Swan Lake

by K. M. Shea

  “Fret not. This is much easier than the time I added the modifier to Prince Severin’s curse. He was running around—out of his mind thanks to his curse—so I couldn’t weave my modifier as much as I had to forcibly apply it,” she said.

  Odette nodded. “I heard an enchantress aided Prince Severin before a merchant’s daughter broke his curse.”

  Enchantress Angelique chuckled as she teased the rope strands farther apart. “Elle—his wife—is many things, but ‘merchant’s daughter’ would probably be the last title I would think to apply to her.”

  Odette watched the enchantress work with wonder. The strands of the spell were too thickly woven for Angelique to untangle them, but when she created a large enough opening, the enchantress-in-training brushed a finger across the loosened loop. A new fiber—golden in color—burst up and down the length of the rope, unfurling around Odette with the rest of the spell. As it moved, Odette could feel the spell change.

  It brought warmth to the back of her mind and created a tenuous bit of hope in her. Her body ached as the new spell settled in her bones, and she exhaled through clenched teeth.

  Zina yelped, and Odette yanked her gaze over to her long-time friend.

  The young woman flinched as the red rope flared to life around her, and the golden thread joined the weave. Osip startled as the same thing happened to him. One by one, the golden thread joined each smugglers’ individual weave of the swan spell.

  Enchantress Angelique dropped the loop she had loosened on Odette and cringed. “I apologize, I hadn’t thought—I ignorantly forgot the spell would pass through all of you as well after it was cast upon Odette.”

  “It won’t cause any harm?” Odette asked as Dima yipped in pain when the thread passed through his curse.

  “No,” Enchantress Angelique said. “It’s merely applying itself to everyone—it’s why I had to cast it on you or Zina. It will apply itself to everyone—even those not here—as it is piggy-backing on Rothbart’s curse and is not constrained by distance.” The enchantress looked downcast as she curtsied. “I apologize—a full-fledged enchantress would have known.”

  Yakov lazily waved her concern away. “I disagree, Lady Enchantress. I have heard of the many ways you have helped the continent over the past few years. You are a very powerful magic user.”

  Enchantress Angelique pressed her lips together as the spell—having run its course—started to fade. “Power is nothing without knowledge, and sadly, I have gaps in my education.”

  Odette tilted her head, confused. How can Angelique lack in knowledge? Odile had said all magic users—mage, enchanter, or otherwise (except for the renegade ones like her parents)—were taught at an academy.

  “How can that be?” Lady Benno asked, voicing the thought Odette would never dare to say.

  Enchantress Angelique drooped slightly. “The Master I apprenticed under disappeared several years ago. I have not been able to finish my apprenticeship in his absence.” She turned to Odette—a professional smile back on her lips. “The modification to the spell has finished. It can be broken now whenever you meet its conditions.”

  “Will Rothbart know you changed it?” Odette shivered at the recollection of the angry, red spell.

  “Not unless he studies it closely,” Enchantress Angelique said. “I wove it in pretty well, and his spell is freestanding—which means it’s not attached to his power, so he wouldn’t have felt me manipulate it.” She hesitated.

  “What is it?” Odette asked.

  “The makeup of your spell is particularly confounding.”

  Odette shifted warily. “What does that mean?”

  Enchantress Angelique glanced at the lake. “It means that after you break the spell, you’ll retain the spell that makes you tougher, and you’ll be able to turn into swans at will.”

  Odette blinked. “I thought the modifier would break the spell.”

  “It does—it breaks the spell that makes all of this happen to you outside of your will. Though you say you bear the spell the Arcainian princes had, I must disagree with you. I saw their curse, and it was much darker and twisted. It took away all sense of self, while it seems you keep hold of your humanity even as birds. But that is not all. This spell…” Enchantress Angelique rubbed her fingers together, as if she were feeling the spell. “It’s done with several different strands. When I break the free will constraint, the rest of the strands will remain intact. Of course, if you wish to have the entire thing removed, it can easily be done after the first part of the spell is broken, but you will bear no ill effects from it should you choose to let the other strands be.”

