Back in the pace, the Ladies and Princesses were waiting in the East Courtyard, talking amongst themselves about what they saw in the dining room. Corrine, the Virgin Mage, was expining to Lady Violet and Princess Paloma the workings of Conjuring magic. How one could easily identify a Conjuring by its white eyes and the marking of a Virgin Mage on their tongue.

  “Shioban couldn’t have been a Conjuring. She bears no runes of my sisters.” She expined to them.

  Sitting directly across them were Ora and Dara. The twins had been whispering amongst each other ever since they were led to the courtyard.

  Inside, the room was suffocating cold with the air having a slight icy bite to it. After several compints by Dara, a young servant by the name of Mil had been fetched to prepare a fire under the open ceiling where Princess Lyn had been sitting. The young princess was enamored with the night sky as the stars were burning bright and slowly falling, preparing for the Flower Summit.

  “We have to speak to her.” Dara whispered to her sister.

  Ora rolled her eyes. “We shouldn’t bother Mother.”

  Dara aggressively grabbed her sister’s right hand. “This changes everything.”

  “No, it doesn’t.”

  Dara squeezed her sister's hand tightly, causing Ora to bite her inner cheek. “Shioban’s disappearance has pgued Mother for over 40 years, Ora.”

  Ora snatched her hand back. “You’ve heard Mother. Skyra’s staff was always believed to have pyed a part.”

  “Yet, we still don’t know how or where it is.”

  Dara suddenly stood and smoothed the wrinkles out of her dress. Ora followed suit.

  “Shioban looked just like I st saw her, Ora.” Dara began, then motioned her head in the direction of Corrine. “The Conjurer says it’s not a Conjuring. Stefan was clearly surprised, so it couldn't have been him.”

  “Mesy?”

  Dara grabbed her sister by the shoulders. “Why would Mesy py a trick on Stefan?”

  “Workings of Nirean magic?”

  Dara shook her head. “I doubt it. Most of the Nirean witches were sughtered in the Bck War.”

  “Shifters?”

  Dara thought to herself for a moment. “What would be the reason?”

  “Shifters lost a lot in the war.” Ora answered. The taller twin suddenly felt a pair of eyes on her. She whipped her head in the direction of Princess Lyn, who quickly averted her eyes.

  “We shouldn’t talk here.” Ora said quickly. “A Princess of Truth.”

  Dara brushed her sister’s concerns off. “She has no power but the power of song.”

  “Are we sure it wasn’t our sister?”

  “Azeri?” Dara shook her head. “It can’t be. She wouldn’t come here without telling us.”

  “And our brothers?”

  Dara let out a huge sigh. “Don’t you see, Ora?”

  Ora tilted her head. “What?”

  “You have to speak to Mother.”

  ***

  After conceding, Dara went back to their room with Ora not far behind. Alone, she nicked her index finger with a tiny pin and pced it on the floor. A glowing door slowly emerged with the wooden floor turning into steel. Around its edges, the light of fmes radiated. Dara’s skin began to peel as the door solidified, revealing her true form. Mostly bones.

  After it was completed, Dara was joined by her sister.

  “It’s me.” Ora said quietly, squeezing between the doorway.

  “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Dara responded, before opening the door.

  The room was suddenly filled with the warm, sweet scent of caramel and apples.

  “Anything else I should mention to Mother?”

  Ora shook her head.

  Dara nodded, then jumped backwards into the skies of Vilm. The Realm of Fate.

  Ora immediately closed the door behind her and stood to the side of it.

  She stood in silence until two knocks on the main door startled her.

  Ora brushed her hair out of her face and took a deep breath before answering it.

  When she opened it, she was surprised to see who was on the other side.

  Lord Flip.

  He was wearing unusual attire, a floral crown and white robe. “May I come in?”

  Ora narrowed her eyes before stepping to the side.

  She knew she could take him if he tried anything.

  “May I ask what brings you here, Lord Flip?”

  Lord Flip took a seat on the edge of one of the beds.

  “Who are you?” He asked bluntly.

  Ora, taken aback, folded her arms across her chest. “I’m Ora. Who are you?”

  “My apologies.” He responded quickly. “I mean to ask. What are you?”

  Ora quickly pced an arm behind her back where a dagger immediately appeared. “I’m not understanding. Is this part of the courting?

  “I can see your face.” He revealed slowly, a hint of a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

  Suddenly Ora had Lord Flip against the wall with the dagger against his throat. “You’re not Lord Flip, are you?”

  The man kept smiling. “Drop the dagger.”

  Ora ughed. “No.”

  “Drop the dagger.” He said again, much slower this time.

  Ora kept ughing until she realized the dagger was indeed no longer in her hands.

