Six

by Rachel Robinson

  “She is in your care now, princess,” the lead guard intones.

  Lana yanks her shirt down, dusts off her pants, and blows her bangs out of her face. “That’s right, you assholes. I don’t forget, either. Especially you, Mr. blind-me-when-my-back-is-turned. I got your number, buddy!” she screams, spittle flying from her mouth.

  The witches walk away without a backward glance. Lana raises both middle fingers and moves them wildly up and down in the air. Complementing her crudeness, she mouths the words ‘fuck you’ to their retreating backs. Then she turns to me, the witches all but forgotten, and smiles a huge Lana smile.

  “You freakish little witch princess.” She puts her hands on her hips while she eyes me up and down. I try to laugh, but with my dark magic humming it sounds like a high-pitched musical note. “You seriously drag me to this horrible, awful place,” she glances at the lush gardens and continues talking when her eyes land on the sun, “and you’re already a dark fucking witch. How fair is that, mutant?”

  Lily touches my arm. “Good luck, miss,” she says. I think she means good luck taming my factotum, but one glance at her brown eyes tells me more. She is wishing me luck with Liam tonight and with the challenge I must make with him. She is certain I will fail. Good luck also means good-bye. I smile. Lily leaves. I glance up at Liam’s window to find it empty before I approach Lana.

  I ball my fists at my side and the quivering magic that hums through my body dissipates. My eyes eventually turn blue and the tears come instantaneously. It is the first time happiness tempers my sadness. Lana notices.

  “What did they do to you?” Lana asks, voice jeering. Her familiar silver eyes hold concern. She clutches my hands in hers.

  “You are not mad I sent for you?” I ask, ignoring her question. She scrunches her forehead, knitting her eyebrows together.

  She knocks on the side of my head lightly. “Duh, I was coming here after you anyways. When your guard showed up it just proved easy transportation to this horrible place.” Lana’s gaze dances over the gardens. She turns her face into the breeze. “How do you stand it here? It’s utterly tragic.”

  She laughs. I laugh. She pulls me into a hug. It is so comforting that I weep. She pulls away when my jagged crying makes my body heave. She unfolds her sleeve and wipes underneath my eyes. My stomach turns. I know what she will want to know.

  “Which goddamned fucker made you feel sadness?” Lana asks. I want to tell her everything, but I do not trust the wind.

  “I made myself feel it,” I say. “We should go into the palace now.” I grab her hand and start for the wide doors in the distance.

  “Good, this garden is hideous. It makes me want to kill something,” Lana smarts. I pull the apple from my pocket and hand it to her. She rolls it around in her hand contemplating, then throws it into the air and punts it into the distance.

  When it shatters a palace window, I know I have to tame Lana. Especially if we are to make it out of the palace alive.

  The absence of her bow and quiver actually relieves me.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  July 26th, Night

  “The food is always available,” I tell her. Knowing Lana will not serve me in my room like a factotum is expected, I take her to the dining hall. I glance around warily as anyone who passes by watches Lana annihilate the buffet table. She shows the food no mercy. I press my lips together to stifle a giggle when I see her eyes light up when she takes a bite of a sweet cake.

  “Emma, you’re kidding right? I’m not leaving this place until the food is gone,” she says. She has not noticed that food is mystically replaced as she soon as takes it. She has been unaffected by most of the magical qualities of the enchanted palace. She thinks the holograms are ‘trippy’ and is more amazed than scared by the flowing streams of magic that course though the hallways and corridors. When multiple dark witches gather to watch her like she is the entertainment, I jerk her from her seat and lead her to my room.

  “Do not give these witches any reason not to trust you,” I say as we walk. Lana gets distracted by the large, ornate dresses worn by all. I keep my dark side at the surface to prevent dizziness. Unfortunately and fortunately, Lana does not have that same luxury.

  “I was just eating.” She pauses, deep in thought. “You should’ve taken some for the road,” she says. A burst of gray, warm magic rages between our heads, leaving sparkling particles in the air. I shiver, then push Lana into my room and slam the door.

  I take a few ragged breaths to quell my dark magic. “They will kill us if they hear such comments,” I say.

