Keldarion reaches beneath his shirt to pull out his snowflake necklace. Like a weight, I feel the rose locket at my breast. “I want to try something.”
“By all means,” he says.
I slip the necklace over my head and open the locket, revealing the mirror. “My mother always wore this. But it’s a part of Castletree, a part of all of you. I was able to use it to contact Ezryn even when it was broken. So maybe I can use it to get us home.”
“As with all our experiments, Rosalina,” Farron steps up beside me, “you can certainly try.”
“Right.” I angle the necklace and try to catch the light like I’ve seen the princes do before. I draw in a deep breath, centering my thoughts. I am a vessel, and pinpricks of magic shudder through my body, filling and emptying me all at once.
Castletree,I want to go home.
My bond with both Farron and Keldarion blooms bright within me, but there’s other magic here, the magic of the High Princes of Spring and Summer.
Castletree, take me home.
The light catches and bounces, forming a shimmering oval. Energy builds within me, a fire growing hotter with each passing moment.
“I did it,” I whisper.
The princes stare at me, faces cast in the bright glimmer of the portal.
“To Castletree,” Farron says. He’s the first one to step through, trusting me, trusting my strange magic.
The others quickly pass through the shimmering glow. A rush of exhilaration flows through me, as if I’ve tapped into a wellspring of power and knowledge. It’s a feeling of connection to something greater than myself, a sense of belonging to the Enchanted Vale that is all my own.
The world shifts and blurs as I follow them. My stomach lurches with the sudden movement. And I’m home.
We emerge through the mirror into the grand entrance hall. There’s still ice on the ground, though it’s dissipated a bit with Kel spending so much time in the Autumn Realm. The thorns are as present as ever.
“Masters!” Rintoulo the butler rushes up, followed by several other staff members. “We’re so glad to see you. Something’s going on with us Autumn staff. We felt… strange this morning. In a good way. There’s a change stirring.”
“It’s my curse.” Farron smiles. “It’s broken. Lady Rosalina is my mate.”
Rintoulo’s eyes widen, and there is a collective gasp from the surrounding servants.
“I can yet sense the bear inside me,” Rintoulo says, “but it’s different.”
“My wolf no longer has dominion over me, but the magic remains,” Farron continues, voice full of confidence. “I believe the curse that forces you to turn into an animal has dissipated, leaving the gift of shifting at will.”
Farron places his hand on Rintoulo’s shoulder, and the butler pulls him into a hug.
More of the Autumn staff surround us and tug me into the embrace. Thank yous ring in the air, and my heart warms. This is about more than just freeing the princes; it’s about freeing the people of Castletree, as well.
This curse can be broken for all of us.
ThestaircaseuptoHigh Tower is still tangled with interlocking thorns. A strange anticipation fills my chest. I know Farron’s curse is broken with all my heart, but I wonder what remains in the Enchantress’ wake. What will we find where the seeds of torment were sown?
The High Tower is very much the same, thorns lining every wall except for the line of dirt where the four roses grow. But Farron’s rose is tall, bright, and glowing, as though life radiates from it. The petals, which were once orange, are now gilded gold.
It is so beautiful, but that’s not what has me clutching my chest. The thorns around his rose have changed too… The purple briars have turned golden, blooming with yellow and red roses.
“It must be Rosalina’s own magic,” Ezryn says cautiously. “She has a strange connection to these thorns.”
Farron casts a wary glance before kneeling beside one vine and tugging on it. It barely moves. “Very sturdy,” he says.
“So, Rosalina’s magic made Caspian’s thorns stronger?” Dayton asks, raising a dark brow. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
Keldarion steps into the room, observing silently with a keen eye, his jaw locked and rigid.
