I was more than ready when winter break ended, and my life resumed its structured routine. Leander had scheduled my next lesson the day that school started again, and surprisingly, I was eager to attend the lesson. It meant relief from the hopeless days spent in the library trying to find information buried in an ocean of beautified, but arrogant, words. There were so many rhymes and metaphorical language that it had become tedious. However, it took only ten minutes of reading from Magical Theory: A Hypothetical Examination of Ceremony and Magic in Leander's classroom for the relief to transform into ennui. I was desperate to practice my magic again, to get back into the gymnasium. Whatever focus I had vanished. Even though my eyes scanned the tiny, organized, and bland words across the page, I failed to retain anything.

Time was my enemy at this point. It had slowed down so that every millisecond seemed like it lasted five minutes. Getting to the end of this 'lesson' became my new goal, and I reminded myself I had a reward waiting for me afterwards. I was supposed to meet up with Macaila and Cassiah in the city later tonight.

My focus was depleted. Every little thing in Leander's lecture hall was a distraction. The professor had situated himself at the front of the classroom behind one of the large counters with a stack of papers he was grading. My mind exaggerated every rustle of paper coming from his direction. I noticed that a couple of desks in the front row were unaligned. A cart with different chemistry instruments and used textbooks sat out of the way and against the wall. A couple of times, I caught myself fading and falling asleep over the book. I shifted positions in the effort to get more comfortable.

I received a burst of excitement when the door to the lecture hall opened. I perked up quickly and turned around in my seat to see who the savior was that was distracting me from my misery. My excitement turned to puzzlement as I didn't see anyone there. The door was open, so I knew I hadn't imagined anything. Creaks came the auditorium stairs. A glance at Leander revealed he was perplexed as I was. It all became clear when Kyrian's arrogant voice shattered the silence in the room. "Professor," the seraph greeted, ignoring me completely. "I'm Kyrian Asherton, seraph prince."

"I know exactly who you are. What do you want?" Leander snapped.

"I have need of Bria's services and need to interrupt her lesson." His arrogance was ripe in his tone.

For a moment, my disgust and hatred for the seraph disintegrated over the prospect of being rescued from this torment. I was already moving to shut Magical Theory and return it to its proper bookshelf when Leander's own words of disapproval trumped Kyrian's. "She's in the middle of her lesson, which is extremely necessary at this point."

"Because she looks like she is learning so much right now," I heard Kyrian mumble sarcastically under his breath. Then, loudly and boldly, he declared, "I've already gotten approval from the chancellor to allow Bria to leave this one a little early."

"Her lessons are important."

"So is the assignment the chancellor gave us," Kyrian argued. I paused by the bookshelf, watching the volley back and forth.

"She still has her meditation session to attend to."

"I'm sure she'll be fine missing one meditation session," Kyrian drawled.

"I will!" I interjected. "If this is what I think it is about, it is extremely important, Professor."

In the end, Leander didn't have much power to prevent me from going, especially when Sebastien had provided his permission. Although Kyrian's reasoning for pulling me out of my lessons was legitimate, it still felt like I was doing something bad, and it excited me to the point that there was a bounce in my step as we navigated through the Academia's hallways. It was mid-afternoon, and students and teachers were secured in classrooms. The hallways were empty, though we did past the odd student nestled in a nook waiting for his next class to start. To my surprise, Kyrian knew the way out of the Academia. I waited for him to tell me what he needed my help with. He never did. If I listened closely, I could hear his footsteps next to mine as we walked.

When we were approaching the entrance atrium, I asked him, "Where are we going?"

"To see the faeries," Kyrian gruffly stated.

His answer was unexpected. "What?"

"They wouldn't give me the instrument without you present."

That was all I would get from Kyrian about this expedition. I counted myself lucky for getting the information I had.

* * *

During my time in Astraera, I had learned that the daemeyri population coexisted with mortals on mortal territory. Most preferred the forced anonymity and inconspicuous living in the mortal world to the hierarchical system in the mage and seraphim dimensions, which were largely elitist. They had created bubbles in major mortal cities where they could practice their traditions and culture freely—as long as mortals didn't bear witness to any of it. Beyond this, I was clueless as to where the faeries had established their base. When Kyrian and I had reached the exterior perimeter of the Academia, and he gripped my forearm tightly, I was unaware of exactly where we were going when we raveled from the spot.

I immediately became anxious when we reappeared in the middle of a bustling intersection. The combination of crowds and tall buildings was overwhelming after the quiet of Leander's classroom. My ears became polluted with the sounds of car horns and brakes screeching. It was enough to make me wince. It was fortunate that we had arrived in the middle of winter and the unforgiving bite of cold kept the bundled pedestrians focused on themselves. I quickly rearranged my hood to conceal my face. I bit down against my bitterness, feeling like Kyrian purposely didn't tell me we were going to be merging onto a busy mortal street where anyone could recognize me and raise the alarm. My past mass murders always hovered in between us, as he would never let me forget them. He always had one comment to make all the shame I felt rise to the surface, so I knew he was not oblivious to the danger he had just put me in. Xavier's followers could be anywhere. I was just waiting for the witch screeching to begin.

"Where are we?" I hissed to Kyrian. It was disorientating that he was invisible amidst this hustle and bustle.

"Hong Kong," he answered tonelessly.

I blinked. Out of the many places I thought the faeries would have chosen to inhabit, Hong Kong wouldn't have been at the top of that list.

