“And Timith?” my father asked. “How is he?”
I grinned. “Entirely cured. He’s now as he always was. The Wishing Stone saved him.”
My mother’s smile wobbled. “So the Stone is truly gone, and there won’t be another for at least a millennium.”
“We knew that was the case,” my father said gently. “We felt its magic. The entire sky flashed when Primelle made her wish.”
My parents shared a troubled look, then my father’s gaze cut to Kole’s. “We’ve tasked you with keeping our daughter safe. You’re to mistphase her immediately to safety should the need ever arise, and you’re to guard her always, with your life if needed, until we can figure out who’s behind everything and apprehend them.”
My stomach tightened at that harsh command, and it suddenly struck me why my parents wanted Kole as my assigned warrior. He could mistphase.Of course.His ability to whisk me away at a moment’s notice gave me increased security.
I thought back to my earlier contemplations, in which I realized I never would have seen Kole again if he’d defied my father. Kole undoubtedly knew that as well, and if he’d been apprehended, no other Imperial Warrior would have been able to mistphase me away.
Kole bowed. “You can count on that, Your Majesty.Nobodywill touch her as long as I’m near her.”
My mother opened her mouth to say something more, but the door in the corner of the room burst open, and two females appeared.
They crossed the threshold, both chatting to one another, but they drew up short the second they spotted me.
Silence descended, and all I could do was stare at the two females who were my sisters.
Both wore gowns, but they weren’t quite as decadent as the one Betsee had picked out for me, and I realized I truly was overdressed.
The taller female had the same light-colored hair as the king, the other slightly heavier one had the same dark-brown shade as the queen and me, but her hair appeared naturally curled into soft ringlets. Both, however, had my hazel eye shade.
My heart began to thrum in my chest. Given their features, it was so obvious we were related, and I’d seen them enough in royal public gatherings over the seasons to know who they were.
Princess Koraline, the crown princess, and Princess Lillith, the second daughter.
I swallowed the trepidation in my throat. I had no memories of either of them.
They both stared at me, Koraline’s gaze shrewd and cold, while fear filled Lillith’s.
A sinking feeling began in the pit of my stomach. I didn’t know what I’d expected, but it became entirely apparent neither was going to welcome me with sisterly love and open arms, and I had the feeling our parents had commanded them to be here.
“So, this is her.” Koraline’s voice was as frigid as ice and deeper than most females. She drew herself up to her full impressive height and stared down her nose at me. “We thought you died.”
Lillith nodded. She lifted a trembling hand and smoothed back her curly hair. “I suppose we should be welcoming you back.” Her voice was high and sweet-sounding, yet the aura rising from her was filled with anything but happiness.
“I...I don’t know what to say.” I clasped my hands in front of me. “I can only imagine what you think of me and what I put you through when I was a child. The queen”—I cleared my throat—“I mean, our mother, informed me this morning of what I’d done to you, but of course, I was so young that I don’t remember it.”
According to our mother, I’d burned Koraline severely when I’d activated my telekinetic magic in a childish tantrum, and my focus drifted inadvertently to Koraline’s right arm. My breath sucked in. Since the oldest princess wore a short-sleeved gown, her scars were visible, even though she stood across the room.
Rippling flesh that appeared slightly bumpy was visible in the firelight. It’d been mostly healed, but while her skin tone was even, the texture obviously wasn’t, and given that such a scar remained, I could only imagine how scalding the water had been and how incredibly painful the healing process would have been for her to endure.
Koraline’s lips pursed, and she followed my line of sight. “Ah, yes, Mother must have told you what you did. I was seventy-one summers old when you inflicted this on me. You were angry because I wouldn’t play dolls with you, so to punish me, you left me with lifelong scars.”
Lillith squeaked and covered her mouth with a hand. “It t’was an awful day.”
At my back, Kole’s aura grew, slamming through the room. The queen paled, but she hastily moved to the table and began pulling chairs out. “That was all a long time ago. Let’s not talk about that. Remember, your baby sister is an adult now. She’s no longer a child, and she’s fully learned to control her magic. She poses no threat to you or anyone else.”
Lillith’s attention drifted to the blue cuff encircling my wrist. “Does that work on her now?”
Koraline scoffed. “Doubtful. It didn’t when she was a child, so how could it now? In all likelihood, her magic is even more powerful.” She shot the king and queen an accusing glare. “Were you hoping to trick us by making her wear that?”
“Koraline.” The king’s tone turned low and harsh. “Nobody is trying to trick you. That cuff is to appease the servants, and this meal is to welcome your sister back to her rightful family. I expect you to take heed of that.”
Koraline offered him a syrupy smile. “Of course, Father. How remiss of me.” She strode to the table and sat. Lillith hurried behind her, sitting at her side.