  Odette smiled to reassure the other smugglers. When Angelique had first started talking, she feared the worst, but that wasn’t so bad. While I’m impatient to shed my feathers during the day, I would miss flying.

  “Perhaps it is because it’s an early version of the curse,” Misha suggested.

  Enchantress Angelique frowned and shook her head. “No. Rothbart has the spell laid up too nicely for that. He’s done this on purpose. It’s almost like an exit strategy—all he needs to do is snap the one strand. But why did he build it this way?”

  Odette considered Enchantress Angelique’s words. She’s right. Rothbart is too purposeful in his work for this to be a coincidence. Does he have some grand scheme in mind?

  “I will ponder the subject later, but for now I have a more pressing matter,” Enchantress Angelique said. “What do you know of the wyvern?”

  Odette turned on her heels. “Nadia?”

  “Aye.” The solemn-faced woman bowed to Odette and Angelique.

  “Nadia will give you the best information. She has followed the wyvern as a swan since the morning it left our camp. She, myself, and two others faced it when Rothbart first set it loose,” Odette said.

  Angelique smiled. “Wonderful. Please tell me everything—what are its flight patterns? Where has it struck? What common attacks does it use?”

  Odette retreated as the enchantress laid her questions bare.

  I have much work to do. We’ll have to finish up our current list of jobs and make it known we aren’t taking any new clients. Next, I’ll have to find someplace I can go that will have suitable men.

  “Do you feel relieved?” Alexsei asked, startling her.

  “Some, yes. I won’t feel entirely free until the spell is broken, but this is more than I ever hoped for.” She smiled and let the warmth of her heart sparkle in her eyes. “Thank you, Alexsei.”

  “It wasn’t I who modified your curse.”

  “No, but it was you who asked the Lady Enchantress to do such a thing. So, I will say it again: thank you. You have given us hope.”

  Alexsei’s eyes were soft with affection. “Of course. I would do anything to help you.”

  She held in a sigh. When he says such sweet things, I wonder… but she could not afford to waste time on fanciful wishes. I owe it to my companions. “Angelique’s presence must mean the emperor has returned home?”

  “Yes,” Alexsei said.

  “Will you return to the capital, then?”

  “Not right away. I imagine we won’t leave until Angelique and her allies face Rothbart. Mother means to throw a banquet to celebrate Father’s arrival in two nights. Or at least she meant for it to be a banquet—Yakov has it in his mind to make it a ball.”

  Yakov, who happened to be waltzing past them at the moment, stopped to give her a charming smile. “Promise me you’ll come, fair Odette.”

  She gave him a painful, cringing smile—unwilling to commit. If I say no, he’ll bother me until I do. But if I lie and say yes, he’ll surely come charging out here in the middle of the party and demand to know why I have not come.

  Yakov laughed. “There’s nothing to fear—it will just be the friends who are staying in the palace with us. You’ll love it! Promise me that you—and the rest of your gallant smugglers—will come. I will dance with you only all night.”

  “He lies, Odette,” Lady Benno
said with her usual dry wit. “He has the attention span of a popinjay when it comes to balls. He once promised to accompany me for a party at the capital, then he forgot I existed and danced the whole night away with others.”

  “Benno—pray do not tell tales of my youth! I am much more attentive now,” Yakov laughed.

  “It is to Prince Yakov’s discredit that he forgot you, Lady Benno,” Misha said.

  Odette raised an eyebrow at her second in command, but he ignored her.

  Benno chuckled. “Thank you, but I wasn’t disappointed about it. I had considered spraining my ankle to worm out of the invitation.”

  After half an hour of entertaining the noble trio, Odette was able to wish them farewell as Angelique said she had the answers she needed.

  “You still have not promised to attend the ball, fair Odette.” Yakov’s handsome face was shadowed with dramatized sadness as he clasped one of her hands between his.

  “It’s a rather inconvenient time, Your Imperial Highness.” She yanked on her hand, but Prince Yakov wasn’t letting her go. “Angelique will be facing the wyvern, and my companions and I must keep a closer eye on Rothbart and begin winding down our business. Attending a ball is…”

  Prince Yakov tugged her closer. “Promise you’ll come if you have the time.”