  Ora pced a hand around the man’s throat. “Who are you?”

  “You will remove your hand.”

  Against her will, Ora removed her hand, her hand shook as it did.

  Ora stumbled backwards.

  “Let’s start over.” The man said, no longer smiling. “Today, and for as long as I can muster, I am Lord Flip. The king’s best friend. Now, who are you?”

  “Like I said, I’m Ora.”

  The man’s shoulders slumped. “I wish you wouldn’t lie. I can see your true self beneath. Your….peculiarities. ”

  Ora took a step back.

  “You are older than my memory can reach. You are not a shifter nor Judgement. Are you this so-called, Azeri?”

  Ora clenched her jaw. The man noticed.

  “Are you Azeri?” He asked again.

  “I can snap you in half and no one would ever find your body, do you know that?” Ora said instead, no teasing in her voice. “You are right. I am old.”

  The man’s eyes fred green as he began walking towards Ora.

  With each step, Ora took a step backwards until she was backed against the wall.

  The man’s eyes roamed Ora’s true face. Sagging skin and bulging, bck eyes.

  “Tell me who y-”

  Before he could finish, a noise from the door on the floor could be heard.

  The man looked at it before turning back to Ora.

  “Abey Dey.” Forget me.

  The man stepped away and quickly exited the room.

  When Dara emerged from the other side of the door, Ora was still standing against the wall.

  “MALADA!” She shouted. Ora’s true name.

  “MALADA!” She shouted again.

  Mada’s lips slightly parted before she came back to reality.

  “Pgue, what did I say about names?” Mada shouted back.

  Pgue put a hand on her hip. “You just called me Pgue.”

  Mada took a long look at her sister. Her skin was falling off her bones and her long, curved cws were visible. “Enough. What did Mother say?”

  Pgue revealed a bag she was holding behind her back. “She sends gifts. Why were you standing against the wall?”

  Mada met her sister at the door. “I don’t remember. What’s in the bag?”

  “Food.” She said, smiling.

  “Really?” Mada prayed it was the skin of a fox.

  “Of course not.” Pgue ughed. “There are relics inside. She knows about Shioban.”

  Mada took a seat on the bed. “And?”

  Pgue began rummaging through the bag until she found a Dianne Neckband and handed it to her sister.

  “Mother says it is indeed Shioban. She still bears the markings of Skyra.”

  Mada nodded. “Okay.”

  “Mother also says she doesn’t know how its Shioban.”

  “Is it her sister?”

  Pgue shook her head. “Mother says Skyra has not returned nor the others.”

  “What does this mean?”

  “She also says her sister may have had a little trick up her sleeve before she left.”

  “I’m not understanding.”

  Pgue took a seat next to her sister. “Mother believes Skyra’s staff wasn’t just capable of releasing oceans of water in this realm.”

  “What does she think?”

  “Mother believes it was also capable of letting things leave.”

  “That still doesn’t expin why Shioban looks as if decades have not passed.”

  Pgue shrugged her shoulders. “I know. That’s why Mother wants us to go ahead with the pn earlier than pnned.”

  Mada quickly raised her head. “Is she sure?”

  “Mother says it’s the perfect time.” Pgue stood from the bed and extended a hand out towards her sister.

  Mada slowly took it.

  “You remember the words, don’t you sister?” Pgue said, voice shaky.

  “It’s been a long time since we did this.” Mada answered, returning a smile.

  Pgue patted the neckband around Mada’s neckband. It was a restoration neckband. She was going to need it after this.

  “Where’s yours?” Mada asked.

  Pgue lifted her dress with her free hand, revealing a cy band around her ankle. “Are you ready?”

  Mada nodded, then grabbed her sister’s free hand.

  Pgue gave it a gentle squeeze in return.

  “Daughters of Fatiana.” Mada recited loudly, the beginning of a spell that was going to drain them both.

  The mounted torches immediately flickered.

  “Daughters of Kaolin.” Pgue added.

  “In Sickness.” Mada continued, as her skin was slowly beginning to peel. “In suffering.”

  A thread of bck magic began pouring out of them both, slowly drifting towards the lone open window in the room.

  “With the power of I, Mada, Entity of Madies.”

  The chandelier in the center of the room began to sway.

  “With the power of I, Pgue, Entity of Pgues.”

  More magic began pouring out of them.

  “Vorum Sdre, Lyke edra, Pilera.”

  Mada’s legs began to feel weak.

  “May Bones and Graves follow in our footsteps.” Mada chanted loudly. “We summon Pestilence.”

  Pgue and Mada both fell to their knees.

  After a long moment in silence, the door suddenly swung open, revealing Prince Mel on the other side.