Polly remembered the last time she had seen her father and how he scolded her for letting her emotions overtake her. This resulted in her pissing off a prominent nobleman who her father had to pay off to appease. She couldn’t stand it, though. She despised that they, the royal family, were at the mercy of the nobles. Her father claimed it was essential for preserving peace, but she begged to differ. There had to be a line somewhere. Her father’s weak will made the nobles lack respect for him or any royal family member. She understood the value of keeping good relations with the nobles, but they also needed to understand they were subjects of the Salvador family.

She couldn’t help but partially blame her father for her current predicament. Maybe if he had been a stronger king, they wouldn’t have needed to seek help from an inept wizard. Damn the maniacal wizard for taunting her this way!

A towering figure emerged from the shadows, dressed in a silver cloak made of the finest silk. The figure wore a golden lion mask, and the cloak hood was draped over their head. Through the slits in the mask, she could see cold, dark eyes glowing.

“You look smaller than I remember, Princess,” the nasal voice beneath the mask said. “How’s that going for you?” A high-pitched laugh resounded around the room. “Well then, I have to say, I am so glad we have the opportunity to reacquaint ourselves in this way, aren’t you?”

A chill slithered up Polly’s spine. He could crush her right now if he wanted to. But she refused to show fear. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. Even if this were her dying day, she would go out fighting. She had a kingdom on her shoulders, after all.

“Yes, it is quite nice for us to reacquaint in this way,” Polly said in the politest tone she could muster. “I’ve traveled quite far, so I see it’s only right if you show me the McGuffin.”

The Great Wizard Berlin laughed uproariously.

But Princess Polina Salvador would be damned before she let that inept wizard best her. She would get the McGuffin and return to her true love, Prince Claude. At least she hoped she could return to him, but was he even thinking of her? He had been alone with Jynet this whole time and probably thought Polly had abandoned him.

No. She couldn’t think of him right now. She had to focus on the task at hand.

“I am prepared to make a deal,” Polly told him. “Name your price.”

The Great Wizard Berlin was silent, and that silence stretched into what felt like minutes. His dark eyes stared daggers at her.

“You are so stupid,” Berlin said, though his voice had a distinct baritone this time, surprising her. It almost sounded familiar. “You have disappointed me, Polina.”

Polly’s eyes widened. That voice—it couldn’t be. Could it?

“The McGuffin isn’t real,” Berlin said with an aggravated sigh. “I thought you were supposed to be the smart one. How could you not see it?”

“Given that I’m here, you had to know the McGuffin was the reason,” Polina snapped. “Or else why would I ever come to this dreadful place?”

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“I thought you had figured out the truth of the matter,” Berlin said. “Maybe it was just naïve hope on my part, though. Perhaps you never intended to make good on your promise.”

Polly titled her head in puzzlement. “I do not know what you speak of, sir.”

“I am not a sir,” Berlin said.

“You are The Great Wizard Berlin,” Polina said. “If you’re not a sir, then what are you?”

Berlin let out an annoyed grunt. “I see, the stupidity continues.” He paused briefly, then locked eyes with her. “Come on, Polina. Now I think you’re just playing dumb on purpose.”

Polly shook her head vigorously, a slight tremble in her tone. “No. I can’t believe it. You wouldn’t do this. Not to me. You wouldn’t turn my entire world into ash. You are not—”

The Great Wizard Berlin removed his mask and carelessly flung it.

Polly’s breath stilled, and her eyes grew wide. The young man who stood before her was her older half-brother Oliver. He was bastard born and, therefore, had no legitimate claim to the throne. They were close as children, despite this fact, but one day he just up and left. It had been a couple of years since she’d last seen him—or so she thought anyway. How long had he been masquerading as The Great Wizard Berlin, and why would he do such a thing?

“Oliver—I don’t understand—why—why would you do this? What is this even? The Great Wizard Berlin? What is the point of it all?”

“The name isn’t the point,” Oliver told her. “I certainly couldn’t take action as myself, could I?”

It hit Polly then—he had done it on purpose. Turning her into a parrot and other nobles in the court into various animals wasn’t a mere mistake of an inept wizard—it was planned. He wanted this to happen. No, he expected it to happen.

“Why would you do this, Oliver? Do you see me? Look at me! I’m a damned parrot!”

“You promised when you came of age that you would get me recognized at court,” Oliver said. “But did you follow through? No, of course not! Because you see me as a threat to your crown! You put your selfish ambitions above familial bonds.”

“As heir to the throne, I must make decisions that serve the crown’s interests,” Polly said, ruffling her feathers. “I’m sorry to say, having you be recognized would be detrimental. I live in the world. I know most nobles abhor the idea of a woman taking the throne, so why should I give them a choice? It will be a cold day in hell before a bastard born takes the throne from me.”

“It will be hard for you to rule given your current predicament,” Oliver said with a smirk.

“I will rule even if I have to spend an eternity in this damned parrot body,” Polly said. “I believe in time, the nobles will come to accept the situation, regardless.”

“I will stop you,” Oliver said, flames dancing on the edges of his fingertips.

Polly froze in place. This was such a confined area. How would she get out of this one?