  What a bossy royal. Even if I had the time, I would never have the inclination! Odette pulled on her hand with all her strength, but the prince didn’t budge. She cast a beseeching gaze at her companions, searching for help, but most of the smugglers were crowded around Enchantress Angelique, giving her their thanks, and Alexsei was studiously avoiding her gaze while Benno shrugged unhelpfully. He’s not going to let go unless I say yes. “If the smugglers and I aren’t horribly busy, I will consider coming,” she lied.

  Prince Yakov smiled charmingly. “That’s the most I could ask for.” He kissed her hand then spun on his heels. “Benno—are you ready to leave?”

  Odette let her distaste show as she wiped her hand off on her trousers.

  Now that she was no longer in need of a savior, Alexsei joined her. “You don’t wish to come to the ball?”

  “I have several more pressing matters on my mind,” Odette said dryly.

  He gazed solemnly at her. “Yakov will make certain you—and your smugglers—have a marvelous time. And in spite of what Benno said, I believe he would be quite attentive to you.”

  She narrowed her eyes and glared at Alexsei. “An attentive Yakov does not strike me as a marvelous time.”

  He chuckled, his bright smile returning. “He can be overbearing, but he is a prince.”

  She snorted. “So are you.”

  “Yes, but he’s the Imperial Prince. He’ll be the emperor someday. His wife will be the empress.”

  “Sounds like a lot of work.”

  “Do you not hope he might break your curse?” Alexsei asked.

  “Why would I? Every other single, eligible man in Kozlovka could break it,” Odette said.

  “You really haven’t fallen in love with him.” He stated this with a sense of pride.

  Odette eyed him, slightly offended by the thought, and unsure of how to interpret his obvious relief. “No. Are the two of you fighting?”

  “No.” He rolled his shoulders back. “Though we have our differences, I know Yakov will always be my staunchest ally. Still, sometimes…”

  Odette tilted her head. Should she push him to answer? It seems complicated, and though I have spilled my heart to him before, he might not wish to do the same.

  Alexsei stared down at her, and the slight wrinkle of his forehead smoothed out as he smiled at her. He raised a hand and hesitated for a moment—giving her time to pull away—and then cupped her cheek in his warm hand.

  Odette froze like a frightened mouse. She wanted to inch closer to him, but her pounding heart screamed at her to shy away. What do I do?

  Alexsei seemed to take her stillness as encouragement, for he smiled and took a step closer to her, crowding her space. “Odette…”

  “Alexsei, are you ready to go?” Yakov called.

  I’m going to kill His Imperial Highness one day.

  Alexsei dropped his hand and stepped back. Odette thought she saw a shadow of disappointment in his eyes, but it could have been the dim moonlight.

  “Coming,” he answered. He tilted his head and gazed down at Odette, his sweet smile back in place. “Take care, Odette.”

  Odette rolled her eyes.

  “I mean it,” he insisted. “If the wyvern returns, do not hesitate to send word to me for help.”

  She propped a hand on her hip, relaxing with Alexsei’s return to his usual behavior—though a part of her drooped in disappointment. “Thank you, but we should be fine. If Angelique can move fast enough, she’ll catch Rothbart off guard. But just in case, I’ll get word to Odile and ask her to keep watch on him.”

  Alexsei nodded and moved to join Yakov and Benno at the edge of the forest.

  Enchantress Angelique, however, was mounted on—Odette wouldn’t call it a horse, for though it was shaped like one, it looked more like a creature of twilight. It glowed faintly, like a twinkling star, and its black mane and tail flickered like tongues of black and blue fire. Instead of fur, its body was wrapped with the night sky—a blue black with a dusting of stars. It snorted—a sound more similar to thunder than an exhale—and pawed the ground, shedding purple-hued sparks.

  Enchantress Angelique caught Odette’s gaze and turned her “horse” in a circle. “Thank you for sharing your information, Odette. Nadia’s observations were most useful.”

