“Fuck you!”
“Do you want to learn Water magic or not? I assume that’s the most helpful skill after Fire.”
Evelyn blinked at the non-sequitur. She had forgotten why she was there. Her first instinct was to scream at him some more, but she did want to learn. “Can you teach me without being a dick about it?”
“No,” Moeller stated. “Yourmagic is stronger when you’re emotional. That’s another difference between you and your husband. I had to make the room warmer so Alexander would finally relax and accomplish something.”
“So you made me mad on purpose?”
“Everything said and done on this isle is intentional. Keep that in mind when you make deals with people like Ritter.”
Now he fucking tells me.
Evelyn blew out a breath. “What do I need to do?”
66
Discovery
Evelyn and Moeller spent four hours training her magic in the enchanted greenhouse. He reported that Leo had been strongest in Earth magic. The king had formed the soil into a short staircase that could bear a person’s weight. Moeller attributed Leo’s talent to the fact that Earth powers were more often used productively instead of violently.
Evelyn was able to conjure small amounts of water and transfer soil between pots, but she had the most success with Air magic. Moeller repaired broken windows after she caused hurricane-force winds, then made Evelyn practice Earth magic by repotting all the soil she’d scattered across the floor. She was sure that pairing her Air and Fire magic would be unstoppable. Moeller wouldn’t let her test it inside—something about not burning down his godsdamned castle—but said they could train outside next time.
Damien met Evelyn in the hall after her lesson. “Hey, Princess.”
“Where are Rory and Simon?” she asked.
“Getting an early dinner. Come on, there’s a room I want you to see.”
Evelyn fell into step beside Damien. It took about ten minutes and only a little bit of backtracking before they found the correct nondescript door. Damien took her hand and led her into the small, dark room.
As soon as Evelyn crossed the threshold, she plummeted through the air. Her stomach flew up to her throat and she cried out. Damien squeezed her hand reassuringly.
Why isn’t he panicking?
The falling sensation stopped after a few, very long seconds. A feeling of weightlessness replaced it. Evelyn and Damien were hovering a few inches above the ground.
“What thefuck?”
“I probably should have warned you about that part,” Damien said sheepishly.
She scowled at him, but their surroundings distracted her. They were aboard their ship as it sailedawayfrom Lochmatten.
“How did we get here?” Evelyn asked. “We aren’t supposed to be leaving yet.”
Damien pointed across the deck with his free hand. Evelyn’s eyes widened as she sawherselfstanding next to the railing.
“That’s me! And you’re over there talking to Leo.” Evelyn gaped at the other versions of herself and Damien. “What is this? What’s happening?”
“I think we’re seeing the future. When I came in earlier, the first thing I saw was myself packing my bag to leave.”
“Thefirstthing?”
No sooner had she asked the question than the scene shifted. They were in the sitting room in the palace, still hovering over the floor. Other-Evelyn was seated on a couch with her father.
“Why can’t we hear what they’re saying?” Evelyn wondered.
The only noise around them was the sound of rushing wind, like they were on top of a mountain.