  Lana observes everything in my room. She picks up my lone book and turns to me and smiles. She holds it up and shakes it. “He had to kill a ton of savages for this, you know?”

  I close my eyes and bring my hand up to my throat. Finn’s heart is no longer there. I buried it deep in my backpack, unable to leave it alone on Liam’s floor. “I do not wish to talk about Finn,” I tell her. Sadness eats me like a disease when I think of him.

  Lana walks over to the large sheet covering my window and rips it down. She sucks in a large, audible breath. “Well, blow me over, captain. They really do believe in torture, don’t they?” Lana sniggers.

  I walk over and glance out the window. Like always, Finn’s house is empty.

  “What a bunch of assholes,” Lana says wrapping her arm around my shoulder. I force a grin. “Finn wouldn’t be in his house anyway,” she says. Her answering smile is conspiring.

  “Why not?” I ask.

  “Did you really think overprotective-Emma-is-mine Finn was going to let you sit in this gilded cage for long?”

  I exhale a pent up breath. My ugly truth surfaces. “He will not want me when he finds me. I am damaged. I am Liam’s princess. He will never get past that. Do you know what I had to do?” I ask, barely able to stave off the tears.

  Lana nods, understanding everything without requesting details. I tell her of the dark witches’ inability to refuse a challenge. She seems impressed I have been able to gather so many details about this twisted, false place. I tell her of my plan to challenge Liam to let me feel all six emotions to garner my freedom and of Lily’s story about the darkling.

  Lana goes into my closet, and then exits wearing one of the gowns. It is a deep purple. Her silver eyes capture my attention. She looks stunning.

  “Okay, fine. You’re a dirty hooker,” she laughs. “But remember I’m here now, too. Finn would never leave us here without at least trying something to break us free.”

  “He will get himself killed. He knows not what he toys with. Because the witches are completely unfeeling, they have no reserves about executing for slight offenses.” A wave of rage whips through me at the thought of Finn harmed.

  “Never underestimate an irate man. Finn has taken care of himself for a long time.” Lana sits on my bed and opens my book. Her gaze dances over the words. I cannot remember the first time I read the same words myself. I let her ignore me completely for a few minutes. I remember what I have to do with Liam tonight and it saddens me. I may not be fearful when he undresses me and takes me, but now I think I might just snivel through the whole thing. I am not sure which is worse.

  “Prince Iliam expects me in his chambers tonight,” I say when she flips a page. She sets the book down and inspects me closely. “I am unable to conceive an heir this month, but he still wishes to…use me,” I choke out.

  Lana’s face is unreadable as she walks over to my table and runs her hand over a clear, decorative vase. Lily likes flowers so she has put two small arrangements in my room. A few yellow blooms rise out of the pink bubbling liquid. A tiny gray mouse swims in and out of the stalks of the stems—whirring around with no escape. The mouse is merely ornamental, but I cannot help but think it is as trapped as I am. Lana watches it swim and I see her mind working.

  “Call in the darkling I saw you with today,” Lana orders. She spins the vase around. “She is more dark than human, isn’t she?” I nod, still n
ot sure what she wants with Lily. I turn my palm up, calling to my magic. Lana leans away, but watches with interest. A small wisp of magic circles in the air, hovering over my palm. It spins faster and faster until a charmed sphere forms.

  “Send Lilithia,” I command the orb. I close my palm into a tight fist and the magic vanishes. It is a tiring feat. Liam tells me if I sacrifice more emotions my magic will come more easily. It is a sacrifice I am not willing to make. Not yet.

  “Holy shit, that is a pretty rad trick,” Lana says, eyes wide with excitement. Lily walks in, her eyes shining white. I used magic to summon her, so she assumes I want her in the form she is supposed to be in.

  “How much dark magic are you capable of?” Lana asks Lily. I know Lily is capable of much more than I and definitely much more than a feeling Lana. Lily does not speak, so Lana continues. “I know you need a live animal and some liquid to concoct a potion. We need a potion, freakling,” Lana sniggers. She jabs a finger at the vase.