Kyrian had to hold my wrist to guide me through the streets. His grip was tight. He didn't want to be touching me anymore than I wanted him to. However, there was a lack of any other options. As we were amongst the mortals, it was easier for him to guide me through touch. I kept my eyes averted, too afraid to make any eye contact with anyone. Every step was weighted with the anxiety of hearing the cry of alarm coming from behind me.

It was a tremendous relief when Kyrian veered from the congested street and underneath the arched entrance to one of the city's parks. I felt calmer as we exchanged the canopy of buildings for trees. I breathed in the ocean-tinted air a little easier. There were some people inside of the park's confines, enjoying the environment as they strolled around, walked, or jogged. Although I exchanged friendly nods of acknowledgment with them, they were too lost in their minds or whatever podcast that was accompanying them. I was distracted by my appreciation of the greenery and flower arrangements along the paths until I remembered our purpose for being here. My curiosity lingered in my chest, and I longed to ask Kyrian why we were in Hong Kong. As far as I remembered, the Chinese culture didn't have any traditional faery myths in their folklore. Still, I bit my lip, reluctant to ask him anything. Despite him gripping my wrist as to not lose me, I felt his antagonism radiating from him. The feeling was mutual.

I felt compelled to escape his hold and dart away. He had brought me to Hong Kong to stand before the Seelie Court. We were in a park where nature had been allowed to invade civilization. I could count on the Seelie Court being within the park's confines, and I was confident in my abilities to locate the court by myself. At this point, I didn't trust Kyrian's motives for suddenly involving me. They wouldn't give me the instrument without you present, he'd said. Apparently, he had been working on the assignment by himself. He had already gone to the faerie queens, and they had forced him to come and get me. It left me to wonder bitterly how many other instruments he had collected without me.

We were deep in the park when Kyrian took a sudden turn into the shrubbery and trees. The dirt path was concealed by the low shrubbery. If I looked closely, I could see a small, almost indistinguishable path winding through the trees. It was marked by a patch of tiny red flowers.

Kyrian took lead, pulling me behind. I struggled to keep up with him. Roots and small boulders appeared out of nowhere to become tripping hazards. More of the city vanished behind the trees until I could no longer see skyscrapers or hear traffic. The trees allowed only slivers of sunlight through. We walked until we entered another world entirely.

After a twenty-minute trek, I heard flutes, harps, and fiddles producing conjoined melodies. If I listened close enough, I could hear the strings of laugher, rhythmic claps, and festivity. My heart pumped quicker from adrenaline. If everything I had read in folklore was true, faeries were known for their dangerous festivities, where they lured humans to their clearings and made them dance until their deaths. Or they enticed poor human souls with their food and drink, only to entrap them until they became wraiths.

It was too soon when I stumbled into a circular clearing where a faery revel was occurring. I had only milliseconds to stare before Kyrian pulled me around the circumference of the clearing, trying to avoid drawing attention to us by remaining in the shadows of the trees. Pallets had been laid out around the circles. Large, square cushions laid askew on them. Evanescent beings lounged on the cushions together. A couple of these pallets had been repurposed into a stage where musicians were playing. The melody was catchy, and I swayed along with the music as Kyrian pulled me along. In the middle, faeries were swinging each other around. Cups and bowls of brightly colored drink and food littered the clearing. Most of it appeared to be natural, such as berries and slivers of meat. Strings of lights were draped over tree branches. On the other side of the clearing was the entrance to an industrial marketplace.

The faeries were humanoid, although their bodies held no substance. I could see the outlines of their bones through their translucent skin. Their gossamer clothes were draped around them and held around their bodies by single strings of hemp. One had long purple hair that brushed against the ground as she swayed on the dance floor. Another barely had any clothing on, though it was unnecessary: most of his body was covered in tribal tattoos.

I wish I could say that I went unnoticed. Yet, the faeries knew I was there the instant I stepped into the clearing. Their eyes pierced my skin with admiration. Their hands reached out to brush lovingly against my skin. It left an amazing tingle behind. Those dancing waved their arms in the effort to get me to join them. My head was adorned with a flower crown, while a garland of flowers was draped around my shoulders. I became enchanted with these ethereal beings, with their beauty. I longed to lie down with the others on the cushions and get lost in the haze of their faerie wine. I gazed at the chiseled chest of one male, salvia accumulating in my mouth and wetness in between my legs. He caught my gaze and beckoned with his finger for me to join him on the cushion.

Next to me, Kyrian grunted in exasperation. Still, he didn't release me to fend against their enchantment alone. He pulled me along the perimeter. My steps lacked purpose with my gaze still focused on the faery male; I was dragging my feet. I was only faintly aware of when we stopped on the other side of the clearing underneath the marketplace's entrance awning and Kyrian rotating my hand over. I tried to yank it away, to join the fae male. Kyrian’s grip tightened around one of my fingers... the very finger that experienced a sharp prick.

"Ouch!" I exclaimed. The pain annihilated the enchantment's fog. A tiny droplet of blood appeared on my fingertip. I tried to pull away from Kyrian's grip again. He was ready for it. His fingers clenched tight enough around my wrist to leave bruising. "Why did you do that?" I hissed in his general direction.

"These creatures are part hell," Kyrian hissed in return. "Look." His other hand landed on my cheek and forced my gaze back to the clearing.

