“Well, well, one of the mirrored princesses in the flesh. As I live and breathe...” Her raspy voice is weathered but strong despite her advanced age.
The Guardians with us crowd closer to the queen and me, as if urging us to move along. Isolde’s fingers brush my elbow.
I step away from her grasp and push towards the elderly witch. “Madam, are you speaking to me?”
The witch’s eyes swivel up from the trinket she is working on, straight up at me, shocking me with the crystal-clear white around her irises. Her body may be failing and aged, but her ethereal blue eyes look as clear as a child’s. I take a step back at the intensity of her gaze. It feels almost as if she’s touching my skin.
“Of course, darling, you are one of the mirrored princesses, are you not? I never thought I would live to see the day.” She’s taking me in now, a soft smile on her face, looking me up and down. Like she’s trying to memorize every detail about me.
“This is to be the Queen of Castara, crone. Do not speak so carelessly!” a young Guardian snaps.
“Princess, let us continue. Now,” Isolde commands from behind me. It sounds as if some of the Guardians have already pulled her farther away.
I don’t turn to confirm it. My eyes are frozen on the witch. She pushes from the chair to stand up. Her clothing hanging loosely from her frail body. The young Guardian reaches for my arm, and she pops his wrist with the stick she was carving. He drops his hand.
“I know who she is, you fool!Do you?” she hisses at him.
Suddenly, Niko is there and takes a position directly behind me. I ignore him. “Madam, what do you mean when you call me a ‘mirrored’princess?”
“Oh, darling”—her voice is softer as she turns back to me—“they have hidden so much.” She makes a tsking noise, shaking her head, but there is sadness in her eyes.
“Enough,” Isolde calls out with a hint of urgency. “Bring the princess to me.”
The old woman strikes out with another burst of speed. With surprising strength, she grips my wrist. Her sharp nails dig in but not enough to break skin. When I instinctively pull back, she jerks me a step towards her.
“She needs to know!” Her words are focused over my shoulder in the direction of Isolde. “She needs to know why the star burnt out!” Her eyes are wilder with each word.
Niko does interfere now, inserting himself between the witch and me. Shouting at everyone else to remain calm, he puts me at his back. My arm is stretched around his body, still in the witch’s grip. As he carefully but firmly attempts to free me, the intensity in her gaze has me frozen.
“Trust no one but the future king,” she whispers over his shoulder, just as Niko separates us.
Her words to Isolde begin to sink in. Someone shoves me towards the other Guardians, and I crane my head back towards her. “Star? Star… you mean...” My mind is reeling. “Are you talking about Nova?” I’m nearly shouting now, my voice rushed.
A Guardian lifts my feet from the cobblestones, dragging me away.
“The prophecy, child.” Her eyes look frantic, and she is barely whispering, but the words carry to me on the icy wind. “The prophecy will tell you all.”
It’s the last thing I can hear her say. A small bell above her door chimes. A Guardian shoves her into the shop while I’m carried down the street.
“Stop!” I’m pushing against a Guardian’s chest. “I want to hear what she has to say!” They can’t possibly see this tiny, elderly female as a threat. “Stop!” I yell again. We’re now well down the cobblestones.
When they finally release me, rage is humming through my blood. I shove the guard that had me in his hold. Turningtowards Niko, I say, “What is wrong with you and your men?! She was a little old lady! I wanted to hear her out.”
His head dips towards the ground immediately, “Princess, I apologize, but with the current situation, it’s my duty?—”
“She was a witch,” Isolde snaps as she steps between the Lord Commander and me. Any concern in her voice is gone, replaced with rage. “A witch who assaulted you. I’m aware that you aren’t accustomed to them, but we could not risk it. They prey on those who have lost loved ones. It’s common knowledge that your sister passed. Don’t let her antics manipulate you. You’ll have to be smarter than that as the queen.” She practically spits the last part.
“Assaulted me? Are you serious?” The witch definitely did not assault me. I look to Niko and the other Guardians for some agreement, but they don’t seem to be interested in contradicting Isolde.
“We should return to the castle,” she says through gritted teeth. “I’m sure the council will be wrapping up soon.”
My mind spins. Wasthe witch trying to manipulate me? Or is everyone else manipulating me?
I look from Isolde to Niko to the castle where the three princes are waiting. I’m not sure who, but someone is lying to me about Nova.
And I will figure it out.
Chapter
