Midnight Star

"Those are the main libraries," Dana, or Dala, says. "We are renowned for our thirst and love of knowledge. We collect the histories of our people, stories and tales. We study them."

The other twin speaks. "The Air Tribe produces the scholars of the Fae, the teachers and historians and storytellers."

We reach a tall tree with a staircase carved into the center and glass hallways branching off from the trunk. The twins lead us up the stairs and turn down one glass hallway toward a large bedroom.

It's made of wood and grey stone, with windows that take up most of three walls. Except they are not covered by glass, but by sheer white drapes that sway in the sweet-smelling wind.

You wouldn't want to be afraid of heights in this bedroom. A fall off the outdoor balconies would end in death or serious breakage of body parts.

My bed is situated in the middle of the room, a four-poster canopy bed with more sheer white drapes hanging from the carved wooden frame. They rise like tree vines from the floor and almost reach the tall vaulted ceilings.

Asher escorts me in. "I'll come by tomorrow. Be well, Princess. There will be guards at your door through the night to make sure you are safe."

Yeah right. More like, to make sure I stay put.

The prince walks to the door, then turns to look at me. "I think we can be of help to one another, Arianna. I think we can be friends, even. There is hope for this, after all. Dum spiro spero."

He closes the door, and I wait for his footsteps to fade.

Alone in my room, I stand on the balcony of my bedroom, staring out at a picturesque vision of mountains and sky as far as the eye can see. No barred windows, but it's still a prison, nonetheless.

I feel like Rapunzel, trapped in a tower waiting for a prince to come save me. But the damsel in distress isn't a role I enjoy playing.

So I decide to take matters into my own hands. I'm not going to wait around for someone to save me. I'm going to save myself.

Time to think outside the box. Or rather, the gilded cage perched high in a tree.

I look over the balcony and estimate how much cloth I would need to climb to the ground. Then I pull drapes from the windows and tie them together. I may not have the hair of Rapunzel, but I'll make due.

Before I attempt this, I need a backup plan. I need a way for Fen to find me here, just in case. I search the room for something sharp. When I find nothing useful, I study the mirror above the vanity. That will work. I wrap some cloth around my elbow and use it break the mirror. I grab a piece of sharp glass. With it, I cut my finger and use the blood to draw Fen's demon mark on the floor.

Now I'm ready. I throw my long makeshift rope over the balcony and tie it to the bed. My heart pounds in my chest. My hands are sweaty. It's a long way down. But I can't sit here waiting for others to decide my fate.

The sun is setting, and I consider waiting until it's fully dark, but what if someone returns? I have no guarantee I'll be left alone for the night. I stand at the edge of my balcony, looking over the cliff my room is carved into. A forest of silver trees grows at the bottom. A long… long… way down.

Come on. You can do this.

I climb over the wooden railing of the balcony and use my hands and feet to move down the knotted cloth. I move slowly. I do not look at the ground. Breathe in. Breathe out. Focus. Relax. Just—

A gust of wind hits me, shoving me against the cliff. The stone scrapes my knees and elbows. The rope tears into my wrist, reopening my wound and coating the cloth in blood, making it slippery.

The wind passes. I grip harder and continue my descent. The grove of silver trees is close. As long as no one looks in my direction, I should make it okay.

Lower.

Lower.

I run out of cloth. The ground isn't too far away. I shouldn't break anything if I drop. I take a deep breath and let go, falling into a roll as I land, just like Fen taught me. A bit of air is knocked out of me, but nothing is broken, and I can still walk—mostly, so I call it a success. It takes a moment to situate myself and figure out which direction I need to go.

I hear someone above me, at my balcony, and I hide in the shadows, half running, half limping toward the mountains with the gryphon. The sun has set. The streets are nearly empty.

It doesn't take me long to find my way to Gryphon International. I need to fly back to the Crystal Palace, using the landmarks I remember, and take the elevator back to the Seven Realms.

I climb the stone steps and seek out the gold and white gryphon I rode earlier. It's resting like a cat against a tree. I move closer, cautiously approaching the magnificent beast. It notices me and jumps up on its back legs, roaring at me as it bears down its claws. I raise my arms in defense.

And the talons tear into my flesh.

It's a deep, burning wound across my forearm, and I bite my lip to avoid crying out from the pain.

The gryphon steps back, cautious of me. But at least he's not attacking anymore.

I hear yelling from behind me. Someone is coming. I have to act fast.

I step forward, my good hand outstretched, and make soothing sounds as I approach.

The gryphon allows me to draw near, and I pat its head. "Good boy. Can I ride you now? Would that be okay?" The gryphon seems to think about my request, then lowers to the floor, bowing his head. I pull off the shackle around his leg and climb onto the saddle more gracefully than before.

The yelling grows louder.

I grab the reins and tug, and the gryphon launches into the air.

We dive off the island, fast, the wind tearing at my wounds and the night freezing my bones. The ground comes closer and closer.