Gritting my teeth in frustration, I did as Kyrian asked. My stomach twisted with nausea. The single prick was enough to shatter the enchantment. Whatever admiration of their beauty I had was transformed into disgust. The male whom I had drooled over had patches of moss emerging from his orifices. Their features became gaunter and severer, as if they were wraiths who had just dug themselves out of a grave. One of them smiled at me, revealing yellowish and decaying teeth. The fae with the purple hair had bugs crawling over her, as if they were part of her actual skin.

"Are those their true forms?" I croaked out.

"Their magic is illusion. They will show you whatever they believe will work best to manipulate you into their web of influence. They play games, and it's quite an honor for them to ensnare a mortal. A mage more so for obvious reasons. Getting out of their snare is near impossible, so it's best to avoid getting trapped in the first place. You would do well to remember that," Kyrian lectured. Unable to even snap back, I swallowed my disgust with myself. I was in more control of myself than this. I should have been immune to the faeries' manipulation. "Think you can focus on the assignment now?" Kyrian inquired.

I was anxious to face the faerie queens now, although I refused to reveal that vulnerability to Kyrian.

Kyrian directed us inside of the marketplace and we left the clearing behind. This time, his pull was a little gentler, if not sympathetic. I followed behind him, feeling chastened.

The faeries' marketplace was industrial in that it used exposed wooden beams as a part of its infrastructure. There was a definite lack of steel, confirming that the compound was toxic to the faeries. Sections of string lights were strung up above our heads. Kyrian navigated through moderate traffic in the hallways. Some faeries maintained their glamours while others preferred to go as they were. I found myself accepting of both. Music was present, and some faeries were dancing out in the middle of the wide hallway where others had sat down and taken a lunch break from their shopping.

Various shops were featured on the lower level. A restaurant was dedicated to the concept of raw foods, and if their advertisement was correct, had a nauseating special of raw chicken in a lily pad salad. Another shop sold gossamer strands, which was no doubt the fashion here. An attendant was seated on a stool behind the counter playing with her cell phone as she maintained an empty shop. Yet another offered shelves and bins of shiny and sparkly things. A couple of faerie patrons were excitedly perusing the goods in there. I almost halted when I saw a brightly illuminated storefront. A red flower and several satin bags were on display. In front of the satin bags was a line of small diamond-like rocks. Dreadfully curious, I stared beyond the storefront and noticed that the store's design was minimalistic. There was only a counter in the store. All the product had been arranged on small wall shelves. Two people were browsing the product. Three intimidating faeries in military attire guarded the storefront.

I didn't want to believe that the store was selling Ambrosia.

There was an upstairs portion to the marketplace as well. From what I could tell from down below, a bar, Pilates studio, and salon rented space on the second level.

"This is astonishing," I muttered to Kyrian after we passed a family on the outreaches of the highly trafficked areas. Kyrian was navigating us away from the populated area and towards the back of the marketplace where there were vacant spaces. There wasn't any string lighting above our heads here. One store seemed to have been transformed into a storage place for numerous plastic bins stacked up on the other.

Kyrian grunted. "What is?"

"I guess I always envisioned faeries to be archaic. Luddites even."

"They were the first fraction to seize technology for their own and learn how to prosper from it," Kyrian explained. He mounted a staircase and ascended into the shadows. I followed him.

I contemplated what he said. "They are business-minded?"

"You could say that.”

"I don't know if I would want to do business with faeries. Don't they have one foot in hell and the other in heaven? How do you know which version you're going to get?"

"I don't think you'll get a choice today; they wanted you here for the negotiations," Kyrian reminded. We reached the second floor. To my surprise, there was another staircase leading up to the next level. There were even more shadows lingering up there than on the second floor, where there were at least businesses open. I didn't think the third level was a public space. Without hesitation, Kyrian ascended this set, too.

I took a deep breath against the apprehension in my gut. "Do you have a strategy for these negotiations?"

"Just follow my lead." I blinked. I preferred briefings like the ones I got from Galileo when I went on missions. Despite his refusal to tell us his endgame, he at least provided a plan. If he wanted me to act a particular way, he told me to use one of my numerous aliases.

My assumptions about the third floor were proven correct. The space was private and had been transformed into a large personal office. While two opposing walls were solid, the adjacent walls were just wooden railings offering views into the marketplace down below. I could hear the faint sounds of the music carrying up here. Two wooden desks were set perpendicularly to the full walls. Plants exploded around the place, creating an urban rainforest in between the furniture and more of those plastic bins I had seen down below. Small potted trees were grouped in the corners. That strange red flower sat on one of the desks; it appeared to be cherished around here. Potted plants hung from the ceiling. Behind each of the desks, there were bookshelves filled with shiny objects. Stacks of paperwork and computers were on the two desks. One of them had stacks of different currency rubber-banded together, as if they were waiting to be deposited into a bank. Or whatever the faeries used. I assumed the office was shared between the two faerie queens, Tatiana and Fallyn.

Wherever they were. The office was empty.

"They're not here," I observed.

Kyrian was unconcerned. The chair behind the left desk squealed as he sat down on it. "They need to get the springs oiled," he commented nonchalantly. He forced similar squeaks from the chair—no doubt rotating the seat back and forth.

I frowned. "It's hilarious you find this amusing," I responded, frustrated. "What's your plan? Stay here until they come back?" I hoped not. I had plans with Macaila and Cassiah this evening.

