking of whom, Sorrel noticed that Gwynn had taken the revelation of the truth behind the fairytales and the stories of the celestial kingdom of heavenly rulers quite well. Or as much as she could tell. Gwynn had gone quite quiet, and there was a cloudiness in her eyes, her mind somewhere far away.

    It couldn¡¯t be helped, really. Her sister had always been the sensitive sort, just as Sorrel had always been the brave one.

    But she could only hope her sister would continue by her side. She had to move her focus to Coppelius, who clearly needed her now.

    She¡¯d been grateful that Delphine had returned and helped them. But she¡¯d be lying if she said that she trusted the girl with the golden hair. As she and Gwynn sat down at the remaining two chairs at the tea table she tried to catch Delphine¡¯s eye. The Ondrina girl quickly looked away, her cheeks flushing pink and raised a teacup to her lips.

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    ¡°Excellent, everyone¡¯s here, that means we can get business done.¡± Kiana Albion set down her own teacup and leaned forward. ¡°You¡¯ve brought a galaxy of trouble to my doorstep, you know. Two Ondrinas in the same place¡ªyou practically sent out a flare begging for the Spider-Queen to send her minions after you.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my fault.¡± Delphine sat up straight, her expression haughty. ¡°I only came to Lemuria to escape her gaze in the first place. It¡¯s not my fault Perraultian refugees were let in.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Sorrel couldn¡¯t help raising her eyebrows and her voice.

    ¡°This simply won¡¯t do, that wasn¡¯t actually an accusation.¡± Kiana sighed. ¡°I was trying to be somewhat light-hearted about it. But never mind. I should have suspected that something like this would happen sooner rather than later. Which means that the relic inside of Castle Arcadia is no longer safe from Her Majesty¡¯s eyes.¡±

    ¡°The relic?¡± Sorrel remembered what Coppelius told her. ¡°Like the crystal blade?¡±

    ¡°You mean this crystal blade?¡± As Niniane spoke, she pulled the very sword Sorrel had left in the hotel room out from under the table.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Sorrel accepted it from Niniane. The feel of it in her hand was like coming home. ¡°How did you get this?¡±

    ¡°A simple parlor trick.¡± The smile on Niniane¡¯s face told Sorrel that Nininane would not be elaborating any further any time soon. ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t leave objects of such import lying around. You¡¯re quite lucky Versailles hadn¡¯t picked it up yet.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Sorrel let out a sigh of relief and stashed it beneath her chair. ¡°But you were talking about a relic inside of a castle?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Castle Arcadia.¡± Kiana pulled back, slumping in her chair. ¡°To maintain their center of power, the Ondrina Dynasty had several castles that connect to their homestead, the one currently known as Castle Tristerion. Their connections were severed when the survivors of the initial attack made their last stand, and the relics were hidden inside to be protected by the castle¡¯s natural defenses.¡±

    ¡°Natural defenses?¡± Gwynn voiced the thought that had popped into Sorrel¡¯s head just then.

    ¡°Enchantments, just as old and arcane as this place.¡± Kiana leaned forward again, resting her head on her hands. ¡°That kind of magic is what hit your friend, the princeling.¡±

    ¡°Will he be okay?¡± Sorrel pressed the palms of her hands against the table. ¡°Will you be able to help him?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but only if we retrieve the relic, and quickly.¡± There was unbearable pity in Kiana¡¯s eyes. ¡°The sisters of my coven are working to stabilize the princeling¡¯s condition, but they won¡¯t be able to hold off that spell for long. The Spider-Queen has taught her acolytes well.¡±

    ¡°What is the relic?¡± Sorrel asked breathlessly. ¡°How will it help him?¡±

    ¡°I believe it was called the Wand of Light.¡± Niniane was the one to speak this time. ¡°Capable of healing all maladies.¡±

    ¡°Then what are we waiting for?¡± Sorrel rose from the table. ¡°We have no time to lose¡ªwe have to save him.¡±

    ¡°Patience.¡± Kiana regarded her with narrowed eyes, but not unkindly so. ¡°Tell me¡ªhave either of you ever practiced magic before?¡±

    Gwynn and Sorrel shared a look. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± For the first time all night, Kiana sounded surprised. ¡°I would have guessed that you had powerful witches in your bloodline. Your capacity for magic¡ªwell, if times weren¡¯t so desperate, I would train you myself, or even send you to my order.¡±

    ¡°Your order?¡±

    ¡°She means the Astral Witches, like the hag who raised me,¡± Delphine answered, a stormy look on her face. ¡°Which she will not be doing, thank you very much. She doesn¡¯t need any of the witches¡¯ schemes.¡±

    ¡°I believe Sorrel Marchand can make choices of her own, Delphine Ondrina.¡± Kiana looked from Delphine back to Sorrel. ¡°Can¡¯t you?¡±

    Sorrel couldn¡¯t help but huff a sigh of exasperation. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter right now, whether some witches want to train me and my sister or not¡ªdidn¡¯t you say Coppelius is dying?¡±

    ¡°You do love him.¡± Sorrel couldn¡¯t get a read on Kiana¡¯s expression as she rose from the table, as fathomless as the seas. ¡°Well, it is in all of our best interests if the princeling lives. I suppose I should ask, if you have any last questions for me?¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± Gwynn said a small voice. ¡°What exactly is this place?¡±

    Kiana smiled. ¡°Our people call it the Sunken Pavilions. Before we lost our way, lost touch with our most ancient traditions, the people of these archipelagos spent the hottest seasons living underwater, in these enchanted environments that would provide everything requested of it.¡±

    She looked out of the gazebo as a school of fish swam by the invisible barrier between the pavilion air and the water. ¡°We would return from the sea to the land at the Seaborn Festival, hence the celebrations. But that was a long time ago, and most have forgotten such history.¡±

    She looked back to Sorrel and Gwynn, looking much younger, like the young woman who was just barely not a girl, just like them.

    ¡°I was lucky that I had a teacher who wanted me to revive the old ways.¡± She placed a hand over the white crystal dangling from the tiara woven into her aquamarine waves. Then she looked to Niniane beside her. ¡°And I am even luckier to have sisters-in-arms who wished to follow me.¡±

    When she looked back to Sorrel and Gwynn, she was more resolute, polished.

    ¡°Which reminds me, if you want to navigate the defenses of Castle Arcadia, you will need a conduit.¡± She looked to Sorrel. ¡°That sword should act as a conduit.¡±

    When she looked to Gwynn, she frowned apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I haven¡¯t any conduits properly prepared for you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Gwynn lifted her wrist, and Sorrel spotted it for the first time, over the elbow-length fingerless gloves. It was a silver bracelet with fragments of blood-red stone dangling from it like a charm bracelet. ¡°I think this is made with crystals like that. . . isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Kiana¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°The craftsmanship on that is Annwynese¡ªwhere did you get this?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, it just appeared after the ball and the explosion. . .¡± Gwynn trailed off and looked up at Sorrel with panicked brown eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t think it¡¯s cursed or something, do you?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Kiana¡¯s expression was thoughtful. ¡°I don¡¯t sense any dark magic about it.¡±

    ¡°It could be used to track her, though.¡± Delphine narrowed her eyes at Gwynn. ¡°You may have put us all in danger!¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t know.¡± Sorrel stood up. ¡°But that means we¡¯ll have to move faster.¡±

    She turned to Kiana. ¡°You said that you¡¯ll take us to Castle Arcadia?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Kiana nodded. ¡°But Delphine Ondrina is correct. We should hurry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, everyone.¡± Gwynn¡¯s cheeks turned as red as the crystals on her wrist.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry, it won¡¯t help anyone.¡± Kiana¡¯s voice was gentle but firm. ¡°Instead, at least you have the right tool to help. Rejoice in that fact.¡±

    With that, she started out of the gazebo. She stopped only a few paces from it and she turned back to the party lingering underneath. ¡°Well, what are you waiting for?¡±

    Sorrel picked up her sword and hurried after her. Coppelius needed her and she wouldn¡¯t let him down.

 Castle Arcadia

    Kiana Albion and Niniane led the party down a long stretch of connecting pavilions. How long they went on, Sorrel wasn¡¯t sure. But after what seemed like hours of walking across golden bridges and strangely-green turf, as the light started to change through the depths of the water from moonlight to sunlight, they came across the largest pavilion yet.

    Looming over them was a structure that resembled a cross between a temple and a palace, with many columns and a large staircase leading to the great front doors, with towers emerging from the initial structure.

    ¡°The doors to Castle Arcadia have been sealed for so long,¡± Kiana murmured as they ascended the stairs. ¡°I¡¯ve wondered for so long, what secrets the House of Ondrina left inside and why they left them for us.¡±

    Niniane stepped ahead of the party to greet the large stone door with an ornate knocker shaped like a dragon¡¯s head. However, the dragon¡¯s mouth was open, in the perfect shape of an ¡®O.¡¯ Her slender brown fingers brushed over the knocker. Her face was stoic, but her golden eyes betrayed an uncertainty.

    ¡°There¡¯s ancient magic here, but I am. . . unsure, of how to pull at its threads,¡± Niniane admitted. ¡°This is unlike any weave I¡¯ve ever seen before.¡±

    ¡°Weave?¡± Sorrel turned to Kiana.

    ¡°There are many different schools of magic.¡± Kiana did not look away from Niniane as she spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve taken elements from some other styles¡ª¡°

    ¡°You mean the hag¡¯s school,¡± Delphine interrupted.

    ¡°Yes, but I have also been trying to revive the styles once practiced by my people.¡± Kiana folded her arms over her chest. ¡°Much was lost when the Society of Worlds came. We lost touch with our magics. But luckily, my mentor has been able to provide some insight into how the ancients of our people practiced magic.¡±

    ¡°And weaving is a part of it?¡± Sorrel thought of her brief brush with magic, with how Coppelius did it. They did not sound entirely the same.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s one of the ways in which we can understand the intricacies of the spell-work.¡± Kiana tilted her head. ¡°The main way in which we do spells, however¡ªor did¡ªis through the tides, the flow of water.¡±

    She finally looked away from Sorrel. ¡°I believe I¡¯ve said before that you have great magical potential, a potential that can be honed through that blade of yours. I¡¯d be happy to take you on as another of my pupils.¡±

    ¡°Maybe someday.¡± Sorrel looked back to Niniane and the door. ¡°I know Coppelius planned on teaching me too.¡±

    Kiana laughed. ¡°You¡¯ll pick up a few of our tricks, while we¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t get it.¡± Niniane let out a grunt of frustration. ¡°We¡¯ll have to find another way in. They wanted this place protected.¡±

    ¡°No we won¡¯t.¡±

    Everyone turned to see Delphine, with a strange and dreamy expression. She walked forward as if in a trance, lifting a sea-green crystal into the mouth of the dragon knocker.

    Upon making contact with the ancient stone, the crystal shined so bright that Sorrel was forced to raise a hand to her eyes, and still the light shone through the cracks so brightly she had to shut her eyes and turn away.

    There was a loud rumbling, and the light was everywhere.

    Then when it was gone and Sorrel could see again, the great stone doors had given way to a large open corridor. Lanterns ignited one by one down the sides of the corridor, each an eerie turquoise blue, bathing the corridor in just enough light to see, to tinge the stone blue and green.

    ¡°An Ondrina,¡± Niniane murmured. ¡°They needed one of their own to even use the key.¡±

    Kiana looked to Delphine. ¡°After you, then.¡±

    The castle was strangely barren, consisting only of identical corridors with turquoise lanterns and dark pillars with a roof made of stained glass revealing some of the faint light from above. Not that it made any sense, as Sorrel recalled that the roof of the castle from outside was made of stone.

    What was perhaps the most bizarre were the fish. Floating in the air around them were schools of shimmering fish, who went about their business with no care as to the visitors to Castle Arcadia and despite there being no water inside the castle¡¯s halls.

    At first upon entry, Delphine confidently marched through the halls, taking charge of the party. Who were happy to let her lead, given the situation with the door. Sorrel thought it reasonable, the idea that maybe only an Ondrina could navigate the the castle and find the artifact.

    And yet with each turn, Delphine¡¯s shoulders slumped, each step grew more hesitant, her eyes began to flick about.

    Finally, she came to a stop. ¡°I thought¡ªI thought I¡¯d be able to tell where the door is. But I don¡¯t see any.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Gwynn placed a reassuring hand on Delphine¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s strange that there aren¡¯t any doors anywhere, or that we haven¡¯t circled back to the entrance.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because this place won¡¯t obey the rules of reality, we¡¯re beyond those limits now.¡± Kiana looked around. ¡°The Ondrinas were the most powerful sorcerers this star has ever seen. There were legends that they were gods, even. It makes sense that they would have made these castles strongholds beyond the likes of anything we¡¯ve ever seen.¡±

    ¡°And their enemy was coming from within the house, so it wouldn¡¯t be so easy as having Ondrina blood on the excavation team,¡± Niniane added. ¡°No, I¡¯d bet there¡¯s a trick to this.¡±

    Over her shoulder¡ªthere it was again. One of the shimmering fish of entirely silver and gold, it was by itself, no school surrounding it. This wasn¡¯t the first time that Sorrel had seen it, she realized.

    It wasn¡¯t always going in their direction, but it seemed to find them all the same. Seeing as there were no others that looked quite like it, she wasn¡¯t sure that could be chalked up to finding more of its kind in these halls.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°I have an idea,¡± she announced. ¡°Follow me.¡±

    Perhaps because there were no other ideas, they did follow her as she followed the shimmering silver-and-gold fish. It only took a few turns before they came to a door, plain as day. The fish circled the handle, and then vanished entirely.

    ¡°How did we miss this?¡± Sorrel wondered aloud as she reached for the handle, shaped like a long dragon like a sea serpent. ¡°It¡¯s so obvious, especially since there aren¡¯t any other doors around or anything.¡±

    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have found it on our own.¡± Kiana shook her head. ¡°Still. . . you have good eyes.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± With that, Sorrel opened the door to be bathed in pearlescent light.

    The interior was unlike the dark and crumbling stone around them, instead looking like Sorrel might have hoped it did in its heyday. The floors and columns looked to be made of pearl, reflecting the warm rainbow iridescence of the crystals on the ceiling. Still, the room was just as barren as the corridors before them¡ªor perhaps moreso. After all, there were no floating fish inside.

    They were even giving the door a wide berth, as if they were not supposed to be there.

    At the very end of the room was a pool, with water so dark it almost looked black, the water completely still.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± Kiana declared as she approached the water. She knelt down in front of it and her hands hovered over it. ¡°I sense that this is likely the way to progress. . . but. . . ¡°

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t exactly look healthy.¡± Gwynn wrinkled her nose.

    Sorrel eyed the water with some hesitance, gripping the hilt of the crystal sword tighter. There was something sinister about it¡ªbut Coppelius crumpling to the ground remained in her mind¡¯s eye.

    She bit her lip. She couldn¡¯t let him down. There was a ticking clock, for how she and the others seemed to keep forgetting it.

    If he died, all hope for the star system died with him. She would have no idea how to find his father, to coax him out and finish the fight.

    Did his father know, how close his son lay to the grave?

    It was as likely as her own mother would know.

    Warmth rose to Sorrel¡¯s cheeks, unbidden. She didn¡¯t want to think of her mother, of how both of Celine¡¯s daughters now were tied up in the war as old as the stars. She¡¯d promised her mother that she would come back, that she would return when Valiant couldn¡¯t.

    There were many promises to keep. But she would keep all of them.

    So without another word, Sorrel stepped into the water.

    It was as if the world itself had been turned all around. When Sorrel stepped into the water, she sank down only to be righted again as she ended up on solid ground once more. Well, not quite.