  Odette shook her head. “No, it is I who must thank you. Is there anything else you have need of?”

  Enchantress Angelique squinted at the sky. “No, I believe I am prepared—or as prepared as I can be. I have decided to depart and search for the wyvern from here. On Pegasus, I won’t have a problem catching up, but I don’t wish to engage it in combat when it is at all close to civilization.”

  “I see. You are certain there is nothing we can do to help you?” Odette asked.

  “Yes. When facing foes like wyverns, I prefer to fight alone. It limits the possible collateral damage.” Enchantress Angelique patted her horse. It snorted again and shook its head. “Although, if His Imperial Highness, His Highness, or Lady Benno would take word to the emperor and empress, I would be much obliged.”

  Yakov bowed deeply. “It would be our honor, Lady Enchantress.”

  “Thank you.” Enchantress Angelique gravely inclined her head at Yakov’s bow. “In that case, I will take my leave. Good luck, and thank you for the information.” She loosened her horse’s reins. The creature swung around and leaped into a canter—moving with grace and ease even though the thought of galloping down the beach in the middle of the night made Odette’s hair stand on end.

  The horse and rider flared like a comet, and the ground shook a little at their departure. Then they disappeared into the forest at the far end of the lake.

  Odette shot a cautious glance at Rothbart’s castle. “You three had best be off. Rothbart couldn’t have missed that, even if he is in one of his experiment-driven fits.”

  Alexsei bowed. “As you wish. Congratulations on the modification of your curse. We will see you soon.” He offered Odette a lingering smile. When Benno raised an eyebrow at him, he flushed and ducked into the forest.

  Yakov moved to go on his knee in front of Odette. “Fair Odette, I—ow!” He was cut off when Benno grabbed him by the ear and dragged him towards the forest.

  “It is time we take our leave,” Benno told the struggling prince. She pushed him into the forest, but she lingered for a moment. “Good evening, smugglers, and I also offer my congratulations.” She dipped in a quick curtsey and hurried after her friends, disappearing into the shadows of the trees.

  Odette straightened her posture and turned around to face her companions. She was taken aback by their silence as they all stared at her. “Well,” she said, “wasn’t that lucky
?”

  Her words broke the dam of their silence. Zina laughed and threw herself at Odette, almost strangling her with the tightness of her hug. “We’re going to be free!”

  “I’ll be able to hold my little girl again,” Nadia said wistfully.

  “I haven’t seen my grandchildren in three years,” Gleb mused.

  Dima was the only one who was subdued. He sat on the ground, his eyes flickering from smuggler to smuggler.

  When Odette pried Zina off her, she moved to join the young boy, but Pyotr beat her to it. The large man plopped down next to him and spoke in a rumbling voice. “Your family will be glad to see you.”

  Dima squinted up at him. “Yeah. I miss them, but…”

  “My daughters will love to play with you,” Pyotr added.

  Dima perked. “I’ll still get to see you?”

  Pyotr nodded. “Our homes are not so far apart.”

  “What about the rest of us?” Dima asked, widening his gaze.

  “I believe the majority of us live reasonably close to Swan Lake. If you wish to see any of us, it will be a rather easy matter.”

  Dima jumped to his feet and launched himself at Pyotr, smacking into the mountain-like man. “My father will be shocked when he sees you—cuz you’re so big! Can I take my stone-head collection home? When do you think the Swan Queen will break the curse?”

  Odette smiled at the pair and let Anna draw her back into the joyous celebration. Once the curse is broken, I too will be able to see my family—for the first time in four years. The thought made it hard to swallow, and though she smiled and laughed with her swan family, her heart trembled. Home…I’ll get to go home!

  After a few minutes of rejoicing, Odette slipped away from the festivities and stood on the edge of the heart-shaped lake. She stared at Rothbart’s castle, searching for any sign of movement.

  Nothing. But why not? Is he that devoted to his work? He couldn’t be sleeping. The lake carries sound like a funnel, and our celebration has not been quiet, nor was Enchantress Angelique’s departure.