  “What type of potion do you need?” Lily asks. Her eyes flicker brown when she glances at me. “I am not as strong as a witch…I feel fear.” I can see fear in Lily’s eyes now. She is scared of Lana just as I feared Lana when I first met her.

  Lana pulls up the skirts of the billowy dress, higher than is probably acceptable, and paces toward her. “I need my face to match this dress if you know what I mean,” Lana says. I realize then what Lana intends—a cloaking potion. It will make her resemble me in all ways. The darklings in the circle joke about such potions—they do not believe they exist. Lana adds, “I suppose I’ll also need my body to match as well.” She turns around and waggles her eyebrows at me.

  “I cannot let you do that,” I say, my voice firm. Shame fills me. Liam is my burden, not hers. Lily looks at me blankly, waiting for permission from her princess.

  Lana picks up the vase and hands it to Lily. “Here you go, make some magic. I have some balls to make blue,” Lana says, her eyes dance conspiringly. “Give me some credit. I have more than enough practice with male darklings from other circles. I can hold my own without giving away the cow. Trust me,” she tells me. I know nothing will sway Lana, so I nod my consent. Having a best friend with beastly tendencies has ups and downs.

  Lily takes the vase from Lana and removes the flowers so only the pink liquid and the gray mouse remain. She wraps both of her hands around the base and dark magic rises in every corner of my room. It glitters, sparkles in streams, and when it wraps my body, I feel the heat and intent that lives in it.

  Lily’s white eyes lock on mine. “I need a lock of your hair, miss,” she intones robotically, lost in full-on witch mode. Lana bounds over to me and plucks multiple hairs from my head in a quick jerk.

  “That hurt, Lana,” I say. I grab my head where she assaulted me.

  Lana dances over to Lily, with her dress still rucked up, and hands the hair over. Lilly drops my hair into the vase. The blond strands sink into the vase and begin to glow a golden color. The tiny mouse swims quicker and more frantically. My hairs, which are now filled with magic, wrap around its furry body. Tightening further, the strands jerk, and the mouse stops moving. The hairs and the mouse disappear into an iridescent puff. The liquid is now dark blue in color and sweet of odor. Lily sets the vase down on the table in front of Lana.

  “This potion will only work for three hours or less if you so choose. You will gradually transform back into your true body. Obviously I have to tell you that fooling the prince is a horrible idea.” Lily looks at me. “One that is most definitely punishable by death, but I wish you luck.”

  Lana is hopping back and forth on her feet, barely able to contain her excitement. I shake my head. Lana snaps her fingers while she says, “Oh, I know! While you’re at it, can you turn the other one into a cloaking spell as well?” Lana points to the other arrangement on the vanity table. Lily looks nervous and distressed, but no one says no to the Lana-machine.

  Lily leaves after the other vase is bubbling a dark shade. Lana places a cork in the top of the bud vase and slips it into a pocket in the folds of her dress. Lily will come to escort Lana to Liam’s rooms in one hour.

  “Why are you doing this for me?” I ask.

  Lana scrunches her eyebrows together. “I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing this for me. I live for adventure. This is adventure in epic proportions. Plus, I get to be the golden haired princess for a few hours. I get to feel what it’s like to be you,” Lana says. I notice she glances at my window.

  “It is not some amazing thing to be me,” I say. She turns her head back to me. “If we are going to escape we need to be low key about it,” I say. Lana is anything but low key. I know subtlety is the only way. I flop on my bed and throw my arm over my face. The tears come. Sadness hits. I am disabled.

  “Emma, you need to pull yourself together. We’re getting the fuck out of here tonight. Pack your bags. Have some slave fetch us some food, but we got somewhere to be.” I prop myself up on my elbows and look at her. Tears blur my vision.

  “Tonight? How is it possible you have a plan?” I watch her as she picks up the vase and examines the liquid. A fearless look emblazons her face. She tips it back and swallows the contents in one huge gulp. I watch in complete amazement as her body transforms into mine. She stalks toward me and when she speaks, the words leave my lips, not Lana’s.

  “Never underestimate the power of feelings, Emma.”

