Elowen couldn't believe what was happening. Wryn was at the ball, claiming the countess had imprisoned her in the attic. She'd wondered if Wryn was losing it, and now she was trying to tell Elowen that she'd never been truly sick.
It should have been impossible. The countess shouldn't have been able to use magic. Elowen would have called Wryn's story crazy yesterday, but now she'd met Trix and knew better. Trix said that the dark fairy was still out there.
"It took a while to gather the right ingredients, but I was able to break the barrier around Wryn's room," Bastien explained. "She's still weak, but she's certainly not patient zero, as Countess Monique has told everyone. Wryn is just being drained as the consequence of a wish."
"A wish did this?" Fletcher looked skeptical.
"Yes," Bastien said. "I've learned everything I can about magic in sixteen years. I can't break the magic, but I've studied it. It's happened before. A woodcutter once wished he could live forever. His child lived in incredible pain and weakness while the woodcutter never aged. The child became better when the woodcutter died in a logging accident."
Elowen watched as Fletcher locked eyes with Lorenzo. A dark look passed between them. Fletcher's knuckles whitened on his cane as he gripped it like his life depended on the stick.
"Is there a way to break the curse without killing the person who made such a rotten wish?" Nathaniel asked.
"I'm not sure," Bastien said. "I'd need to do more research, and I don't know who Wryn is tied to. I don't think the countess is her mother, and I can't do more without finding out who her birth parents are."
Nathaniel stepped forward, reaching out to take Wryn's hand. Then he turned her arm over to reveal a birthmark that looked like the stain of painted lips. It resembled the one on Elowen's brow, but Wryn's was greatly faded into her pale skin.
"No way," Lorenzo breathed. "How did you know?"
"She looks like my mother," Nathaniel said. "And she has our father's eyes."
He turned to Fletcher as if the crown prince's opinion meant everything to him. Fletcher loosened his grip on his cane. His face was a mask, but he smiled at Wryn after a heartbeat.
"It seems the Marquess Caitryn de Ryne has come home," Fletcher said. "Welcome to our home, little sister."
Wryn shivered as Nathaniel released her arm. Bastien held her close, and Nathaniel turned to his brothers as if deferring to their expertise.
"What do we do now?" Nathaniel said. "We've found Catiryn, and she's suffering like us. Bastien says we're all being drained by someone who wants to live forever, and the three of us know someone who hasn't aged in two decades."
Fletcher glared across the room at the throne. The king was laughing with half a dozen women and his advisors. Elowen realized he didn't look a day older than twenty-one years old.
"Why would a fairy grant such a selfish wish?" She wondered aloud.
"Because the fairies were meant to serve our desires," Estefania said. "The Brothers always taught me that people used their wishes for self-serving gains. They claimed it was better now that people were free of the temptation."
Elowen couldn't help but wonder if the princess was right. Still, they couldn't let that get in the way of making sure wishes made before the disaster didn't hurt anyone.
"We should still help," she said. "It isn't right to let Wryn suffer."
"Elowen is right," Estefania said. "There has to be a way to reverse the magic."
"Without killing the most powerful man in Cyra?" Lorenzo raised an eyebrow. "I mean, I mostly get headaches, which isn't making me want to commit patricide. Anyone else want to stab dear old Papa?"
Fletcher stared at the floor. Elowen wondered if he was really thinking about killing his father. After all, from what she could tell, he could barely walk, and it was all because of his father's wish.
"I need time to think," Fletcher said. "This is a lot, and it's taking everything for me to stand up right now. If it really is Father's fault..."
Elowen shifted her body so the prince could lean on her for support. He couldn't afford to fall in the ballroom. No one could know about his condition.
"What do we do about the countess?" Bastien said. "She had Wryn imprisoned for the fairies' sakes."
"We don't have magic, Bash," Estefania said. "Confronting her would end badly, and we've already been cursed once. We cannot afford to cause our kingdom more damage."
"We could challenge her," Bastien said. "Fairies had a tradition of challenging each other to a wishing trial."
The air shimmered behind Bastien, and Elowen sucked in a breath as the Countess Monique of Nene stepped out of the cloud of gold. She was dressed from throat to ankle in a shimmering dark dress. Black wings unveiled around her like midnight sheets of velvet covered in iridescent scales that caught the light.
"YOU DARE," her voice resonated off the walls. "DEFY DESTINY."
The countess pointed a finger at Bastien, and he flew towards her. The prince screamed in pain as his body shrunk and morphed until he became a bumpy, ugly tan toad. Then, the countess scooped him into a little jar.
Fletcher's knees buckled. Elowen caught him, but she couldn't support his full weight on her own. Lorenzo rushed to her side and pulled Fletcher up.
Wryn whimpered and fell to her knees. Estefania moved between the crazed dark fairy and the former captive. The princess almost seemed to glow in defiance.
"Release my brother," she commanded.
Elowen had to give it to Estefania. The princess was incredibly brave. The countess's mouth sneered as she took in the girls standing before her.
"He took something that wasn't his," the countess said. "Because his curse wasn't enough for him. Now he's a slime for all time. That is what happens when you get in my way."
"He freed an innocent girl," Estefania said. "One you imprisoned for no reason. My brother is a hero."
