by Laura R Cole
*
Wren left the library with a sigh. Another dead end. It seemed that there was nothing in any book about transforming a unicorn back into a human. Apparently, this type of magic was associated with blood-magic, though other ways of doing it were obviously possible, and therefore all traces of it had been erased during the book burnings after the Dark King’s reign.
As he plodded down the hall, something hard suddenly ran straight into him. As he righted himself and his assailant, he saw that it was Rhys. The boy had a wild look on his face, and he was panting. Rhys grabbed hold of his shoulders roughly and shouted into his face breathlessly.
“The Princess is in danger. Find her!”
“What are you talking about? What danger?”
“The people behind the attacks, they’ve decided to abandon their efforts to discredit her and just kill her instead. And it’s supposed to happen today!”
“Who is? What?” Wren’s mind was reeling. Phoenix in danger?
“It’s Gavin and his father Noam, they’re plotting to kill her!”
“Gavin? No…that can’t be.” Wren’s blood ran cold. Hadn’t he just seen the two of them walking together? Where had they been heading? “Are you sure?”
Rhys looked frantic and snapped, “Yes, I’m sure. We’ve got to stop him. I don’t know what the plan is exactly, but you need to find the Princess and warn her. I’m going to get the Queen. Got it?”
Wren nodded vigorously and took off at a run himself.