"We tripped the alarm. They'll be here soon enough. Relax," Kyrian ordered. "Perhaps at the other desk. That'll start negotiations off well enough." Follow my lead, he seemingly reminded me. That was the plan. Unfortunately, I had been around Kyrian long enough to know that this arrogant front he was displaying was just a part of his disposition. For whatever reason, he thought that particular attitude would get him further in the world. It disgusted me he had been deemed by Sebastien as the daemeyri expert between the two of us because of his age and experience.

Follow my lead. No matter how disgruntled I was, I did have a particular alias that could mirror Kyrian's arrogance. Amara had been buried for years, and if I pulled her out now, she would be rusty. I hadn't portrayed the arrogant and snooty bitch for years.

My jaw locked from frustration. I turned away from where Kyrian had made himself at home and wandered to the other side of the room. I gingerly sat down in the chair behind the second desk. Uncomfortable, I shifted several times as the silence stretched across the room. I fidgeted; first by removing the flower crown and garland, and then with my hair. My gaze was curious as it roamed the papers scattered across the desk's surface. One stack was a contract, I realized. The faerie queens were running a business, and it was how they were thriving in this world. To my astonishment, Sebastien was one of their customers, and it was his signature at the bottom of the paperwork. Fallyn's signature was next to his.

The contract was in relation to supplying Sebastien with Ambrosia.

The realization hit me hard.

The faeries were behind the Ambrosia manufacturing, the drug that the mage military was addicted to. It was the drug that seemingly had no consequences. Knowing who was behind the manufacturing of it, I doubted it was consequence free. There were two sides to a faery: heaven and hell. I had seen the heavenly aspects with Ambrosia; it obviously made the user euphoric. What concerned me was the mysterious hellish side. When would that appear? How would it affect the military, least of all, Jay? Yet, why would Sebastien sanction this? He was spending upwards of hundred thousands of dollars just for this shipment of Ambrosia, if I was to believe the contract. He needed his military—at least until the ascension to paradise. Why would he knowingly harm his military? My mind working quickly to analyze everything, I understood what the plastic bins that I had seen everywhere were. They were the next shipment to the mages. And that coveted red flower... it had to be the foundation of the drug.

Jay had left for his assignment at Caligo the morning after our dinner. I had no way of contacting him to alert him about the Ambrosia. I'd have to wait until he got back to try and convince him to give up his addiction, though that would be an obstacle given Jay's substance abuse history.

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The office door flew open and slammed against the wall.

A woman stood in the doorframe.

She was breathing quickly, her chest heaving. She was an evanescent being; I wondered if she would blow away with a gust of hurricane wind. Her wispy, flyaway hair was scattered around her gaunt face. The last time I had seen her, she had been wearing a flower crown. I couldn't remember which twin queen she was. Her eyes first naturally fell on me during her scan of the room.

"You didn't bring your guards with you? Pity, I was looking for a fight," Kyrian complained, dragging her gaze to the other side of the room.

Her anxiety was transformed into immediate agitation as she realized what was happening. "What are you doing here?" she hissed.

"You said to bring the girl or else you would not be continuing negotiations for your instrument, so I brought the girl," Kyrian sighed loftily.

"And you thought you would surprise me and trespass in my office?" the queen growled. Her eyes narrowed ferociously. I wondered once again if Kyrian knew what he was doing, or if he had just dragged me into a dangerous situation. "I'm busy, so you can get your damn feet off my desk and get the hell out of here. You can schedule a damn appointment through my secretary like everyone else."

I perked up with curiosity. The queen could see him. "You don't look that busy," Kyrian argued. "Maybe you do look like we just interrupted a steamy session with an underling when we set off the alarm, but I think that can wait. Your underling will still be there, waiting to lick you after negotiations."

"I was doing warehouse inspections," the queen growled.

"Oh, so you're fine," Kyrian drawled. "And where is dear Fallyn? Will she be joining us today, or is she indisposed?"

"She's away on business," Tatiana hissed.

"Well, I'm sure she trusts you to act in her interest as well. Let's get these negotiations underway so that I can get back to what I enjoy doing, you can get back to being licked, and dear Bria can go back to massacring and demolishing entire cities."

Follow my lead, Kyrian had urged. This was just an act, I reminded myself. I forced myself to settle back into the office chair. I brought one leg over the other. "It doesn't even have to be that long. You know what we want, and Kyrian brought me here. Isn't that what you wanted in the first place? I'm here. I've graced you with my presence, so just hand over the instrument, and we'll be on our way. You can go back to that underling of yours. I know how pleasant getting that area serviced is, especially if it's by someone who knows what they are doing." I said in Amara's haughty tone with a suggestive wiggle of my eyebrows.

Tatiana turned her glare on me. "You want to negotiate?" she hissed. She took a couple of steps into the office so that she could stand in between both desks. "I have several ideas as to what I want in return for the instrument." A darkness infected her words; it made me falter. I wasn't certain if Kyrian had chosen the appropriate tactic. Perhaps we should have tried a stealthier one. Maybe we should have scheduled that damn appointment.

"What is that?" Kyrian inquired.

A slow smile graced Tatiana's mouth. "Have you told Little Miss Bria here about Adriana?"