    She was in a room made entirely of mirrors, with a flat marble-like surface for the floor, covered in a thin layer of water.

    She turned around to see where she¡¯d come from, but there was no entrance or exit. Sorrel frowned and re-examined her surroundings.

    There had been a trick to the door, and then a trick to finding the vault for the artifact in the first place. Surely there would be another trick now.

    Before Sorrel could contemplate that any further, she heard a splash and turned to see Gwynn stumble forward. Sorrel caught her sister by her forearms before she could fall onto the floor.

    ¡°Thank the stars,¡± Gwynn murmured as their eyes met. ¡°The rest of them, they were arguing about whether to go in after you or not¡ªI couldn¡¯t stand to wait when you might¡¯ve been in trouble.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± she assured her as she let go of her sister. ¡°I can¡¯t figure out where the artifact is though¡ªor how to get back out of here.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out, together.¡± Gwynn took her hand and squeezed us. ¡°It¡¯s like it¡¯s supposed to be, you and me.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± Sorrel smiled, only for it to falter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you got dragged into all of this by Versailles. You shouldn¡¯t have to pay for my choices. I know you¡¯d rather be safe with Maman while all this happens.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Gwynn shook her head. ¡°I regretted not going with you.¡±

    She then smiled. ¡°We¡¯re a team, you and I. That¡¯s not changing any time soon.¡±

    ¡°But what about Maman?¡± Sorrel thought of that final encounter, the last promise she made.

    Gwynn opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted.

    ¡°Indeed, what about Maman?¡±

    Before, the reflections in the mirrors on the walls were blurry, the features lacking clarity. Now, having spoken, Sorrel¡¯s reflection on the opposite wall was clearer, and pressing her pale hand against the looking-glass.

    ¡°You left your poor Maman, just as your father did,¡± the reflection continued, a sinister gleam in her dark eyes. ¡°Just to run off and play hero for a boy you just met.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± Sorrel shook her head, and made to approach the reflection, but Gwynn shook her head and squeezed her hand.

    Sorrel wasn¡¯t entirely sure what her sister had meant by that. But ultimately, if there was anyone in the whole universe she trusted, it had to be her twin sister.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± The reflection smirked as her hand went through the glass and into the room.

    In spite of herself and Gwynn beside her, Sorrel flinched and stepped back.

    ¡°What are you?¡± She managed to spit out.

    To her credit, Gwynn held tight, even though Sorrel was certain her sister was just as afraid as she was. If not more. Probably more.

    ¡°I¡¯m what you see in the mirror, silly.¡± Sorrel winced as the reflection laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t like what you see?¡±

    It was then that Gwynn¡¯s reflection stepped forward. And she did not do so as slowly as Sorrel¡¯s. Instead, she came right through the glass, entering the room entirely.

    ¡°If only you were more selfish, or maybe less,¡± Gwynn¡¯s reflection lamented. ¡°Poor you, caught between duty and desire, but not brave enough to commit to either.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± Sorrel let go of Gwynn¡¯s hand and stepped in front, to shield her. ¡°My sister is braver than you could ever be! All you are¡ªall either of you are are just a voice, just a reflection!¡±

    ¡°Are you so sure about that?¡± Sorrel¡¯s reflection stepped out to join Gwynn¡¯s dark reflection.

    Sorrel gripped the hilt of the crystalline blade tighter and widened her stance. She tried to remember what she¡¯d seen in movies and such, but it was all evading her, flying out of her head like a flock of birds.

    The reflections separated and began to circle the sisters. Sorrel wasn¡¯t sure what either would do, or when they would strike. But she knew that Gwynn was defenseless, and she needed to protect her.

    ¡°You left your mother behind because you fell in love with a man you just met,¡± her sinister reflection sang as she passed behind Sorrel. ¡°What a frivolous, flighty thing to do! What a stupid thing to do!¡±

    ¡°What a coward, unable to make a real decision,¡± Gwynn¡¯s dark reflection sneered as she passed in front of Sorrel. ¡°Unable to tell the truth, what she really thinks!¡±

    ¡°Leave her alone!¡± Sorrel couldn¡¯t hold back any further. She then rushed at the doppelg?nger with her sword.

    The doppelg?nger conjured a sword that looked to be made of jet-black glass. It materialized in her hands just in time for Sorrel¡¯s crystal blade to make impact.

    She stepped back and looked over her shoulder to see her own reflection rushing for Gwynn.

    ¡°Duck!¡± Sorrel shouted.

    Gwynn dropped to the water and Sorrel swung over her head, meeting her doppelg?nger¡¯s own black mirror-blade. The impact of the strike forced the doppelg?nger back, and she had just enough wherewithal to swing back and prevent her sister¡¯s dark reflection from slicing at her.

    ¡°It¡¯s not true, anything you say,¡± Sorrel realized aloud, and she put all of her might down on the blade. It flew out of Gwynn¡¯s doppelg?nger¡¯s hands, and the doppelg?nger¡¯s dark eyes went wide.

    It was enough to make her hesitate.

    But her true twin¡¯s scream brought her back to life, just in time to whirl back around and meet her own reflection once more.

    She could not so easily push back or break the clash of blades, Sorrel realized after a few moments of infinity, of a stalemate, one that she could not afford with the other reflection.

    ¡°You¡¯re not what I see,¡± Sorrel realized. ¡°You¡¯re something else¡ªdoubt.¡±

    The reflection smiled. Not the sinister smirk of before. A genuine smile that looked just like Sorrel¡¯s own.

    Then the dark reflections sank into the water on the floor, returning to being merely reflections. Nothing more.

    All that was left to prove they¡¯d ever been there was the black mirror-blade that Sorrel had disarmed her sister¡¯s doppelg?nger from using.

    The real Gwynn snatched it up and got to her feet. As she joined Sorrel¡¯s side, the room shook and rumbled, and the walls parted ways to reveal a passage forward, to a staircase.

    ¡°I guess this is our next stop.¡± Sorrel glanced around her. ¡°And I guess we aren¡¯t getting back-up.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s you and me then, just like it¡¯s supposed to be.¡± Gwynn smiled softly, and then led Sorrel up the stairs and further into the heart of Castle Arcadia.

 The Chalice

    The staircase led Gwynn and Sorrel up into a simple room, all dark except for the light that came in through the stained-glass ceiling. There were no decorations other than the intricately-carved pillars, but Gwynn could not make up the details in the relative darkness. Indeed, most of the light in the room came from atop a small altar in the center, in front of a tapestry.

    For on top of the simple stone altar was none other than a glowing goblet. The base of the goblet was made with white platinum, but the light truly came from the jewels inlaid in the cup in shades of blue, indigo, and violet. They reminded Gwynn of the color of the eyes of the wolf, her masked dancing partner¡ªVersailles.

    Her heart ached to recall that moment. She¡¯d been so stupid, so foolish to believe anyone would be interested in dancing with her of all people. It was so clearly a trap in hindsight, taking advantage of girlish naivete.

    Gwynn and Sorrel approached the altar to where the cup lay.

    ¡°I guess this is it.¡± Gwynn glanced at her sister.

    She could see the gears whirring behind Sorrel¡¯s eyes, trying to figure out if there was an additional trick or trap. But surely there wouldn¡¯t be, surely they¡¯d passed the trials?

    Gwynn reached out to the cup, her fingertips just barely brushing agains the cool metal when she heard a voice.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you.¡±

    Gwynn and Sorrel turned to see Versailles step out from behind a pillar and twirl his polearm.

    ¡°You¡¯ve come to take the artifact for yourself, haven¡¯t you?¡± Sorrel demanded. ¡°For the Spider-Queen¡¯s schemes, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    He laughed, but it was a humorless sound. ¡°I know you won¡¯t believe me, but I am not interested in seeing your deaths.¡±

    ¡°You plan to kill us then for it.¡± Sorrel lifted her crystal sword. ¡°Not happening. We¡¯re saving Coppelius, then the entire galaxy.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s why you came looking for it.¡± Versailles¡¯ indigo eyes strayed to behind them, to the goblet. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that Coppelius has resigned himself to death.¡±

    ¡°Why do you and the Spider-Queen hate him so much?¡± Gwynn tensed as her sister spat the words. ¡°What did he ever do to you? He told me how he never did anything when you burned down his home, when you came for him.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t hate him.¡± Versailles frowned. ¡°I would have preferred he joined my side. But he refuses to acknowledge the inevitable. And since he cannot see the bigger picture, he insists on fighting the tide¡ªwell, unfortunately the tide must take him.¡±

    He sighed once more. ¡°I don¡¯t want the artifact, and Her Majesty doesn¡¯t need it. But I cannot let you take it from this room.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Gwynn found herself stepping forward, placing herself between Sorrel and the dark prince. There was something about his tone, about the warning that had alerted them to his presence in the first place. ¡°This isn¡¯t about Coppelius, is it?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Something softened in his gaze, something she did not recognize it. A small smile appeared at his lips, but it disappeared as soon as it arrived. ¡°The artifact is cursed. This whole castle is.¡±

    ¡°Care to say any specifics?¡± Sorrel stepped around Gwynn, falling into her place by her side. ¡°How did you even find us anyway?¡±

    He tilted his head as if it were obvious. ¡°It was easy to follow the light of those two, not to mention that I recognized the aura of my little gift to Gwyneira.¡±

    Gwynn recoiled. ¡°So it was a trick!¡±

    ¡°It actually wasn¡¯t, if you would believe me,¡± he said, locking eyes with Gwynn. ¡°I meant what I said when I saw you alone and wanted to dance.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, you bastard.¡± Gwynn could feel her ears going warm. ¡°What was the real reason for the bracelet?¡±

    Versailles¡¯ eyes flashed. ¡°If it isn¡¯t obvious by now, then I¡¯ll make it clear¡ªI have no interest in either of your deaths. You are not like the Governor, or the princess. You are not a part of this story and you don¡¯t have to be. You don¡¯t have to suffer the fate for it.¡±

    ¡°You wanted me to survive this.¡± It didn¡¯t make any sense, but Gwynn could see it between his words all the same. ¡°Why?¡±

    He opened his mouth to speak, only to freeze. To look afraid.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do this. . . please. Coppelius doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s truly fighting for.¡±

    Before Gwynn could ask what he meant, Sorrel beat her to the punch.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you do either.¡±

    With that, Sorrel sprinted back toward the altar.

    Versailles leapt at her and snatched her around the waist, lifting her up and off the ground. Sorrel began to thrash, scratching at his arms, but they were covered by the thick fabric of a black jacket.

    Gwynn felt frozen, stuck, and yet¡ªher sister needed her. She couldn¡¯t stay still. She had to do something.

    That was when she felt something, some kind of glimmer within her veins, a light that felt familiar to her, welcoming¡ªcalming even. Was this what courage, or maybe serenity felt like?

    Gwynn wasn¡¯t sure. But the light was beckoning her, and she needed to help her sister somehow. So she heeded its call.

    A light as red as apples appeared in her hands¡ªmagic, just like what Coppelius had wielded. It was hers, it was that glimmer. And it felt right.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Gwynn shouted.

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    To her surprise Versailles obeyed and even Sorrel froze. It was just enough for Sorrel to let it fly.

    Versailles let go of Sorrel and leapt back, just in time for the spell to soar harmlessly between them and into a pillar. The impact caused parts of the pillar to break off and crumble¡ªbut the structure remained steady.

    ¡°How did you¡ª¡° Versailles turned to her, eyes wide with shock.

    But in doing so, he¡¯d ignored the sister that mattered.

    Sorrel came at him with the crystal blade, and Gwynn knew that was her chance. She sprinted to the altar as Versailles and Sorrel exchanged blows behind her. Gwynn slammed up against the altar, and her fingers closed around the stem of the goblet.

    ¡°Hah!¡± She let out a yell of triumph.

    Her victory didn¡¯t last long.

    The ground began to rumble and shake beneath her feet. Gwynn gripped the altar for balance, and looked up to see shadows moving around the room¡ªbut they weren¡¯t quite shadows, no¡ª

    ¡°You need to get out of here, now!¡± Versailles grabbed Gwynn¡¯s wrist and yanked her toward where her sister had fallen to the ground. He then conjured a violet light between his fingers.

    With weaving motions, the light expanded into a shield, a wall between them and¡ª

    They were patches of darkness vaguely in the shapes of people, but not completely so, and filled with sparks of starlight. But there was something wrong about all this, something that tugged at Gwynn from within. She wasn¡¯t entirely sure what this was.

    But Versailles had known about them and was protecting them, in spite of everything.

    She didn¡¯t have time to question his motives, or what the phantasms were. She grabbed Sorrel and pulled her to her feet, and then hurried back out the door through which they came. Versailles followed closely behind, maintaining the violet wall as they backed into the mirror room.

    Gwynn turned around in panic as the door shut¡ªhow would they get back?

    Her question was answered as she, Sorrel, and Versailles began to sink into the floor, and then¡ª

    Gwynn came gasping to the surface of the pool she and Sorrel had stepped into when they started this whole mess.

    ¡°Are you alright, do you have the artifact¡ª¡° Kiana¡¯s eyes narrowed as she registered who had climbed out with them. ¡°What¡¯s he doing here?¡±

    ¡°No time, we have to get out of here now,¡± Sorrel huffed.

    ¡°What do you mean¡ªOH!¡± Kiana cried out as a phantasm launched itself at her, only for it to be repelled by Versailles¡¯ shield, leaving sparks of violet in its wake. ¡°What are those?¡±

    ¡°Castle¡¯s natural defenses,¡± Versailles panted. ¡°We need to leave, now!¡±

    Kiana and Niniane shared a look. Then they obeyed, fleeing into the corridors.

    Delphine took the lead, naturally. All of them followed her, weaving through the dark corridors as all the phantasms converged on the shield, now turned to a dome in attempt to shield them all.

    Never had Gwynn run so fast, never had her fingers held so tight.

    Never had she been so relieved to see the doors, closed as they were.

    Kiana, Niniane, and Delphine outstretched their hands, beginning to weave the magic to open the door. Still, it wasn¡¯t enough. The whole party came to a stop, as the three witches worked to open the great doors.

    Versailles gritted his teeth as he renewed the shield, but Gwynn could see that the effort was taking a toll on him. She didn¡¯t know how to tap into the light, how to help, either the witches or Versailles.

    ¡°I can¡¯t hold them back forever,¡± he warned.

    ¡°We¡¯re trying!¡± Delphine shouted through gritted teeth. ¡°You could help too!¡±

    ¡°You really don¡¯t want that¡ªjust do your job!¡±

    As Gwynn watched, helplessly, she noticed that the phantasms grew more distinct in their shape, with silhouettes of flowing hair and clothes and claw-like hands and they were reaching¡ª

    ¡°It¡¯s open!¡± The doors swung wide-open with a loud creak and rumbling like stone grinding against stone.

    The three witches and Sorrel raced for the door, and Gwynn herself was about to do the same when something inside of her told her to turn around.

    She did so to see Versailles stumble back and his shield dissipate. He might have walked in their enemy¡ªbut he had helped them, and he¡¯d been right about the dangers of Castle Arcadia. She couldn¡¯t leave him there, she couldn¡¯t let him die.

    She caught him before he could fall, and he braced himself against her.

    ¡°Come on,¡± she urged, as she noticed the doors were already starting to close.

    With strength she didn¡¯t even know she had, she managed to push through, one foot in front of the other, and squeezed through the ever-slimming opening. As they set foot onto the outer stairs, the door closed behind them with a heart-stopping finality.

