by Anna Santos
Raising her head from her folded arms resting on the balcony railing, Claire wondered if William had ever played with sparklers or saw fireworks up close. If memory served her right, the Diamond Kingdom would be celebrating the Summer Festival in two weeks. There would be music, fireworks, dancing, and street theater. She loved the jugglers, the clowns, and the mimes.
“What are you doing here?” Ming’s question startled Claire.
“Watching the valley,” Claire turned around to look at the fairy. “Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”
“I always come for a walk at night to make sure that everything is locked and safe.”
“Why wouldn’t it be safe?” Claire asked.
Ming shrugged. “Aren’t you cold?”
“A bit, but this balcony has the best view. I can gaze at the dark sky filled with stars or at the valley filled with sparking chandelier lights.”
Ming landed on the railing. “Are you missing home?”
“A bit. How did you know?”
“You keep mentioning your mother while we are cooking and embroidering.”
“She used to send me letters to tell me how everybody was doing. In the past few weeks, I haven’t received any news. I don’t know if I should be worried. Father would write if something was wrong. Maybe not writing means they are just busy.”
Ming paced the railing with careful steps. “The Regent would send word if something had happened.”
Claire sighed. “With the good weather, it seems, there’s a party every night.”
“You saw the fireworks, too?” Ming asked.
Claire nodded and puckered her lips with a pensive expression. “Should we organize another party and light fireworks, too? Maybe invite the fairies again.”
Ming giggled, her crystalline laughter tingling in Claire’s ears. “That wouldn’t be wise. There’s too much snow around the mountain. The sound of explosions could provoke an avalanche. We don’t want that, do we?”
“Oh, I hadn’t thought about that.” Claire rubbed her forehead. “Maybe just sparklers. We could throw a party outside in the gardens and light sparklers of every color. Do you think William would like that?”
“You should ask him tomorrow,” Ming proposed. “Go to bed now.”
Claire left for her bedroom.
The next day, she asked William while they were ice skating.
“It’s not safe,” he replied.
“Safe?” Claire found his reply odd. “Why not? Sparklers don’t make noise. They are pretty and fun.”
“No, it’s not safe to be out at night in the open,” William explained, taking her hand and spinning her around.
Claire laughed but still managed to ask, “What could be so dangerous? Nothing happens here. There are no animals around. Just endless snow and crystal gardens.”
“Bats,” William replied. “Giant bats.”
“I’ve never seen one.”
“They only come out at night and have red eyes and sharp teeth. They will try to take you away, and you’ll have to call for me and scream, ‘Oh, William, please, save me!’
She giggled with him playfully mimicking her in a distressed situation. Leaning closer, she asked, “Would you save me if that happened?”
“Of course. I would freeze them to death.”
Claire’s smile faded. They were so close. Sometimes, she felt shy for staring at him the way she did when he was smiling and talking sweetly to her. Did he know he made her heart beat faster when they were close like that? Had he noticed how she wasn’t afraid to touch him and felt sad when he did nothing to narrow the distance between their mouths?
“Would me being taken by giant bats upset you, my prince?” Claire wondered out loud.
“Winter would return in full force, Claire.” His serious expression made her heart stop beating. Not out of fear, though.
Her eyes lingered on his until she let go of his hands. “I’ll try to stay indoors, then.”
Smiling, she folded her hands behind her back and skated away from him until her heartbeat returned to normal.
Chapter 17
The following days, before breakfast, Claire climbed one of the tallest towers of the palace and watched how spring was spreading all across the kingdom. The valley was blooming, and the meadows were green and full of life. Only the tallest mountains remained covered in snow. The palace was no exception. The sun didn’t seem able to melt the ice away. It didn’t matter. What mattered was that the prince was happy, and, hopefully, one day, he would grow to love her, and the curse would be broken forever.
William had changed from cold and unattainable to warm and caring. Her presence had lessened his loneliness. Yet, she wondered what she had to do to win his heart. Would he even look at her that way? She wasn’t a noble and didn’t have magical powers like he did.
Once, she had been unwilling to come here and please the coldhearted prince. Now, she often pondered what would have happened if the Regent had chosen Deborah instead of her. She would probably have driven the prince mad and brought forth a blizzard. A chill ran down her spine at the idea of her village being covered in snow, and everybody she held dear dying of starvation and cold.
Even if she was happy, she missed her home and family more each day. The Diamond Palace provided for her every need. However, all of it could not erase the need for contact with other humans. Skating outside the palace, walking through the gardens, and playing indoors was fun. But fun couldn’t replace the things she missed and the ache in her heart.
Claire ran down the stairs and found the butler entering the hallway. “Do you have something for me?”
He stopped and hid the envelopes he had in his hand behind his back. “No.”
Two weeks without news from her parents was unusual. “Are you sure? Did you read the names on the letters properly?”
“I’m sure, Miss Claire. These are all for the prince.”
Claire sighed in defeat. Before she turned around, she asked, “Do you know if everything is okay at the capital?”
