SIVELLE WAS powerful in many ways. She was as ancient as the books she kept on her shelves. She held secrets that many had slaughtered their friends for. She held the position of being fae but not fae at the same time.

Ancient as she was, Sivelle was shrouded in a mystery that many longed to solve. She was the known and the unknown; the pinnacle of power, yet the conduit for magic that many fae wished to behold.

Many knew her as the Prophet. But those who knew her as Sivelle knew she held her cards close and her enemies closer.

She spent her time in her cottage, watching those around her and manipulated their futures. She held all the keys, yet most did not know how to reach her. Most would die trying in her woods, which were that way by design.

Be that as it may, there were few Sivelle let enter her world. She preferred to be alone and the access she granted was to help her serve her purpose. Very seldom did she answer the calls of many who sought her out.

That was why, when the Princess had called upon her, she had debated whether to answer. The Princess though played an important part in the web she was weaving, the future she saw for Anlithamy. The future Cornomus foretold.

It was why, when the Princess was alone in her woods, she opened her home up to the young fae. She did so with glee; the Princess had heeded her warning and had come without her little guard. It wasn't that Sivelle didn't like Callum. It was that Callum was a player that belonged off of her chess board. He belonged in a different game entirely.

But the Princess? She was the most important player Sivelle had seen in many centuries.

When Sivelle opened the door to the young Princess, she put on a pleasant face. "Princess Andorra. Welcome in. I hope the trip to my home was not too dangerous."

Andorra had actually been pleasantly surprised that it hadn't been dangerous. Sivelle had been right; the Woodland Forest had been pleasant. The trees were bleeding red and orange, and a slight fall chill surrounded her in a way that proclaimed exactly which court Sivelle resided in. It reminded her of Halloween movies, or those picturesque fall photos on Tumblr. It hadn't been terrifying at all.

"It was a nice adventure, actually." Andorra tucked a strand of hair behind her ear in a slightly anxious way. "It's very beautiful in the Autumn Court. I really like it here."

Sivelle could taste the truth on Andorra's breath. She let the Princess in, showing off her home with a wave of her arm. "Make yourself at home. I do have some questions for you, as I am sure you have questions for me."

Andorra sat on the chair, trying to go for a mix of comfortable but alert. Her head still throbbed, but the fog that had taken residence in her mind had disappeared. It was easy now to focus on Sivelle as she dug into a box towards the back of her cottage.

"I do have questions." Andorra took a quick look around the cottage, taking in her surroundings. She didn't sense that she was in danger, but she wanted to be careful, just in case. She took in all exits; the door and the windows looked to be her only chance of escaping if things got messy.

"The first one being the Golden Crown, am I correct?" Sivelle came back to her couch. In her hand was an old, wooden box. It was long and thin, but instead of opening it, Sivelle placed it down on the table. "I will show you the crown, but you are not ready to retrieve it."

"I'm not ready, as in, I'm not ready to be Queen yet?" Andorra already knew this. She felt like she barely knew Anlithamy, and in an ideal world, she would know her home before she ruled over it. In an ideal world though, she wouldn't be betrothed to a killer Prince.

"You are not ready to retrieve it because you are not powerful enough yet. Andorra, you hold much power in yourself, yet you have not trained. You have not accessed it. You are a faerie who knows very little of her own magic."

This much was true, and Andorra knew this. She refused to feel shameful over it, though. She held her head high. "So, you're saying that in order to retrieve the crown, I need to learn about my magic."

"I am saying that the places you will go will defeat you if you are not careful." Sivelle moved her hand into the air in front of her face. There, it looked as though black smoke began to gather. The more Andorra watched it, the more the smoke began to twist and turn, like a ball of moving smoke.

"I will show you where the crown is." The ball of smoke began to move faster and faster, and it became different colors. Blues and greens began to blend in with the black. Soon, there were hints of yellow and red, white and brown, a kaleidoscope of colors in front of Andorra's eyes.

Sivelle threw up her hand, and the smoke covered the space of the room, coating Andorra and Sivelle in darkness. Immediately, Andorra began to feel uneasy, the hint of danger floating around her. It terrified her. She felt herself freeze up as the darkness grew even darker, denser. Andorra wasn't claustrophobic, but she felt so at the moment.

"Where are we?" She managed to whisper.

"No one knows where your parents went." Sivelle said to the darkness. Her voice, once light, grew husky. "This is where your parents are, Andorra."

"In the dark?" Andorra's voice trembled. She knew where she was, then. She knew exactly where this place was.

She'd gone there, once. Right when she had been learning how to make a gate, she had slipped into the deep depths of wherever they were, right now. It had been such a terrifying experience, Andorra had tried to forget that happened to her, but she had been right.

