THE SUN started to dip beneath the horizon. The first guard they saw walked along the ramparts of the large stone wall that surrounded the palace court. Melusine and Robby were perched at the top of the hill, lying down among the tall grasses to make themselves nearly invisible to the other guards below. They surveyed the terrain, debating their next move.

"The wall is only about two hundred years old," Melusine said. "It is believed that the walls have traces of iron in them. The Lombard King who ruled after the Dark Reign swore that no fairy will ever set foot in the High Court that was once the Crystal Palace."

"Ah, the Crystal Palace," Robby said as he plucked grass and munched. "How long since I last heard that name? Felt like ages ago. It wasn't only the High Court then. Fairies ruled alongside humans and the Crystal Palace was divided into two Courts."

"The Fairy Court and the Human Court," they chimed in unison then laughed.

"I feel old, Melusine."

Melusine snickered. "You're old."

Robby's face pinched in a scowl. He paced back and forth in front of Melusine, mumbling to himself. When he looked up, worry and doubt swam in the depths of his eyes. "Why can't you just go in and pretend to be a lady from a noble house somewhere? Isn't there a ball tonight?"

Melusine looked down at her dress, now soiled and dirty at the hem from roaming around the city. "Unfortunately, I'm not dressed for the ball."

"Then make yourself a dress."

"Then I'll need an invitation."

Robby rolled his eyes. "It's not as if you cannot make one yourself."

Melusine propped her hands on her hips. "But to do that, I have to see what it looks like. My powers have limitations, Robby. I'm not that too powerful. Besides, Sebastian gave us instructions. We are to sneak past the walls and into a room in the west wing.

"I don't know, Melusine. Are you sure about this? That— what's his name again? We cannot blindly trust everything he said."

"I know, Robby." Melusine drew a shaky breath. She bristled as the cold night air blew. "But if he ever dares do something wrong, if everything goes wrong tonight, we'll be ready."

With narrowing eyes, Robby said, "And what exactly do you plan to do, oh, forest fairy? You cannot use your powers in front of these humans. Now, how do you plan to get us out of a tight situation?"

"Of course, you're right! But not when they cannot see it."

The patrolling guard panned his view and scanned the vicinity once more before he went to check the perimeter on the east side.

"Come on." Melusine sprinted low on the ground with Robby in tow. They switched their hiding place to a tree near the river bridge. "There's a hole in every wall. We just got to find it."

Sure enough, there was one segment of the wall where a thick cluster of vines had encroached on the stone. "See that?" She points. "The big bushy section, like there's a small tree poking through. Well, actually, I think there is a small tree poking through. You know what that means, right?" Her face fell at Robby's oblivious expression. "It means that the wall isn't quite so sound right there."

"Ha! Of course. I live in the woods," Robby said in between a snort and a laugh. He swatted the air in front of him. "I'm just pretending not to know." He choked when Melusine deadpanned. He cleared his throat. "I will go through first, take a peek, and if everything's clear, you'll come and join me. And just like that, we'll be in. No one would care with a rabbit infiltrating the castle, but you—" he pointed one fuzzy finger at her "—you should not be seen."

As night fell, Robby moved during a break in patrol. The rabbit was nimble and small; he disappeared through the foliage protruding from the wall in a blink. It wasn't long before Robby poked his head back out and waved at her.

The wall was much larger than it seemed from a distance. The wicked-looking spikes that protruded from the top were far sharper than she imagined them to be.

Avoid touching the walls, Melusine, she coaxed in her head. The rusty scent of iron wafted through her nose, making her dizzy. Fairies weren't good around the iron. A touch of it would make their skin wither like dying leaves, and mixing it with their blood would poison them to death.

Ignoring the creeping sense of dread, working to smother her, she pressed through the foliage, pushing against the jagged, crumbling rock, and emerged on the other side. She heard a soft chime in the back of her mind and an invisible hand wrapped itself around her throat, disappearing on the wind before she choked.

Iron. Melusine rubbed her neck. There really was iron within the stone wall.

The main palace was located in the middle of a huge maze. Melusine linked her mind with the flowering hedges and listened to their voices. Their words became their guide on the right path toward the castle. She held back some insults toward Sebastian who forgot (hopefully not on purpose) to warn them of a challenge.

