The crowd grew quiet, and Aizel could hear a distant voice coming from the direction of the dais.
Glancing to either side, she confirmed that Robin’s companions were alert and ready near the two closest mages.
Aizel closed her eyes. Her whole body was shaking. This was a horrible idea. She’d never used magic on a scale this large before, and she didn’t even know it would work.
She squeezed her fists together, reminding herself of her favorite moments with Celesta—playing together, laughing together, making silent jokes behind their parents backs... but every memory of her sister was tarnished by the intense fear she currently felt for Celesta’s life.
The man’s voice continued to drone on and Aizel knew she was running out of time. She needed to find harmony within herself if this was going to work, though.
Unbidden, her mind brought up the image of Erich, kneeling in the grass up in the mountains, promising to aid her. She had felt peace in that moment. But it wouldn’t help now. She threw the thought away.
Her heart raced. She had to sing.
That memory of Erich would have to work. She put herself back in that place, feeling her heart expand under the sincere gaze of his eyes.
She had found help, at least in Peter and Robin, if not in Erich.
Calmed, she began to hum, so quietly she could barely hear it.
When she had attempted to sing in front of Gareth, she’d started as loudly as possible hoping that her power would increase with her volume. It hadn’t worked as well as she thought, so she started quietly, as she had when she’d made the kitchen maids fall asleep.
She could feel the magic began to work as her muscles relaxed, so she opened her mouth and began to sing instead of hum.
Her voice was confident and her notes were pure.
She opened her eyes, singing a little louder.
Two of the townspeople in front of her turned back, a look of confusion on their faces. But their eyes quickly closed in drowsiness.
As the people around her slowly sank to the ground, she raised her voice again. They only had moments before the rest of the square would notice what was happening.
Projecting her song as far out as she could, Aizel slowly walked forward through the sleeping townspeople.
She noticed a scuffle out of the corner of her eye. One of the mages had caught on. She didn’t dare turn and look, lest she was distracted. She had to trust that Robin’s companions would be able to handle the situation.
People were falling asleep in greater numbers now, and she was nearly halfway across the square. By the time most of them realized what was going on, they were peacefully drowsing under her song.
The messenger had stopped reading the proclamation. He dropped the large parchment he was holding to the dais and dashed back toward the palace steps behind the dais.
The guards, too, had noticed what was happening, and a few of them jumped down and started heading her way.
Aizel inhaled, taking in as much air as her lungs would allow.
One of the guards had reached forward, pressing Celesta’s head down, as though about to speed up the actual execution.
Aizel sang, louder than she ever had. Her clear voice hit the smooth, marble face of the palace itself and rippled back to her, carrying her voice farther than she could have ever done on her own.
Robin was on the dais now, sword drawn, sparring with the executioners.
The soldiers who were approaching her fell over in sleep.
It was working!
The entire square had collapsed in sleep!
Robin and her men had filled their ears with soft wax, so Aizel could still see them standing.
Quieting her voice, Aizel made her way through the sleeping bodies as fast as she could, rushing toward her sister.