"Only you have the key to getting to this place," Sivelle answered. "Your parents are still in possession of the crown. It is why your parents are still considered King and Queen of Anlithamy."

Andorra squeezed her eyes shut. She had barely escaped last time. But, now she was stronger. Now she knew how to use the in-between and her gates to her advantage. And if she had escaped once, months ago, she could do it again.

"But I'm not strong enough. So what do I need to do in order to become stronger?"

With a flick of her wrist, Sivelle pulled back the smoke until it was contained once again in her hand. Andorra watched as the smoke twisted and turned in the Prophet's palm, almost in a hypnotizing way.

"You must train. I presume you reside at Hornwell Academy, correct? There is an old being that resides in the Royal Court. Their name is Vurala. They have a shop creating magical weapons in the city, but he also trains a few fae in secret. Visit him and bring him this."

From behind her, a small, blue orb rose from a bookshelf, floating over to Sivelle. The Prophet didn't even have to turn to look to make sure the orb was making its way to her. She waited, palm up, as the orb landed in her palm carefully.

"You cannot lose this. Vurala has been waiting for this object for a while now. Tell him in exchange, he will train you until you are ready to find your Golden Crown."

Sivelle reached over, placing the orb in Andorra's hands. Andorra looked down at the object, and it felt heavier than it looked. She placed it in her bag, then looked up at Sivelle. "Where is he? In the city?"

"You will have no problem finding him. Tell Prince Puck's son who you are looking for, and he will bring you."

Andorra knew Callum wouldn't exactly enjoy Andorra training in the city, but he didn't have a choice. She nodded as Sivelle lifted up the thin box she had placed on the table. "And this, this is for you."

Andorra reached for the box, and the moment her fingers touched the wood, the box began to vibrate. She dropped it immediately, shocked by the sudden feeling. It bounced around on the floor, like an animal trying to escape.

"Now, now, don't be afraid of the object. Pick it up."

Andorra reached down for it, grasping it hard in her hand. She undid the small latch holding the lid on, and then she peered inside of the box.

Inside lay a long feather. It was a mix of red and yellow hues, and Andorra could feel the warmth on her face, coming from the object. Almost like she was opening the oven at her home, when she and her mom baked cookies. The rush of heat hit her like a wall, as did the memory.

Andorra knew immediately what it was. "This... this is a feather. From a Flayre."

"It is a gift from Cornomus. You will need to use it when the time comes."

Andorra's mind spun. A gift from Cornomus? To use when the time came? "When the time comes for what?" For her coronation as Queen? For getting the Golden Crown? For what?

"You will know when the time comes." Sivelle stood up then. "I sense you have more questions, but I have little answers that would make sense. You know about your Crown, you know about how to train, what other questions do you have for me."

Andorra scrambled to snap the hatch on the box, and when she did, she put it in her bag. There was something about the feather that made her nervous. She didn't even want to think about the fact that she had it in her possession.

"You wanted me to come here with Sir Nohx. Why?" Andorra stood on shaky legs, but her voice was surprisingly firm. She was still under the belief that Sivelle had wanted her here without Callum on purpose. Something in her was still on edge about it.

"He is a dreamer, like you."

Andorra stood there, dumbfounded. A dreamer? Like her? "What does that mean? Dreamer?" Not once had she ever thought of Noah as a dreamer.

Sivelle cocked her head, like a dog. "Human hearts tie you together, and suit my needs very well. Makes it easier for you both to make one visit than separate."

"Sir Nohx doesn't have a human heart." Andorra couldn't stop the edge in her voice. She wanted to curl her hands into fists, but she forced herself to stay relaxed.

"He reads the night sky often, Princess. There are many things you could learn from him and from the stars."

Andorra had no idea what Sivelle meant by any of this. He reads the night sky? Andorra half believed that Sivelle was going senile, with the way she spoke. And Sivelle could read that on her face. "Prince Puck's son has a black heart. It is why I do not let him in my woods. Sir Nohx, on the other hand, is always welcomed here. Take with that what you will, Princess. You will make many friends and enemies here in Anlithamy. Choose yours wisely."

Andorra felt herself nod. But, her tongue was heavy with more questions. Questions she didn't know how to ask. Instead of voicing them, she gave the Prophet a smile. "You've been generous in helping me. Thank you, Sivelle."

"You, my dear, are always welcomed here. Even when you are the powerful Queen, you can stop by anytime."

Andorra hoped that was true. As she stepped out of the cabin, she wondered if what Sivelle said was true. Would she become the Queen? Or would Anders find a way to kill her before then?