    Versailles stepped away from her, leaning against one of the pillars as he breathed heavily. ¡°Let¡¯s not do that again.¡±

    ¡°You saved us.¡± Gwynn became suddenly aware of the chalice in her hands again, and she wondered what would happen now. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    He looked up at her, indigo eyes to deep brown. Something faltered in the blue-violet starlike depths, a moment of vulnerability she could not decipher but she did understand. At least, on some level.

    ¡°So what happens now?¡± Sorrel¡¯s voice cut through the moment like a pair of Gwynn¡¯s sharpest sewing scissors.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Versailles huffed.

    ¡°We know that you were the one who attacked my mansion and cursed Coppelius Ondrina.¡± Kiana strode forward, back up the steps. ¡°I have no doubt that you came here to prevent us from gaining the artifact, and to even get it for yourself.¡±

    ¡°Her Majesty has no interest in the Prince of Light¡¯s inheritance,¡± Versailles spat, finally straightening himself. ¡°As for Coppelius, while the Her Majesty would rather see him dead or under her command, there is still plenty of opportunity for either. I had my own motives for coming.¡±

    His eyes betrayed them, flicking towards Gwynn.

    Her?

    None of it made sense, the bracelet, the dance, this¡ª

    But Kiana was oblivious to it all.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care whatever motivations have brought you here.¡± Kiana began to conjure a pale pink light in her hands. ¡°But you have wrought destruction on my home and are in league with the greatest evil our stars have ever known. Leave, now.¡±

    Versailles stiffened. ¡°Greatest evil? Did you not see what was inside Castle Arcadia?¡±

    He glanced at Gwynn. ¡°Those ghosts were there for a reason. I¡¯d ask whose side you¡¯re really on.¡±

    He then looked back to Kiana just as she stopped in front of him and he raised his hands. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, Governor Albion. I¡¯m leaving. Keep your chalice. And take what happened last night as a warning. The Spider-Queen does have some modicum mercy and will give second chances¡ªbut not for long.¡±

    With that, he vanished in a cloud of night and stardust, the universe itself ripping in half for just a second and then it sealed up again without a second thought. As if nothing had happened at all.

    Kiana sighed. ¡°At least he¡¯s gone.¡±

    She then turned to Gwynn. ¡°The chalice, if you please?¡±

    Gwynn handed it to her. Kiana turned it over and over in her hands.

    ¡°You both did well today.¡± Kiana smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll be able to help save Coppelius with this.¡±

    ¡°Oh thank the stars.¡± Sorrel¡¯s hand flew over her heart. ¡°Can we go to him?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    <hr>

    Coralia was still there, watching over the sleeping prince beneath the gazebo. Sorrel rushed to his side, falling to her knees beside him. She reached for his hand, finding his pulse. It was weaker than she recalled, harder to find, and he was so pale, so still. It was hard to identify the rise and fall of his chest.

    Kiana gave Coralia the chalice, who poured it into his full, parted lips.

    The effect was instant.

    Color returned to his face, his eyes opened, and he sharply inhaled. He sat up, and Sorrel rose with him. She gently helped him sit up, one arm behind his back, the other around his shoulder.

    ¡°What happened¡ªare you alright?¡± He asked Sorrel, eyes wide. Time had not passed for him as it had for her¡ªbut that was alright.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Sorrel laughed, but it sounded more like a sob as her eyes burned. Tears like little sun drops leaked from her eyes.¡°And you¡¯re okay too!¡±

    She embraced him as tightly as she could, determined to never let him go. He wound his fingers through her red hair.

    ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Sorrel was laughing and crying at the same time. ¡°You¡¯re back and you¡¯re going to be okay and¡ª¡°

    She stopped, as they parted a little¡ªbut she didn¡¯t dare let go of him yet. And he hadn¡¯t stopped holding onto her. Their joy was tangible, unspoken as a grin found its way on his face, and Sorrel¡¯s. They looked at each other, and Sorrel knew.

    So she leaned in for a kiss.

 The Dreaming

    What came next was a feast in the sunken pavilion thousands of miles under the sea. Somehow, the witches¡ªor perhaps it was the pavilion itself, Sorrel supposed¡ªconjured a feast of various seafood dishes consisting of tangy sauces, beds of rice and crispy fried seaweed. They drank rich, jewel-toned tea served in porcelain painted in the traditional Lemurian styles, with large flowers and bright colors that would glow if exposed to darkness.

    Over this feast, the group celebrated the success of the mission¡ªas well as taking the time to inform Coppelius as to what had transpired during his cursed sleep and make plans as for their next move against the Spider-Queen.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say that I can¡¯t let you stay on Lemuria much longer.¡± Kiana leaned back in her chair, gripping the armrests as she surveyed the four of them: Coppelius, Sorrel, Gwynn, and Delphine. ¡°There¡¯s not much that I can do against an opponent like Annwyn, not when they hold so much power as a trading partner.¡±

    Delphine sighed and slammed down her teacup. ¡°This was my home!¡±

    ¡°And you were leaving already because of Coppelius¡¯s arrival,¡± Kiana pointed out. ¡°As for what you do, Lady Delphine, I understand if you want to leave for one of the Middle Worlds and I will gladly assist you in doing so if that is what you wish. But these three might appreciate your expertise.¡±

    Delphine¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡ª¡°

    ¡°What?¡± Coppelius interrupted as he squeezed Sorrel¡¯s hand beneath the table. ¡°I want to find my father, do you know where he is?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Delphine did not look at him. Rather, she was shooting Kiana a rather mighty, steely glare indeed. ¡°But I know what your plan is and I don¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to like it.¡± Kiana crossed her legs and lifted a teacup. She turned to Coppelius. ¡°If you truly want to find your father¡¯s whereabouts and learn more about the inheritance that was left for your father, I would recommend going to Otso.¡±

    ¡°The witches.¡±

    Sorrel was surprised to hear Coppelius say that. ¡°You know about the witches?¡±

    ¡°I did¡ªbut I never realized I was looking at one of them.¡± Coppelius tilted his head. ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories about the Astral Coven, but I¡¯ve also for the most part tried to stay out of their path.¡±

    Kiana laughed. ¡°Normally, a wise strategy for those who aren¡¯t involved in our affairs. But you¡¯ve been involved from the beginning.¡±

    ¡°Yeah you have,¡± Delphine muttered. She then cleared her throat and spoke more clearly. ¡°You want me to take them to the old hag who raised me.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Kiana smiled, but there was something more to it, Sorrel realized.

    ¡°I never wanted to return there, you know.¡±

    ¡°I do.¡± Kiana paused, and she met Sorrel¡¯s eyes briefly. ¡°But I think your foster-mother might take interest in two bright stars like these two.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    ¡°I do.¡± Sorrel found her voice, standing up. ¡°The Spider-Queen and her forces are on the move. They destroyed our home and they¡¯ve come into the heart of the Society of Worlds looking to destroy people who did nothing to her, just because they could end her reign!¡±

    All eyes were on her, including Gwynn¡¯s. Sorrel long knew Gwynn¡¯s silent pleading, the way those big brown eyes would look up at her and beg her to sit down or stop what she was doing. She wouldn¡¯t do so this time.

    ¡°If the witches can help, then I¡¯m not afraid,¡± Sorrel declared.

    ¡°You¡¯re brave and stupid,¡± Delphine huffed.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Coppelius glared at his cousin.

    ¡°What?¡± Delphine leaned forward and picked up her teacup again. ¡°I was just telling the truth. But maybe brave and stupid is what we need. The stars know that waiting and playing the long game isn¡¯t working out so well.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll help us?¡± Sorrel¡¯s heart soared.

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯ll need someone to help with that hag.¡± Delphine raised the teacup to her lisps signaling the end of the discussion. At least, on her end.

    ¡°Excellent.¡± Kiana smiled like a cat. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for a ship and some supplies for the journey. I intend to have you off of my planet before the next sunrise.¡±

    ¡°Guess we might as well eat as much as possible,¡± Sorrel said as she sat back down.

    Kiana only laughed, an airy sound.

    <hr>

    The Governor of Lemuria was true to her word. The first glimmers of dawn on the distant coasts of the archipelagos nearing Avalon painted the sky a deep violet by the time Kiana escorted the party out to the private ship she¡¯d scored in the spaceport.

    ¡°While I enjoyed your company, please do not return.¡± She said so with the biggest smile and the most cheerful voice that Sorrel had ever heard. ¡°That is, unless you manage the impossible.¡±

    Like defeating the Spider-Queen.

    ¡°We¡¯ll see you in six months, then,¡± Sorrel joked.

    Kiana let out a little sighing laugh through her nose. ¡°May it be so, Sorrel Marchand.¡±

    And with that, they were boarding the East Sun and taking off into the stars again. This time with a new friend¡ªas much as Delphine could be called one¡ªand her sister in tow. Which was more than Sorrel had hoped for just two days before.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    The East Sun was a nicer ship than Sorrel had ever known. The interiors were sleek and white, with gently-twinkling lights on the control panels and lining the space between the walls and the ceilings of the rooms within the ship. There were also a variety of amenities and many sleeping spaces, all of which were individual. There wasn¡¯t much to the cargo hold, and there were a lot of wide windows looking out at the stars streaking past in straight lines with the fast-travel autopilot on.

    It was the kind of ship that was built to rarely break down, but complicated to fix if an error ever arose. The controls were easy enough and mainly centered around automatic functions, without much of the sensitivity or control afforded by less civilian-centered spacecraft. Furthermore, it was a star-cruiser, the kind of ship was used by the wealthy elites like the kind who would have a vacation home on one of the archipelagos of Lemuria. Which made sense, given that it was probably the type of ship that Kiana Albion would have the best access to given the circumstances.

    But something about it left Sorrel uneasy. Everyone had been quick to divvy up rooms and retire for the night, with the girls choosing one corridor and Coppelius taking a room far on the other one. All of them, except for Coppelius, had been awake a long time. Even though it hadn¡¯t felt like it once they¡¯d entered the Sunken Pavilion.

    But Sorrel found herself wandering the East Sun¡¯s halls, feeling the vibrations of the smooth white floors beneath her feet, the humming of the ship and all its systems keeping them alive. For she had dreamt when she¡¯d first attempted to sleep, and the dream lingered now in her waking mind.

    <hr>

    She did not remember that first part, how she had ended up where she did¡ªbut she recalled that she had been strolling through a garden, unlike any she had ever seen. There were flowers that appeared to be made of jewels, trees bearing fruit of silver and gold. There were pavilions in an architectural style Sorrel did not recognize, with oddities like lifelike statues and fountains that were wonders of aqueduct technology.

    It was night in this garden, but not a dark one. The moon was full, with a bluer cast to it than the ones that Sorrel usually saw, with a million stars like the freckles on her cheeks, in colors of white, blue, pink, violet, and green.

    For how long she wandered, she did not know. Only that she was alone with a sense of peace, no urgency.

    Then she came across what looked like a castle wall, covered in slithering ivy. She had removed the crystal blade from the sheathe on her belt.

    She¡¯d slashed through the ivy, revealing a door made of oak that radiated an ancient power, like the forest reserve back at home on Perrault. She remembered how the carved iron handle to the door had been cool to her hesitant touch, at first. When her fingers closed around it, it burned.

    Still, the door opened to a corridor that was completely filled with shadow. The moonlight could not even illuminate the floor in front of her.

    Curiosity, Sorrel supposed, was still her hamartia in dreams as much as in waking, for despite the cold and the dark and all the warning signs, she entered the corridor. When she took three steps in, the door shut behind her. There was a series of clicks as the locks tumbled into place with a grim finality. Still, Sorrel did not stop, continuing forwards as if in a trance.

    ¡°Little Traveler, how you tread into waters far too deep for your comprehension,¡± a woman¡¯s voice crooned in the dark, followed by an ancient and terrible laugh. How that laughter still rang in her ears, now that she was awake!

    Sorrel did not tremble or hesitate. Instead, she drew the blade from her belt, and a light shined within¡ªand she caught sight of the dark lady.

    It had caught the dark lady off-guard, Sorrel remembered that from her expression.

    She was pale, with a gaunt and harshly beautiful face. Her eyes were like little rubies, flashing in the light. A scar shaped like a spiderweb surrounded her right eye. She wore a cloak made of spiderwebs, a tiara of silver and ruby, and a gown of black that blended with her infinitely-long hair, and it all transitioned into the starless night surrounding them.

    The woman had reached for her with long, spindly fingers right before Sorrel had managed to wake up.

    Sorrel still felt cold as she sat down on one of the large couches bolted into the floor. She drew her arms around herself and pulled her knees up to her chest. There was no warmth or solace to be found. Only the memory, and one thing Sorrel knew to be true.

    That was the Spider-Queen, and she was watching Sorrel.

    Sorrel had no idea what it meant for their journey. Did she know what they were up to? Was she appearing in dreams to look in Sorrel¡¯s head?

    Kiana Albion had told them that she and her sister had great magical potential. Could Delphine¡¯s former mentor and foster-mother perhaps teach Sorrel to use the power? She knew Gwynn had tapped into something back in the depths of Castle Arcadia. Seeing what they were up against so vividly had her considering the power that supposedly lay within her veins. If tapped into, would it be enough, or at least help?

    She supposed she¡¯d have her answers soon enough.

    The sound of footsteps drew her out of her own thoughts.

    ¡°I thought I might find you here.¡± Coppelius stopped, standing at the threshold between the corridor his room lay in and the lounge. ¡°May I join you?¡±

    Sorrel smiled. ¡°Always.¡±

    He obliged, but he sat on the other end of the couch entirely, a distance between them. ¡°Couldn¡¯t sleep?¡±

    ¡°I tried.¡± Sorrel lowered her legs to the floor and stretched an arm over the back of the couch.

    ¡°Bad dreams?¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°I get them too.¡± He looked off, out the window at the stars trailing by. ¡°I think every good mage does.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I think there¡¯s something about magic that¡¯s tied to our abilities to connect to others, to the galaxy at large.¡± He looked as if he were considering his words carefully, wasn¡¯t entirely certain himself of what he was saying. ¡°The ability to reach out, and to be heard? I think it echoes across our dreams and it makes it easier to find what is, was, and will be.¡±

    Sorrel hesitated. ¡°Does it mean anything, then, that I saw the Spider-Queen?¡±

    Instead of freezing or looking afraid or upset or something of the like that Sorrel expected, he shook his head and laughed. ¡°I see her often enough too. If the dreams were enough for her to find me, she would have caught me a long time ago.¡±

    Sorrel¡¯s shoulders dropped in relief. ¡°Thank the stars. I worried I was putting you in danger by staying.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not.¡± He reached awkwardly, placing a hand on her shoulder. ¡°I might have died if it weren''t for you.¡±

    Sorrel¡¯s face warmed, remembering the embrace and the kiss. ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s what anyone would have done.¡±

    He tilted his head. ¡°Maybe I was hoping you¡¯d do it because it was me.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Sorrel could see galaxies in his deep indigo eyes, a connection. She hadn¡¯t planned on kissing him¡ªit was just something that had felt right in the moment. Wasn¡¯t that how all the fairytales ended too?

    But she hadn¡¯t really thought about what it meant beyond that. ¡°You love me then.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± He frowned. ¡°Why else would I¡ª¡°

    He cut himself off, and coughed awkwardly. Sorrel took the opportunity to move in closer.

    ¡°When I first woke up in your home, I felt safe for the first time.¡± His cheeks turned red and he turned away from Sorrel. ¡°I haven¡¯t felt like that in a long time.¡±

    Sorrel reached out for him, her fingertips hovering over his cheek.

