The crowd cheered and King Hendrix raised his fist. “This calls for a celebratory ball!” His voice grew even louder as he roared, “History will look back on this day as the first day we took towards finally defeating our enemy! Victory will be ours!”
The crowd stomped their feet in unison and cheered in celebration, “All hail King Hendrix! Long Live the King!”
“All Hail King Hendrix! Long Live the King!”
“All Hail King Hendrix! Long Live the King!”
Smiling, King Hendrix turned and said to a nearby servant, “It’ll be tomorrow night. Make the necessary preparations. It will be open to the court, and our knights, as well as any wealthy citizens.” The servant nodded and scurried off.
“Our kingdom will be practically unstoppable with two unicorns at our disposal,” the king said to no one in particular before he turned to Luna, his gaze hardening. “You will be required to transform at the ball.”
Taken aback, Luna asked, “What if I can’t?” What happened to keeping her identity a secret?
“I suggest you figure it out. You won’t like the outcome I have in store for you if you fail.”
As Luna rounded the corner, she spotted Darius standing in the hallway, bathed in the muted light filtering through. His eyes lit up and he extended his arms, ready for her. Luna sprinted forward, her feet barely touching the carpet before she was in his embrace, the impact making him stagger slightly, but his hold remained firm.
“My daughter, how I missed you.”
At his words, a surge of warmth burst through Luna’s chest, overwhelming and fierce. Tears welled up, blurring her vision as the significance of ‘daughter’ sank in—it was acceptance, belonging . . . everything she had ever yearned for. Clinging to him, Luna buried her face deeper against his shoulder, her voice lost in the swell of emotions.
He patted her back, his voice low and soothing. “I know, sweetheart, I know. It’s going to be okay.”
She stepped back, shaking her head as the words struck her—not with comfort, but with the stark realization of their disparity. “You wouldn’t say that if you knew everything that’s happened.”
“Maybe not, but change isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Why don’t we go for a stroll so we can talk about it?”
Luna hesitated, knowing full well Clyde was behind her. “I’m supposed to go back to my room.”
With a sly grin, Darius said, “Then it’s a good thing I have the king’s permission.”
At this, Luna turned to Clyde, seeking confirmation; he responded with a subtle nod, indicating he was already in the loop.
Reassured, though still puzzled why the king would involve her father, Luna followed Darius out to the pathways. Clyde quietly trailed a few feet behind.
The path Darius chose wound its way around, as if the palace grounds were a sprawling green field. Clusters of late-blooming flowers and neatly trimmed bushes bordered it as it followed a small creek, which eventually widened into a calm lake. Ahead, the familiar gazebo where Luna and the ladies once enjoyed afternoon tea stood, its presence now tugging at her heart.
Breaking the silence, Darius said, “Your mother and sister miss you.”
The clouded sky cast a muted palette, and a brisk wind carried a chilly embrace that sent shivers down Luna’s spine. “I wish things could go back to how they were.”
“They can,” he blurted out. He then turned his head right and left, checking that they were alone, which they were, apart from Clyde. “May I have a private moment with my daughter?” Darius asked the guard.
Clyde bowed and stepped back, taking up a position nearby. With her hand linked around his arm, Darius guided Luna down the path, clearly intent on ensuring Clyde was far enough away to not overhear—not that Luna blamed him. Clyde already knew more than she wanted.
“The king has informed me of his plans for you,” Darius said as they continued their walk, lowering his voice to barely a whisper, “given that you’re a unicorn and all.”
She stumbled. She’d never get used to being called a unicorn, let alone her father referring to her that way. But, acceptance resonated in his voice, filling her heart with more warmth and relief. She tilted her head, curiosity piqued. “How long have you known?”
“We’ve known since you were a baby. The king sought us out, but we would have adopted you even without his prompting. Your mother and I fell in love with you the moment we laid eyes on you. It didn’t matter that you weren’t human; you were, and still are, our daughter, and we love you fiercely.
“Your mother and I agreed with the king that your life would be easier if you viewed yourself as human. So, we gifted you a necklace made of solidified unicornbane to keep your identity a secret, even from yourself,but there was an unexpected consequence. As a baby, you fell, like all toddlers do, and without your magic to heal you, you didn’t stop bleeding.” His voice cracked at the memories his words summoned. “There’s nothing more terrifying than watching your child bleed and bleed—dying— and being powerless to stop it.”
Though she hadn’t known her family was aware of her true identity; it all made much more sense now—even if it did nothing to quell her confusion and anger. Exposure to unicornbane dust affected unicorns’ magic abilities, including their healing ability. The necklacehadmade her ‘sick,’ but not in the way she’d been made to believe.
As they walked closer to the murmuring creek that fed into the lake, Darius shared more, “Your mother, being the quick thinker that she is, ripped that necklace off of you just in time. And eventually, you healed. But those few weeks, when your life hung in the balance, were agonizing. The healer explained that the longer you wore the necklace, the less likely your magic would rise to the surface in time to heal you if you got injured again. So, we asked for the king’s help, and he gave us everything we would need to keep you safe.”
They had lied to her, all under the guise of protecting her. She chewed the inside of her cheek, betrayal coiling inside her like a vise, pressing against her ribs and leaving her chest painfully constricted. They should’ve told her the truth, but at least now she understood the lies: They loved her and they had been trying to keep her safe. Could she really be upset with them for that?
