“That’s not the way you speak to a queen, little girl,” Davina says, crossing her arms as she flashes those gemstone teeth. “Show respect,Princess.”
“I’m the Queen,” Neve growls, unbothered. I follow a few steps behind in the shadows, keeping my gaze mostly on Davina and Lancelot. Neither of them has ice or snow magic, yet they sit here, untouched.
It doesn’t take a genius to see what’s going on, but so far, no one except Neve and a displeased Nyra knows that I’m here. Until my queen needs me, I’ll keep my presence unknown.
“There you are, darling,” Ronnie coos, standing from the throne. It’s a fluid motion unlike before, and this time, I don’t see Kael anywhere in sight. “We were wondering where you went off to.”
“So you could destroy the kingdom?” Neve growls. “Tell me, Mother, because I’m confused. How did you come to freeze an entire kingdom of people when all you are is snow? The only thing frozen about you is your curse.”
Davina’s grin sharpens along with Lancelot, making my hackles rise. That’s not a good sign, but Ronnie’s voice rings out before I can make a comment. “Did you learn nothing during your sleep, daughter? I need something to stave off my curse, don’t I? Davina suggested I take matters to a grander scale.”
“Grander scale?” Neve echoes, her voice faltering a bit. I have to admit, I’m not following so well anymore. Even in the shadows, keeping my sharp gaze on the four of them, I can’t pinpoint where this conversation is going.
She holds her hands wide, laughing. “The frozen sleep! What’s better to dispel a curse than to share it with all who live within my domain?”
Neve hesitates, stepping back for the first time. “Frozen… sleep? Mother, that’syourcurse. Something you carried from Ander Son’s Way.”
Ronnie waves a hand, descending the steps. Davina and Lancelot remain in their places, poised like spectators, almost like they are watching a show. “Mycurse, yes. Something the moon granted me.”
“What?” Neve hisses, raising her icy fists. Ronnie, on the other hand, is light, fluid, moving like the snow itself, gracefully to stand level with her daughter. She pauses beside a frozen woman, someone I don’t recognize, but she wears the familiar colors of the castle staff.
“You don’t get it yet, do you?” Ronnie laughs, shaking her head. “Do you think you fell into that sleep a century ago by mistake?”
As though by fate, Neve reaches into the sash of her dress to hold up the spinning needle. Smartly, the little spellbook remains out of sight. “This?”
Ronnie’s eyes flash, and even Davina straightens. Lancelot looks on, eyes dancing between the trio, seemingly unaware of what this means. “Where did you get that?”
“It found its way back to me,” she breathes. “I remember this. I recall falling asleep one evening, waking to something pricking my finger. Toyouin my bedroom. And then sleep stole me under again, and a hundred years passed.”
“That was many years ago, Neve,” she growls in return. “You’re confusing fact with fiction.”
“Oh, save it, Sned,” Davina says, stepping toward them. She throws her arms wide, red, wild magic crackling off her fingertips. It reminds me of fire, but I know it isn’t. “Your mommy used you to save herself, dear. You should be happy she picked a new test subject since that ice mage escaped.”
“Used me…” Neve’s voice trails off, and finally, she makes a fatal mistake. She begins peering around, searching for me in the shadows, and I grit my teeth. She’s been impeccably good at avoiding doing that, even though we never discussed it. Now is not the time for her to slip up.
“What are you looking for?” Davina asks, twirling a piece of dark hair around her fingertip. “Searching for someone?”
Neve shakes her head, and I’m not sure she’s even looked toward the Mad Queen. But she’s drawn my attention, and I shift away to get closer to Davina. She can’t see me, but her eyes dance around.
“You pricked my finger,” Neve gasps, the despair heavy in her voice. “It wasn’t a dream.”
“Of course it wasn’t a dream,” Ronnie snaps, squaring her shoulders. “When we lost that mage, I needed a solution. Andor never would have gone for it.”
“What does Father have to do with it?” she hisses.
Ronnie grins, baring her unnaturally white teeth. “Your father wouldn’t let me use the most powerful source of magic at my disposal, Neve. When that man escaped, I was forced to take matters into my own hands.”
I’ve gone still in the shadows, keeping my gaze on Davina, as I listen for Neve’s response. I’ve had my suspicions for a long time, but I couldn’t confirm any of it until now. Speaking with the Mad Queen wasn’t an option I had readily available. What I showed Neve with the shadow puppets was my interpretation of the events, but it’s nice of her to validate the truth.
“It wasyou.” Neve’s cold voice rings out in the silent room, and Davina lets out a gleeful little squeal at her words. “You. Not Ban. You… you killed Father.”
“How do you remember his name?” Ronnie growls.
All at once, the ice Neve’s concealing in her hands expands. The space she’s cracked so far with her shoes starts glowing, and I take a step back even in the shadows.
It’s not just me who sees the catastrophe coming. Davina’s red magic bursts to life, and behind her, Lancelot draws a long blade. I rip my staff out of the shadows as Neve disappears into a large, white sphere.
“You killed Father?”