    He wrapped his hand around her, and turned back to meet her eye-to-eye. ¡°When I saw you, it was like I was home again. And it scared me.¡±

    ¡°And what about now?¡± Sorrel asked. ¡°What do you see?¡±

    ¡°I still see the same thing.¡± He smiled. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to run from it anymore. I want home to be with you. Wherever that is.¡±

    ¡°So do I.¡±

    She could see galaxies in those deep cobalt eyes, endless possibility and promise. She closed her own, and leaned in for the taste of stardust.

    Before she could, however, the ship rumbled. She pulled away but held tight to him all the same as she looked around to see the lights on the ship turning red. The stars had stopped, and outside she could see a fleet of ragged, tricked-out ships that were certainly not regulation-approved. At least, not anymore.

    ¡°Space pirates,¡± Coppelius hissed.

 Stormy Seas on Starry Skies

    Gwynn and Delphine stumbled out of their rooms and into the lounge.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on, why are the sirens going off?¡± Delphine demanded.

    ¡°We¡¯re being boarded by space pirates.¡± Coppelius turned to Sorrel.

    ¡°And we¡¯ve got no defenses to ward them off,¡± Sorrel realized aloud. ¡°We¡¯ll need shoes and coats then¡ª¡°

    Coppelius clapped his hands on Sorrel¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You need to hide the blade and the chalice. We can¡¯t let them find it.¡±

    ¡°The chalice is in my room.¡± Gwynn¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°We¡¯ll buy you time.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Sorrel looked into Coppelius¡¯s eyes. ¡°How long do you think we have before boarding?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Coppelius admitted. ¡°But you¡¯ll have to be fast.¡±

    Sorrel nodded, understanding the full gravity of the situation they¡¯d managed to get themselves into. ¡°I¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡±

    With that, she raced down the corridor to hide the artifacts they¡¯d worked so hard to win.

    The actual hiding process was simple. Sorrel decided to hide the sword and the chalice behind a vent in the closet of one of the rooms that wasn¡¯t in use, and she used the dress she¡¯d worn in the Sunken Pavilion to cover the glow.

    She returned to the lounge to see that it was empty¡ªbut she was fairly certain as to where they¡¯d gone. She hurried down to the cargo bay, which was now bathed entirely in blood-red light. She took Coppelius¡¯s hand just as the airlock doors opened.

    A group of space pirates swaggered in, looking more like the roughest men at the inn back at home. Sorrel could easily see a man like Mr. Teach being among them in his prime. They carried plasma-rifles and electrified blades like the ones that Versailles carried.

    ¡°I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t come any closer.¡± Coppelius lifted his free hand, the blue light of his amulet breaking through the red of the alarm lights, curling around his hand like smoke. His white hair began to shine.

    Delphine was quick to follow his lead, summoning the turquoise light of her own.

    The leader of the pirates stopped in his tracks, but he didn¡¯t look shocked or afraid. Instead, his rugged jaws spread into a shark-like smile.

    ¡°Oy, looks like there¡¯s more of them like the boy,¡± the captain barked. ¡°We know how to handle their kind, don¡¯t we?¡±

    The group burst into raucous laughter.

    Coppelius faltered, the magic flickering¡ªbut only for a second. He frowned. ¡°The boy?¡±

    ¡°Never you mind.¡± The captain lifted his plasma-rifle¡ªbut he didn¡¯t aim it for Coppelius.

    Instead, it was aimed at Sorrel, she realized in a paralyzing heartbeat. She heard Gwynn suck in a breath.

    ¡°Any sudden moves, and she¡ª¡°

    Delphine was the one to attack, to weave the light and fling it out like shards of the sun, while the blue tendrils of light that ran like smoke sprang together as a shield in front of himself and Sorrel.

    The plasma bullet dissolved against the shield, and Coppelius pulled Sorrel behind him. Just as he let go of her hand, Gwynn took hers and pulled her back. Before Sorrel could protest or charge back in to help somehow her attention was arrested by a flash of sickly green light.

    First Delphine went down, bound by ephemeral chains of that same sickly green magic. A second pirate removed a golden ball from his belt and unscrewed it. The magical chains sprang from it and forced Coppelius¡¯s arms behind his back. He fell to the ground beside Delphine with a groan.

    Sorrel rushed forward¡ªonly to hear the click and whirr of the plasma-gun charging up again. She quickly put her hands up.

    ¡°Good, keep ¡®em there.¡± The captain kept it aimed straight at her as he looked down at Coppelius. ¡°With that scar, I¡¯d say he¡¯s the one on the wanted alerts, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°The one from Annwyn?¡± One of the crew members piped up.

    ¡°Now that you say it, he does!¡±

    ¡°I wonder how much his bounty¡¯ll fetch us.¡± The captain looked back up to Sorrel. ¡°Of course, the girls aren¡¯t worth much, even if one¡¯s like the boys. But I¡¯m sure we can find uses for them.¡±

    Sorrel¡¯s blood went cold.

    ¡°Now, I recommend you listen well, unless you want the last thing to feel is one of these.¡± He glanced at the barrel of his plasma rifle and laughed. ¡°Hurts like hell when one grazes you. Can¡¯t imagine it head-on.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Gwynn said quickly, before Sorrel could.

    ¡°Good. I like this one.¡± The captain nodded at Gwynn.

    About half of the boarding crew picked up Delphine and Coppelius and took them away, while the captain and one of his other crew escorted Sorrel and Gwynn to a different part of their brig with the plasma-rifles aimed for their backs.

    ¡°Should we separate them?¡± The crew member asked as the captain swiped a card, opening the door.

    ¡°Nah, they aren¡¯t much of a threat.¡± The captain shrugged. ¡°Leave ¡®em in there for all I care, we¡¯ll figure out what to do with them later.¡±

    ¡°Aye.¡± The crew member jabbed Sorrel¡¯s back with the end of the plasma-rifle. ¡°In you go, girl.¡±

    The door slid closed with a final click. Sorrel whirled around and started pounding on the transparent plastic. The captain just laughed.

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°Go ahead, try that.¡± He slipped his rifle back in its holster. ¡°You¡¯ll be there all day.¡±

    With that, he and the crew-member headed off, leaving Sorrel to stand there and fume.

    ¡°Are they gone?¡±

    Gwynn¡¯s voice cut through the hazy static and whirring noises, the quiet and omnipresent.

    ¡°Yes.¡± They¡¯d just turned the corridor, leaving them down in this section of the brig all alone. ¡°I thought Coppelius and Delphine would be able to fight them off with magic. But I guess I was wrong.¡±

    She turned back to see Gwynn looking relatively un-bothered where she sat, her legs crossed in a ladylike posture on the cell¡¯s single bed bolted to the wall.

    ¡°You have a plan, don¡¯t you?¡± Sorrel desperately hoped she was right.

    Gwynn just smiled and rolled up her sleeve, revealing the bracelet that they had missed when they patted the girls down. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that they¡¯re bad at being pirates.¡±

    ¡°Not bad enough,¡± Sorrel grumbled. ¡°You think you can get us out of here, then?¡±

    ¡°I have an idea, but you should probably stand back.¡± Gwynn stood up.

    Sorrel decided to listen to her sister, and scrambled back behind her. She considered even darting under the cot. Before she could decide on a course of action, however, she had her answer.

    In a flash of scarlet light, there was a cracking sound like thick ice breaking on the water right before spring. Then shards of the plastic went flying like shards of ice. Immediately, sirens went off.

    Gwynn grabbed Sorrel¡¯s hand just as Sorrel had reached for her, and the girls took off running. They took off down the corridor the opposite side of where the pirates had left, and began weaving through the hallways, turning as many corners as possible¡ªonly to hit a dead end.

    ¡°Find them!¡±

    ¡°They can¡¯t have gotten far!¡±

    Sorrel let go of her sister¡¯s hand and started looking around. There had to be access panels to the inside of the ship or something, but she didn¡¯t recognize this model, military ships or modified ones didn¡¯t often make it to the junkyards of Perrault.

    ¡°Psst, over here!¡±

    Sorrel frowned. She and Gwynn turned to see one of the panels open.

    Footsteps drew closer.

    She and Gwynn shared a glance. Uncertainty lingered in her sister¡¯s features, but this was their only option.

    Hoping they weren¡¯t walking into a trap, Sorrel first ushered her sister in. Then she climbed in, taking care to shut the panel carefully behind her.

    In the darkness of the pipes and internal workings of the starship, the shining white hair of the star-boy illuminated all, along with the sickly green chains binding his wrists. By her estimations, he had a youthful face but was probably over sixteen¡ªif not older, given how old Coppelius, Delphine, and Versailles were.

    But Sorrel could not ponder the newest member of the House of Ondrina.

    ¡°Follow me,¡± the boy whispered. ¡°We¡¯ll talk in a hidden place.¡±

    He led them up a series of pipes and internal parts of the ship. Sorrel had climbed around on the inside of ships before, but certainly not while they were deep in space. She hoped that none of the panels had come loose or anything, or else they¡¯d be in for a terrible death.

    Luckily, none of that came to pass, and the boy led them out of the internal crawlspaces via a panel into a small, cramped closet with the door blocked and exposed wiring by the lock. There were worn blankets padded into a nest-like structure, pages of scrawled schematics taped to the walls, and half-built droids scattered around. There was a crate also pushed against the door that held what looked like clothes.

    Gwynn and Sorrel settled onto the blanket-covered section of the floor beside the boy as he picked up one of his half-finished droids.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be safe here,¡± the boy assured them in his hoarse, hushed voice. ¡°They¡¯ve never been able to figure out why they can¡¯t open this door and they hit me when they remember that I haven¡¯t gotten around to fixing it. But luckily that isn¡¯t too often, so I can keep my secrets.¡±

    Sorrel frowned. ¡°They hit you?¡±

    The boy laughed. ¡°They¡¯ve done worse, but it¡¯s okay. Really, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m used to it. I¡¯ve been in the fleet for more generations than I can count.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve forced you to stay, haven¡¯t they?¡± Sorrel eyed the sickly green translucent chains hanging over his wrists.

    The boy blinked, his starry eyes wide. Then he looked away, pink rising to his cheeks and his overgrown white hair falling into his face and swooping over his shoulders. He did not speak. He did not have to. Sorrel understood well enough.

    He moved to tuck a strand behind his ear. ¡°I heard that there were others with you. Others like me?¡±

    Sorrel looked to Gwynn, who nodded encouragingly.

    ¡°Yes, we did.¡±

    A smile crept up the boy¡¯s face. ¡°I thought I was alone after all this time.¡±

    He then awkwardly stuck out his hand at Sorrel. ¡°I¡¯m Akira, by the way.¡±

    ¡°Sorrel.¡± She accepted it and shook it. She then jerked her thumb over her shoulder. ¡°This is my sister, Gwynn.¡±

    ¡°Can you help us get out of here?¡± Gwynn asked, her voice gentle.

    ¡°Yeah, I can.¡± Akira set the droid down and picked up a duffle bag from out of the crate and started hastily throwing clothes and the half-finished robots into the bag. ¡°One condition¡ªyou take me with you.¡±

    ¡°We would¡¯ve done that anyway,¡± Sorrel assured him.

    ¡°No one deserves to be a prisoner,¡± Gwynn added.

    ¡°You mean it?¡± Akira¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°We have to find our friends first, they were taken to a different place than we were, and they were held back by green chains like yours.¡± Gwynn pointed at his wrists.

    Akira tugged at one of the green chains self-consciously.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing we¡¯ll need to figure out how to break them?¡± Sorrel sat up straighter. ¡°They¡¯re magic, aren''t they?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯ve never been able to figure them out,¡± Akira admitted. ¡°I do all kinds of magic for them¡ªbut I¡¯ve never been able to figure these out.¡±

    ¡°Could I try?¡± Gwynn held up her wrist with the crystal bracelet.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got magic crystals¡ªsure, sure, it¡¯s not like anything can physically break them.¡± He dropped the bag and stuck out his wrists towards Gwynn. ¡°I tried that I think a few centuries ago¡ªthey don¡¯t let me around sharp objects anymore.¡±

    He then laughed nervously.

    Gwynn pressed her lips together into a line as thin as a needle as her pale white hands hovered over Akira¡¯s wrists. Red lights began to glow at the tips of her fingers. She worked methodically, weaving magic together the way Delphine or Coppelius had, or the way that she had back when she and Sorrel were trapped in the cell. Sorrel wondered if she was trying to do that same spell that she¡¯d done there, that she¡¯d done in Castle Arcadia.

    To be fair, it was a useful spell.

    Watching her sister work on magic of all things was strange. Especially given how Gwynn had shied away initially from the world of magic and stardust and god-emperors. A world that they knew through legends and stories already existed alongside them in their lone stars. But even with the comparatively commonplace practice of magic, they¡¯d never thought that they¡¯d get to use it.

    Or that her sister would be so gifted with it.

    The red light had woven its own chain around the chains, and when Gwynn was done, she nodded a silent approval. Then she snapped her fingers, and her charges detonated. The sickly green was enveloped by the blood-red, and it all dissolved in light as white as falling snow. Leaving nothing behind but Akira¡¯s pale wrists.

    He cautiously rubbed and rotated them, clearly appreciating the full range of motion.

    Then he smiled, like a kid seeing the first snowfall on Perrault, or like Gwynn would on the first day of spring.

    ¡°Thank you¡ªthank you!¡± He embraced Gwynn. She stiffened, but then gently pushed him away.

    ¡°Alright, I think I can help our friends break the chains.¡± She looked down at her outstretched hands. ¡°But we need to make sure that the pirates aren¡¯t on our ship, we need to find our friends, and we need to make sure everyone gets back onboard and we can make a clean getaway back into fast-travel. Can you help us with that?¡±

    ¡°I can.¡± He visibly preened. ¡°In fact, they won¡¯t be able to find you again once I¡¯m done with your ship. They¡¯ve been having me cloak their fleets for as long as I¡¯ve been with them. I can do the same for you, when I get onboard?¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡± Sorrel nodded. ¡°As for our ship¡ª¡°

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure they won¡¯t be on it.¡± Akira pulled a tablet out of his duffle bag and began tapping furiously. ¡°I know where to put some alerts out, that¡¯ll send everyone in. Especially if there¡¯s multiple.¡±

    His eyes gleamed with the light of a thousand suns. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to do this, but I never dared because I always thought they¡¯d just track me down again because I¡¯m kind of obvious¡ªbut if I¡¯m not the only one, then¡ª¡°

    He cut himself off and narrowed his eyes at his screen. After a few decisive taps, he grinned again.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go get your friends, before they figure out that those alarms are fake.¡±

 Inverted Stars

    Akira led Sorrel and Gwynn back through the labyrinth hidden inside the walls of the pirates¡¯ starship. But they did not come out the way that they came, and instead popped out of the wall of a different corridor.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother, we¡¯ll be long gone before they discover it,¡± Akira said when Gwynn tried to lock the panel back into place. ¡°If I¡¯m right, your friends should be. . .¡¯

    He trailed off, counting on his fingers. Then he snapped back to attention and nodded. ¡®There.¡±

    Indeed, right in the cell where he¡¯d pointed was none other than Delphine, still bound entirely in sickly green chains on the floor.

    Sorrel ran up to the cell. To her relief, Coppelius was in the one right next to Delphine. Both of them were still there. His eyes widened when he saw her. He tried to speak¡ªbut the door must have been made from some kind of sound-proofed material because she could not hear him or Delphine.

    ¡°Hang on, we¡¯re going to get you out of here,¡± Sorrel announced. She looked back to Akira and Gwynn. ¡°Are we just going to destroy the doors, then, or¡ª¡°

    ¡°Or I can just use the key.¡± Akira pulled a red keycard out of one of the myriads of pockets in his ragged black jacket. He swiped it first to Delphine¡¯s door, then Coppelius¡¯s, and both of the doors slid open for the party.

