I couldn’t tell if this was a reasonable worry or not. But Julian seemed serious about it, enough for his eyes to blink a lot and wing feathers to twitch just jo — I still noticed it — and I decided to take his word that we should try to avoid it. We still hadn’t figured out what was snatching Julian away and stealing him from me in the first place. He’d stayed ten hours, at tops, each time—as if that were ever enough!—but somehow, he had always switched out without exception, and returned, and we expected the whole thing to continue.
Julian claimed he had tried everything within his powers, but couldn’t control it. Every morning, he disappeared, only to return in the evening. Something was stealing his days, but he didn’t remember anything about them, and so, we didn’t know what to do about the issue.
Yet, here we were, we had each other, and we were fine for now. Of course, it was absolutely too late to leave tonight in order to cross the dark sea by morning.
And there was the issue of the demons…who were probably still on their way, even if they were headed for an island ready to battle them.
The Jewel wasn’t down, it was very much functional, because Victor was with the fae guards, now. So let the demons come…
Julian nodded again towards a strange, dense-leaved tree that looked like the mouth of a dragon. The branches opened up and curled against each other, forming magnificent jaws. I wanted to stay still and watch it for a moment, to make sure it didn’t move.
“That could be a fly trap, for all we know,” I protested.
“Oh, it’s not…!” Julian said with ennui that would have been perfect for court. I smiled over it. It simply reminded me, how much more fun was this than any fancy ball at court? I wouldn’t have traded! Despite everything going on, this was our little moment of adventure, and moments like this, I couldn’t stop smiling.
Julian climbed up and, balancing himself with one arm around the stem, took off one of his shoes. He poked the dragon flower with the heel. Nothing happened. Certainly no bite.
“Okay. But if that thing bites, I’m jumping out,” I said.
“One thing, Aurora,” Julian said in a voice that had me worried. “If we never get out of here alive, you should know, this was fun. Probably like the most fun I’ve ever had. Flying with you, laughing with you. Adventuring together, as you like to say. Nothing beats the feel of the wind under the wings with…your awesome company.”
“Oh, no, don’t say that! Why are you saying that? We’ll just get some sleep and continue tomorrow—”
“No. The truth is, I can’t. I feel myself thinning, already, and I’m struggling to stay. What I’ll do is…” Julian turned thoughtful and bowed down to look at his left wing. Then, in a sudden, harsh move, he pecked at his wing and yanked out one of his feathers. It must have hurt, but he didn’t wince.
He set the feather down on the ground between our feet. It was silky black and elegant in a strong way, just like he was himself.
“Listen, Aurora. I’ll dash back to mainland. I think I can make it. I mean, I’ll make it. But I’ll leave this feather here, for you to have something to anchor yourself to…and perhaps, for me, too. My instinct tells me this is the only way to do this now. Sure, I’ll need to fly like my life depends on it, but I know I’ll make it, and then I’ll come back and search you up.”
“No…” My voice came out weak. I couldn’t let him go. But I couldn’t force him to stay, if he felt like that…and especially if he was right. Also, I realized I didn’t want to be without him.
“I’ll fly back the second I wake up,” Julian said. “I promise. You don’t even need my promise, you know I will.”
“I know…”
Then he was up on his wings, and all I could do was follow his form grow smaller in the cloudy sky.
The branch swayed under me, lulling me in my half-dreamy state. I was aware through my sleep of all the sounds around me, the crickets, the frogs…So many creatures. The sounds formed a merry cacophony, as the forest was crowded with wildlife.
Then I remembered I was still on Fae island and peeked out from under my lashes. Indeed, there were frogs fidgeting on the stones scattered around the little pond close-by, and I imagined the tall grass lining the pond hid the concert of crickets. I got through half a thought about how full of life the Fae forest was, and then it struck me, and I jerked fully awake: Julian’s feather was gone.
