An Unwanted Visit
Sienna
After scribbling a quick message, Sienna stepped out into the cold morning air, fresh and crisp after the previous night’s storm. She locked the door behind them. Little was said as they climbed down the rocky slope that led to the beach, but once the sand leveled out in front of them, Celesta bounded ahead. She hopped and skipped and twirled about for a moment, before turning around and walking backwards. “I always forget how glorious mornings are by the sea. Everything is just so…wide. And beautiful.” Her smile was wide and sunny, and she spun in a pirouette that shouldn’t have been possible on the pebbly sand.
Sienna chuckled. “You think that about mornings no matter where you are.”
“It’s true. Mornings are the best time.” Celesta spun around once more and danced back to where Sienna and Drosselmeyer walked, linking arms with both of them. “Alex is slowly but surely coming around to my way of thinking. Having Clara on my side has helped.” She grinned.
Sienna smiled tightly. She didn’t begrudge her friend’s marital bliss, but it was still a knife-like reminder to her own heart of what might have been. She hid her emotions with a change in topic. “Wasn’t there something else you wanted to talk to me about?”
Celesta sighed and her wings drooped slightly. “Yes, though I want to preface this by saying that I am already taking steps to remedy the situation, and it will all be sorted out.”
“That’s not a very promising start. I feel like I should be worried.”
“No! It really shouldn’t affect you, but I still thought you should know just the same.” Celesta’s lips pressed into a line of annoyance. “As you know, my Uncle Stahlmaus had a number of laws put in place while he was acting as regent. One of those was a rule that stated that any building or structure serving a public purpose must be owned and maintained by an elf.”
Sienna frowned. “That’s absurd.”
“It is. But it was part of his scheme to set the elves and their Creative Magic above the rest of the fae, and so he had a lot of support from his council and the rest of the nobles. Obviously, I am working on reversing that law, but it’s technically still in effect…”
Her words trailed off, and Sienna suddenly understood what her friend was saying. “So Papa and I—our position at the lighthouse?”
“Is still yours,” Celesta answered firmly. “You both are more than qualified to be keepers, and I’m not going to pull it away from you and hand it over to someone else. Like I said, I’m working on getting it reversed. I just didn’t want you to be caught by surprise if someone mentioned it.”
“Why would anyone mention it? Who in Nivem would even care about such a thing?”
Celesta cringed.
Oh. She means Erik.
“What doeshewant with it?”
“I don’t know. I just know that the matter was brought to my attention when he sent a petition to Iysen asking to be granted ownership of the lighthouse and citing the law as evidence.”
“But if it’s the law, don’t you have to obey it?”
Celesta raised her eyebrows. “I’m the queen. And it’s a stupid law. Besides, I told him that I would review the matter thoroughly and that no action was to be taken until I reached a conclusion. Since I won’t reach a conclusion until the law is changed, you have nothing to worry about.”
“You don’t think he’ll claim that our friendship makes you biased?”
“If he does, I’ll simply bring up the fact that, as your former fiancé, he’s just as biased.” She flinched. “Though, as long as the matter is under legal dispute, I’m afraid that I might have to suspend your salary until we can get it all sorted out. You’ll be paid in full after, I promise.”
Sienna nodded slowly. “I’m sure it will be fine. Papa has his fishing to tide us over.”
They were nearly at the caves now, putting an end to their conversation. Sienna watched in fascination as Drosselmeyer sang a low song, creating a sphere of light that floated above his open palm. Despite having seen the wizard’s magic at workcountless times over the years, it never ceased to amaze her how effortless and natural his music sounded.
With Drosselmeyer’s light to guide their way, Sienna led them through the narrow cave. She stopped short at the opening to the room that had held the stash of crates.
She whispered. “They’re gone.”
Celesta nudged her forward, and she stepped into the room. Drosselmeyer was close behind. He held the light high, allowing the beams to reach into the craggy corners.
“There was a whole pile of them here yesterday.” Sienna gestured in front of her. “Stacked three or four high.”
“It seems someone was here to collect them.” Drosselmeyer crouched down to get a better look at the sand-covered floor. “Or several someones. See how the footprints are different sizes? And here, these lines where something heavy was dragged or pushed.”
Sienna’s shoulders dropped in relief. “So you believe me?”