I forgot how to breathe for seconds, and the Amara facade slipped a little as I checked the other desk. Silence reigned over there. Without knowing the entire story, I knew Adriana was a trigger for Kyrian, even all these millennia later. Her betrayal had been enough to send him spiraling into suicidal ideation. Evangeline had commented that Kyrian had never been the same afterwards. "We aren't that close," Kyrian drawled smoothly.

"Really. Isn't that peculiar?" Tatiana remarked. Her gaze flittered over to me before darting back over to Kyrian. "You weren't tempted again? You have to know."

"I learn the first time I'm burnt," Kyrian declared.

"And she cursed you." There was wonder in the queen's voice. Her eyes became distant. She was accessing information from some unknown source. "It was inactive as long as you remained separated from the seraphim after your rebirth, and then it was activated after you took up your wings again. No one can appreciate your handsomeness, or they will activate a part of the curse that will most likely annihilate you." The queen released a chuckle and shook her head. "Adriana must have some faerie blood in her, because her curse is quite sinister. I'm impressed. No wonder you're perpetually grouchy."

I released an enormous sigh. Focusing on digging out some dirt underneath my fingernails and appearing nonchalant, I asked, "Can we go back to negotiations, please? I don't want to be here all afternoon. I have things to do, cities to burn down." I moved my legs to her sister's desk.

Tatiana shifted on her feet. "And if I told you I want you to look at Kyrian, activate that part of the dormant curse, would you do it? If I gave you the instrument in return for it?" Her request made me hesitate. "You must be curious about what he looks like. He could be a stranger, and a beautiful one at that, or he could be someone you know. You are truly content with walking around with him, oblivious to exactly who he is? You're content with not knowing him fully with all five senses?"

I forced myself to remain calm and continued to display Amara's haughtiness. The queen was only trying to sow seeds of doubt in my mind. I dropped my hands to my lap and instead rotated my ankle on her sister's desk. "I don't understand why you are demanding something as stupid as that. Is it fear? Is that why you're acting out and trying to unnerve us?"

"It isn't that simple, girl."

I wrapped a strand of my hair around my finger. "What are you afraid of?" I forced feigned sympathy into my tone. Tatiana stared at me, refusing to answer my question. I released a haughty laugh that tipped my head back into the chair's cushion. "You can't believe what the elf king said at that stupid meeting you had with the archangel. It was all paranoia. There is only one thing that matters in this universe, and it's power. Many people thrive on trying to achieve absolute power. You know that the chancellor is just trying to unite the instruments to create a new world, and you're just going to shun the opportunity that is there? Stupid, in my opinion. You join with him now, you show your goodwill by giving me the instrument, I'm sure you'll be granted more power in paradise than you have now. Wouldn't you like to move on from this dump and into your own palace?"

Tatiana was not in the remotest sense persuaded. Yet, a gleam came to her eyes when I mentioned power, as if I had just reminded her of hers. That was the worst mistake I could have made. We had cornered her, and she retaliated.

Her transformations were seamless. Her office disappeared from around us, and instead of a chair with a padded cushion, I found myself sitting on a tree trunk. My feet were planted in wildflowers; the entire valley was covered in them. Off in the distance, I could see snow-capped mountain peaks stretching towards the blue sky. Kyrian was gone; she had banished him out of this illusion. My throat clogged up against the urge to call out his name. How far did her illusion stretch? Would he be able to hear me? And what about Tatiana—were her intentions here good or bad?

The environment was not the only thing she transformed. She had altered her appearance as well. Her dark hair cascaded down her back. I froze, unable to breathe. My mind fought against itself. By sight, I recognized the woman. By heart, that recognition was there. Yet, so was the logic. My mother had been dead for over a decade, and she certainly was not one of the two faerie queens. This was all an illusion. "And what if that is not what the instruments are used for, Bria?" the faerie queen asked behind the shield of my mother's face. "What if they are used for something more ominous?"

"Sebastien told me it was to achieve paradise," I protested around my dry mouth.

"What if Sebastien is a demon wearing an angel's face?" Tatiana questioned in a sing-song voice.

"You don't have to wear her face," I snapped. I warily stood on the perimeter of the wildflower field. A part of me wanted to flee, even though it would be for nothing.

"I thought it would make you happy. No? Did I hit a nerve?" The faery queen tilted her head. Her eyes searched my face. Her next transformation was instantaneous. Its lack of transition put me on edge. Yet, Galileo now stood about a yard away from me. His perpetually tanned skin and burly frame looked out of place in the wildflower valley. Agitated, I pressed my lips tightly together and crossed my arms. "How about this, Bria? Will this be a better face to do our negotiations in?"

"Where's Kyrian?" I growled out through clenched teeth.

"Preoccupied." The queen's laugh through the illusion was unnerving. It was way too carefree compared to the focused, analytical man Galileo was. "After last time, he was already on my nerves. He's always so full of demands." Despite the hatred I felt for my unlikely companion, I felt concerned. "Relax, Bria. He's going to be okay. Just will have a large hangover in the morning when it fades out of his system. He's with the revelers right now. Stoned out of his mind. Don’t worry, he'll be his same grumpy self in the morning. It's really an improvement to his personality, and I know you agree with me." Tatiana paused. "I don't know why you even care. That man is a hard person to love. Too many wounds, and yet, he thinks he has the right to judge everyone and everything with those little beady eyes of his. He walks around like he can see everyone's soul. Is that a man you want to be paired up with?"