“I have no idea, miss. I assume it is since the Regent hasn’t been sending many letters complaining, and there are plenty of festivities programmed for the next month.”
“So, you have been to the capital.”
“I have,” the butler confessed. “I have family below that I visit.”
“Could you confirm if my parents are receiving my letters?”
The butler frowned. “Why wouldn’t they be receiving your correspondence? I deliver them to the Regent’s servants every time a new carriage arrives with the goods.”
Claire sulked. She had no reason to distrust the Regent. “They are probably busy. Thank you.” She turned around to return to her bedroom.
The butler cleared his throat. “Tonight, there’ll be fireworks in the capital. They are normally beautiful and brighten the sky at night. You would have a better view from the gazebo at the edge of the mountain top.”
Claire turned around with raised eyebrows. “How do you know I like fireworks?”
“Who doesn’t?” His lips curled up into a smile that she had never seen before. That action sent shivers up her arms.
Swallowing dry, she lowered her head in a tiny bow and walked to the left where the kitchen was located.
Peeking behind her, she saw the butler resume his walk up the stairs with the letters in his hand. Claire had no reason not to trust his word. Still, he was the only one in the palace who gave her the creeps.
That night, the games ended sooner, and Claire returned to her bedroom with the fairies in tow. They often came to help her undress and comb her hair. Sometimes, they spent their night talking, and they fell asleep with her in her bed.
“I’m not sleepy,” Tasha claimed, landing on the vanity table and circling the vials with perfumes as if she was practicing her dance moves. She raised her arms and breathed deeply. “We should throw another party.”
“Claire suggested that to William,” Ming said from the bed where she was seated
.
“What did he say?” Kara asked, flying around Claire and making her dizzy.
“He didn’t approve,” Claire replied, unbraiding her hair after removing the pins.
“I’m bored,” Tasha complained, dramatically falling on the table and spreading her arms and legs.
“There’s a big party happening in the capital today,” Claire shared.
Tasha raised her head. “Party?”
Kara asked, “How do you know?”
“The butler told me.”
Kara landed on her shoulder. “I didn’t know you were friends with the butler. He barely speaks more than what is absolutely necessary, and he doesn’t get attached to any of the girls who are sent here.”
“I asked if he had mail for me and how things were going in the capital. He commented about the fireworks and the festivities,” Claire explained, walking to the vanity desk and taking a seat.
Kara jumped onto the table, waved her hand, and the hairbrush levitated in the air and began combing Claire’s hair. “Your hair is longer and smoother. We can do a waterfall braid tomorrow. What do you think?”
“What type of braid is that?”
“You have lush hair with big curls. It’s a shame not to show it off,” Kara continued. “I’ll braid the top of your hair, making it so that it doesn’t cover your eyes and falls in waves down your back.”
“Do you think William will like it?”
The brush stopped as Kara’s eyes aimed at her face through the mirror in front of Claire. “Are you growing fond of our William?”
Claire turned her head to look at the fairy. “I’m here to make him happy. That includes looking pretty for him, doesn’t it?”
Tasha giggled and bounced her hands against the table. “She likes him!”
Ming landed next to Tasha. “Of course, she likes him.” She placed her foot over her sister’s leg. “Stop acting silly. You’re embarrassing Claire.”
Tasha stopped giggling and sat up. “Oh, if she breaks the curse, I can finally leave and find a nice forest to build a home. We can help flowers blossom, talk with the trees, chase after bees, and find a handsome fellow to flirt with. Maybe a lumberjack. They are big and have strong arms. Broad chests and fluffy beards.”
Ming grabbed the cotton powder puff and threw it at her sister’s face.
Tasha coughed and fought off the makeup powder around her.
Claire and Kara laughed.
“Why did you do that?” Tasha complained, looking like a ghost.
“You were babbling nonsense,” Ming replied. “We are fairies. We don’t mingle with lumberjacks. They cut down trees.”
“We could convince them not to do that,” Tasha claimed, wagging her index finger at her sister.
“Can fairies fall for human beings?” Claire asked.
“Love is love,” Kara replied. “No matter the species. But we are still too young to think about that.”
“Speak for yourself,” Tasha muttered.
“William needs us,” Ming said. “Claire needs us, too. We are friends.”
Tasha dusted off her face. “Do you think we could sneak out and go to the capital to join the party?”
Kara dropped into a lotus position. “It’s late, and it would take too long to get there. Plus, Claire is human-size. We couldn’t carry her with us.”
“It’s colder at night. Our wings would freeze,” Ming added.
“We could watch the fireworks from the gazebo,” Claire proposed. “We could dress in warm clothes and sit there while we wait for the show to begin.”
“Yes. We can pack hot chocolate and drink outside,” Kara agreed.
“You are always thinking about eating,” Ming grumbled.
“It’s one of the best pleasures of life,” Kara argued with her finger raised in the air. “That and—”
Tasha rushed to Kara and covered her mouth.
Kara fought her off and finished her sentence with a grumpy expression. “That and flying. Flying is great!”
Ming let out a burst of sizzling laughter, and Claire joined her.