  I shake my head, not understanding. My crying is ceaseless. I feel powerless. Lana reaches out her hand, my hand, and smacks me across the face. The force is so great my head snaps to stare at the wall on the other side of the room. I cradle the side of my face and turn to look into my own angry blue eyes.

  “They didn’t take everything from you, Emma. Don’t forget that. You still have yourself.” Her nostrils flare as she sucks in determined breaths. “Time to get fucking angry,” Lana says.

  It works. My breathing matches hers, my chest rises, my blood boils. I may not feel fear, surprise, or love, but I feel anger. Lana superimposed as me backs away.

  “Are you angry?” Lana asks.

  “Yes,” I say through gritted teeth.

  “Good. I’m going to go take care of business with the prince and you’ll get ready to run. Do you understand?” She sits at my mirror and runs her hands through my blond hair. She traces the planes of my face with her fingertips.

  “I understand. Why are you so sure this will work?” I stumble through the words because I am so engrossed in watching Lana look at the mirror.

  She whips her head toward me and smiles my smile. “Because I’m fearless, of course.” My stomach knots as I remember Finn’s words from so long ago. Lana reads my expression and nods her head. “I had to sacrifice an emotion to be able to travel to the Dark Citadel.” My mouth gapes open. Lana giggles and it sounds like my own. She stands and pushes her gown down and perks her breasts up.

  “You always seem fearless to me,” I tell her as she crosses to the door. Her giggle turns into unabashed laughter.

  “I made the guards think I was fearful. They chose my fearfulness as my biggest liability, so they took it as toll into the Dark Citadel. You are stripped of what disadvantages you most. They didn’t know I’m just a lying bitch.”

  I breathe out a sigh, thankful she still has joy and love. I hear a slight knock on my door and know Lily is here to take me to Liam. Lana lays her hand on the knob.

  “The reason we have to leave tonight is because Finn is waiting for us in the abandoned city.” I see sympathy reflecting in her eyes. She leaves me before I can ask what Finn had to sacrifice to enter the Dark Citadel.

  My heart lurches.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  July 26th, Late night

  I pace back and forth after I collect everything my backpack can hold. I wear my clothing and mindlessly eat a tart without tasting. Luckily, nervousness is a sub-emotion of fear and I can thank Liam for taking that. I know I should be worried for Lana, but the feeling is not
there. My eyes ghost over as I think of what Liam is trying to make her do. I pull my necklace from my backpack and look at it, willing myself to think of Finn. He is waiting for me, I think as I watch the red heart swing back and forth, calming me. Though I am sure he will not want me when he realizes how damaged I am. I tuck the necklace into the pocket of my tight black pants.

  I hear a disturbance in the hallway. Leaping off the bed with my backpack on, I throw open my door. Lana, half dressed and still wearing my body, bounds into the room and closes the door. Throwing her head back, she leans against the door and blows out a huge breath, her face completely flushed.

  She chews the corner of her lip and taps her chin. “Time to go, Joe. I’d fathom a guess we have less than ten minutes to escape the confines of this palace before the almighty prince and his guards go ape-shit on our asses,” Lana breathes out while stripping out of the dress. She stabs her legs into a pair of pants and throws a shirt on quicker than I thought possible.

  “What did you do?” I ask. She does not meet my eyes.

  “Oh you know, just a little…” she forces her tongue to poke out her cheek and raises her eyebrows. “He was pretty surprised in your change in demeanor.” Lana laughs while speaking. “I could’ve asked for the entire planetary system and I don’t doubt he would be trying to figure out how to lasso it for me this very night.”

  My stomach feels sick. Saliva fills my mouth and I wrap my arms around my waist to hold myself together. Shaking my head at Lana, I close my eyes. When I open them I see her black hair flickering into focus—Lana returning to her body.

  “Oh, please. It’s not that big of a deal. He wasn’t nearly as lecherous as Louis.” She jogs to the door and turns to wait for me. Her words bring up unwanted memories of Louis…and of Finn. It was the first time I realized how much a person could mean to another. “Plus he gave you a ten minute head start before he sends the guards out,” Lana tells me.