“Finally, a question about my needs.” She places a hand to her chest mockingly. “It’s simple. Iann will find the island, he’sjust not able to help it. The chase is so thrilling to him. Plus, his mom will die if his father doesn’t get a flower of his own.” She pouts her lips sarcastically. “Once your boyfriend finds the island, he will lead you to the trail Fraya mapped out and then you’ll be the only one to see the tree. When you find it, you are to bring a flower back to me.”
“What do you need it for? You just said you can live forever as long as you’re tied to someone.”
“That’s not part of story time.” Immediately she appears before me, neither of us dropping our gaze with the other.
“Now, time will remain frozen for another thirty minutes. To unfreeze those you wish to wake up, all you must do is touch them. Including your dear friend, Chana.” She strokes the back of her fingers along my cheek. “If you don’t come back with my flower, I will make the Queen remember how you betrayed her and together we will come after everything you have and destroy it. Death will not be your escape. I will trap you forever like Chana and Esha—the real Esha—where you can hear and feel everything but remain an unmoving soul forever. It’s a true kind of torture.”
“They did nothing to you.”
“They found out who I was before my big reveal. Couldn’t let them go spoiling it. You’re lucky I’m even allowing you to wake them.” She pulls out a pocket watch and declares, “You have a thirty minute head start, before everyone wakes. I would move quickly.”
“And what about the Queen when she wakes?” I touch Iann and watch his body melt back into reality.
Looking back at Morrena, she’s returned to Rolley’s form and is waving at a waking Iann. “I’ll deal with my responsibility. You take care of yours. Unless you would like me to wake the Queen and have her serve the princes her deadly surprise.”
“What’s happening?” Iann pulls off his mask and tosses it to the ground.
“We have to go!” I shout and pull on his arm.
In the ballroom I touch Vera, Deean, Benny, and Marcel.
“What the hell?” Deean spins around, noticing the unmoving bodies. “Benny, what was in that bottle?”
“I swear it was just rum.” He sniffs the rim to check he’s not mistaken.
“I’ll explain everything later. Let’s go!”
We run to the workers’ quarters where I touch all of those from Saden, including Esha. He’s the most startled and looks to be suffering mentally and physically.
I tell Iann to have his brother’s men get ready to depart as Vera and I head to Sky’s workshop. We find him frozen by Chana’s bedside and with one touch there is life in them again.
Chana is just as shaken as Esha, but it doesn’t stop her from wrapping her arms around me. “Thank you,” she cries.” Pulling back, her eyes flutter to Vera and Sky. “Morrena is back.”
“What?” Vera hisses and pulls a dagger.
“Chana is right. She’s the one who rendered everyone immobile. But I’ll explain once we’re on the ship,” I say.
Sky rushes to grab some bags, handing one to me and another to Vera.
“I haven’t packed,” Chana cries as she wobbles with her walk.
“No shit,” Sky says impatiently. “You’ve been out for a few days so how could you? We have your stuff already.”
Not wasting another second, we run through the castle and race out to the courtyards where our carriages await.
“We’re ready, Your Highness,” a deep voice calls—one of the servants.
Marcel comes over to us, moonlight outlining his frame. He places a hand on Deean and the other on Iann. “If something goes wrong, or you think for a fraction of a second you won’t beable to make it to Farella, get the hell out and go back to Saden. Our father will be fine without whatever it is you’re looking for.”
A burning sensation slides down my throat when I swallow, reminding me of Morrena’s warning about their mother.
“Be safe,” Iann says to Marcel.
“And no stopping until you are far from here,” Deean adds.
Done with farewells, Marcel gets in one of the carriages and we watch it race away.
“We’re ready,” Benny says, tossing a bag into our carriage.