The maze opened to five different exits and the hedges happened to lead them to the west side. They passed by the stables unseen and emerged from a garden without delay until they were under a tall dogwood tree. One of its branches reached out to an open window of the tower, four floors from the ground.

"That's it," Melusine whispered in relief then asked more to herself, "Now how do we get up there? I cannot unfurl my wings without risking exposure."

"I don't know, Melusine. Don't you think it's odd that no one's arresting us?" Robby scanned restlessly around them, his ears rigid with tension. "This is too easy. Too easy!"

"I know." Melusine patted his head and Robby leaned for more of her warmth and comfort. "But there's no other choice but to move forward. You wouldn't know but if we go back right now, we'll more likely get caught. Just think of us as lucky." She flashed him a smile to which Robby responded with an eye roll.

"Now, stand back and let me do my thing." The power within her bubbled like simmering water. Heat rushed all over her body as the anticipation and excitement spiked up. The fairy within her begged to be released from her invisible cage. It fluttered around her stomach like frenzied butterflies and the sensation sent tingles to her fingertips.

Her power hummed a soft rhythm. Sparkling green lights glowed on the ends of her fingers. Melusine whispered soft lullabies in the air as her hands weaved invisible threads in the air. The vines from the garden answered her call. They heeded her command as she instructed them to weave a makeshift stair to the open chamber window.

The vine steps shook and buckled under their weight but Melusine had complete faith in them. Once inside, Melusine sang the final note of her song and the vines unraveled like loose strings, slithering back into the gardens where they would sleep... or perhaps, tell the story of the fairy and the rabbit as they became the phantoms of the night.

Warm colors blazoned the chamber—maroon walls, emerald carpets, and brown furniture. A four-poster bed was pushed to the corner on a circular fur rug, silk drapes drawn closed. Swords of different sizes and shields hung on the walls like decorations. And in the middle of the room was an elevated platform where an empty armor stand was placed. However, stray clothes and undergarments littered the floor and hung oddly on furniture, messing with the room's extravagance.

While Melusine stayed rooted on the spot with even more questions in her head, Robby explored the room in a series of hops.

"What is this? A garbage dump?" Robby said. When he sniffed on a pile of discarded shirts and pants, he doubled over and vomited.

Melusine picked up a silk undergarment with leopard prints from the headrest of a wingback chair using only two fingers. She said with a grimace, "From what I can presume, this is a man's chamber." She gagged and threw the material without checking where it landed. "And not just any man. Whoever this chamber belonged to must be powerful. Rich."

Tension bunched around her shoulders and Melusine was stiff as she roamed around. One door led to a wardrobe and another opened to a lavish bathing area. Why would Sebastian lead her here? Was Robby right about this being a trap?

Melusine sharpened her senses, picking up even the smallest of sounds in case of a sneak attack.

Opposite the bed, an open archway led to a study. Her feet aimed for that direction when something cold and metallic pressed against the side of her neck. She heard Robby's squeak and the sound of bumping and things crashing on the floor. Melusine couldn't move her head without risking her neck getting chopped. She could hypnotize this person into lowering his weapon but to do that, Melusine had to look him in the eyes.

"Raise your hands and turn around slowly. Now do as I say or I'll end you right here, right now," a deep, raspy voice slurred that confirmed Melusine's hunch that he was indeed a man. But there was a trace of familiar seductiveness accompanying his words.

"Sebastian," she hissed under her breath.

Sebastian huffed and pressed the blade further on her skin. Melusine suppressed a gasp at the stinging. A sweet metallic scent permeated the air. Her fairy blood.

"Hands up and turn around," Sebastian said through gritted teeth. "I won't repeat it to you."

Melusine did as she had been instructed. She meant to scream at his face, say any words that would mirror her inner frustrations and anger. But those words were thrown out the window. The voice that threatened to come out was lodged in her throat the moment she saw his face.

The fairy expected to see the man she met in the deserted alleyway, but Melusine wasn't ready when an unmasked and lavishly dressed Sebastian greeted her.

