Grabbing an apple from my bag, I offer it to Belle, smiling when she bites into it eagerly. Then I dip my hand inside for another, stopping short when my fingers graze a smooth, hard surface.
Curiosity gets the better of me, and I tug out the object, surprised when I spy a rosewood box. A filigree pattern of gilded flowers decorates the outer edges, and it’s one of the most beautiful boxes I have ever seen.
I don’t even remember Mama sneaking it inside the bag, but she was always good at tricks.
Sleight of hand, she always called it.
I lift the ornate lid, gasping when I spy a dancing ballerina inside.
It’s a music box.
Winding the lever, I place the box onto the grass, smiling when it plays a sweet melody. Such a lovely sound. It chases away the shadows of the forest, bringing a grin to my face.
I find a framed oil painting of a beautiful woman inside the box. She has raven hair, sapphire eyes, and full red lips, but her face doesn’t ring a bell.
Who is she?
As I set the portrait aside, I notice a scroll of parchment at the bottom of the box. I unroll it quickly. My hands shake as I see my mother’s scrawl, and now I read her words through glistening tears.
Dear Ivy,
Hopefully, by the time you read this, you are far from Charstown. Whatever you do, do not come back. Go beyond the lion’s neck and keep riding north. That way, the king’s men won’t find you.
When you reach the mountains, find the Veil. There, you will find Aunt Elly.
Your father and I love you. We regret every moment of letting you go, but one day, we hope you'll understand.
Remember, you are our child and always will be. No couple could ask for a greater daughter.
P.S. Your father left you a gift.
A gift?
I gasp when I spy the pommel of a sword sticking out of the bag. Pulling it by the handle, I find myself holding a narrow blade with a pointed tip.
My sword…
But…how?
I swear I’d left it inside Papa’s forge. Could it be another of Mama’s tricks again?
I twist the blade in my hand, smiling through tears when I study my father’s beautiful metalwork.
The knuckle guard is a gilded sea serpent that curves around the crossbar, and I think back to all our lessons.
Papa had been teaching me swordplay for the past few years, mostly in the art of self-defence, but I sure hope I never have to use it.
For now, I will hold on to that naïve thought.
There’s a scabbard and belt inside the bag too, and I tie them around my waist, slipping the sword inside.
Well, no point in crying any longer. There’s only one direction to go.
North.
I’m not sure if the Veil is a town or a city, and I’ve never even met my Aunt Elly before. I don't even know what she looks like, but Iwillfind her.
And then, I’ll find my parents.