    Sorrel rushed into the cell and knelt by Coppelius¡¯s side.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got to stop meeting like this,¡± she quipped as she helped lift his back up.

    ¡°You¡¯re telling me,¡± he groaned. ¡°You found the boy, then¡ªthe one that they mentioned?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Sorrel looked up. ¡°Meet Akira. I guess you guys are cousins, or something?¡±

    ¡°Hi.¡± Akira waved awkwardly¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t without enthusiasm.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to talk later.¡± Coppelius looked back to Sorrel. ¡°You figured out a way around the chains? I¡¯ve never seen anything like this, it¡¯s ancient magic¡ª¡°

    ¡°I did.¡± Gwynn rolled up her sleeves again as she entered the cell, with Delphine in tow. ¡°Now hold still, I¡¯m still getting the hang of all of this.¡±

    Sorrel backed away. Gwynn moved quicker, with more precision¡ªshe was getting remarkably good at the whole exploding things with magic business. Which was a rather useful spell, in Sorrel¡¯s mind.

    She helped Coppelius to his feet.

    ¡°Thanks, all of you.¡± He glanced around. ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly get a good lay of the land¡ª¡°

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you don¡¯t have to.¡± Akira grinned. ¡°I¡¯ve been working on the White Dove for longer than Captain Connomar¡¯s been in charge, longer than he¡¯s been alive even.¡±

    ¡°We have to hurry, I don¡¯t know how much longer they¡¯ll be distracted though.¡± Gwynn glanced over her shoulder.

    ¡°Oh, yeah, right!¡± Akira smacked his forehead. ¡°Follow me, then!¡±

    <hr>

    Sorrel had thought maybe they would get away with this. When they arrived in the docking area of the White Dove, there was no one there. Coppelius insisted that they stop a moment, to do a scan of the East Sun, and it was empty, just as they¡¯d hoped for.

    But of course it couldn¡¯t be that easy.

    Just as Coppelius had declared the all-clear, that was when Sorrel heard footsteps. The loud, ominous boot-falls of the pirates.

    The group turned to see Captain Connomar and a handful of pirates by his side, closing in all of the exits except for one.

    The one back into the East Sun.

    ¡°Well, well, look what we have here,¡± sneered Captain Connomar. ¡°Some escaped prisoners.¡±

    ¡°Good thing you decided to keep those alarms up as soon as you figured out they were fakes,¡± one of the pirates snarled beside Connomar. ¡°Looks like they won¡¯t be able to get far.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to do this,¡± Coppelius warned.

    ¡°Did you forget how we stopped you the first time?¡± Captain Connomar stepped forward. ¡°We have more of where that came from. We can bring back star-freaks like you any time we please.¡±

    ¡°No, you won¡¯t.¡± Sorrel surprised herself, with the strength of her own voice.

    ¡°And what are you going to do, sweetheart, that you didn¡¯t do before?¡± He stepped towards her, close enough that he could touch her, if he wanted.

    Sorrel did not retreat.

    Instead, in a movement as fast as lightning, she reached for the end of his plasma-rifle and thrust it up before he could fire it off. The white-hot bolt seared through the ceiling, maybe even a few levels in the ship above their heads.

    It was the distraction needed for all hell to break loose.

    Shields sprang up around them, shining as golden as the sun. More plasma bolts ricocheted off of them. Sorrel stomped on Connomar¡¯s toes as she pushed the plasma rifle back, jabbing its butt into Connomar¡¯s abdomen.

    He yelled out in pain and Sorrel wrestled the rifle out of his hands. She stepped back towards her friends. She raised it, an implied threat. But Connomar just laughed.

    ¡°I know you don¡¯t have the guts to fire that, lass.¡± Before he could reach for it again, however, there was a flash of green light.

    It shook the docking area, and Sorrel couldn¡¯t see as the green turned to white.

    When her vision cleared again, the pirates all had green chains around their wrists and ankles. They resembled figures in a ghost story nearly every child had heard. It told of ghost pirates bound to a ship that had run out of fuel and oxygen, lost in Undiscovered Space somewhere.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    And the pirates were often depicted looking just like the ones before them.

    The situation of their new chains was enough for them to stop firing their weapons. They looked on at one another in horror and confusion.

    Sorrel turned to Coppelius or Gwynn¡ªbut they were were looking to Akira in shock. And once her own brown eyes fell upon him, she understood exactly why.

    The boy¡¯s expression was fiercely stoic, except for his eyes. His indigo eyes blazed like pulsars, flaring with a rage that she had not thought possible from him. Just moments before, he¡¯d been awkwardly cheerful, endearingly so. But now his hands were curled into fists by his side and that was when she spotted the ring on his finger, with a stone that gleamed that same sinister sickly green.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to hurt my new friends.¡± His voice was low and hoarse and shook with barely-restrained rage. ¡°You¡¯re never going to hurt anyone again.¡±

    ¡°Boy, what is this¡ª¡°

    Before Captain Connomar could finish his question, Akira flicked his fingers. The chains that had come from the devices in the pirates¡¯ pockets, they obeyed their true creator and master, Sorrel realized. The chains dragged the pirates back into the corridors they¡¯d come from, and the doors slammed shut.

    Then all was quiet.

    Akira let his hands fall limply to his sides, and the glow in his ring died. He looked tired now, with dark rings under his eyes and his shining white hair falling into his face. Seeing that all eyes were upon him, he smiled weakly.

    ¡°That should take care of them. We should probably leave, shouldn¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Sorrel managed to smile and took his hand. ¡°We should.¡±

    <hr>

    The pirates did not breach the doors. They did not fire and they did not return. In fact, nothing happened at all when the party returned to their cargo bay and closed off the airlock doors. They were able to break away and head up to the control center with no trouble. Then they set off once more for Otso, and leapt into fast-travel.

    Everyone reconvened in the lounge once all had been said and done.

    ¡°Will the White Dove come after us?¡± Gwynn wrapped her jacket around herself tightly.

    ¡°No, I did my little trick up on the bridge.¡± Akira plopped onto the couch, only to draw his knees up to his chest. ¡°They won¡¯t be able to detect us, so we should be safe from any kind of enemy radar.¡±

    Delphine and Coppelius shared a knowing look.

    ¡°It might not shield us from all of our enemies, as not all of them are finding us through mechanical methods.¡± Delphine spoke softly, as if it might soften the harshness of her words.

    ¡°But it should go a long way in helping us.¡± Coppelius reached out to clap a hand on Akira¡¯s shoulder. Akira jumped, but managed a smile nonetheless. ¡°Thank you for helping us.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I just wish I¡¯d done that sooner, I just never figured out. . . ¡° He trailed off, tugging at his sleeves where the chains around his wrists used to be.

    ¡°It was nothing.¡± Gwynn smiled. ¡°I¡¯m just glad we could help.¡±

    ¡°I just wish I¡¯d known you were out there.¡± Coppelius sighed and ran a hand through his hair. ¡°I would have helped you sooner.¡±

    Akira shrugged and pulled a small robot out of his duffel bag. He began to tinker with it right there, as if he were playing with his own hair or bouncing his knee. There was the same thoughtless energy behind it as he adjusted knobs and tightened bolts. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have known I was there. I was a secret. Hard to stay a powerful fleet if everyone knows why.¡±

    He then glanced back up at Coppelius and Delphine. ¡°Besides, I didn¡¯t know that there was anyone else out there like me.¡±

    ¡°You said that you were with the pirate fleet for generations,¡± Sorrel recalled. ¡°They¡¯ve been out there all this time?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes!¡± Akira looked to her with wide, bright eyes. ¡°In fact, the Jade Fleet¡¯s been around since long before I was left with Captain Usagi.¡±

    Coppelius frowned and leaned forward. ¡°Who¡¯s Captain Usagi?¡±

    Akira froze. His shoulders hunched and he looked down quickly. ¡°My guardian. My first one, that is. She died a long time ago. When the White Dove was the White Rabbit. Like I said, it was a long time ago.¡±

    Coppelius and Sorrel exchanged a look. It wasn¡¯t worth pressing him any further.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re free now.¡± Coppelius touched Akira¡¯s shoulder again, but Akira slid away from the contact and refused to look at him. ¡°Wherever you want to go, we can take you.¡±

    This did cause Akira to look up with confused blue eyes. ¡°No, I want to stay with you.¡±

    Coppelius tilted his head. ¡°We¡¯re on a mission. We¡¯ve got the Annwynese Empire on our trails. I wouldn¡¯t blame you if you wanted to go somewhere more peaceful, in Society space.¡±

    ¡°You say that like he¡¯s not going to get dragged into this anyway.¡± Delphine crossed one leg over the other, tilting her nose up in the air. ¡°Heaven knows I¡¯ve tried to keep myself out of this.¡±

    Sorrel bit back a disgusted retort. Delphine might have been on their side now, but she still remembered how the starry girl had tried to run away, how she¡¯d told Sorrel to leave Coppelius behind. Sorrel was still uneasy around her, even if she could admit that having another descendant of the House of Ondrina on their side was useful.

    ¡°No, you saved me and I want to help you out,¡± Akira insisted.

    ¡°Honestly, you helped us more than we¡¯ve helped you,¡± Sorrel pointed out.

    Coppelius nodded. ¡°She¡¯s right, and no one would blame you, after all you¡¯ve probably been through, if you just wanted to live somewhere in peace.¡±

    ¡°Do you not want me around?¡± Akira looked like he was about to cry.

    ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Coppelius assured him. ¡°It¡¯s just that what we¡¯re doing is dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Then tell me about it, maybe I can help.¡±

    Coppelius looked to Sorrel, and she understood what he was asking through his eyes alone.

    Do we trust him? Should we tell him?

    Sorrel nodded without hesitation.

    ¡°What do you know about our family?¡± Coppelius asked.

    ¡°Captain Usagi told me that I was a part of a greater clan that once ruled over the entire star system and all of the planets surrounding it.¡± Akira wiped at his face. ¡°That there was a great evil that made it all fall, and that someday one of my cousins would save us. But until then I was a secret, and I needed to stay there.¡±

    ¡°That was my father, the one who was supposed to stop the great evil.¡± Coppelius fiddled with a ring around his finger, with a crest shaped like a rose. ¡°He¡¯s still out there, and we¡¯re going to find him to get his help to stop the Spider-Queen. She¡¯s starting to attack the Society of Worlds and if we let her, the entire star will fall.¡±

    ¡°The Spider-Queen?¡± Akira tilted his head. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the name¡ªand I¡¯ve dreamed sometimes, of a dark lady. . . ¡°

    ¡°That¡¯s probably her.¡± Sorrel thought of her own vision. ¡°Her soldiers burned down my homeworld.¡±

    ¡°Not Perrault!¡± Akira looked to her with wide eyes. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve seen what she does first-hand,¡± Gwynn added.

    ¡°And we¡¯re going to Otso to meet with witches who might know where my father is,¡± Coppelius continued.

    ¡°Witches. . . ¡° Akira frowned. ¡°Like Corinne?¡±

    Delphine blinked. ¡°You know Corinne?¡±

    ¡°I think so, maybe they¡¯re different.¡± Akira tilted his head. ¡°Long brown hair with the big bow, uses the World of Wonder?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s her, she¡¯s part of the coven.¡± Delphine nodded. ¡°She didn¡¯t help you?¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t, she only traded with the pirates every few decades.¡± Akira shook his head. ¡°She also said it was safer to be with the White Dove until one of my own came for me.¡±

    Sorrel¡¯s stomach churned. Who exactly was it, that they were consulting with, if they were the type of people to leave Akira in his situation?

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t really matter anyway, what¡¯s done is done.¡± Akira shrugged. ¡°But if it makes no difference to you, I¡¯d rather travel with family anyway. I¡¯ve been alone for a long time. Even if I was surrounded by people¡ªbut you know what I mean, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡± Coppelius was quiet.

    He moved to stand quickly. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be too much longer before we reach Otso.¡±

    With that, he left the lounge. Sorrel excused herself, and chased after him, even as she felt her twin sister¡¯s eyes linger on her back.

    She followed him down the lonely corridor he¡¯d taken, to where he hesitated by his own door. She could see it, Akira¡¯s discovery had weighed on him heavily, or perhaps it was the encounter with the Jade Fleet to begin with. She didn¡¯t know for sure. But what she did know was that she didn¡¯t want to leave him to his burdens.

    She¡¯d decided that the moment that he¡¯d come crashing through the stars and skies into her world.

    He looked up before he could open his door, and his expression softened, his shoulders dropped and his body visibly relaxed as their gazes connected.

    ¡°Hey,¡± she said softly.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°Can I keep you company?¡± She outstretched her hand.

    He accepted it and smiled. ¡°As long as you want to.¡±

 The Royal Institute

    Sorrel outstretched her hand to the sky to let the snowflakes dance on her fingertips, just above her gloved palm. It almost felt like being home again, standing outside of the Otsoan spaceport. The winds blew harsher here, even within the walls of Otso''s cloistered cities. But the cold was something familiar and the taste of snow on Sorrel''s tongue was just the same bittersweet as Perrault.

    They''d arrived on Otso with far less trouble after the pirates than they''d received before that point. And while they''d had coats and boots enough to make a trek out into the cold, the first order of business was to get clothes that could stand up to the cold of the world of fjords and mountains.

    After all, it was in the mountains to the north, according to Delphine, where they would need to go in order to find the witches.

    Delphine now was huddled in a thick coat, a hood over her face, and layered scarves over her shoulders and around her hips.

    "I hate the cold," she declared. "There''s a reason I left this desolate place."

    Desolate was the last word that Sorrel would have used to describe Otso, and the capitol of Thule where the spaceport was located.

    The city was not so grimy or run-down as Hoffman. Nor was it so open and spread out as Avalon. It was clean, from the stone walls and streets to the looming buildings with candy-colored domes on top dusted with sugar-sweet snow. The people bustled around, most with hair that faded from the typical human colors to bright leaf-green, and a few that swapped the green for a silvery-blue like frost on the window.

    This was a city of luxury, a city of comfort.

    Coppelius approached the group with a tray of paper mugs with steaming hot drinks that smelled of chocolate and cinnamon.

    "It''s going to be a while before the next train to Bodhizara." He pressed one into Sorrel''s hands. "We might as well wait here."

    "What if we just struck out on our own and walked? Or docked at the spaceport there?" Sorrel asked.

    Delphine shook her head and took her cup from Coppelius''s tray. "Doesn''t work that way, I''m afraid. There''s no venturing outside of the walls outside of the trains. It''s completely wild outside the cities. And there''s no other spaceports on the planet. You have to come through Otso first. Otherwise you call on the wrath of the Otsoan guards."

    "It''s how they''ve protected trade here for so long," Akira added as he fiddled with his scarf. "The Jade Fleet could never infiltrate here, so if they wanted to attack Otsoan trade ships they had to do it deeper in space."

    "So we''ll have to wait, but I thought these would help." Having finished distributing the drinks, Coppelius finally picked up his own and placed the disposable tray in the waste bin by the bench. He glanced at Sorrel. "The spell''s still holding up?"

    "Yes." He''d expanded the pocket of her jumpsuit to hold the crystal sword, and she''d further wrapped a scarf around where the hilt was.

    "Good." Coppelius nodded. He tugged at the chain of his amulet, now hidden beneath his shirt. His voice dropped. "Magic is prohibited here. It''s only for the Royal Family and the approved Order of Scholars."

    "The Royal Institute is here, isn''t it?" Sorrel stared off at the spires, wondering which one was which¡ªand which one was the palace where the Queen of Otso lived. She knew that the Order of Scholars recruited from the Royal Institute, one of the most prestigious schools in all the system.