I’d carefully set it beside my head when I’d laid my head on the branches of our dragon tree and gone to sleep.
Just like he’d suspected.
Even the Fae island’s magic wasn’t able to save him from these kidnappings like I’d secretly hoped.
A cold, nervous feeling settled into my stomach. I could only hope Julian wasn’t right about the rest of it. Surely, he was now safely back wherever he always disappeared and would come back to me in the evening? I already missed him so very badly, and suddenly I was painfully worried for him. Oh, and I could have used a hug.
But we had been on a mission, here, and nothing about that had changed. I’d better keep going. Not knowing where Julian was, it was the best thing I could do.
Why hadn’t we been more careful? What if he’d been right…What then?
Chapter 20
I woke up to spears poking through the foliage and people stepping on branches or crushing leaves, talking in short sentences.
The guards had found me. What did they care? I was a small bird, powerless, up to no harm…
Then I saw the glow from the cart that emerged from the brush, and stood still, as someone stepped out in a ball of fire. The Fae Queen.
She walked to the dragon tree and peeked in, her face framed by the glow of the fireflies taking off from the branches of my hiding place, and their sparks mingling with her aura’s flames.
The Fae Queen reached out for one of my wings and pinched the tip of it between her thin, long fingers. Her green brows furrowed, as she expertly studied the looks of my feathers.
I scraped at the marble floor of the Fae Castle and regained my balance.
“Layers upon layers of magic…Whose work is this? It seems that there’s an old curse underneath it all. A mighty one at that. But like it has first been modified and then darkened still, and even later, pushed and twisted this way and that, a thousand times over. What in heaven’s name is this…?”
She turned her starlike gaze on me so harsh, I shivered.
“It wasn’t me,” I said. “And I don’t know…”
“Then who?”
“I’m no witch, your Glory, I can’t see deeper meanings to things…” Then it occurred to me. “But I’m trapped in a castle with one. The witch must have done it.”
“A witch? A fae witch or a human one? Though, human hedge witches hardly qualify, and I wouldn’t expect one to weave spells like this…Nevertheless, you do call your hedge witches ‘witches’, don’t you? So, which one was this?”
“Well, this one has horns…”
“I see…How strange.”
“Can you please help me with this? I actually wish it all gone.”
“I can’t undo what’s on you. Too many layers in a complicated way one on top of each other. If I took it apart, I might end up toppling the whole structure and breaking it all. In situations like this, the right way is to affect the whole circumstances and hope it makes the magic start to unravel by itself…”
“How?” I breathed out.
“I’m sure things will sort out. First, we have the urgent issue of Victor Morgenstern…Oh, I know this man. And he did confess he was hired by King John, your unfortunate father. Still after fae hearts, after all these years! I thought he gave up a long time ago. There are halfling fae in his own court, for heaven’s sake, and I thought he had come to his senses. Are even those halfling ladies safe, now, I wonder…? I need to have a talk with him and that makeshift witch, this woman who willingly calls herself Wretched Rachel…I know who she is, believe me. She’s the one who threw the curse on you, back when you we
re only a baby. The word of death! Heaven knows the other witches there worked hard to bring you back.”
What…? “No, the horned witch, who now lives in the Rose Castle, is the one who cursed me. Or tried to. I don’t know what she’s after, but now she’s keeping me hostage—”
“Why would you think she was the one who cursed you?”
“I have a photograph, taken when she was on the run after casting her curse when I was still a baby. She looks exactly the same now, apart from her horns. She has giant horns, now.”
“Ah!” the Fae Queen exclaimed, sparkles flying, as she pressed her palms together in front of her face. “I know who your horned witch is! She’s one of the fae halfling sisters, who still live in your father’s court. The fae sisters, people say, though they are in fact halflings…In any case, this horned witch can be nobody else but Amalia…Poor woman.”
Poor woman?
