I nod, then will the room beyond us to dim. I gather the water in the air in an eerie mist, then stretch the plants across the tile so that they slither in serpentine spirals. Even though Thorne hides himself with his magic, I can see him clearly. A muscle in his jaw tightens, and his hands clench and unclench. We walk through the door of the antechamber together, Lunaria close behind. Thorne stands just beside me as I sit on the throne, body angled toward me in an athletic stance, as if he’s ready to jump in front of the throne at any moment. Lunaria lays at my feet, tail swishing with interest and eyes glowing.

We wait several minutes, the anticipation building. I know that the longer they take to arrive, the more time Carex and his team will have to search the Oakton manor, but I’m anxious for the meeting to begin. Despite Thorne’s protests, there are no Royal Guards here, so the silence in the room is oppressive. While we wait, I take deep calming breaths to center myself within the aether. I need to stay in control during the attack—I cannot slip and use too much aether. After another ten minutes, Lunaria yowls, alerting us to their approach, and I subtly put up a strong shield of light magic around Thorne to keep him safe.

The rebels blow the doors open with a magical explosion, then barge in. Their leader, who I now know as Krantz, stands in the middle of the group of three dozen fae, protected by those in front of him. Coward. Several others have his bright red hair—it’s a family affair, apparently. I wait for their dust to settle before sealing the doors closed behind them with a strong gale, winding plants through the handles so they cannot escape. All at once, the group tenses, noticing that I’m here alone and there’s no exit for them. Krantz only snarls.

“Now, now, there was no need for that,” I coo. “The doors were unlocked, and I was waiting here to greet you.” Three dozen apprehensive eyes glance around the room, though Krantz only pulls back his shoulders in arrogance. “Did you think I wouldn’t know when you breached my palace?” I ask, mock pity in my voice. “Oh, you did. How unfortunate for you.” I smile, wide and feral, as I let loose a wave of energy that shakes the room. Bits of rock and debris fall from the ceiling, not enough to hurt them but enough to make them duck out of the way and break their tight formation.

Krantz snarls, stepping to the front of the group. “It doesn’t matter. There are dozens of us and you’re alone,” he spits, clearly trying to rally his team after my magic rattled them. He takes another step toward me, and Lunaria hisses.