I refused to answer her questions with anything except silence. Information was power, and if I was going to get out of here with the instrument and Kyrian, I had to limit hers. With Galileo's smug face staring at me, waiting for me to answer, it was too much. "Will you stop wearing other people's faces?" I snapped.

"I thought you would be thrilled to see your mother and advisor. Weren't they taken from you way too early?" Tatiana forced Galileo's lips to pout.

I pushed a strand of my hair away from my face. Realizing I was fidgeting, I forced my hand down by my side.

Sighing theatrically, Tatiana transformed again.

Hawk faced me now. He glanced at me expectantly, as if waiting for applause or for me to be jolted into a run into his arms. There was a deep yearning to be in his presence, just as there had been with my mother minutes ago. Had I not been aware of the powers of illusion these daemeyri exercised, I would have been wrapped around the faery queen's finger. The faery queen, wearing Hawk's identity, spun around, throwing his head back and letting his arms fly at his sides. "Come, dance with me, Bria!" he called out.

My fists clenched at my sides. "Please stop toying with me," I hissed through my teeth. My mind was a chaotic mess. The faerie queen, with all her transformations, had made me reactionary. I had to figure out how to shift the power so that I was on the offensive.

Tatiana stopped her twirling. Her head tilted as mischief played across her face. "This doesn't please you?" I let my glare provide her with the answer to her question. With one large sigh, the queen discarded Hawk's identity and assumed her original one. Her blonde hair covered the length of her body, while her eyes were an unnatural blue, almost mimicking the cerulean sky. A forest green dress was draped around her body, revealing her body at sharp angles. She stalked towards me. I remained where I was, scared that if I took a step from where I was standing, I would be consumed by whatever enchantment she had wrapped around me. The queen walked around me, as if she was inspecting me. Gritting my teeth together, I stared straight ahead at a distant tree.

"Are you done?" I inquired when she stopped in front of me again.

The queen's eyebrows shifted upward. "You're a sassy one, aren't you?"

"I don't know why I'm here. I hope it isn’t because you want me to applaud all your illusions." I snapped.

"You know exactly why you're here," Tatiana smirked. "It's the same reason your mother, boyfriend, and predecessor came here to petition us. Only, we did not think they were deserving." The queen's comment was enough for me to hesitate and disrupt all my derogatory thoughts. My thoughts fired off rapidly, too quickly for me to process and verbalize them. Kyrian isn't my boyfriend. When was my mother here? What do you mean by my predecessor? Unfortunately, the queen was observant enough to see the confusion flooding my thoughts. "There's a lot that is still concealed from you. Youth can be a burden sometimes, as there is power in knowledge. Still." Tatiana snapped her fingers. The illusion was tied to the sound, and the wildflowers faded.

I now stood in a circular room surrounded by multiple doors. The sunlight from the previous illusion had vanished, and I wished it hadn't. An eeriness accompanied these new shadows in this hollow, circular atrium. The atrium was tall enough that I could not see the ceiling in the shadows above me. Mystery lurked behind the doors, as they were all alike. Cluttered end tables were pushed up against the walls in between the doors. Various odd trinkets covered their surfaces. I saw empty glass vases, jewels, and stones that had been carved into animals. Glass had been blown into roses. An antique pair of glasses sat next to a small vial containing a dried herb. As I orientated myself with my new surroundings, the queen walked to one of the end tables on my left. I shifted on my feet, unwilling to let her out of my sight. The queen had no reservations about her own vulnerabilities: she never hesitated to have her back turned towards me. She picked up an item from the table after a brief visual search of the surface.

Pivoting around, she faced me. She held a small dagger before her; her gaze considering it. Gasping, I stumbled backwards. My eyes wildly scanned the doors surrounding me. They all offered a double-edged choice. With any of the potential doors I opened, I would be stepping into the unknown, and perhaps into an even more dangerous environment. My eyes flew back to Tatiana, whose own eyes shifted to mine above the dagger's blade. A small smile formed on her face. "You're a bit finicky for a hero, aren't you? You don't trust me? Must be Sebastien's influence." Her fingers released the hilt so that it was balancing on her palm, and she revealed more of the weapon. Jewels had been inserted into the hilt.

"I don't know which one you are," I noted.

Smile still in place, the queen stepped forward. "You mean the good queen or the evil queen?"

I nodded. Apprehension churned my blood as the queen approached.

"We are one of the same, my sister and me. Those descriptions of good and evil are not accurate enough. After all, we were cast out of both heaven and hell when we petitioned both realms for sanctuary. I guess the answer to that riddle is that we are neither. We just subscribe to what feels good. Trickery amuses us, but for the most part, we don't tease out of hatred." When she was only a step away, the queen spun the dagger around so that she held the blade gently in her hands. She offered the hilt to me. I loathed to accept it. My fists twitched at my side. Tatiana laughed softly, and went on to say, "This only reveals your innocence in these matters. You really are unaware of what is happening in the universe. The good part of that is that you know you lack the knowledge of all the movers and all the pieces. You recognize that, and you have the right to be scared. I can smell your fear on you. It makes me want to give you a dose of our nectar to get you to relax, to listen to reason, to understand that you shouldn't fear me. The faeries have always been the ones who have been persecuted. Thus, we're the ones with the potential for great sympathy and compassion. Yet, you're standing here before me, frightened, not really realizing that I'm giving you something that could harm my people more after we've already seen ages of persecution."

