Dawn mist still clung to the grass, silvering the blades beneath their boots. Just like the day before, Violet stood at the center of the training ground with her mates flanking her, the wide sky stretched open above them.
And yes, her mother was still not here.
"Maybe she’s running late," Roman said, glancing toward the tree line before he added, unsure, "...again?"
"Or she’s not coming," Asher replied flatly. He leaned back against a stone marker, arms crossed, his dark gaze fixed ahead. "Which is far more likely."
Alaric frowned. "She promised, though."
Asher shot him a look. "And you think queens are not capable of breaking promises?"
Griffin let out a sigh, running his hand through his now long hair. "Let’s cut her so slack. She’s probably dealing with that strange Fae from last night. She’ll co."
Asher huffed. "You’re all too optimistic."
"And you’re so pessimistic," Griffin shot back.
Violet said nothing.
Her lips were pressed together tightly as she stared out over the empty field. Fae were supposed to be promise keepers, and yet her own mother, the queen, failed at it.
Violet straightened her shoulders, ignoring the ache in her chest. She finally said, "It’s fine. With or without her, I can still train."
Asher turned his head slowly toward her. His brow lifted. "Yeah," he said dryly. "Train yourself for a trial where everyone expects you to fail and die."
"That’s not helpful, Asher," Griffin muttered.
"It’s honest," Asher shot back, then softened his tone as he looked at Violet. "I’m not saying you can’t win. I’m saying this isn’t a ga, my love."
Violet opened her mouth to respond—and then every one of them froze.
Four pairs of heightened senses snapped toward the sa direction at once as they picked up footsteps.
Through the thinning mist, figures erged. There were the guards first, then attendants, then familiar silhouettes, and at the center walked Queen Seraphira—and to everyone’s shock, Queen Annequin.
Queen Seraphira was not dressed for ceremony today. She wore fitted leather beneath flowing outer robes, her hair pulled back, her expression focused.
Behind her trailed Lila, Rhara conspicuously absent, and a small escort of Fae whose eyes swept the field with alertness.
Roman let out a low whistle. "Well," he murmured. "I stand corrected."
Griffin looked impressed.
Asher, of course, said nothing.
The queen stopped a few paces away, her gaze sweeping over her daughter, acknowledging her before falling over the group.
"Your Majesty," all four of them bowed their heads.
"It’s fascinating," she said coolly, "to discover that I’m the subject of such lively debate this early in the morning."
Yep. She heard them talking about her.
Alaric tried to explain. "We were just—"
Seraphira smiled. "Relax. I find it amusing." She clapped her hands. "Now then. If you’re done speculating about my reliability, shall we begin?"
While the others got to work, the queen reached out and pulled her daughter into a firm embrace, one arm wrapping around Violet’s shoulders and the other pressing her close.
"How are you faring?" Seraphira asked quietly, her voice lowered so only Violet could hear.
Violet stiffened for half a second, then relaxed into her. "I’m fine," she answered. It was the truth—mostly.
Seraphira leaned back just enough to study her face. "I’m sorry I left the celebration so abruptly. But I’m here now."
Violet nodded, then frowned. Her gaze slid past her mother toward the familiar and very unwelco figure standing a short distance away.
Annequin, Queen of Astaria, lifted two fingers in a lazy wave.
Violet’s jaw tightened. She looked back at her mother. "What is she doing here?" she asked, her tone careful but strained.
Seraphira followed her gaze. "Annequin will be staying for a while."
Violet blinked. "What?" The word ca out louder than she intended. "But why? You don’t even trust—"
Seraphira placed a hand on Violet’s arm, cutting her off. "We will discuss it later."
Violet swallowed, frustration burning in her chest.
"For now," the queen continued, "your focus is training. The Ascension draws closer, and distractions will not help you. And Queen Annequin may have one or two techniques worth learning."
Annequin’s grin widened. She stepped forward just enough to be irritating. "Oh, I have far more than that. I have a lot to teach the pup."
Violet snapped, baring her teeth at the annoying queen. The air around her seed to tense, power stirring dangerously close to the surface.
But Annequin only laughed softly, clearly pleased.
"Violet," Seraphira said, her voice calm but edged with command.
Violet forced herself to breathe. She slowly reined her temper in. She looked away from Annequin, jaw tight, obviously still pissed.
Annequin said, "This is going to be fun."
Violet deliberately turned her back on Annequin and focused on her mother instead.
Around them, the Fae moved about, setting up a strange-looking crystalline device. There were runes written all around it that she couldn’t read, including on the tal stand it was placed on. The whole thing reminded Violet of a crystal ball witches used for their magic.
Violet asked, "What are they doing?"
Seraphira followed her gaze. "They’re setting up the do."
"The device is an attuner," Seraphira explained. "It’s designed to call magic to the surface."
Violet’s shoulders tensed. "So it’s going to pull my power out."
"No," Seraphira corrected gently. "It will draw your awareness to it. Your magic is already there, Violet—perhaps buried and layered between what you are—but the do untangles it one after the other by amplifying resonance."
Seraphira continued. "Think of it as a tuning fork. When you place your hands on it, your magic will recognize itself. It will rise because it wants to, not because it’s being dragged out."
Violet swallowed. "And if it doesn’t?"
Seraphira straightened and t her gaze. "There’s no room for doubt now, Violet. You are what you are. And that is a powerful princess. I know it."
Violet stared at her mother, speechless at the confidence she had in her.
"And what’s with the guards?" Violet observed.
Seraphira smiled. "You never know what you might summon. In case you tear through another dinsion, there should be enough force to deal with it."
"Moreover..." the queen’s gaze narrowed this ti, "there’s a queen and her daughter in an open space, and vulnerable. You never know what might happen."
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