    "Yeah, right in Thule." Delphine frowned. "Why? Did you want to attend?"

    "Once, when I was younger." Sorrel took a sip of the drink. It seared at her throat¡ªbut it also felt good, given the cold outside. "But we could never afford it. Both the tuition and me not working at home."

    "But that''s not why you were asking." Gwynn looked to her knowingly. "You wanted to know if we could see¡ª"

    She trailed off, her dark eyes fixed on something in the distance. Sorrel found what Gwynn had, and she nearly dropped her drink.

    "No way."

    Then she got up from the bench and started running, weaving between people to see¡ª

    "Katherine!" Sorrel cried as she outstretched her arms.

    "Sorrel, Gwynn!" The girl rushed to greet them, as they fell into a shared hug between the three of them. "I didn''t know you guys were coming here!"

    They parted just as the rest of the party caught up to the Marchand sisters.

    "How are you?" Sorrel asked. "I thought today was a school day¡ª"

    Katherine laughed and shook her head. "Oh, no, we''re actually on break for another month."

    She paused and sobered. "I heard about what happened to Perrault. Do you know if Papa made it out?"

    Sorrel''s throat hitched and she couldn''t speak.

    "No." Gwynn''s voice was as soft as falling snow. "I''m so sorry."

    "It''s alright." Katherine managed a smile. "I''m just happy that the two of you are safe. Is your mother alright?"

    Gwynn nodded. "Yes, she''s fine, she''s on Lemuria with the other refugees."

    "That''s good to hear." Katherine looked to Sorrel. "You''re here though¡ªI suspect there''s a story. And it''s not because of me, or you would have told me you were coming."This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    She then looked behind Sorrel, and something changed about her hazel eyes. There was a little glimmer of recognition and something else, something that Sorrel could not decipher. It was gone before she even could try to understand.

    "You don''t want to stick around in the cold like this," Katherine declared. "Come on, I''ve got some friends you might want to meet at the Institute!"

    "We''d love to." Sorrel bit her lip. "But we have a train to Bodhizara we need to catch¡ª"

    Katherine dismissed the concern with a wave of her hand. "Don''t worry, I''ll make sure you get where you need to be exactly when you need to!"

    "Say ''yes'' so we can get out of the cold," Delphine grumbled.

    "Yes, then." Sorrel smiled. She could pretend for just a moment that this was just a fun trip, meeting an old friend, seeing the sights she at one time never thought she could.

    And a look at Gwynn told her that this was what her twin, her best friend, needed.

    "Excellent!" Katherine bounced onto the tips of her toes. "Follow me, then!"

    <hr>

    There had been a time when Sorrel had dreamed of going to the Royal Institute. This was back when she and Katherine and Gwynn were still in school, staring at the clock on the wall and doodling in their notebooks as their teachers droned on and on about things that didn''t really matter. Not if you wanted to be a pilot, or learn magic, or even to be a mechanic or scrapper.

    Katherine had asked her once why she''d even wanted to go.

    "It''s not like you even like school here," she pointed out.

    "It would at least be someplace better than here."

    And that really was the crux of it, wasn''t it?'' She''d wanted so desperately to be somewhere that wasn''t the end of the Society of Worlds, the place where all things from space came to die. And now she''d gotten her wish and everything had changed.

    Seeing the Royal Institute now was a reminder of the wish that had come true in the worst way possible.

    The Royal Institute was a small palace in its own right, with Otsoan roses planted outside in the hedges surrounding the mix of old stone and new glass and steel. It kept to the structures of Otsoan architecture, with domed tops and round doors, but otherwise a play on straight lines and sharp angles.

    Now that she was here, Sorrel could understand the doubts Katherine had expressed when they both were still kids. Katherine was the kind of girl who belonged to an old, scholarly location like this. After all, she was the kind of girl who was always writing diaries with the idea of "making it easier for historians."

    She wasn''t Sorrel, who was constantly restless and dreaming.

    The hallways of the Institute were empty, only a few faculty and a handful of students remaining over the break darting in and out. It was a sleek, modern place on the inside, with screens plastered on the insides and minimal decoration.

    As Katherine guided them through the hallways, Sorrel couldn''t help but steal glances at Coppelius¡ªand recall the legend behind this place.

    It wasn''t named the Royal Institute for the Royal Family of Otso¡ªit was named so for the legends of a royal family that had once ruled over the star of Ondrina. It was once founded by that family to gather the brightest advisors and inventors and all of those enlightened types that would make a better empire, a better kingdom. At least, that was the story told.

    She wondered if Coppelius or Delphine or Akira might know the truth about this. More probably Coppelius or Delphine than Akira, she supposed.

    "And this is the library." Katherine paused in front of a large circular door made of frosted glass. She turned around and looked the group up and down. She smiled, as if she were in on some kind of fantastic joke¡ªbut Sorrel did not know the punchline yet. "I''ve got some friends inside that I think you''d like to meet."

    Then she pressed a button to open the door, and strode in with a self-assuredness that reminded Sorrel of Delphine or Kiana. Had Katherine always been so confident, so regal? Maybe the two years at the Institute already done so much to change her.

    Despite the sleek reflective floors and all-glass walls and ceiling, the inside of the library of the Royal Institute felt older, more cozy. Tall and dark wooden shelves that appeared to be carefully crafted were stacked on top of one each other and created a labyrinth throughout the main floor. Handsome tables and cozy armchairs with faded plush cushions were scattered about.

    Katherine led them to a glass elevator to the second floor, where the shelves were now confined to the walls themselves, and there were more tables and chairs there, and a few potted plants now too added to the mix.

    Sitting by a space of open glass wall was a small group of individuals sharing a table¡ªa curiosity, given how empty the library and the Institute in general was. One seat was left open, with a leather satchel and a set of books left at her place.

    Next to that seat was a petite girl dressed all in black with brown skin and deep purple waves falling around a set of curling black horns, deep in concentration with a book. On the end of the table was a tall boy with dark hair fading into silver who was writing in a notebook.

    To his right, on the other side, were a boy and a girl, both with shining white hair.

    The girl had streaks of lilac and light brown skin, and the boy had green tips like the first shoots of spring and white markings on his pale arms where he''d rolled back his sleeves. Both had the same starry blue eyes Sorrel had come to know so well.

    And when they looked up, they knew.

    Katherine clasped her hands together. "Everyone, my old friends Sorrel and Gwynn Marchand came to visit, I told you about them from my hometown in Perrault, remember?"

    The Otsoan boy shut his notebook and sat up straighter. "They brought friends with them."

    "Oh, Kai, you''ll love this, they''re going to Bodhizara in a few hours, maybe you could give them some tips?" Katherine bounced on her toes again.

    "Maybe." He clearly didn''t trust them, with the way his eyes were the same ominous gray as a snow-bound sky.

    "Oh, right, this is Ellowyn Khmer, then Kai Speila¡ª"

    "Nikolai to you," he grumbled.

    "Nikolai," Katherine corrected smoothly, as if she''d come to expect this. "And then Layla and Pirlipat Elara."

    Pirlipat folded his hands and narrowed his eyes through large circular frames. "You''ve brought some interesting friends. You''ll be staying for dinner, I''m presuming."

    "We''ll have to see." Sorrel glanced at Coppelius, whose expression was unreadable at the moment. She wondered if he was just trying to hide the shock. She could only imagine, given that a week ago he''d thought he and Versailles and the Spider-Queen were the only ones of his kind left.

    It was interesting, how they all seemed to be converging at once after hundreds of years.

    "What Sorrel means is that we do have a train to catch," Gwynn added hastily.

    "No you don''t." Nikolai slumped back into his chair. "Just got an alert on the school''s system¡ªall the train cars got recalled. Storm is picking up."

    "What?" Coppelius blinked. "I don''t understand¡ª"

    "It''s alright, I''m sure it will all clear up after dinner!" Katherine''s cheer faltered for a second. "Besides, I think some of you guys might want to talk to each other."

    She then looked to Nikolai. "I was wondering if you and Ellowyn might help me with something in my dorm."

    "Now?" Ellowyn looked over her shoulder. "Are you sure it can''t wait?"

    "Positive." Katherine beamed, crossing her arms over her shoulder.

    Nikolai raised an eyebrow, but got up all the same. "Fine. I know better than to go against one of your schemes."

    "Great, thank you!" Katherine looked to Sorrel. "Sorry to cut things short, but I promise we''ll talk more during and after dinner!"

    She then beckoned for her friends to follow her.

    "Enjoy!" She shouted, and then she looked over her shoulder to wink at Sorrel.

    Which she had no idea what to do with, but she was also not about to look at a gift land speeder under the hood.

    For when the library doors shut again, she knew that now was their chance to talk to yet more scions of the Ondrina dynasty.

 Mystic Academia

    Pirlipat immediately rose from his chair.

    "I don''t like this," he declared, narrowing his starry indigo eyes. "I don''t know why you''re here all of a sudden, but¡ª"

    He stopped when Layla, the girl, tugged at one of his billowing long white sleeves.

    "But they''re like us, Pirli." Her eyes were wide, entreating.

    His attention flicked back to her and his expression softened. Still, there was hostility that remained when he looked back to Sorrel. "Not all of them."

    "We''re here to help." Sorrel glanced at Delphine, and thought of how the haughty young oracle had regarded her in the same way. "We promise."

    Pirlipat pressed his lips together in a thin line, but said nothing as he sank back into his chair.

    Layla beamed at them, and beckoned them forward to sit around them. "Don''t mind Pirli, he''s just a little cautious."

    "Because you aren''t cautious enough." There was a flicker of a smile though playing at the corners of his lips and in his eyes. "I don''t know what game Katherine is playing, but she''s in over her head."

    Sorrel decided to file that comment away for later. She certainly had questions for Katherine to ask when they were alone¡ªjust her, Gwynn, and Katherine. The original three girls from Hoffman.

    "You''re like us though." Layla repeated the turn-of-phrase and leaned forward on folded arms. "I thought¡ªwell, I thought we were the only ones. With the stars in our eyes."

    "You know, we all thought about the same thing until recently." Coppelius smiled warmly. "I, for one, am happy to discover that I was wrong."

    Pirlipat did not seem so amused, the way that he looked at Coppelius and the rest of the party sidelong, with his hand clenched into a fist on the table.

    "Yeah, it''s awesome that we''re all cousins, I mean I knew that there were others, but I never got to see them." Akira perched on one of the chairs awkwardly, throwing his arm along the back and drawing his knees to his chest.

    Delphine tilted her head¡ªthe new Ondrinas had caught her attention. "How long have you been on Otso?"

    "I was raised here." Pirlipat met her eyes¡ªit was a challenging glare. But one that Delphine easily matched. "Layla was raised on Camrar. We didn''t meet up until sometime after the first century."

    "How did that happen?" Sorrel wondered aloud. After all. . . no one else has managed to run into each other in a big solar system like this.

    Pirlipat and Layla glanced at each other and shrugged.

    "When I had managed to outlive my foster parents, I decided to leave Otso behind for a little while." Pirlipat let out a long sigh, drawing it out as a pause. There was something whirring behind his eyes, the clear calculation of the risks. "Camrar is one of the other most academically-accomplished planets within the Society of Worlds. If I were to leave Otso, I thought that to be the best place to go."

    "I''d moved around the planet a little by that point, but I still had no idea what I was doing." Layla sighed, causing her bangs to flutter in her face. "We were both attending one of the universities in southern Camrar¡ª" she looked reflexively to Pirlipat, a shadow of uncertainty crossing her face. "You know, I don''t remember which university it was, now that I think about it."

    Pirlipat frowned, his expression softening once more when he turned to Layla. "Corinth. We were attending the University of Corinth."

    "Makes sense." Layla nodded and smiled, clearly relieved. "Anyway, we met up there, and of course we realized right away¡ªwell, whatever we were, that we were the same. Thought it would be better to stick together ever since."

    "And so we have." Pirlipat looked back to the group. "But the fact that other than Layla, I''ve never met another one of us, and that there''s no answers. . . I don''t like it."

    "Look, neither do I, but times have changed." Delphine leaned forward. "Surely you know of the Spider-Queen?"

    Pirlipat visibly stiffened, and even Layla''s bronze skin took on a silvery pallor at the mention.

    "You''ve seen her too?" Layla whispered.

    "We all have, even us." Sorrel pointed at herself and Gwynn. "And she''s on the move¡ªyou''ve heard about what happened to Perrault?"

    "That was you?" Layla blinked, eyes wide.

    Pirlipat''s eyes took on a hostility again. "Ah. Katherine told us."

    He then leaned forward once more, folding his hands into a steeple above the table. "Forgive me, but I have no interest in whatever this is. Layla and I have managed just fine over the last few centuries on our own and we''ve managed not to get dragged into this business. I''d rather stay out of it if I can."

    "I understand that." Coppelius slumped in his seat.

    "No, no, we do not!" Delphine cried out haughtily, rising out of hers. "What I didn''t understand and what you should is that she''s not letting us stay out of it anymore. I wouldn''t be helping if I didn''t see I have to!"

    Sorrel couldn''t help but glare at her.

    "I think we''re done here." Pirlipat rose quickly from his chair, throwing it back. He scooped up his books in his arms and threw his satchel over his shoulder. "Come on, Layla, we should go."

    "But we don''t even know what they''re doing, Pirli, maybe we could help them?" Layla looked up at him with entreating eyes.

    Even with how he softened, there was still a coldness there like the mountains and fjords of Otso or the snows of home.

    "Come on."

    With that, he turned around, and Layla reluctantly rose from her chair.

    "You don''t have to do just what he wants, you know." Sorrel couldn''t help herself from speaking.

    "Oh, I know." Layla managed a smile, but there was a sadness to it. "But he''s all I have. Don''t worry¡ªI bet I can convince him. Eventually."

    She then grabbed up her own books and bags. She started after Pirlipat a few paces before she abruptly stopped and turned around.

    "Good luck on your journey¡ªwith whatever you''re doing."

    And with that, she was gone.

    Sorrel looked to Coppelius. "Well, perhaps we should get going then. I don''t know when Katherine''s going to return, and we have a train to catch."

    "That''s probably for the best." Coppelius sighed and rose from his chair. "I just wish I could have gotten to talk to them for longer."

    The way he said it reminded Sorrel of what he had told her, when she''d come to his hotel room in Avalon, when she''d had the chance to walk away and she''d done the opposite.

    "I don''t want to be alone anymore."Stolen story; please report.

    She could see that same vulnerability in him now. So she took his hand as they began to walk out of the Royal Institute''s library so that he would know. He wasn''t alone anymore. Sorrel would make sure of that.

    They didn''t get far. Not before a voice called out to Sorrel and Gwynn and the rest of the party in the hallways.

    "Oh, where are you guys going?" Katherine Stahlbaum jogged to catch up to them.

    "We''ve got to leave for our train, I''m sorry." Sorrel stopped beside her oldest friend. Something about her caught her eye in a new, unexpected way. She hadn''t really noticed it before in her excitement to see Katherine again.

    It was in the confidence, the way she held her head up high. It was in the sparkle of her eye. Something had happened to Katherine during her time at the Royal Institute. Sorrel was certain of it.

    "I don''t know what Katherine''s up to, but she''s in over her head."

    What did Pirlipat know?

    "Oh, you can''t leave yet!" Katherine placed a hand on Sorrel''s arm. "Have you seen the alert on the news?"

    "No, what''s happened?"

    "There''s been an increase in the snow and winds, they''ve delayed the trains for a little bit." Katherine tilted her head. "Why don''t you stay here for dinner? Hopefully the snow should clear by then."