She let her eyes wander around his face. Melusine already knew of his striking blue eyes and cropped braided hair. It was the vertical scar on his left cheek that caught her attention. To the fairy's eyes, it wasn't a flaw but a visible reminder of what he had gone through. The mere fact that he was standing here meant he survived. Melusine knew it because even she had her scars.

And then he was dressed in dark brown leather pants and a vest.

Melusine should have been afraid. Sebastian's face pinched in a scowl. The way his shoulders bunched meant he was defensive, wary, and... unsure. The fairy felt no malice in the energy around him.

Sebastian's features softened in a boyish grin. "Like what you see?"

Melusine's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of the water. She blinked, realizing she'd been staring too long, not a word uttered from her lips.

"I— Wha—" Melusine cleared her throat. She fought back the blooming tint on her cheeks and she only wished she was successful. "I can't begin to say." Melusine eyed him up and down. "What is really going on, Sebastian?"

"I think what you meant to say is Prince Edric." He flashed her a toothy grin. "I didn't introduce myself properly last time."

Melusine felt the floor disappear then she was falling and falling and falling. She didn't smell burning smoke this time so Sebastian... no. Prince Edric must be telling the truth.

"You lied?" Melusine stepped back, hot blazing anger surging within her. It bubbled like lava that started at her chest until her face was so red that she looked ready to burst. "How could you?"

"Now you've done it!" Robby leaped from out of nowhere and latched onto the prince's head then he bit and scratched and pulled Prince Edric's hair. The prince tried to rid Robby of him, but the rabbit would bite every time he did. In their scuffle, the prince tripped and collapsed in a heap over the pile of his own messes.

"You!" Prince Edric looked at her with tearful and pleading eyes. "Get him off me."

Melusine's heart almost softened. Almost. But then she remembered his lies and trickery that a punishment seemed only fitting for the inconvenience he made. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at him down her nose.

"Please!" he cried.

"Not so tough now, are we?" Melusine huffed, hands on her waist. "Very well. Robby, that's enough."

After one last nip in the prince's ear, Robby reluctantly let go of him. He hissed then leaped into the fairy's arms. Melusine cradled him and patted his head. "Good job," she whispered but loud enough for Prince Edric to hear.

"That's some well-trained pet you got there."

Melusine's gaze snapped up at him. "Why do you have to pretend to be someone else?"

Edric got up, wincing. He was a jumbled mess with his hair sticking out everywhere. "Unfortunately, I cannot go anywhere I want without attracting too much attention. So forgive me if I have to cover my face and change my name. Can't a prince have a life outside of his palace duty?"

"Well, that's the reason I can accept but..." Melusine glanced at the chamber door then back at him. "Do you plan on turning me to your father? Because if you do, I'm warning you—"

"For what?" Edric bit back.

"The Knights of Ailes!" Melusine said in frustration. Edric was stunned for a moment, realization taking in. A shadow crossed his face. It was gone in a flash, making Melusine think she had imagined it.

Then in a face that betrayed no emotion, he said, "If I intend to get you arrested, I would have done so the moment you stepped foot in here. But you know what—" he brushed off the dust and smoothed the creases on his vest "—we both need something from each other. So we compromise."

Melusine froze, remembering the price she had to pay to gain intel on the whereabouts of the Knights of Ailes. "You mean my secret?"

"Ah, about that." Edric clasped his hands behind him and sauntered over to her. "Why don't we change our terms a little bit?"

Melusine leaned closer, her heart pounding. "What do you mean?"

"Whatever secrets you have, you keep to yourself. I'll get you to the Knights of Ailes as promised in exchange for two things."

Two things? she thought to herself. Wasn't that a bit unfair? Melusine didn't know whether to be relieved or crushed.

Edric held out a finger. "One, you will not, at all cost, tell anyone about my secret life. About me being a commoner named Sebastian."

Melusine blinked, unsure of what she heard. "That's it?" Edric raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh, I mean of course. You can trust me not to tell anyone," she said as she flashed him a friendly smile. That was an easy payment so Melusine wouldn't complain. "And the second one?"

Then in a flash, Edric eliminated any space between them. He circled an arm around her waist, squishing Robby between them, and tucked the curls of her hair behind her ear. "Marry me."