“She vanished soon after that unfortunate night. I’m aware of her presence, as she’s using the ether to call out from time to time, but I haven’t been able to locate her. She’s hiding behind some powerful walls of magic. But I think you’re getting mixed up who’s done what. It was that hedgewitch Rachel, who threw the curse upon you, not Amalia. But Amalia, this fae halfling witch, first summoned up the forces. She didn’t mean them upon you, but upon your father. Who you have in your photograph is Amalia, a fae halfling witch, who attempted to assassinate your father, but then your father’s lover directed the curse upon you…and people modified your curse to give you years to live. Am I making sense? I know which photo you mean. I even know who took the picture. And I know why they sent it to your mother.”
There was so much to take in at once, my mind couldn’t catch all that.
“How could the witch be a fae halfling? She looks more like a demon to me…”
“Well, that, I can’t answer. Perhaps she’s made a deal with a darkling? Perhaps she likes to wear horns? I don’t know, but if you can direct me to her, I’d certainly love to have a word with her! And you should talk to her…Have you tried talking to her? She could very well be your best bet getting rid of that magic.”
“But she’s the one who’s keeping me under a curse!”
“She must be trying to modify your magic. If she’s casting spells, that’s what she’s doing.”
“She’s piling rose petals on me! She’s setting down stones and glass beads and even hot coals!”
The Fae Queen nodded as if none of this was surprising to her. “You know what? I may just have the thing for you…”
The Fae Queen took off one of her rings, an engraved, golden one with a green stone.
“When you go back, give her this. Once upon a time, it should have been handed over to her mother, in any case. And let me be clear, you must go back. By your honor, swear that you’ll take this ring to her and trust her magic.”
I was dumbfounded.
“Swear upon your life, Aurora, Princess of Tairaland, if you want to live. This is how you’ll get your life back…and we’ll be righting a wrong that’s waited too long.”
I could only nod, as she put the ring in my beak.
Chapter 21
The winds carried raindrops, heavy and hard-hitting, as I flew over the dark waves. Since I clutched the ring in my beak, the air currents were even harder to fight and navigate than usual.
After Julian had vanished, I’d had to keep swallowing tears. Would he be at the castle yard, when I flew in? Would I ever see him again?
Talking to the Fae Queen had brought some hope, but also devastated me. Famished and worn out from all that had happened, now the nagging worries wouldn’t leave me: Julian…
I wouldn’t rest until I knew how he was.
I flew with my eyes closed for some moments because I didn’t need to check the direction, as I only flew straight into the directionless gray, and keeping my eyes closed seemed to save my energies a tiny bit.
Then something appeared on my right. I could tell by the air currents, which steered to one side.
It was Julian!
He’d come back!
I nearly burst into tears, as I laughed, both at the same time.
“I decided to sleep for an eyeful only—who knew, it can be done? I woke up pretty soon after I’d switched out.”
“Thank heavens! Do you have the energy to fly back on the same go?”
“What? Of course! Don’t worry!” He looked so confident. I tried to put on a brave face.
“Are you okay?” Julian asked. “Tell me all in a moment. Now you have to save your breath.”
“To be honest, let’s hope the shore isn’t far away anymore.”
“It’s not. Just a few moments more. You can do it, easy. You know what, try to rest on the winds more? You’ve got wider wings than I, and the winds will carry you well. If you just stop worrying and let the winds work, you can rest on them and take it easier. Relax in the short moments and you won’t have to work so hard. And, by all the thunders in the sky, I won’t let you fall. We’ll simply fly to the shore, no worries. We can do this. You have the strength, don’t worry. Remember we already flew over once?”
I nodded feebly, but even at that, a gust of wind seemed to catch my beak and steer me off course. Swallowing hard, I turned my face forward again and tried to put on a stoic face.