The countess laughed. "Stupid girl. You're so much like your father. You think you're a judge, jury, and executioner. Tell you what. Tomorrow, at the ball, I challenge you to a wishing trial. If you can create something more elegant than a seasoned fairy, I'll return the girl and your brother. If you cannot, you'll face a new curse I'll craft. I'll make sure you never ascend the throne of any kingdom, you beastly girl."
Nathaniel bristled. "Why should she agree to your terms?"
"The Marquis de Ryne," the countess said. "Don't you understand that you and your sister only exist because your father thought he could cheat his wish? Having more children doesn't improve the quality of life of the others. You should kill him and free yourself."
"Be gone, fairy," Fletcher said. "You're not welcome here."
"Weak words for a dying prince," the countess said. "Do we have a deal, Princess of Sahar?"
"You'll release my brother and Wryn if I win your challenge?" Estefania asked.
The countess nodded. "I give you my word. The word of Mona, beloved adopted daughter of the Fairy Empress Cressida."
Elowen felt a spike of fear and danger roll down her spine. There was something terribly wrong. She was about to cry out to Estefania to stop and think when the princess spoke.
"I accept the terms of the challenge," Estefania sounded confident.
"Excellent," the countess's grin widened like a wicked beast. "We will have our challenge tomorrow at the ball. I think we need an audience."
The countess snapped her fingers. Nathaniel cried out as Wryn disappeared in a flash of smoke. He tried to charge the cruel fairy, but she waved her hand, and he went flying before hitting the marble floor with a crack.
"Stop," Estefania said. "You have your deal."
Nathaniel picked himself off the floor, and his entire body began to change. Elowen watched in terror as the Marquis de Ryne transformed into a massive wolf and made another pass at the fairy.
"We have to stop him," Fletcher's voice was weak. "He'll get killed."
The countess stiffened as she took in the enormous beast but didn't seem concerned. Elowen wanted to try to help, but she was too far away. The cruel fairy blasted the marquis with magic again.
"Nathaniel," Estefania's voice broke as she turned to the fairy. "P-Please stop. Why are you doing this? You got what you wanted."
"Not even close," The countess said. "I'll see you at the trial, little princess. Until then..."
She disappeared into a flash of gold. Estefania fell to her knees from the blast, and her body slowly froze into stone. The wolf whimpered and circled the statue that had once been the princess before curling up at her feet.
"What just happened?" Elowen asked.
"She can't avoid the challenge now," Fletcher said. "I've read about this. That stasis spell will keep her there until the fairy returns and will release when the trial begins."
Fletcher regained his balance and nodded from Lorenzo to Nathaniel. The marquis was howling now, and all of the guests around looked uncomfortable.
Lorenzo made his way over to the marquis and ran a tentative hand across his fur in an attempt to soothe him. Elowen had to admit that he was pretty brave since the wolf looked rather vicious, but then she realized that was exactly why he was doing it. Lorenzo was showing his people that his brother was not a threat.
"It's going to be a while before he transforms back," Fletcher said. "His curse is different and much worse than the rest of ours."
"What happened to him?" Elowen asked.
"Any time he gets overly emotional, he changes into that wolf," Fletcher said. "We've mostly kept it a secret, but after tonight... we'll be lucky if the people don't want his head on a spike."
"I'm sorry," she said. "I should have realized the countess was behind this."
Fletcher frowned. "The woman Bastien said was holding Wryn? The fairy was no countess I've seen."
Elowen blinked. She assumed everyone else had been able to see her stepmother, too. Now she realized that the countess had some sort of magic to hide her appearance.
"The fairy is Countess Monique of Nene," Elowen said. "My stepmother."
Fletcher stopped, and his blue eyes took her in with strange wonder. "You could see through her enchantment, and you know who she was?"
Elowen nodded. Fletcher shook his head in bewilderment and readjusted his cane. She moved again so he could lean against her for support or catch him if he fell.
"It has to be her," Elowen said. "Monique de Nene."
"Monique de Nene," Fletcher mused. "We can't do anything about this now. The ball is ruined. We should send the guests home, and then we can discuss our next actions."
Half the guests had already scattered. The king of Cyra was shouting for order, but no one came to attention. Then Fletcher ascended the platform beside him and banged his cane on the dais for order.
Elowen had to admit Fletcher was a good speaker. The people trusted his words that they were safe and that tomorrow's ball would be even more grand. The crowds dispersed at his reassurances, and Elowen watched him dismount the platform with exhaustion.
"You did well," Elowen said. "Your people do love you."
"You should stay," Fletcher said. "If that fairy really is your stepmother, you'll be safer here, Elowen."
"I should get back to my father and brother," she turned to join the crowd. "I don't think my stepmother will hurt me. She's lived with us a long time, and she might be cruel, but she doesn't have a reason to want me dead."
Fletcher grabbed her arm. "You shouldn't risk it. I want you to stay."
Her face heated as his grip tightened on her skin. Her heart desired to remain here. Fletcher felt right, but she also knew she had to go back home. There was a chance she could find and free Bastien and Wryn, but she couldn't do that from Cyra's palace.
"I'm sorry, Fletcher," she said. "I have to go."
She freed herself from his heated touch with a sharp jerk that made her shiver. He tried to grab at her again, but she fled from the ballroom as fast as her skirts would allow her. Though it pained her, she knew he'd never catch up with her with his cane.