    Sorrel turned to Coppelius. The hesitation was clear on his face¡ªalong with the recognition that something was off. She could only hope that her eyes were telling him the same.

    Then a voice answered¡ªnot her own or Coppelius.

    "Yes, that sounds like a great idea." Gwynn stepped forward. "Will the staff let us stay?"

    "Oh, I''m sure they will." Katherine clasped her hands together. "After all, Professor Drosselmire loves me."

    "Professor Drosselmire?" Sorrel repeated.

    "The head of the technological sciences department," Katherine explained, as she started to lead them back down the corridors of the Royal Institute. "He''s done a lot of the system''s leading research on automatons and artificial intelligence."

    She then glanced over her shoulder and winked. "Now come on, it won''t be long before dinner''s ready!"

    <hr>

    Gwynn was grateful that the rest of the party followed her and Katherine into the great dining hall of the Royal Institute. It wasn''t that she disagreed that they should be on their way¡ªbut she wasn''t going to sit around in a train station waiting for them to start again.

    Besides, she wasn''t stupid. Even she could see that Katherine had changed in her time away from Hoffman, from the little backwater world of Perrault. There was the touch of magic there, Gwynn could feel it, like calling to like, to that own spark that now ran like a live wire in her veins.

    She wasn''t sure if Sorrel had realized it or not. Maybe she had, but her sister had become quite single-minded ever since Coppelius came crashing into their lives. It was the actions a heroine in the type of stories their father would tell them would take, anything for true love. All with single-minded devotion and nothing to truly stand in the way.

    Why did Gwynn feel as if sometimes, she was the obstacle standing in her sister''s way?

    She shook her head to make the thoughts go away, the fleeting impulses and imagery of fairytales.

    There were greater stakes than whether or not Sorrel and Coppelius were each other''s true loves, or any of that sort of thing. World-ending stakes. She had to focus on those. Otherwise, she''d be stepping off a skyscraper, plunging into unknown territory.

    The dining hall gave way to great wooden arches in the ceiling, decorated with streamers that looked like dried flowers and garlands, but were a little too saturated in color to be real. The artificial lights were laid in strips alongside the wooden beams, a mix of the modern and the technological that Gwynn was learning was typical for Otsoan architecture and interior design.

    Most of the sleek modern tables were pushed against the wall, three or so long tables set up to stretch over the entire hall, creating the appearance of one impressively long table. A few students were sitting down, waiting for the dinner to come¡ªbut by the side door on the opposite end of where Katherine had led them in, what seemed like the entire faculty were gathered and were chattering amongst themselves.

    "Well, this is the dining hall, we''re mostly sitting at one table right now since most of the students are away for the holidays." Katherine paused before the long banquet table, her hazel eyes searching for something. She blinked, and then nodded. She clasped her hands together. "There he is! Professor Drosselmire!"

    Hanging around the fringes of the cluster was a tall, older gentleman with dark skin and graying hair in a dark blue coat trimmed with bronze details. He looked rather relieved to have a reason to leave the group socializing behind, and so extricated himself over to where Katherine was.

    His eyes twinkled as he took in the group. "Ah, Miss Stahlbaum, my dear, I see you''ve brought in your guests, just as you''ve said?"

    She knew we were coming.

    Gwynn couldn''t be sure, of course. But she had the suspicion nonetheless, and she just somehow knew she wasn''t wrong.

    "Yes, some of my old friends from Perrault," Katherine said. "This is Professor Drosselmire, head of the technological sciences."

    "It''s lovely to get a chance to meet one of my brightest student''s old friends." Professor Drosselmire smiled warmly. "And it is quite kind of you, to come visit her during the holidays."

    His smile faltered and he paused. "I was sorry to hear about what happened to Perrault. Truly a tragedy, an unprecedented event."

    His smile resumed. "Well, I hope you are enjoying your visit to Otso and the Royal Institute. You''re not the only guest who came to visit."

    "Who else is here?" Gwynn heard Sorrel ask.

    Professor Drosselmire looked uncomfortable.

    Before he could speak, the crowd parted to reveal an unearthly pale woman, shorter than Gwynn, with dark hair like a raven''s wing in immaculate curls and a dress that was barely whiter than she was. Her eyes glistened like sapphires, with a cold fire about them. On her wrist was a bracelet with diamonds that dripped from them like teardrops¡ªbut this was not the sort of woman who cried, Gwynn was certain.

    Her lips were painted blood red, and they curled into the polite sort of smile, the kind that held back a thinly-veiled nastiness.

    The woman was obviously Annwynese, with a layer of diamond-like freckles over her colorless cheeks and exposed arms.

    And with the way her eyes locked onto first Coppelius, Akira, Delphine, and then flicked over to Layla and Pirlipat, Gwynn realized that she was there for them. The Annwynese woman was one of the mages who worked for the Spider-Queen.

    "Ah, I see I am not the only guest here." Her voice was a beautiful, high-pitched sound like a flute, melodic in its rhythm.

    The loveliness only put Gwynn more on-edge.

    "Ah, yes, Katherine Stahlbaum brought some friends from. . .err, Perrault." The gentleman in green next to the woman coughed awkwardly. "Lady Isolde, perhaps we could take our seats then?"

    "I suppose we shall." Isolde''s eyes lingered on Coppelius once more, and her blood-red smile curled up into a triumphant smirk.

    As they sat down at the long table, Gwynn could not help but think of Versailles. She almost missed him.

    <hr>

    The dinner passed in near-tense silence. Katherine and Professor Drosselmire had attempted to make conversation on their section of the very-long banquet table, but Sorrel picked at her food. Her stomach turned too much to consider anything other than the steaming mug of cider.

    And even that had a bitter taste, a reminder that it wasn''t her mother''s cider, that this wasn''t home, that this wasn''t the Bonfire Night festival. She realized, looking at Lady Isolde, that because of the Annwynese invasion that she wouldn''t get to experience Bonfire Night at home this year.

    Maybe she never would again.

    Sorrel forced herself to down more of the cider. It wasn''t this specific woman''s fault, after all. Not all the Annwynese should have to answer for the crimes of their empire, after all. But she didn''t like how the woman had looked at Coppelius. And she''d caught the diamond bracelet on her wrist.

    Sorrel wondered if Coppelius had sensed it. She suspected he hadn''t, though, because otherwise he or Delphine might have protested more at staying here.

    She''d have to ask him afterwards.

    In order to dispel some of the awkwardness, Professor Drosselmire had excused himself to bring out one of his inventions. He''d brought in a mechanical ballerina, resting in an eternal tiptoe, arms reaching up to the sky.

    The ballerina looked like an expensive doll, the type that the twins would receive on holidays from well-meaning distant relatives and that Sorrel would pass off to Gwynn when the adults weren''t looking, for Gwynn liked that sort of thing more. Her dress was dark blue, with silver stitching like stars and constellations in the layers of deep blue tulle.

    The professor started her with a remote, and hurried back to his seat. As the ballerina began to move in startlingly-lifelike grace, Layla and Pirlipat came to attention. Pirlipat in particular was watching the ballerina carefully, a strange shadow crossing his face as he did so.

    While the faculty murmured their admiration, Lady Isolde merely watched with folded hands, her gaze un-blinking.

    "You know, my grandfather saw a perpetually-moving automaton once." Professor Drosselmire spoke in a low, conspiratorial tone as they watched the mechanical ballerina dance.

    "Did he now?" Pirlipat raised an eyebrow as he raised the crystalline goblet to his lips.

    "It was during the Open House when he was still a student at this very school." Professor Drosselmire reclined in his seat and folded his hands in his lap. "There was a young pair of inventors, cousins, I believe, and they made a pair of dancers, much like this one. Once they started the keys, they first danced with their automatons. Then for forty days and nights, long past the end of the Open House, the automatons danced together with no sign of tiring. I believe nearly everyone who visited the city saw it."

    He frowned as he then regarded his own creation. The ballerina''s movements were starting to slow, to become less fluid and betray her mechanical origins.

    "The most peculiar part was the inventors'' requirement for viewing their creation," Drosselmire added. "The inventors did not want their names recorded, nor did they want their creation photographed. After the end of their demonstration, both the invention and the inventors disappeared. No one knows where they went, or what happened to them."

    Sorrel turned to share a glance with Coppelius, and he nodded, leaning his head ever-so-slightly toward where Pirlipat and Layla sat.

    "I''m sure it was beautiful," Pirlipat murmured, something sorrowful about his gaze on the ballerina.

    "I heard it was." Professor Drosselmire sighed as the mechanical ballerina halted to an abrupt stop, returning to her tiptoe resting position once more. "I had hoped she would finish her routine more gracefully. But nothing lasts forever, does it?"

    "I guess not," Sorrel said, as she looked at Pirlipat.

 Flight of the Fledgeling Magicians

    Other students started to get up from their chairs and depart, along with some of the faculty. But Madame Isolde remained in her chair, her diamond-like eyes remaining on Coppelius. It was only when she looked away, to Headmaster Galliard when he spoke to her, that Sorrel felt as if she could move again.

    As she and the rest of the crew of the East Sun got up, she felt someone brush past her.

    "Sorry," mumbled Pirlipat before he disappeared into the exodus of students.

    There was a weight in Sorrel''s pocket, and she spared another glance at Madame Isolde¡ªbut the beautiful Annwynese magician was already surrounded again, being shepherded away by the academics.

    Perfect.

    Sorrel turned her back to that and removed from her pocket a scrap of clean white paper, the faint scent of lilacs emanating from it.

    Rose Garden, 20 minutes. Bring everyone.

    Sorrel looked up to see Coppelius was watching her.

    "We''ve got one more stop before we can go check on the trams," she announced quietly.

    Coppelius nodded, but his expression remained troubled.

    Before Sorrel could inquire further, however, a hand was clapped on her shoulder and she jumped.

    "Well, what did you think of the old professor''s star project?" Katherine asked. "He absolutely loves his automatons, they''re so beautiful, aren''t they?"

    "They are." Sorrel bit her lip and dropped her voice. "Katherine, where would the rose garden be?"

    "Oh, those would be up with the box gardens between the two main towers of the school." Katherine''s bubbly smile faltered. "Did something happen?"

    "No, why?" Sorrel quickly folded the paper and put on the kind of smile she''d practiced for the patrons of the bed and breakfast.

    Something gleamed in Katherine''s eyes, but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared, and so Sorrel wasn''t so sure as to what she had really seen.

    "Well, I can take you there, if you want."

    "Oh, no, I wouldn''t want to trouble you any further." Sorrel shook her head. "You''ve done enough, and I''m sure you have studying and stuff to do, and we''ll have to leave to catch our train in another hour or so¡ª"

    "Right." Katherine pressed her lips together into a thin line, then smiled bemusedly. "Well, it''s been good to see you. I hope it won''t be nearly so long, Sorrel."

    With that, Katherine turned away, leaving Sorrel with a sense of unease.

    Still, she had her location. And she figured she''d rather not leave Pirlipat waiting too long.

    <hr>

    For how the shapes of the buildings were different, the night sky wasn''t so different across worlds, Sorrel decided as she entered the rose garden. As Katherine had explained, it was a box uniting two towers of the Royal Institute, with an open air to the sky. Various heaters and lights were scattered around the garden''s marble-like pathways, with bushes of frost-hardy roses that remained their bright scarlet against the falling snow.

    Sorrel closed her eyes for a moment, to feel the biting wind on her face, the snowflakes dissolving in her hair and jacket, to hear the sounds of a sleepless city.

    This was the closest thing to home as what existed now.

    "Didn''t take you too long to show up."

    Sorrel opened her eyes to see Pirlipat step out from behind a rose bush, Layla lingering behind him. Both were wearing heavier cloaks and scarves, and Layla was carrying a worn-looking briefcase with a pale blue ribbon tied around the handle.

    "We figured it was urgent." Coppelius stepped forward, taking the lead. "I''m guessing the arrival of the Annwynese court mage has changed your mind?"

    Pirlipat glanced over his shoulder, before returning ice-cold eyes to Coppelius. "We would not have survived undetected in the same worlds for so long if we hadn''t known when the right time to leave was."

    "Besides, I told him that I wanted to help you." Layla stepped forward, her starry eyes wide and earnest. "We''re family, after all. Even if we don''t know many of the details. . . It''s why Pirli and I have stuck together for so long."

    Coppelius nodded. "Then we''re happy to have you on our side."

    Sorrel glanced around the party¡ªAkira was grinning, and Delphine merely had her arms folded over her chest, her nose upturned in her usual haughty expression. But it was her sister''s movement that had drawn her attention, as Gwynn had whirled around, the crystals on her bracelet glowing.

    "What''s wrong?" Sorrel called out.

    Gwynn paused. "I don''t know¡ªI have a bad feeling about this."

    "Well, we should get going." Coppelius placed a hand on Gwynn''s shoulder as he approached her. "We''ve got a train to catch, and I don''t think it''s good for any of us to be in Thule right now."

    Gwynn nodded, but Sorrel could see it in her eyes, her sister''s mind was still far away. "Let''s go, then."

    <hr>

    Sorrel really should have known better by now. All faint traces of life that there had been before were now completely gone as the party traversed the corridors of the Royal Institute. Even the lights were dimmed, casting half the lonely halls in complete shadow. Only their footsteps disturbed the silence.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    That was, right until they''d entered the grand foyer, right before the front doors of the Institute.

    That was when Sorrel heard the sound of footsteps, as crisp as ice breaking. It echoed off of the tiled floor, off of the stained glass windows and the chandelier that had gone mysteriously dark, with only the glass-painted moonlight to show that descending the grand staircase was none other than Lady Isolde.

    "I thought you might attempt to make a run for it." She smiled, a fierce, sinister expression, but lovely all the same. Like a white rose with ice-encrusted thorns, Sorrel supposed. Like the black hole before it devoured all.

    "You can''t do this here, they''re guests of the Institute, and we''re their students!"

    Sorrel was surprised by the ferocity and conviction in Pirlipat''s voice as he threw himself forward, between Coppelius and Lady Isolde.

    Lady Isolde narrowed her eyes, and her lips closed¡ªbut they still remained curled in her smile. "I''m afraid you haven''t heard, have you, Mr. Elara?"

    She took one step forward, raising her wrist so the moonlight caught the diamond teardrops on her bracelet. It could be mistaken for a model''s pose in the holo-zines. But Sorrel was certain that everyone there could recognize it as a threat.

    She also noticed how Pirlipat inhaled sharply, his eyebrows knitted together as he took a more protective stance, a more aggressive one at her speaking his last name.

    "You''ve been looking into the student records, haven''t you?"

    Lady Isolde laughed. "I didn''t have to do much. Nearly everyone on staff talks about the mysterious and talented young Mr. Elara, and his charming, imaginative sister with the Camrar hair and horns. And of course, you haven''t exactly been covering your tracks well."

    She paused, tilting her head. "There are quite a few pictures across the decades of the Institute''s operations that reveal two faces that recur frequently. And of course, there have been many that go by the name Elara. . ."

    She trailed off, then straightened her head. "But that''s getting beside the point. Her Majesty''s no longer playing by the old rules, Mr. Elara. She''s decided that she''s spent enough time in the shadows, and she will get what she wants. Rules, or not, I''m afraid."

    She took another step forward, and a silver light appeared in the palm of her hand. It was growing, like the beginnings of a storm-cloud.

    "Now, of course, the question is what you''ll all do." She paused, and when no one moved, she clicked her tongue. "Very well, then."

    With that, she threw the light in her hand in an arc, scattering it as silvery-blue dust that expanded into a blizzard. Sorrel reached into her pocket to pull her blade, and lunged forward to a swing, where she remembered Lady Isolde had been standing. Only, the crystal sword sliced through snow and the cold wind, and she stumbled forward.

