Legerdemain

CHAPTER-2

Dear Leo,

I am writing to let you know that I will be leaving by dawn. I hope we can continue exchanging letters if you have the time. I will keep you updated on everything, big and small.

Yours,

A

I put the letter inside an envelope, a forget-me-not seal for the wax. Now, all that was left for me to do was to deliver it to its reader's bedroom.

Leo stayed in the west wing of the castle where all the high-ranking guards were assigned their private chambers. Whereas I stayed in the east wing along with all the other royals- the King, the Queen, and the ministers. I would have run to his chamber if only it wasn't for this heavy gown. It was pretty, yes, but it wasn't my style. I preferred fewer layers with laces and straps and as cherry-on-top, a high slit. My mother preferred the old-fashioned gowns, very typical of her.

What else did you expect from a 315-year-old mother, Adreina?

When I reached Leo's chambers, I slipped the letter through the bottom of his bedroom door. It was time for me to finally leave this kingdom.

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My mother did not weep tears of gold. She was, how do you put it in simple language, sad, but not emotionally sick of watching me leave. Not that I had my expectations high.

My father did make an appearance to bid me farewell. He remained sick most of these days and stuck to his bed. The Queen was assured that her husband would not die so easily and that they were looking for a cure for his condition.

He couldn't wield magic anymore. And when you do not have magic in your veins pulsing alongside your blood, you die. But I have my doubts my mother will even cry then. Theirs was an arranged marriage, a political alliance said to be in favor of the Kingdom of Elsyrian.

Although if you could get the Queen drunk on Castor bean mixed with deadly night bane, you might get the whereabouts of her one true love-- her twin flame. Only my mother can get drunk on human poison and ramble to her child about how she killed her love. I was eight when she confessed her crimes to me and made me swear a blood oath to never tell anyone about it.

Thank the fated stars, I did not inherit her 'getting-drunk-on-poison' genes or her 'kill-the-mate-to-remain-queen' mentality.

The journey was of 40 hours by road but who said we were taking a bloody carriage?

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Connecting all Kingdoms and Queendoms was a portal of time that could be used to travel from one realm to another. Every realm had one in their court in an open space, usually a garden. The only drawback of the portal was that it could only be accessed by a drop of royal blood. So, the commoners couldn't use it on their own; they had to get permission beforehand stating the true purpose of their visit. Well, at least in the Kingdom of Elsyrian. I still had to expand my knowledge of the inside politics of each realm.

Our portal was situated in the castle garden surrounded by lilies and forget-me-nots. A small sprinkler of stardust was situated in the middle of the garden. The castle caretaker's magic cast over the gardens made it remain hidden in darkness all the time. In the far corner, my favourite swing was hung by a willow tree.

"Daughter, I wish you well on your quest," the Queen said, placing one hand on my shoulder and the other on my cheek. She looked terrifically happy. We never would see eye-to-eye, as she always hovered over my figure. I wasn't short, it was my mother who stood at 6 feet.

"Do give my regards to the Queen and King." Her smile seemed unnatural. The gleam reached her opal eyes. I sometimes wondered why I didn't get my parent's eyes or their facial features, but only their olive skin colour.

"It is time." Apollo pricked my finger and pressed it to the portal wall.

The howling sound that accompanied the wind as it escaped the opening portal created an abyss. The wind force faltered my steps as I tried to step forward into the abyss.

The last thing I remembered before I was sucked into nothing was Reyne's hiss.