Kara smiled, and Tasha scratched the back of her head.
“You’re so dirty-minded,” Kara accused Tasha. “Always thinking about men.”
Tasha huffed, marched to her previous spot, and sat down. “Are we going or not?”
“Where?” Ming asked.
“Outside, to watch the fireworks and drink hot chocolate.”
Claire looked at Ming. “Can we?”
“Yes. Let’s put on some warm clothes,” Ming agreed.
Claire jumped from her seat and clapped her hands in excitement.
Chapter 18
The night was cold, and the wind was stronger on the edge of the mountain. Despite the clear sky that showed a million stars glowing in the dark, not even the warm clothes and hot chocolate managed to fully warm Claire’s body. On the other hand, they had a perfect view over the valley and the glowing capital.
“How long do you think it will be before the fireworks start?” Kara asked, moving closer to the arm Claire had resting on the railing.
“I have no idea,” Claire replied.
“We should have brought some wood to start a fire,” Ming said, tapping her feet and rubbing her hands.
Claire’s attention was drawn to an ominous sound. “What is that?”
“Probably the wind,” Tasha replied on her left side.
A loud whistling sound echoed, and Claire squinted at the darkness below. “William said there were bats flying around in the night. I’ve never seen a bat before. I didn’t think they liked the cold weather.”
“Bats hibernate,” Ming said. “But it’s been hotter lately. Not here, but some might have left their caves and are roaming around the valley.”
The wind picked up again and froze Claire’s face. Her teeth chattered while she hugged herself. The movement of the wind flipped her cup, and it fell into the void.
“Oh, no!” She looked down and gulped when two red dots stared back at her. “Ming, Tasha, what is that?”
“What is what?” Ming asked.
Claire couldn’t tear her eyes away from the dark abyss where the red dots were moving closer to where she was.
“Kara, call William,” Ming shouted.
Claire felt something pushing against her chest, but she couldn’t believe her eyes when the red dots became the terrifying eyes of a flying dragon with red scales and huge bat-like wings. “D-dragon!”
The beast showed its teeth as if it was smiling at Claire. Before she could understand what was going on, the dragon opened its mouth, and a mass of fire expelled in her direction.
She was glued to the ground, without a way to escape certain death.
A wall of ice rose in front of Claire and the fairies.
“What are you doing outside?” a male voice asked.
“We need to run,” Ming said, flying in front of Claire’s face.
The wall behind Ming shone yellow in the middle. The dragon was throwing its fire against the ice to melt it.
Claire turned her back and saw William levitating with glowing blue eyes and his hands covered with mist and frost. His feet were surrounded by a white cloud that was transporting him in her direction. She was relieved to see him. He had saved her from the huge dragon.
“That’s not a bat,” Claire shouted at him.
Behind her, something exploded, and shards of ice flew around. Claire screamed and crouched with her hands over her head. Ming, Tasha, and Kara appeared above her head with their hands glowing yellow, and she felt the fairy dust fall around her. They had protected her from the explosion.
“We need you to move,” Ming urged.
“Take her to the palace,” William ordered, flying past her and aiming his hands at the creature that was still flapping behind the gazebo.
Huge pointy shards flew in the direction of the dragon. Claire turned her head to look at what was happening and saw the beast evading the shards and dipping into the
darkness.
“What is that? Why is it attacking us?” Claire asked Ming.
“That’s Edana, the Red Dragon Queen.”
William growled, and his arms opened wide. A wall of solid ice surrounded the edge of the cliff like a barrier against the creature.
Claire got up, and her legs trembled. She knew she had to walk. Run. Get away from there and take cover inside the palace. If she was fast enough. Yet, her body didn’t want to obey her.
William’s arm snaked around her waist, and he lifted her into the air. Her feet touched his flying cloud. Claire managed to breathe when she realized that he was taking her to the palace, and she had a chance of surviving.
“The fairies,” Claire said, looking back. “We can’t leave them.”
“They are here,” William said.
Claire saw Ming, Kara, and Tasha holding on to his shoulders. Their eyes were wide and dark. She had never seen them scared.
“It was my fault,” Claire said. “I’m sorry.”
“You had no way of knowing she would be there,” Ming said.
Claire noticed William clenching his jaw. He must be mad at her for leaving the palace. He had told her not to. “Why did she attack us? Does this happen often?”
William didn’t reply. Instead, he waved his left hand. The double doors opened, and they landed in the hallway. The doors closed, and William removed his arm from around Claire’s waist.
The warmth inside the palace fought the numbness on Claire’s face, but her legs were weak, and she dropped to the floor.
“Claire!” Ming and Kara rushed to her side.
William knelt in front of her. “Are you okay?”
Claire gazed at him. His eyes were back to normal—no more glowing—but he seemed tense.
“Just cold and… I don’t know if I’m trembling from the cold or the fear.”
“Probably both,” William said, raising his hand to touch her. He stopped what he was going to do and eyed his bare hand.
Getting up, he dashed up the stairs and disappeared into his part of the palace.