    Lady Isolde laughed¡ªbut from where, Sorrel wasn''t sure.

    She could not see Gwynn, or any of her other companions in the room. Just the flash of green of one of Akira''s spells, or the glimmer of sunlight from Delphine, or the deep sky blue of Coppelius''s magic¡ªnone of them landing a hit. For Lady Isolde just kept laughing.

    Such an infuriatingly polished sound.

    Sorrel lifted her blade and picked herself back up off the floor¡ªjust in time to hear the sound of ice cracking above her.

    She raised the sword, just in time to use the flat side to block ice spikes as they fell from the ceiling. They shattered harmlessly to her sides, but the air was pierced with a scream. A girl''s scream.

    "Gwynn? Gwynn!" Sorrel screamed as she looked around.

    "LAYLA!" Pirlipat''s bellow made the silvery-blue snowdust go still.

    It dissolved just in time for Sorrel to watch as Pirlipat dived to where Layla lay, impaled by an ice spike, others embedded in the floors all around the foyer.

    Lady Isolde emerged from the last clouds of silver dust, recalling them to her hand with a flick of her wrist. She moved with a slow confidence, the assurance of a predator that had all in her grasp¡ªonly to pause and to falter.

    "No," she gasped. "That cannot be¡ªI sense their magic. How¡ª"

    Lady Isolde turned just in time to see Katherine burst out of a door with a large aged tome in her hands, Nikolai close behind.

    "You," Lady Isolde seethed, narrowing her icy gray eyes. "I should have known! I can see her in you."

    Katherine seemed unperturbed by this. "I''d''ve thought a mage of your caliber would be able to recognize a witch."

    Sorrel''s head was spinning. What was happening? One of her closest childhood friends, claiming to be a witch? That couldn''t be, she''d known Katherine, surely she would have known if she had been caught up in all of this.

    But there was no time to ponder what was unfolding right before Sorrel''s very eyes.

    "They''re mine," Lady Isolde snarled, as she raised her hands.

    "Not if I''m the one telling the story."

    Lady Isolde was the first to throw her spell, but Katherine blocked it effortlessly, dissolving it in a shimmer of iridescence like a bubble on water. She returned her own, a deep burgundy, as Nikolai darted down the staircase.

    Lady Isolde did not notice¡ªher eyes were locked on Katherine.

    That was when Sorrel realized what she could do.

    Without a second thought, she launched herself at Lady Isolde and tossed the crystal sword to the side. Coppelius swooped in time to catch it before it could hit the floor and shatter.

    Lady Isolde screamed¡ªshe clearly had not expected that reaction. The force of hitting the marble floor ricocheted through her bones. But she couldn''t let the pain stop her¡ªshe was clawing and kicking in a blinding blur of adrenaline and desperation.

    Her fingers managed to close around Lady Isolde''s wrist as the Annwynese mage frenzied. Struggling and writhing underneath her small body, she tried to push Sorrel off of her.

    Sorrel gritted her teeth and jabbed her knee into Lady Isolde''s abdomen. As Lady Isolde cried out, Sorrel pulled with all her strength.

    There was a click and the sound of diamonds clinking together as Sorrel was thrown off of Lady Isolde.

    The noblewoman scrambled to her feet, her beautiful features twisted into an expression of pure fury.

    Sorrel could only look up, head pounding, vision blurring as Lady Isolde reached for her¡ªonly to crumple to the ground, and then go flying into a wall in a flash of blood-red light.

    The next thing she knew, Coppelius stood over her, holding the crystal sword, while Gwynn knelt beside her.

    "Come on, we need to get moving." With the patter of footsteps, Katherine and Nikolai had made it to the ground floor of the foyer.

    Coppelius turned while Gwynn helped Sorrel to her feet. She found herself leaning against her sister more than she would have liked.

    "We''re not going anywhere with you, not until you explain a few things." He wasn''t unkind in the unvoiced demands, but it was still surprisingly foreboding, to come from him.

    Katherine shook her head and closed her tome. A broach at her neck began to glow as she moved her arm in an arc, in a scattering of sparks shaped like fallen leaves. A portal appeared, a circular mirror perhaps, except that it reflected a perfectly-maintained garden in the height of summer.

    "We won''t have long before she wakes up and comes looking for us, and then we''ll be running out of time." Katherine turned to Pirlipat and Layla. With a snap of her fingers, the icicles disappeared¡ªnot that this did much for the blood on the floor, on Layla''s clothes. "I have some friends who can help¡ªshe also won''t last much longer."

    She looked back to Sorrel and Gwynn, eyes pleading. "I promise, I''ll explain everything, and I''ll help. I just need you to come with me."

    "We trust you." Sorrel''s voice was stronger than she thought.

    "You won''t regret this." Katherine clasped her hands. "Now hurry."

    Coppelius and Gwynn helped Sorrel through the portal, and Nikolai aided Pirlipat in carrying Layla''s body, with Delphine, Akira, and Katherine bringing up the rear.

    In an instant, the foyer of the Royal Institute was gone.

    And in the next, they were in that garden¡ªstanding before a tea party of beautiful women in elaborate pointed hats.

 The Witches Party

    Pirlipat was the first to break the shocked silence. "Please, my sister¡ªshe needs help!"

    One of the witches, dressed in a crimson hat and a white dress with red rose petals sewn onto its billowing skirts, rushed from the table. A Camrar lady, with her black horns sticking through her deep emerald hat was quick to follow her. The two summoned a cot beneath Layla as another witch joined them, one with dark skin and turquoise blue hair¡ªone who seemed awfully familiar to Gwynn.

    "You were at the Institute!" Gwynn cried as the blue-haired witch approached Layla.

    "I am." The witch replied evenly, her voice as soft as snowfall. She took Layla''s wrist into her gloved hands. "I am horrified to see that the Annwynese have infiltrated even the sacred spaces of academia."

    "You shouldn''t be so surprised." The Carmar witch summoned a blanket of gossamer, covering Layla like a veil¡ªor perhaps a shroud, Gwynn feared. "I''ve told you all for years, they would come sooner rather than later¡ª"

    "Now isn''t the time, Kersen," the witch in red scolded. She looked to Pirlipat. "Your sister is in good hands."

    He said nothing, instead looking at her with what could only be described as a wary glare. His grip on his sister''s hand was white-knuckled, making him seem even paler than he already was.

    Still, Gwynn could see that Layla was breathing easier already, the blood vanishing.

    "We''ll take her inside to continue the job." The turquoise-haired witch nodded, and then looked to Pirlipat. "You can follow us."

    "Yes. . . Professor Azura." Pirlipat looked as if he were swallowing glass to even speak the name aloud. Still, for all his distrust and reluctance, he followed the two witches and his unconscious sister past the garden party, and into a large, comfortable-looking cottage.

    It was only then, with Layla''s safety at least marginally more assured, that Gwynn took a better look around her.

    The brightly-colored Aurora Borealis painted the Otsoan skies above them, illuminating the otherwise pitch-black night. So they had not been taken off-world at least. That was a relief of sorts.

    The garden around them was that of perpetual summertime, perfectly green and filled with ponds with lilies that glowed like there were candles inside of them, and hedges filled with every kind of flower except for roses. The absence of them gave Gwynn pause. In the flower boxes outside of their home, Celine planted red and white roses.

    "For my two roses," Celine had told her once as Gwynn had helped her tend to the boxes.

    Beyond the garden walls, Gwynn could see the white of endless snows, the black spires of mountain.

    "Where are we?" Sorrel voiced the question hovering on Gwynn''s lips.

    Delphine curled her embellished hands into fists as she leveled a glare that burned at the woman in red and white. "Where I grew up. The hag''s place."

    The witch in red and white¡ªhardly a hag at all, by Gwynn''s estimation, merely raised an eyebrow. "I''m surprised you involved yourself in all of this. I recall you fighting your way through the mountain to get away from all of this a couple-hundred years ago."

    Gwynn found herself turning to Sorrel to exchange a surprised look.

    How old were these witches?

    "I think we''ve gotten off to a bad start here." Coppelius pulled Delphine back. "You''re the witches of the Astral Coven, yes?"

    "Their leader," Delphine elaborated coolly, before the witch could respond. "Persephone Solokova."

    "Great." Coppelius brightened into that dazzling smile that had stolen Gwynn''s sister''s heart away and extended a hand. "I''m¡ª"

    "I know who you are, princeling." Persephone held up a hand, refusing his. She surveyed the group. "I know who most of you are. The children of the Ondrina dynasty."

    Her eyes stopped on Gwynn and Sorrel. "Except for you two."

    "They''re my friends, Madam Persephone." Katherine stepped forward. "My childhood friends from Perrault."

    "Oh, these are your friends?" A witch dressed in violet cooed from one of the tables. Gwynn noticed that she held considerable resemblance to Katherine.

    She couldn''t be¡ªcould she?

    "I was sorry to hear about the fall of Perrault." Persephone frowned. "Thank you, Katherine, for making sure they came to us safely."

    "Of course." Katherine planted her hands on her hips. "I''m just happy to have gotten to them before they had to make the hard climb up."Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    "How come you''ve taught her portals and not me?" Delphine turned to Persephone.

    "You didn''t stay long enough."

    Gwynn held her hands up. "We''re not getting anywhere with this."

    Delphine stopped, and Gwynn turned back to Persephone. "So you''re the leader of the Astral Coven?"

    Persephone blinked. She looked as if she were taking Gwynn in for the first time. She blinked again¡ªmore rapidly this time, as if Gwynn were the sun, despite there being no sun on the Otsoan horizon. Then she nodded.

    "Great, Kiana Albion sent us this way!" Sorrel jumped in, leaning her arm on Gwynn''s shoulder. "She said that you could help us!"

    "Did she now?" Persephone tilted her head. "I suppose the least we could give you is a chat and some tea. We can then see about the rest."

    "We''d like that," Gwynn said, before anyone else in the party could say or do something stupid.

    <hr>

    So that was how she and Sorrel found themselves with Delphine, Katherine, Akira, Nikolai, and Coppelius with three of the witches in the Astral Coven, the rest all watching or whispering from their tables.

    "You''re looking for the relics, then?" Persephone leaned back in her seat and raised her teacup to her lips.

    "Yes, Madam Solokova." Even Coppelius looked nervous under the witch''s amber eyes.

    The other two were just as fearsome, in their elegant, lovely way. The first was similar to Kiana Albion, with teal hair and patches of iridescence in her bronze skin. The pearl-pink of her hat shimmered and her dress lined with pearls moved in the air as if it were underwater. The second had shimmering golden curls from her blue witches'' hat with red hearts trimmed with lace all about the brim, and an elegant dress with layers of blue silk and a chess-board printed fabric.

    If Gwynn had to make any further judgements, she noticed how the first was more poised and stoic, the clear belier of wisdom despite how her face was ageless. Maybe it was those ocean eyes that gave her away.

    The second was more mischievous, with a smile always curling at the edge of her lips and a childlike glint in her eyes.

    "I had hoped that your father might have found these relics a long time ago," the first witch said. "It disconcerts me to learn that he hasn''t."

    "Yes, do tell, why are you looking for the relics when your father''s supposed to do the job?" The second leaned forward, her chin balanced in her hands and elbows on the table.

    Persephone swatted at the second witch''s elbows. "Liddell! Table manners!"

    "You''re no fun." Liddell scowled and slumped back in her seat. She reluctantly picked up the teacup.

    "While her question was perhaps a bit crudely poised, I am also curious as to its answer." Persephone turned back to Coppelius.

    He shrugged, looking quite small. "I don''t know where he is. I''ve never met him. But I figure. . . maybe if we find the relics, maybe we''ll find him, convince him to. . . I don''t know, finish the job?"

    Well, when it was put that way, Gwynn though their whole mission sounded rather stupid.

    She couldn''t let her sister go it alone, that was why she came. But she thought the greater details of their mission would be to save the star system themselves. Perhaps that was just as stupid of a concept, but still¡ª

    "Prophecy or no, someone has to save the star from the Spider-Queen." Gwynn was surprised at her own courage. Sorrel beamed at her encouragingly. "We could also put the relics to good use."

    "Those relics have been protected for centuries," the first witch pointed out. "They''ve been quite secure where they are. It would be foolish to retrieve them now, don''t you think? Especially when the Spider-Queen''s been hardly a threat. . . "

    At this, Sorrel bristled. "Hardly a threat? She burned down Perrault!"

    "A tragedy, to be certain, but. . ."

    "Amphrite, be more tactful!" Liddell chided.

    "I am tactful." Amphrite sounded disdainful. "My apologies, to two bright young sparks like you. I''m sure for you, it is a great tragedy, but¡ª"

    "But, unfortunately a planet does fall to her every now and then." Persephone sighed. "It can''t be helped, really. Or else we would intervened far earlier¡ª"

    "Like Kells?" Coppelius''s voice darkened.

    The other two witches froze¡ªbut Persephone met his gaze straight on. "Yes."

    "But Kiana wanted us to tell you, they tried to take Lemuria." Gwynn cut in.

    Amphrite choked."They what¡ª"

    "This changes everything, then!" Liddell sounded a little too delighted as she clasped her hands together. She looked to Persephone. "We simply must let them go, please, please, please!"

    "Well, I suppose there is no harm in letting them claim the castle." Amphrite tilted her head. "It would be bad for the Scepter to fall into the Spider-Queen''s hands."

    "It would." Persephone looked to the group appraisingly. Her eyes lay on Sorrel and Gwynn. "And perhaps if we are taking two new acolytes, it might do us well to avenge theirs and Katherine''s homeworld."

    "Acolytes?" Gwynn frowned.

    "I suppose that Perraultians do have a spark for it." Amphrite set her teacup down. "Quite vexing, really, that we''ve never been able to determine why."

    "What are you saying?" Sorrel leaned forward.

    "What my colleagues are saying is that the two of you are much like Katherine, or Delphine, or even Kiana Albion." Persephone narrowed her eyes. "You have a great spark for magic, especially working together. You could be powerful students in our coven."

    "No, absolutely not." Sorrel leaned back. "Not interested."

    "I wouldn''t be so hasty," Liddell chided. "You could learn to do so much, and so many secrets of the universe!"

    "Please, consider our offer." Persephone leaned back in her chair. "You have a long time to accept it. And we will offer our aid to you. We might not want to see the kings and queens of old return¡ªbut that includes the spider as well."

    "Thank you." Coppelius''s voice was low, his hands curled into fists. He stood up, avoiding the witches'' eyes. "Mind if I go see how my friends are doing?"

    "Of course." Persephone smiled warmly, but there was something cold behind the eyes.

    "I''ll go with you." Sorrel leapt up so quickly that she knocked her chair back.

    "As will I." Delphine rose next.

    "I suppose I should go too." Akira scurried after them.

    But Gwynn stayed seated in her chair. Nikolai and Katherine looked to her as the cottage door closed.

    "I take it then, that you''re considering?" Katherine''s voice rose in hope.

    "I am." Gwynn wasn''t entirely sure why.

    Maybe it was because Sorrel had turned her down. Because this could be her adventure. Or maybe it was because with this kind of power, she might have a chance to not be so afraid all the time anymore.

    "You have time, child." Amphrite''s gaze softened. "Consider carefully. We''d be happy to have you in the ranks."

    "I wouldn''t join until all this was over anyway." Gwynn looked off in the direction of the cottage. "I have to look after my sister."

    "In the mean time, nurture your spark." Persephone looked to Gwynn. "You have something powerful in you and your dreams. Someday, you might make a powerful witch indeed."

    "I hope so."