“What else did you see when you came earlier?”
“I saw myself packing. Then I was on the ship, angry about something. In the third scene, it was dark outside and I was trying to find someone. Then I was talking to a man I didn’t recognize. He had bright red hair like your father.”
“That could be Rowan. But why would you be talking to my brother?”
“I don’t know, but we were definitely in the palace. The last thing I saw was you and me on the roof.”
“Do you think what we saw will really happen?” Worry crept into Evelyn’s voice.
That was rage in Leo’s eyes. Is it my fault? Did he learn about my lies? Or did I do something else… something worse?
“I think we should ask Moeller,” Damien decided.
Evelyn and Damien were late for dinner. Leo, Moeller, and Heinrich were already seated at the table when they arrived.
“Where have you been?” Leo asked with an edge to his voice.
“Exploring the castle,” Evelyn said.
“We came across an interesting room today,” Damien added while filling his plate. “We think it shows the future.”
Heinrich looked impressed. “You found the Invenion?”
“What is it?” Evelyn asked.
“A trap, mostly,” Moeller muttered, sipping his wine.
Damien frowned. “What do you mean?”
“The Invenion does show the future,” Moeller explained. “But it’s no miracle. The future is not set in stone. The room, as you likely noticed, doesn’t give you any context. Whatever you saw might be five minutes or five hundred years away, if it happens at all. Most significantly, it shows you what itwantsto show you, which is not necessarily anything important. I’m sure you had fun, but don’t put all your faith into whatever the room chose to reveal.”
Leo’s eyes darted between Evelyn and Damien. “What did you see?”
“It’s always five things,” Heinrich noted.
Evelyn kept count with her fingers. “Damien was packing to go home, then we were on the boat. I was talking to my father atthe palace. Damien was searching for someone outside. Then we were on the palace roof, like the night before the wedding.”
Damien didn’t correct her modified version. Evelyn’s new bracelet cooled to just below room temperature, as if it weren’t pleased but couldn’t reprimand her for half-truths.
“Like I said,” Moeller continued. “Nothing important. I would advise you not to visit the Invenion anymore. If you are so fitfully bored in the castle, you should practice your magic.”
“I spent hours practicing magic,” Evelyn whined.
“And you can barely lift dirt,” Moeller quipped.
Damien snorted.
“What are you laughing at?” Evelyn snapped. “You don’t have Elemental magic!”
“Sounds like you don’t, either,” Damien teased.
“Desirée will gain Rory’s magic if they get married. I wonder how muchfunthey could have together with sound shields and water.”
In the back of the room, Rory was as red as Evelyn’s hair, while Simon turned blue from the effort of containing his laughter.
Damien pointed the tip of his fork in her direction. “Leave my sister out of this!”
“Or you’ll stab me with a utensil?” Evelyn challenged.
