Her eyes are full of rage as she begins to speak words that I do not understand but know instinctively are part of her spell. She draws back and then sends the knife rushing toward me.
The world shifts into slow motion as the blade flies across the room. I know I will not be able to dodge it in time.
“No!” Kyra’s voice rings out.
The knife stops midair, hovering directly in front of my chest. I blink several times in confusion, then look up at Kyra to find her hands out in front of her. Her expression is set in a mask of determination as sweat beads across her brow. Her entire body trembles as she struggles to hold it. Gritting her teeth, she cries out as she makes a slashing motion with her hands and the knife flies away, hitting the far wall with a metallic clang before dropping to the ground.
Fury burns in her eyes as she turns to the mage. “I am your Queen. How dare you try to take from me that which is mine?”
The mage’s eyes are wide as she trembles, holding her hands out as if in surrender.
“Please.” She drops to her knees and bows low. “I only did it to protect you. Can you not see history is repeating itself? I—I heard it with my own ears. You swore to him you would take no other mate, but you must. Can’t you see? You have to.”
“No,” Kyra grinds out. “I choose who I love, and I want him and no other. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” she nods shakily.
“I should kill you for what you just did.”
The mage lifts her gaze with a hopeful look.
“Tell the others,” Kyra says darkly. “I remember now who I am, and I know my powers are greater than all of yours combined.” Lifting her open palm, she conjures a ball of flame. “If you dare to harm Cael, I will raze this entire building to the ground and burn it to ash. Now, tell me. Where is the crown?”
Fire burns in her eyes as she speaks, giving her an otherworldly appearance. At this moment, she is the queen I remember—the all-powerful and mighty. The one who everyone feared and loved in equal measure.
The mage lifts a trembling arm and points toward the stone slab. “It is concealed by magic. Only the Chosen One can retrieve it.”
Kyra turns a dark gaze to her. “How?”
“I—I do not know, my queen,” the mage bows. “We have tried to retrieve it before but we could not.”
I watch in awe as Kyra lifts her arms. Closing her eyes, she bows her head in concentration. Electricity sparks and crackles along the tips of her fingers a moment before a brilliant burst of light erupts from her palm and flies toward the slab, disappearing into the solid stone.
A ball of blue light emerges from the stone surface. I recognize the crown immediately as it floats suspended in the orb and floats toward us.
Kyra plucks it from the glowing sphere and places it on her head. Each stone of the setting is missing, but the intricately woven silver crown is just as beautiful as I remember.
Tilting her chin up, Kyra turns to the mage. “Now, go,” she commands. “Leave before I change my mind.”
“But, my queen, I—”
“I will summon you later,” Kyra snaps. She looks at me. “We will go to the castle.”
The mage blinks in shock. “The castle? But it has been sealed away by magic, and—”
Kyra levels an icy glare at her. “You think I cannot undo a simple spell?”
The mage’s face pales and she says nothing. She quickly leaves.
Kyra turns to me and takes my hand.
“Let’s go, my love. Let us go home.”
Chapter 30
Kyra
Cael and I walk in silence as we make our way to the castle. The mages all bow before us as we pass, and I understand they do this as much out of respect for who I am as they do because they fear me. It was this way in the past as well. That is why they could not convince me to take a harem. They were afraid to anger me because they understood my power.
The image of the knife flying toward Cael replays in my mind. I almost lost him. I look down at my hands. I don’t know how I summoned it, I only knew that I could. I called on the magic inside me to do my bidding and save Cael, and it worked.
Magic used to flow through my veins like a river, but now… I can sense only a mere echo of its former intensity, and I don’t understand why.
The mages do not know this, however. I remember how they respected and deferred to my strength. I was the most powerful of any queen who had come before. Now, I want them to believe all my memories and power have returned to me, even though they have not. They must not know that I am not at full strength, or else they might make another attempt on Cael’s life.
I must summon Astra and Lynx. I have to pull them across to this world. I don’t know how, but I must. They are the only ones I know for sure that we can trust.
When we reach the palace gates, light shimmers softly around the entire structure. A barrier spell meant to seal the castle away not only from people but also from the ravages of time.
A smile curls my lips as I recognize the magic behind the spell. This was cast by my beloved Bryndon. I turn to Cael. He stares at the castle with his brow furrowed softly. “I did this. Didn’t I?” he whispers.
I nod.
My gaze travels over the castle as memories flood my mind. Gleaming white towers spiral up toward the thin wisps of light-gray clouds. A vast mountain range capped with snow-white peaks spreads out behind it. The smooth