It finally registered that Tatiana was giving me the dagger. I glanced at it as the proper connections were being created in my mind. The dagger was one of the Instruments of Korre. Doubt seeped into my thoughts. If my mother, Galileo, Sebastien, and then Kyrian had been here before me, and she hadn't deemed them worthy, then this had to be another trick. "Why?" I breathed. "Why are you giving it to me?"

"The seraph was betrayed by the mages ages ago. The entire universe witnessed the repercussions from that. We were there when he spiraled out of control; he came to us. He wanted to be put into a permanent stupor with all the nectar we had. He was shattered into a thousand pieces. After all Adriana put him through... the fact that he brought a mage back here to get something that was given to us from Aurora tells me he believes in this paradise. It tells me it is time for the concordat to be dissolved, just like Aurora said it would eventually.”

Tatiana's expression softened. This was the first time I had seen any emotional vulnerability from the queen. "After all this time, it's hard to believe that it’s time.”

Hardly breathing, I reached up to collect the dagger from the queen. My hands were shaking as the dagger exchanged ownership.

It was like I was under another enchantment. The queen’s statements should have made me question everything that was happening, and yet I remained calm, focused on the dagger. There was nothing significant about it. I didn't feel any jolts of excitement from holding it. At least with the sapphire necklace Sebastien had me wear during the masquerade, there was some emotional connection with it, even if it was just an appreciation of its beauty. The dagger was tarnished. The only shine that it emitted came from the tip of the largest emerald, which was the only jewel not smeared with dirt and dust. The hilt and blade needed polishing.

"I'm sure. It's time."

I glanced up from the blade just as Tatiana waved her hand, and one of the doors opened. Beyond its threshold, I could see the revel in the clearing. The music and laughter carried into the circular foyer, brightening the shadows. "Go, Bria. You have what you came here for. Get the seraph and leave." Afraid to breathe, to even think that the instrument's retrieval had been too easy—that the tricks had been lacking—I nodded. I resisted the urge to bow before my departure and went towards the open door. My steps were weighted with my hesitation, my back stiff with paranoia that the queen would find another dagger amongst the cluttered tables to install into my spine. Yet, I made it to the threshold unmolested.

I was barely over the threshold when the door slammed behind me. My senses were accosted at once with the blaring music and abundant, nauseating smells. Frantically, I searched the area for the seraph. Faces blurred together so much that I didn't find him with my first casting search. Then, on my second, I saw a crowd of people surrounding one area. I could only assume that they were surrounding Kyrian. I ran through the clearing, dodging the revelers. When I got to the crowd, I pushed people aside. My assumption was proven correct, and at the last moment, I looked away from the man slumped against a chair carved out of a tree trunk. His invisibility shield had slipped. The faeries were staring at him with no regard for the curse. Some were stroking his wings with longing and admiration. I didn't know enough about the curse to trust that I wouldn't activate it. Maybe the curse was unresponsive to the faeries because of their demon blood.

Instead, I shoved the dagger into my waistband and went to help Kyrian. My knees buckled; I almost collapsed under his weight when I got him to his feet. The seraph weighed twice the amount I did. His head lolled onto my shoulder. Gritting my teeth, I straightened enough to stumble forward a step. Kyrian followed, his feet dragging. The faeries surrounding us stepped back. I focused on the opening they created, and then the point where the trail started up again. Through sheer force of will, I got Kyrian to the trailhead. The faeries followed us. Once there, I grunted, "Kyrian, can you get us back?"

Kyrian's head fell off my shoulder and onto his chest. He mumbled, "Paper flowers in the sky. The crescent moon tinkling..."

I exhaled in frustration before one faery behind me twittered. One of them—the one with extra-long fingers, purple hair, and bugs—tossed glitter at my feet. I felt several hands shove against my back. The force was too much, and I stumbled forward into the glitter. My feet tangled with Kyrian's. I coughed as the wind picked up around me, tossing some of the glitter into my mouth. I was soon in the middle of the whirlwind’s tight embrace, it whipping my hair around and obstructing my vision, until there was nothing. The wind disappeared along with the music and faerie chortling, and I found myself back in my apartment's serene living area.

It was with a massive relief that I let Kyrian fall onto the longer couch. Feeling alongside of him, I found his legs and lifted them up onto the couch. I kept my gaze averted as to not activate the curse. With a large breath, I took a step backwards.

The exertion of using his magic, faerie nectar, and horizontal position had forced Kyrian into a stupor. I could hear his breathing become more rhythmic and the shifting of his body as he unconsciously settled into a more comfortable position. I hoped that the faerie nectar mimicked the effects of alcohol and not a true opiate, so Kyrian would sleep off the substance and be back to his agitating judgmental self.

My hand found its way into my waistband, where it located the faeries' dagger. I pulled out the instrument. There was no reason to hold on to it, not when Sebastien had started a collection of the other instruments, and someone had tried to steal one of them. Besides, I wanted to inform him of my progress and the day's success. I was eager to renew his confidence in assigning the task to me. I left Kyrian lying on the apartment's couch, where he would be safe until he woke up, and went to give Sebastien the dagger.

Sebastien was delighted when I passed the instrument over to him, if a little surprised. As neither of us knew Kyrian had finally consented to work on the assignment, the day's turn of events had been unexpected. I left Sebastien's office with the promise of finding more instruments soon. Yet, he had to wait. The sun was already setting, and I was scheduled to meet with Macaila and Cassiah at the Amhersts' row house. Mr. Amherst was cooking tonight.

