Of Glass and Glamour

by Chanda Hahn

  My heart skipped a beat in excitement, and I found myself stepping his way, but then paused when I saw that Adelle beat me to it. She didn’t seem inclined to hide her infatuation with Dorian while Evander was in the room. Either that or she was counting on the fact of trying to make him jealous.

  When I heard her annoying laugh and saw Dorian’s serious face, I decided it was the latter. Dorian had obviously not said anything remotely funny. He raised an eyebrow and looked up. Our eyes met across the room, and I could feel the heat rise by three degrees. I broke eye contact first and turned away.

  Dorian moved away from Adelle and tried to cross the room toward me, but he was waylaid by the persistent woman. There was something wrong. I could tell by Dorian’s expression. He mouthed the word across the room, and I tried to read his lips.

  Mister?

  Twister?

  Sister!

  I looked up at the two sisters and saw Nessa’s hand slip into the hidden pocket of her skirt. She carefully pulled out a throwing knife and hid it among the folds of her dress. Across the room, I saw Tess—her face pale, her hands shaking—doing the same, and in the middle of their crosshairs was Prince Evander.

  Nessa gave a nod, and Tess’s face glistened with sweat. They raised their hands in perfect unison, their throwing knives balanced on the tips of their fingers as they took aim.

  “No!” I screamed and flung my hands up in the air. Using glamour, I caused a great black cloud to appear, hiding him, and then with a blast of power, I flung him to the ground as I heard the sound of the knives connecting with something soft.

  It wasn’t pretty when I knocked Evander down. I ran across the room and kneeled near him. His eyes were closed.

  “Evander!” I cried out. “Please, don’t be dead. Evander!” I patted his cheeks and waited for him to respond. He blinked in surprise and looked up at me. I was never in my life happier to see those big, beautiful amber eyes.

  “Eden? What is going on?” He leaned up on his elbows. I tried to untangle myself from him, but he was leaning on my skirt, so as I flopped back down on top of him.

  Someone roughly grabbed me by the upper arm, hauling me away. I heard my dress rip as it was caught under Evander.

  “Ouch!” I cried as I saw Dorian’s angry look. He was the one who yanked me away and roughly placed me down on the ground on the other side of him. I looked back and saw the two lifeless bodies that lay sprawled on either side of the ballroom. Two piles of colored silk and lace and the red pool of blood that coated it.

  Nessa and Tess.

  When I had removed their target, their knives crossed each other midair and hit the other sister.

  “What? Oh no! No. They can’t be dead?” I got up and tried to run to them, but Dorian held me back.

  “There’s nothing you can do, sparrow. They made their choice. They’re dead.”

  “No!” I crumpled and began to cry. Not over Nessa, but Tess. I was the one who made it possible for her to be here. I was the one who gave her the glamoured dress and invitation. If it wasn’t for me, she would be safe. Alive.

  Great sobs of guilt tore through me, and I buried my face in Dorian’s shoulder. It wasn’t until I heard a clearing of a throat that he pulled away.

  Prince Evander was there offering me a handkerchief. “If I didn’t know better, I would think you’re crying because I’m the one not dead.” His voice was cold.

  I took the handkerchief and wiped my eyes. Dorian stepped back and let us talk. “No, I’m very glad you’re alive.”

  “Even if their aim had been true, they would not have survived for very long.”

  I blinked in surprise. “You mean their punishment would be death?”

  “Of course,” he said. “That is the punishment for trying to kill a member of the royal family. It’s treason. But I have to wonder who saved me. Someone conjured a black cloud, and a great gust of wind knocked me to the ground. It was more than healing magic. It was real magic.” He looked at me through narrowed eyes, and I looked away, unable to keep eye contact.

  “Does it matter how as long as you were saved?” I whispered.

  “Eden, tell me the truth. No more lies. What month were you born?”

  “I, uh… Evander, it’s not what you think.”

  “Come, Your Majesty,” Evander’s guards interrupted me and abruptly pulled him away. “We need to keep you safe.”

