In eight years, the fae would come to claim Nora as a wife for their youngest prince.
In eight years, Sephia would be ready for them. She would take her sister’s place.Somehow, she would take her place.
And if the kingdom suffered for it, then so be it.
Chapter 1
8 Years Later
Sephia pushed her way through the trees, clutching a bottle of putrid-smelling liquid to her chest.
There were no birds flittering about. No rabbits scurrying nor deer bounding away from the crown princess’s frantic steps. The air smelled of honeysuckle and smoke and sea salt, all mingled together, all being carried in on an unnaturally warm wind that tingled with the faint energy of magic. The trees seemed to stretch and reach out for that wind as it brushed through them, as though trying to wrap the magic around their branches and keep it for themselves—
All signs that further twisted up Sephia’s already anxious stomach.
The Court of the Sun would arrive within the hour, she suspected.
She ran faster. Across the rocky hills and through the massive forest that encircled the town of Ocalith. Past the shrines where villagers came to lay offerings to their fae neighbors. Over clear streams edged with ice. Winter had arrived earlier than usual this year, and Sephia’s feet felt partially frozen despite the warm winds of magic and the fur lining of her boots. Every pounding step stung.
Finally, the trees around her thinned. She caught a glimpse of the afternoon sky, bright as a robin’s egg. A faint sliver of white was the only mark against the otherwise clear canvas.
The moon.
“It’s visible so early…” she muttered to herself.
Another bad omen.
As though the impending disaster needed anyomensto herald it. Everyone knew it was happening. For months, it had been all the people of Ocalith could talk about.
Sephia pushed on, making her way into the agreed-upon clearing.
Just ahead, Nora was waiting for her beneath the sycamore tree that had often served as a center point of their childhood games. They had carved faces and words and wishes into the grey bark of that tree, fashioned knotted ropes and crude swings to hang from its sprawling branches.
Nana Rosa had beenfuriousduring the only occasion when she’d actually caught the two of them climbing and swinging from one of the highest of those branches; Sephia could almost hear the old woman’s shrill voice echoing through the clearing, even now.
A fine thing it would be for one of you two to break your neck doing something so foolish—as if you don’t already worry your parents enough!
Nora had stuck to the lower branches after that scolding.
Sephia had found a way to climb higher, just to prove to herself that she could do it without getting caught.
It had been four years since Nora had been strong enough to climb anything.
But Sephia still occasionally helped her sister onto one of the lower swings, secured her hold on the frayed rope handles, and then sent her flying with a gentle push. There was something about leaning back in a swing, the sky rising and falling above you, hair dusting the ground…something that always made both of the sisters forget about their weaknesses and pains. About their obligations and the dangerous, uncertain futures that awaited them.
Nora stood just to the right of one of those crooked swings now, wearing a dress the color of a calm sea. Her back was to Sephia. The train of the dress cascaded down, fluid and shimmering in the sunlight as though it actuallyhadbeen fashioned from the blue-green waves of the Loral Sea.
The dress’s delicate fabric and endlessly billowing skirts seemed out of place in this wild and frozen forest. But it was befitting of the future wife of a young fae prince—and there would be no time to go back to the palace before they met that prince.
It would be impossible to fly while wearing that, Sephia thought, her gaze flickering to the swing beside her sister.
She pulled her thoughts away from childhood games and swept a cautious look around the edges of the clearing. Then she stepped forward, making no sound until her boot cracked a fallen limb a few feet away from Nora.
Nora spun around, clutching toward the small of her back. It was out of habit; she normally kept a dagger there. Her forest-green eyes were bright with a fear that settled quickly once she recognized her sister. Her gaze softened, and she pulled her hand away from her back as she asked, “You have it?”
“Yes. Sorry it took me so long.”
“It’s okay. We’ll just have to move quickly.” Nora’s tone was gentle, but the lack of her usual smile betrayed her true concern.
