A Blade Among Feathers

Chapter 32

Elix

Nights without Everly have been different to say the least, I very much do miss her. It feels as though the whole castle has fallen into a depressive state without her constant optimism and humour. The halls now feel empty when it is just me here to keep everyones spirits up. And it doesnt help that Im still getting over Leroys absence. Idyllia is a continuous reminder of what I lost to get her. But alas, one should never dwell on the past, even though it is something I have been doing a lot lately.

I keep trying to distract myself from the fact that my twin sister has been gone for a week, and Father has been all uppity about her absence. The staff of the palace have been completely freaking out over the missing princess, and none of them have ever thought that maybe she needed a break from the responsibilities and stress of living here. I know I certainly need a break.

I currently find myself sitting on Everlys bed in the middle of the night, thinking about what my wedding would have been like if she were in attendance. I feel as though she would have laughed at the crown Amara had given me, she also would have danced with me once the ceremony was over. I can also tell that she would have become best friends with Idyllia in an instant, they would have loved each other.

Idyllia was currently sleeping on her own for the last time. It is a custom in my family that the night after two are married, they spend the night alone to remember what it was like before the couple was bound in holy matrimony. Therefore, as of tomorrow, both of out things are to be moved into a larger room to spend countless nights together as husband and wife.

So instead of spending my last night alone sleeping, I chose to stay awake and miss Everly while sitting in her room. Reluctantly I stood up and walked out of the quiet room, making my way down the hall to where the engagement presents were placed. There was something about the mirror that confused me, and it bothered me to go to sleep without figuring the object out.

The hallways were empty and cold, the usual feeling of them compressing in on me felt like normal. The darkness was occasionally broken from the glowing flower buds that hung on the walls, giving the areas around them a subtle blue glow.

The stone floor was cold against my bare feet, causing me to occasionally flinch from the cold shock. It was pure silence as I wandered the halls, all except for my not so quiet breathing. Its strange how at night, everything you do seems so much louder than in the day.

My mind stopped circling as soon as I was face-to-face with a large wooden door, the treasury. This was where the engagement presents were being stored until tomorrow. This is where I should hopefully find my answers about that mirror. At least I hope this is where the answers are.

The doors were heavy as I opened them, letting out a creak from the hinges. Looking into the never-ending darkness that is the room before me, I took a gulp and grabbed a glowing flower bud from the wall beside me and entered the treasury.

The light from the flower bud in my hand helped me visualise the stacks of gold coins and gems that line the ground before me. The gifts were stored in the very back of the deep room, which was highly inconvenient. I carefully and silently moved myself past the obnoxiously large piles of riches, keeping my wings pressed closely to my body.

When the mirror was right in front of me, I made sure to take in every detail. While admiring the intricacy of the frame, I reached my hands out to touch it. When the cold metal grazed my fingertips, I recoiled my hands back to my sides, there was something off with the aura of the object. It was as if it were possessed by some sort of dark magic, the kind of magic that can burn an Owling. Who would gift something like this to anyone? Something doesnt seem right at all.