  The whole time they escorted him away, he stared at me, and I felt my heart thudding in fear. He knew.

  Dorian stepped near me. “That was very foolish of you to save him.”

  “It was the right thing to do,” I said.

  “Now there’s no denying who you are. He knows. And you will have to live with the consequences.”

  “I know.” I sniffed and wiped at the tears that were continually falling.

  “Come.” Dorian grabbed my hand and led me behind the throne where he pressed on a hidden panel in the wall. “You will be safe here until they clear the palace.”

  Dorian opened the door to a hidden room where Adelle and Harmony were already waiting. Harmony was sitting on a settee, her hands clutched with worry. She must have been escorted here, when the skirmish started.

  When I stepped through, she flew from the couch and ran to me. The door closed behind me.

  “Oh, Eden, what happened? We heard there was an attempt on the prince’s life? We were escorted out and kept in the dark.” She grasped my elbow and pulled me over to the seat next to her.

  “It is hard to believe, but someone tried to kill Prince Evander.”

  “No!” Harmony gasped.

  Adelle was pacing the windowless room. Her hair was down in one long braid, simple yet elegant. Her dress was not a deep red like she normally preferred but a soft yellow. In her current attire, she seemed younger than I originally thought she was. She looked scared, timid, and, for once, real.

  “Adelle,” I called and reached out my hand. She glanced at it and walked over to sit on the other side of me.

  “There’s something odd going on here,” she whispered. “I was there. I saw a dark cloud before the attack. It covered Evander. Just before you”—she turned and raised a finger at me— “saved him. I don’t think those two girls conjured the cloud. It didn’t help them; it hindered them.”

  “What are you saying, Adelle?”

  Adelle waved her hands in the air. “I don’t know exactly. But I had the room next to Nessa, and once I accidentally walked into her room thinking it was mine and she was speaking to someone.”

  Harmony shrugged. “That’s no big deal.”

  “There was no one in the room,” Adelle hissed. “She was talking to someone, calling them master. I saw a shadow in her mirror, but it disappeared when I stepped in the room.”

  Harmony let out a frustrated breath. “Magic mirrors, most everyone has one.”

  Adelle shot Harmony a frustrated look. “No, this wasn’t someone talking in an enchanted mirror. The mirror was dark, filled with smoke. When she turned to look at me, her eyes were black. Like dead black. I think she was being controlled.”

  “Controlled by a mirror?” Harmony asked.

  “No.” Adelle looked to me to help explain. “Am I losing my mind? Can someone control another’s actions through a mirror?”

  I had to be careful of my answer. I didn’t want to scare her any more than she already was with how much I knew. I played it down. “Maybe. How would I know?”

  “You know more than you let on.” Adelle narrowed her eyes at me, her voice lowering. “I know what I saw. That black cloud, I think it was you.”

  “You must be mistaken in what you saw,” I said quickly. Too quickly. I gave myself away.

  Her lip curled up in a knowing smile. “I thought I was good at court intrigue. Where I am devious, you are dangerous.” Adelle got up from the settee and moved away from me to stand against the wall. She crossed her arms over her chest and watched me closely. “I think you are a sorceress and you were co
ntrolling them. Like a puppet.”

  “What? No, I wasn’t. I was Tess’s friend.”

  “Liar,” Adelle sneered. “You never once talked to her. Yes, she droned on and on about a stupid fairy godmother, but not once did she mention you. I think you are the liar. I think you will be the next one to go.”

  I blinked and tried to keep my face neutral. “You’re mistaken, Adelle. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “We’ll see about that. Once I take my suspicions to the king, you will be gone.” She knocked on the wall but hadn’t hit the hidden door. She moved along the panel, knocking until she heard the hollow sound. Her fingers followed the wallpaper and under the wainscot until she found the hidden handle and let herself out.

  “Don’t worry,” Harmony said. “Prince Evander likes you. He won’t send you away.”

