“Captain Bluebeard,” she said with distaste. Slowly, she made her way towards my father and I, her armor and weapons clinking. “You’re lucky you aren’t dead. They say he murders all his wives.”
“Not true,” I said, keeping my voice as even as I could beneath her ice-blue glare. How had that news reached Aegle already? “I’d introduce you to him, but he’s cursed at the moment.”
My mother’s usual steely gaze flickered. My father laughed.
“I’m sure he deserved it,” he said.
“He didn’t. What are you doing here?”
“We came to help, of course,” my mother said stiffly. She lowered her voice to a whisper. “Half the fleet is waiting at the river. We’ve taken over a small town and rode their horses here. We’re ready to break the blockade with the rest ofCarabosse.”
“You—what?”
“You bested the royals of Endergeist with your magic, and now they think they can retaliate?” My mother seemed to grow larger. “No one makes demands of a daughter of Aegle! More than that, no one touchesmy daughter.”
My eyes widened, my mind whirling too fast to let my mother’s protective, almost proud words sink in. “Say that again?”
But no matter how many times I heard it, the fact remained:
If I ever woke Jax, I’d need to apologize for underestimating him again.
“Five pirate ships,” Headmaster Wolfe repeated, stunned, “and three dozen Aeglean raiders.”
I nodded, seated politely while the headmaster paced, her stack of bright purple hair bobbing at each turn.
“How long before they can be in place?”
“They’ll be there by morning,” I said, wincing. “I asked my parents to wait until I spoke to you, but they were…disinclined.”
We don’t take orders from Dewspell,were their exact words.
Headmaster Wolfe didn’t even seem to notice. “Thank the gods that are left, now we can get the queen off our backs. I tell you, Sorceress Dar’Vester, I’m not sure we could’ve held out much longer. I’ll summon the deans and masters at once. We’ll have a proposal of mediation ready by then.”
“Actually, headmaster,” I said, summoning my courage, “I would like to make an offer to King Venet myself.”
The truth was, I’d already sent that offer via paper messenger bird. The king wouldn’t accept it—but by morning, I had reason to believe he’d change his mind.
My parents were right. It turned out I didn’t take orders from Dewspell anymore, either.
“What sort of offer?” the headmaster asked, her full attention on me like an owl watching a mouse.
I’d always been a little afraid of Headmaster Wolfe. Now, the only thing I truly feared was staying Dewspell’s villain forever.
“After extensive studying with the help of Master Aynia,” I said, “I’ve decided it would be within the bounds of my role as a balancer to modify the curse I placed on Princess Auravelle.”
Her eyes narrowed. “That’s unacceptable. Until we can track down the rogue fairy godmothers who so selfishly bestowed her with gifts, the princessmustremain cursed as she is.”
“I disagree.”
“Godmother Dar’Vester, you are sworn to be a balancer and to conserve the fragile magic we have left—“
The description of my duties was the last thing I wanted to hear. I knew the words well enough on my own. I could recite them in my dreams. I sometimes did.
My duty was the shield I had hidden behind for so long. Now, my choices would be my own again.
“I gave my resignation to Master Aynia earlier this afternoon,” I said. “Villainy should always be a choice, Headmaster. I’m choosing not to be the villain anymore.”
Headmaster Wolfe froze. “Your position has nothing to do with villainous intent…”
