“Which means we need to leave the estate, and go somewhere we can launch our own attack against Droga,” Finlay said firmly. “We need to make our presence known.”
The door to the dining room opened slowly, and Odette poked her head in. She’d been eavesdropping on the conversation.
“There could be something that’s just as powerful as the Crystals of Harmony. Something we can use to stop Droga,” Odette admitted.
I blinked. Milonna had never told us about this. I didn’t know such a thingcouldexist. Nothing was stronger than the Crystals.
But Odette entered the room, and Theo followed her. Odette cleared her voice, but still, it came out hoarse. “Since Emma left, I’ve been having strange visions in the bath. None of it made much sense… but now that you’ve returned, things are becoming clearer. In my visions, I see my druid ancestors dropping a crown into a black cauldron full of blood. When they reach into the cauldron to bring out the crown again, they instead withdraw the wolven stone.”
“I saw the same exact vision when we went to the Pool of Memory,” Ethan marveled.
“My vision didn’t end there, though,” Odette said. “I saw the druids give the wolven stone to a king, to put into the royal treasury. Then the vision flashed back to the cauldron, and I watched as they withdrew the same crown, but this time, it was… different. I sensed that it had immense power. The same kind of power that came from the Crystals.”
“Tell them what else you learned,” Theo prodded gently.
Odette held a breath. “Well… Theo and I have actually seen this crown before. In real life.”
“You mean you’ve come in contact with it?” Ethan questioned.
“Yes, when we met arusalka, a merfolk faerie,” Theo said. “During Odette’s first semester at Arcanea University, we ran into arusalkawhile swimming in the river, and they gave us this silver crown. Odette swears it’s the same one she saw in her vision.”
I’d heard the story so many times, because it was one of Odette’s favorite tales to tell. But I’d thought she’d been exaggerating the whole thing.
“That makes sense, becauserusalkahave druid blood. Maybe they knew Odette was helping Emma with her quest, and gave her the crown so we could use it against Droga,” Finlay said.
“Yeah, and you guys didn’t believe me,” Odette grumbled, crossing her arms. “I told you it really happened.”
“Except… we lost it,” Theo said in defeat. “After we met therusalka, we fought a questing beast in the woods, who ran off with the crown. It went down into a pit in the middle of the earth. We didn’t chase after it, because we didn’t think it was important.”
“What is it with you people and losing powerful magical artifacts?” Finlay complained.
“Shut up, Fin,” I growled.
“If this crown is indeed the way to stop Droga, we must learn more about it before we go searching for it,” Lucien said.
Odette shivered. “Lady Iris told me when we left the Alicorn Court thatwhen the time comes, look to the pool. I bet she was talking about the Pool of Memory.”
“You have to be right,” I said. “This crown is involved somehow.”
“What we need to do is return to the Pool of Memory, and ask it about this crown,” Ethan said. “Perhaps it’ll give us some insight as to what to do next.”
“Odette can’t travel,” Theo said firmly, laying a hand on his mate’s shoulder. “Droga is looking for prophets, and if he finds Odette, he’ll capture her.”
“But the Pool will only answer questions directly from adryca. If Ethan and Emma ask the Pool a question, it might not choose to answer them,” Odette protested. “Theyneedme to go.”
“Out of the question,” Theo stated. I’d never seen him act so firm with Odette, but apparently, the events of my disappearance had him rattled. He didn’t want Odette out of his sight.
Odette’s lip wobbled. “But Theo—”
“It’s decided. You’re staying where it’s safe,” Theo said sharply, and Odette fell silent.
“Ethan and I will go. You can stay here,” I said. They didn’t need to argue on our behalf. “If we don’t get answers the first time around, we’ll return to the Pool with Odette so we can ask it again.”
Odette didn’t protest again, though she looked nervous. She leaned against Theo and reached out to grasp his hand.
“Do you want the rest of us to come with you?” Stefan asked.
“No. You should go to this pit where the questing beast took the crown,” Ethan said. “You can retrieve it while Emma and I are getting answers.”