  “I hope you’re right.” I watched the swish of Adelle’s dress as it disappeared down the hall, and I wondered how much of what she said was a lie and how much was the truth.

  Was that all for show or did she really catch Nessa speaking to a shadowy figure in the mirror?

  Harmony was putting on a brave face but was quietly crying.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked, handing her Prince Evander’s handkerchief.

  “I’m scared to get married, Eden,” she whispered. “I don’t think he is the right man for me. Even though he’s nice and it’s what my family wants. I’m just not sure.”

  “Oh, Harmony.” I gave her a hug. “If he asks. You will know deep in your heart if he is the one or not. You have to stay true to yourself, and your heart,” I said.

  And wondered, if he asked me, what would I say? For the first time being married became a real possibility. One that I had never before considered because I was a hated sorceress. Could I have a happy ending with a prince? It was something worth thinking about.

  A few candle marks later, Derek came and escorted us back to our rooms to await further details. I felt a moment of sadness that it wasn’t Dorian.

  “Where’s the other one? The loud one?” Derek asked, looking around the room.

  Harmony giggled at his description of Adelle.

  “If she’s the loud one, what am I?” she teased.

  He gave her a charming grin. “Why, the pretty one, of course.”

  Harmony blushed and pointed to me. “And Eden?”

  Derek gave me a cursory look, his brows furrowed. “The odd one.”

  I shrugged my shoulders. “Can’t argue. Seems about right.”

  Harmony’s giggle was contagious, and I found my shoulders shaking along, and then I couldn’t contain it anymore. We both began to giggle, and the stress released with our laughter.

  Derek and Harmony walked arm in arm back to the rooms. Their laughter echoed down the hall and brought a smile to my face. It may not be obvious to some, but it was obvious to me that Derek was smitten with the young Harmony and the feelings were mutual. If Prince Evander didn’t propose to her first….

  When I came to my room, I saw that Evander was standing in the middle of the hall waiting for us. His hair was disheveled, and he looked weary.

  Derek quickly released Harmony’s hand and turned on his heels and left. She curtseyed to the prince, who didn’t even acknowledge her, and headed into her room. The soft click of the lock seemed to wake up Evander.

  He cleared his throat. “Can we go somewhere and talk?”

  “Of course,” I said, trying to hide my nervousness.

  I followed in step with Evander as he slowly walked away from my door. I had a feeling that Harmony was pressed up on the other side of her door listening in to hear what he had to say, but Evander was silent. He didn’t speak at all until we walked outside and were back on the wooden bridge.

  “I know your secret. The one you’ve been trying so hard to hide. You were born in Nochtember. You’re her. The daughter of Eville. The one that will kill me.”

  “I—”

  “There’s no use denying it. I figured it out a while ago and was hoping you would tell me yourself. But you never did.”

  “I’m sorry,” I blurted out.

  “Are you here to kill me?” he asked, a somber expression on his face.

  “No. Never. I hoped I would have proven that by saving you earlier.”

  “Then why did you come here?”

  “I told you, my mother sent me. She wanted me to learn the truth of what happened to my parents.”

  “And did you do that? Find the answers you were looking for?”

  “Yes,” I said softly. “And I promise that I would never harm you. In fact, now that I have my answers, I can leave and not burden you with my presence.”

  His stony face slowly turned into a smile. “Well, actually, I was hoping to ask you a favor.”

  “Anything. What do you need?” I asked, worried that he may need help.

  Evander took a deep breath and met my eyes. “Will you marry me?”

  “I don’t understand? If you believe that I’m the one that will kill you, why are you asking me to marry you? Are you mad?”

  Evander’s head fell back as he laughed at my insult. He wiped at his eyes and grinned at me. “I can guarantee that you will not touch a single hair on my head. That I will be safe from harm on my wedding day, and every day after. Because I believe the prophecy was wrong. Think about it. You saved me.”

  I was numb.

  I was shocked.

  They were wrong.

