.Elementals.

-11-

"Are you serious? How did that happen?" Leo asked.

All of us were gathered in the living room of our quarters, standing in a half circle in front of Belladonna, the day right after the ball night.

"I am afraid so Leo and no one has any explanation to it."

"What will we do then?" Em asked.

"Well Emersme, I've talked with the queen and head guard about this, you along with Calypso will head into town, try to find out if anyone has seen someone not belonging, Amalia and Leo you will scout the inside of the castle walls, Amalia you the castle itself and Leo outer wall, you Mystery will accompany me, maybe you'll see something I missed, orders understood?"

"Yes." We all said at the same time.

I followed behind Belladonna through the castle hallways until a flight of stairs guards by two men, they lifted their spears to let us through and we started descending down the spiraling staircase leading to the dungeon underneath the castle.

Here the walls were illuminated with also the crystal torches or the smoke smell of wooden torches would stain the inside of the castle.

Most of the cells were empty and those that weren't had deserved their fate.

"None of them seen anything?" I asked.

"Not the guard nor them even if promise freedom if they could say what happened."

"It must have been powerful to slip by us."

"They slipped by you, you mean." I didn't answer her, I had just proven once again that I was strongest by sensing the poison before she did so I didn't acknowledge her words.

"Who could have done something like this?"

"Someone really powerful."

Stepping to the last cell was chilling to the bone.

Inside laid the body of the poisoner with his head spun once around, neck bones completely snapped and blood dripping from his mouth but head still attached to the body despite the stain on the ligaments and skin that was now a deep purple.

"It is wild magic as I see no marks that the cell had changed." Wild magic and elemental magic was different and similar, wild magic could do what we could and even more like enchant things to do something special while elementals can't and wild magic is like air itself, is everywhere while our magic is born inside of us.

"I deduced as much." Belladonna agreed.

A small spark of magic to my dragon sight bead revealed nothing, the similar glow of the wild magic leaving invisible claw marks across the man's body.

"This wasn't one attack, there are many wild magic residues on him as if slashed by claws, this was an attack to the soul directly and the neck spin.... It was just to be sure he'd die." I breathed out softly, sight turning normal.

"But you cannot trail it."

"Unfortunately no, too little is known and there is no trail to follow as if he had done this himself which is impossible as the neck was broken after he died, the wild magic mark on it the most resent plus let's not forget I sealed his magic away."

"Well we tried, you are free to go."

I headed to my favorite spot to find a not so welcome sight over there.

"What troubles you today Highness?" I asked slowing my pace as I approached, she looked downed as if told really bad news.

"Many troubles weigh on me." She said, sitting on the edge of the fountain again, similar clothes to her riding gear but a black corset instead of a tunic.

"Are any of them something I can help with?"

"Mage if you could cancel the tournament that will be organised to win my hand in marriage I'd appreciate it."

"I am sorry Highness but such request is impossible to fulfill."

"So I feared and soon mother will want me to meet with our neighbors."

"Also about the tournament?"

"Possibly, when they hear of this all allowed men and women will try, oh dread, gods, what will become of me?"

"Highness it will all be fine don't worry."

"My mother's hand has been forced into this despite her being the queen of the most powerful queendom, the place built from the last stronghold of humanity and yet I am still forced into this and end up with someone my heart doesn't want."

"Does it have someone it wants?" I asked, sitting next to her, hair its usual mess as there would not be a party any time soon.

"Not yet." Was all she said.

"Don't worry Highness I am sure things will get better."

"You are so nice mage."

"What can I say? Leaving a beautiful woman to wail in sorrow? What would that make me be?"

"I would remind you that I am not wailing in sorrow." She said with a laugh like bells, ringing clean and true through the air, I smiled, it suited her more than sadness.

"Mage Mystery." I picked up my head to look at the guard walking us. "The queen requires your presence in the throne room."

"Very well." Stood and bowed to the princess before following the guard to the throne room where the queen and the four other mages were waiting.

"Now that you are all here, the tournament for my daughter's hand will begin shortly as you must have rumors say but unfortunately what happened with that man leads me to worry about her safety and with certain of who the competitors may be too."

"Do you want us to assassinate those your Majesty doesn't approve off?" Amalia asked.

"No I would ask for you to participate, mingle with mass and help weed out the contestants."

"But Majesty that would mean we too are competing for her hand in marriage."

"I am aware but who else would be more apt to protect her than my own Elementals? You can reject the proposition you won't be held accountable for it; You have until sunset to think this over."

"Yes Majesty." We all echoed.

I headed back to the elm tree but the princess was gone so I just climbed up to my favorite spot to have a little bit of time to think about in silence and peace, think about what my answer to this request would be.