Elly paused before, in a sudden burst, she jumped to embrace the princess. The butterflies in Briar’s cape spilled over to Elly’s arms as she dug her face into the princess’s shoulder.
“You’re real,” Elly whispered. “I always believed.”
Briar ducked her head in the crook of Elly’s neck, pressing thechild closer so that their touch of skin would solidify the truth. The smell of strawberries and honeysuckle lingered in the air, so sweet that Corin could hear her sister inhale deeply and release a sigh of relief against the princess. But while Elly’s eyes were closed, Corin watched the golden dust gleam over Briar’s shoulders, how it dimmed into ordinary freckles when the sun hit a certain angle of her carefully crafted image.
“Thank you. But you must keep me a secret.” Briar pressed a finger to her lips. “This place is special because not many people know of it.”
“Unfortunately, that’s no longer true,” Malicine said. “These two stumbled upon this place by accident, but the portal was no coincidence. Your godmothers discovered a way here. And they’ve given Ezran immortality for his precious mission.”
Briar’s lips parted to break the perfect heart shape of her mouth. She let go a shaky breath, so quiet it could have been missed if Corin hadn’t been watching her closely. Wind rustled through the willow tree like whispers. For a fraction of a second, Corin thought she saw the facade fade.
“Is he here?” Briar asked.
“No.” Malicine lowered their voice. “But he’s been looking for you.”
The air grew tense with nothing but the sound of bees to fill the silence. Even Penny and Dime exchanged skeptical glances with each other across the table. Corin wondered how much they knew about the prince, his steel eyes that cut through anyone who tried to disturb the princess. If Briar was as light as air, Ezran was as wild as a flame, real and solid. His passion could swallow her up.
“If they could cross whenever they wanted, they would have by now,” Malicine continued. “The fact that they haven’t meansthere’s something blocking them from opening another portal.”
Briar refilled her teacup. The lid rattled over the porcelain pot as her hands trembled slightly. Corin followed her gaze to the tiny white flowers swirling at the bottom of the cup. The fragrance was strong enough for the breeze to carry over, wafting under their noses, tingling her lips. A bittersweet smell.
“He’s not giving up,” Briar said. “He never will. Not for the one he loves.”
“Yes, his devotion is ever so charming,” Malicine replied dryly. “But Corin came from Gyldan as well. Apparently, Ezran made a promise to protect a treasure of yours. Does that sound right?”
Briar drank her tea for a long moment before lifting her lips from the cup. Quietly, she answered, “Yes, that’s right.”
“We’ll divert him off our path, then. I’ll send Corin back to Gyldan with the treasure, and she’ll tell him that was the only thing she found. If a promise matters to him that much, he’ll keep his word. But there’s no guarantee this will work. It’s up to you if we take that risk.”
“Why me?”
“You’re the one who married him. You know him best.”
Briar folded her hands in her lap, fiddling with the daisy stems wrapped around her fingers. Corin noticed she didn’t wear a wedding ring.
“That’s the problem,” Briar murmured. “I didn’t really know him at all.”
In their silence, the white petals in Briar’s cup dissolved. A bee buzzed past her hair, swirling around the table as if lost. She plucked one of the daffodils from her crown and set the stem inside the centerpiece vase. The glass filled itself with water, and the daffodil morphed into a sunflower. The bee nestled betweenthe petals, burrowing itself in the comfort of seeds and pollen.
Briar stood up from the table and said, “I need some time to think.”
Butterflies followed her cape as she headed toward the cottage, leaving behind daffodil petals in her trail. Corin gritted her teeth and steadied her impatience. She needed the treasure but couldn’t make her motivations obvious. She forced herself to remain still as the rest of the table continued their tea party.
Penny brought out a tray of desserts, a dozen buttercream cakes with lemon filling on top. Malicine swirled their hand over their teacup, turning the liquid a darker plum color, the smell of wine wafting in the air. Dime swiped the same tart that Malicine’s raven pecked at, and the two creatures began squawking at each other. Elly laughed among them, because of course she would find it funny without questioning if it made sense.
Meanwhile, Corin didn’t understand how anyone could behave like this was normal. Like this wasreal.
Elly turned to her, noticing Corin was the only one who hadn’t joined the table. She offered Corin a plate with tarts, a gesture of reconciliation in the form of sugar and butter. Corin should have revered this opportunity. They were slowly making up for their previous argument, a rare chance to finally get along.
Instead she shook her head in response to Elly, her eyes fixed on the wooden door of the cottage. The smell of daffodils and honey drifted from inside. She pictured Briar draped over the windowsill, keeping her secrets tucked within lithe limbs and careful grace.
But Corin did not have the tolerance for feigned pleasantries. She wanted answers, even if that meant stepping up to the porch and opening that door without asking.
CHAPTER 16
101 YEARS AGO
“YOU DON’T NEED to give an answer, you know.”
