"You are the Midnight Star."
My head fills with visions of life and death, visions that flash like fire before my eyes, and my ears feel pulled, stretched, torn from my head. I spin in space, and white light explodes from within me.
Fire and ice fill my veins, remaking me into something new, unlocking ancient secrets stored deep inside my cells.
"Go now, child of midnight," the voice says inside me. "Awaken the wilds."
***
The ground is hard beneath me, and my body buzzes with a new energy. Heady. Unsettling. A hand reaches for me, helping me to my feet. Asher. He stares at me, his eyes wide, his jaw slack.
"What's wrong?" I ask. "Did I fail?"
My head throbs, and I can't take in all the people staring at me just yet, so I focus on Asher's eyes, on his hands holding mine.
"You most certainly did not fail, Princess," he says with awe in his voice. "On the contrary, I fear you've succeeded."
Madrid steps toward me, a secret smile on her lips. She nods her head and one of the guards brings over a tall silver mirror, placing it before me. "See for yourself," she says.
It takes a moment to realize I'm looking at myself. Before me stands a Fae with black hair tinged with blue sparkles. Her ears are pointed. I am no longer Arianna, the human girl from earth. I'm something else entirely.
I study the rest of my reflection. A black dragon armband coils around my right arm. It's warm on my skin, and when I reach out to touch it, the band moves, uncoiling its long tail and raising its head.
I gasp, staring at the band, first through the mirror, then directly as it leaps into my hand, its small wings fluttering in the sky. It's the color of my new hair, dark blue—almost black, with bright stars moving through its scales. It's the size of a kitten. A baby dragon. The color of midnight.
I glance down at my finger, where my mother's ring once rested. The silver band is still there, but the stone is broken, cracked open like…
An egg.
I look into the creature's eyes, and it makes warbling sound, "You're Yami," I say.
His lips curl, like he's smiling, and he hops on my hand, chirping.
Asher and Madrid stare at me, frowning. I hold the baby dragon up to them. "Was this supposed to happen?" I ask.
Asher squints "I'm not sure…"
Madrid shakes her head. "Princess, we do not see what you are seeing."
I look down at Yami and back up again. "This dragon. It hatched from my ring."
Madrid's eyes widen, and she bows. "The Midnight Star has been reborn." Other Fae fall to their knees, bowing, but most look on as skeptically as Asher. Lucian scowls from beside the tree.
Madrid's words trigger my memory, of my transformation in the dark starry night. "Midnight Star. Yes. The voice said I was the Midnight Star. But why can't you see Yami?"
The Fae looks at my head, her eyes focusing until she smiles. "He is an ancient spirit of our people, and only reveals himself to those he chooses. I believe, yes, I saw him, for a moment, but he is gone again. He has just been reborn, and you are like his mother. It will take time for him to grow accustomed to others, to grow strong again, just as it will take time for you to master your own magic."
Asher grimaces and looks back at the glowing silver tree. It looks more alive now than it did when we arrived. My blood seems to have revitalized it.
"Is something more meant to happen?" Everyone still seems to be waiting for something, as if me turning into Fae and hatching a dragon from my ring wasn't enough of a show.
Madrid's words are low, meant only for Asher and me. "Now that Yami has returned, the other Druids will awaken. Within this tree sleeps the Air Druid and his spirit. We are waiting for his slumber to end."
"What happens when it does?" I ask.
Asher sighs. "What indeed? Old sins will be revisited, undoubtedly."
Madrid glares at him. "Ignore the vampire. When the Druid awakens, he will teach you how to master your magic and help you find the other three Spirits, so that we might unite the four corners of our kingdom once again."
Lightning flashes in the dark sky and hits the silver tree, filling it with light. I cover my eyes with my hand, squinting in the glow.
A hush falls over those who came to see this magic unfold. The tree groans, and the silver roots that covered the hollow begin to pull away, until a dark opening appears. Yami jumps to my shoulder and perches by my ear, nuzzling my neck and hair and purring. He too stares at the tree.
Asher sucks in his breath as the shape of a man forms against the shadows, stepping into the light.
He is dressed in white robes, his head bald and tattooed. His eyes are such a pale blue they are almost white.
He's beautiful. Mesmerizing.
He looks at us a moment, then stares at Asher.
"Hello, old friend," he says in a low voice.
"Hello, Varis."
Chapter 5
HIGH FAE
"But your blood is the most powerful, that of the High Fae, that of the royal line. You are heir to our lands, heir to Avakiri."
—Madrid
A buzz sweeps through the crowd, but rather than escalating, it moves in a wave as the Fae closest to us become quiet. The silence spreads, and all I hear is the shuffle of feet, the brush of fabric against skin, the subtle movements of hundreds of Fae pushing in closer to us.
Varis and Asher stare at each other, speaking more than words with the looks they exchange. They have history, that much is clear. And not all of it is good.