A part of my mind was on Kyrian as I walked to Macaila's home. My thoughts were layered with concern, and a bit of amusement—especially when I thought about Jay coming to my apartment and finding the seraph on my couch—that is, if he had been in the city and not at Caligo. That would have churned up its own chaos. The two males had extreme stubborn and headstrong personalities I was certain their first encounter wouldn't be smooth.

When I arrived at the Amherst home, Macaila and Cassiah were already waiting for me on the stoop just outside of the front door. Excitement flared within me at the sight of them and I rushed towards the stoop. The two weeks had been enough time for Macaila to acquire highlights in her dark brown hair. The two of them were turned inwards towards each other, as if they were having a private and intense conversation. They were bundled against the elements. Macaila noticed me first, as she had been performing a constant scan of the road. She immediately halted the conversation—which seemed important—and broke out into a run towards me. I barely stopped in time before she slammed into me, and her arms wrapped around me in an embrace. My arms awkwardly returned it.

"You're here!" she exclaimed, squeezing me tighter.

I laughed. "I wouldn’t miss it for anything! You have no idea how much I was looking forward to this."

"You have no idea how much I missed you!"

Cassiah, who'd approached at a much slower pace, smiled, shaking his head. "You two act like you haven't seen each other in years."

Macaila squeezed me even tighter. "She's my best friend!" she professed before releasing me and taking a step back. I was aware that we were standing right in the middle of pedestrian traffic. Our threesome was forcing it to reroute around us. Although we got a few passing glares and insults mumbled underneath breaths, I ignored everything else. "Where did you go after your class with Leander? We finished our class a bit early and went to look for you!" Macaila explained.

"I wasn't there," I explained. "I was visiting the faeries."

"What?" Macaila's eyebrows shot up in disbelief. "The daemeyri hate us now."

"I know. It was unexpected for me, too. Kyrian just came into Leander's classroom and announced that he needed me to come with him to the faeries."

Macaila shook her head in disbelief. She raised one of her hands as if to stop me from speaking any further. She didn't even escalate into her usual excited frenzy whenever Kyrian came up in our conversations. "There are so many questions I want to ask right now. Unfortunately, they have to wait."

I nodded and jerked my chin towards the entrance to her home. "Let's go. I'm famished. I'll tell you everything after dinner."

I waited for Macaila and Cassiah to move with me. When they didn't, I hesitated and waited for an explanation. Looking uncomfortable, Macaila brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Bria," she started. "I know you expected dinner tonight, but something came up."

"What's going on?" I stared at the two of them. Neither of them would look me in the eye. There was a shadow of reluctance surrounding Macaila, while Cass kept his emotions checked.

Macaila threw an examining glance around us until her eyes finally fell on a squad of soldiers who had just arrived on the street. Her lips fell into a frown, although the soldiers only gave us a passing glance. Shaking her head, Macaila's gaze returned to me. "Just trust us, will you?" She pivoted towards her home and darted up the stairs. With more force than necessary, she yanked the door open. I followed her directly across the threshold, with Cassiah taking up the rear.

Mr. and Mrs. Amherst were present in the main living quarters of the family home. Mr. Amherst was seated on the couch with a magazine spread out before him on his lap. His tapping foot revealed his apprehension. Mrs. Amherst was pacing behind the couch. Her arms were crossed. Her back was tense as her eyes flickered upwards towards the ceiling. Her lips barely made a smile as she acknowledged me with a small nod. Meaghan was absent, and then I remembered she had taken an extended break in Nicaragua.

"Well, here she is," Macaila announced boldly before moving towards the dining table and pulling down on her scarf so she could breathe easily. "Exactly as you asked me to do." Her irritated words were directed toward her father. Her lips pressed tightly together. She leaned against the table and crossed her arms. Her glare landed on the ground. Mr. Amherst opened his mouth to say something back to his daughter before abruptly (and probably wisely) shutting it again.

There was one aspect of my reaction that I couldn't control, and that was the tenseness in my body that flared up over Macaila's words. Had she delivered me for slaughter? The only reason I had not fled yet was because Cassiah still stood at my back.

"Go upstairs to the roof," Mr. Amherst advised me.

"Why?" I questioned. I sought Macaila in the attempt to get answers from her. Her gaze was downcast, refusing to meet mine. Cassiah's was skillfully blank. Mr. Amherst just shook his head, as if he didn't want to voice the reason. Mrs. Amherst continued her pacing.

With a sigh and heavy, apprehensive steps, I found my way towards the staircase. My ascent was slow, methodical, wary. I paused every so often to glance above me to check the shadows lingering in the landings and listen for any noises that would reveal what type of surprise waited for me on the roof. There was nothing. A part of me was reluctant to follow through with the Amhersts' orders. The day had already been long, starting with Leander's tedious magic lesson, and then progressing into dealing with one of the faerie queens. My energy was depleted, and I didn't feel like playing anymore games.

Upon my last step up onto the roof, I quickly stepped to the right of the threshold and scanned the seating area. Two people were standing in the shadows along the perimeter. One of them I had seen recently at the sunken castle. Metternich was now within the confines of the Amhersts' rooftop patio. He was protected against the cold's sting by a bulky jacket, scarf, and knitted hat.

My eyes darted over to identify the second man.

My incredulous gasp left my lips before I could halt it.

"Galileo?"