Tears filled Lindy’s eyes. Young as she was, she understood the unspoken implication behind Master Pickering’s words. He had trusted that she wouldn’t treat her power as a weapon, that she wouldn’t use the advantage it gave her to cause hurt just because she was annoyed or angry.
That she wouldn’t act like her father.
“Or perhaps,” Master Pickering gentled his tone. “Perhaps I was exactly right, and this is a mistake that you will own and learn from.”
“I’m sorry.” She was barely able to choke the words out, and her entire body shook with emotion.
He lifted a hand and she flinched, experience having taught her body to brace itself for pain even though her mind knew that her tutor was one of the few adults in her life she could trust. Instead, he gently pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her in a fatherly hug. She was stiff for a moment, then leaned into him, soaking up the affection like dry ground during a rain storm. “I know.” He gave her a gentle squeeze then stepped back. “But it’s important that you take responsibility for your actions. Now, let’s get Popo back to his feathery self.”
“Can we?” Lindy wiped away her tears.
“Of course. All curses can be undone. The trick is understanding the intent, method, and emotions behind the casting. The intention, I take it, was to make the bird stop chirping?”
She nodded.
“And the method?”
“I used my voice, which you already know.”
Master Pickering nodded patiently. “Yes, but saying the answers aloud will help you commit them to memory. And who knows? There may come a day when you learn another instrument proficiently enough to channel magic.”
“I don’t think Father will let me take lessons,” Lindy answered wistfully. “And especially not if he knows that it’s because I’m learning magic. He said there’s a reason that magic is frowned upon in Nedra—that it’s unnatural and should be done away with.”
“His Majesty is afraid of others holding a power that he himself cannot wield. His response is one of fear, not logic. Eukarya was not always separated from the Faerie Realm; your own ability to wield magic is proof enough that there was likely someone in the royal line with Faerie blood.”
“But it’s still Faerie magic.”
“In a way, but magic does not always respond the same way in this realm as it does there, and vice versa. But that is a discussion for another day. We have a curse to undo. What were the three elements I told you to examine?”
Lindy pressed her lips together in concentration. “Intent, method, and…emotion.”
“Correct. As you know, emotion is what makes the difference between a musical performance and a true magical experience. The emotion in the casting is whatwill largely determine the breaking of the curse. What were you feeling?”
She thought for a moment. “I was annoyed. Irritated.”
Master Pickering stroked his long beard. “The way to undo this curse, then, is for someone to willingly subject themselves to irritation without the use of their voice—without complaining—on the bird’s behalf, with the desire to hear him sing again.”
“Lizzie wants to hear him sing again,” she offered hopefully.
“I’m sure she does, but is Lizzie the one who should be paying the price for your mistake?”
“No.” She shook her head and sighed. “Tell me what I have to do.”
Chapter Five
ATLAS
Atlas scowled and crossed his arms at the trembling man standing guard at the castle gate. “I need to speak to the king.”
“I–I’m afraid that’s im–impossible,” the guard stammered, his shaking hands hovering over the hilt of his sword. “Th–the king is…” He swallowed. “The king is dead.”
Atlas blinked in surprise.Huh. That bit of news didn’t make it up the Beanstalk.“Then I need to speak to the queen.”
“Sh–she’s also unavailable.”
“The princes, then? Surely one of them is available. We have seven.”
One of whom stole Phoebe.