“There you go! Don’t waste your energies on thoughts that won’t help you anyway, just flap your wings and rest on the winds, that’s all we need to focus on…”
The shoreline came to sight, solidifying in the horizon. We were closer already than I’d thought. What was unnerving was that all along the shore, dark boats were scattered both in the sand and on the sea, and we could see demons and some of the fae army fighting. The fae had come all the way here across the sea to snip the attack in the bud. The demons were constantly being pushed back to the shore in their dark boats. They kept escaping, trying again, but it was clear from the commotion that the demons didn’t know what they were supposed to be doing — turning around to retreat ashore or try to get out to the sea, with the hopes that the Jewel had been disabled. Well, it was quite fine…And the fae were like a fiery horde of wasps in flames, as they pushed into the demons’ ranks, amidst the demonic smoke.
The firm ground felt sweet under my toes. I had never felt more lucky and so narrowly saved by the bell before in my life.
“I wouldn’t have let you fall,” Julian muttered. “To be honest, I don’t know what I would do, if I lost you. Now that we’ve suddenly found all this…this happiness, I don’t ever want to let you go. You’re my little Bluebird, and I never want to fly with anyone but you.”
I felt the same, so much so that I couldn’t even say it. I only nodded at him with tears in my eyes, smiling inside.
“Now, do you want the strawberries?” Julian added with a small smile, nodding towards the direction where we’d found them earlier.
“I can’t move a toe right now. Maybe later?” I said smiling back. “And I don’t want to ever lose this—you—either. It’s like my whole life only really began when I met you.”
Julian beamed at me, and I beamed at him, and we had to laugh over it—how silly we were, and how great this was—and then we began looking for a good branch because there was no way we could have flown another wing beat. Of course, Julian had his own peculiar ways of sleeping, so he didn’t feel like he could actually catch sleep, but we cuddled up to each other in the arm of a walnut tree.
Chapter 22
When we got to the Rose Castle, I could sense something wasn’t right from a good distance already. The magic that always floated in the air in pretty curls of mist was now scattered and broken. The sparkling trails, normally so even, perfect, and beautiful, were torn and tangled.
It was as if someone commanding a lot of magic had had a fit of rage and pulled it all apart.
Then we saw what was happening in the yard, and halted, staying put in the air, exchanging glances. My father and Rachel stood by the fou
ntain, and in front of them, a group of women sat in the forget-me-nots and wildflowers, huddled together, heads bowed, clearly cowering.
At first glance, it was hard to tell what was going on, exactly, but just as we landed into the cherry tree to watch and make sense of the situation, we heard Rachel’s high-pitched yelling.
“Look at you all, gaping like wide-eyed, scared children! Yes, my powers have grown! They’ve grown manyfold since you last saw me cast my spells. You haven’t seen a proper witch before, have you? You small-time-peddlers, you little outlaw-maggots, you’ll never be a sorceress like me! You think you’re all fire and brimstone? You think you’re true-born fae? Ooh, little lasses, you don’t even know what proper magic is…Here’s a lesson for you! Watch, weep, and learn!”
With a smug face, Rachel raised her wildly clawed hands and twisted her fingers in positions that must have hurt by the looks of it. Electricity crackled in the air, sharp and tangy, and made my feathers stand out. I hung onto the branch as tight as I could, despite my shaking feet, and wished I wasn’t a bluebird but a falcon, so I could dart to peck at her awful tangles and make her run off screaming like the monstrous waif she was.
A blast of blue and orange lit the castle yard in one sweep and outlined every pebble, every grass. The smoke of a spell spread out after it. The whole place looked like a sea of odd-color fire.
But something like a wave emerged from the other direction and stopped the smoke and pushed it back, as if an invisible wall was developing around it. When I lifted my eyes, the horned witch who’d lived inside the castle with me was staring intensely at us through my escape window.
Her head was crowned by masses of roses. As she had pushed her head through the thick vines, her horns had caught a bunch of them. Her hands glowed blue, and the same brilliant glare continued on along the castle walls as if she and the whole castle were part of the same giant, flowing spell, a network of spells.
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