  My mother was wrong.

  The prophecy was wrong.

  Evander wasn’t killed by a sorceress. He was saved by a sorceress. My heart soared at the idea that they were wrong. That Evander didn’t need to die, because I had saved him. I was so thrilled at the idea that he wasn’t going to die that I threw myself at him in a hug and gave him quick kisses across his face.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” He laughed and kissed me back, capturing my lips with his.

  It was a rough kiss, possessive and completely different than Dorian’s, and I found myself pulling away.

  “You won’t regret this,” Evander said. “I will take care of all the final details.”

  My stomach fluttered, but I wasn’t sure if it was from nerves or excitement. I hadn’t exactly said yes. But the more I thought about it. The more it seemed like the right choice. It would make my mother proud. Maybe, this is what she had planned all along. This was the greatest act of revenge—to marry the crown prince. Suddenly, my duty became clear. I couldn’t trust Dorian or the emotions he stirred within me. He was manipulative and deceiving. Evander was kind. I could have a future with him. I could learn to love him. The doubt faded away, as hope of a future with Evander began to form. Yes, I could marry him. No, I would marry him. Then I could ban Dorian from the palace and I would be safe from him and those uncomfortable feelings. I could do good with my life. It would have a purpose. I would support Evander as he became King and I his Queen. It was the perfect revenge.

  He placed me back down on the bridge. “You just make sure to stay away from Dorian until tomorrow.”

  “Dorian? I don’t understand. He’s just a servant.”

  Evander’s eyes darkened with anger. “He’s not just a servant. He’s jealous and petty and always tries to steal what is rightfully mine. Do you understand? Promise me that you will not go near him till tomorrow.”

  “I promise,” I said.

  “He is going to try and take you from me. Turn you against me. I can’t have that.” Evander looked frantic and grasped my hands.

  “I won’t let anything come between us,” I promised.

  “Good, good.” He kissed my hands that were tucked between his. “I have a few more details to go over before tomorrow. But I will come to you later with more instructions. Understand?”

  “Yes,” I said, frowning at all of the instructions and demands and wondered if this was how our marriage would be. But I pushed the thought to the back of my mind. He had almost been assassinated a few hours ago; he was probab
ly still shook up and needed reassurance. “I can’t wait to be your wife,” I said.

  “Don’t you mean queen?” Evander quipped, but I didn’t think it funny.

  “Well, I guess now that you mention it,” I smiled.

  He walked me back to the second floor, but we parted at the top of the stairs.

  When I made it to my room, I had a heavy heart and I wasn’t sure why. Maybe because I had just agreed to be queen. I opened the door and stepped into my room.

  An eerie voice echoed around me.

  “Kill. Kill. Kill.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  I spun around and froze.

  The mirror on my wall was filled with smoke and cast a red glow over my room. I heard the voice repeat in my room, “Kill. Kill. Kill.”

  “Who's there?” I called out.

  But no one stepped forth. I moved toward the swirling, foggy mirror. I could see a darkness beyond. Unlike my mother’s mirror when we scried, this mirror revealed smoke. I had a clue as to who the speaker was.

  “I know you’re there!” I called out to the mirror. “I can see you.”

  “And I s-s-seee you,” the voice from the mirror called back.

  “What do you want?” I asked.

  “Freedom!” It called back through the mirror.

  “I can’t do that. I don’t know how to release you. And, even if I could, I wouldn’t.”

  “Kill, kill, kill,” the mirror repeated.

  “No. Did you command Nessa and Tess to try and kill the prince?”

  “Yesss,” the voice answered.

  “Why?”

  “Death equals freedom.”

  I knew that from wherever the plane was that we had sent Allemar, he was struggling to get back. He was not as eloquent as I had heard him. In fact, he was very short.

  “That isn’t true,” I answered.

  The shadowy figure moved to the mirror, and I saw something touch the glass, but I dare not move. I didn’t know what it was and had no desire to get any closer to the mirror.