My jaw was sore from how fast it dropped. "Your friend." I pointed at the mirror, at myself, then at the spot where I'd landed. "In my realm?" I choked. "And he's a knave? I'm sorry, but what's that?"

The jester named Ysac approached me and I recoiled. "Whoa," he said, arms outstretched, palms out. "You showed up in my realm, and you're afraid of me?" He narrowed his purple gaze, and shook his head as he continued his approach, ignoring my reticence. "I should be back away from you, Prince Teodric."

"Will you answer my questions?" I allowed him closer but evaded his hands as he tried to touch my arm.

"I will," he said, tucking a few curls behind his ears, his cheeks flushing under his painted red circles. "But first, I'd like to get out of this place." He flinched. "Not the best spot to have a conversation."

I consented, silently agreeing that an indoor garden might not be ideal. One never knew who was hiding behind bushes and tree-trunks to eavesdrop. But why would anyone eavesdrop?

What was this place?

Ysac guided me out of the muggy garden, far from the chirping birds and the smells that had overwhelmed me so much I just about fainted. I breathed in relief and gave one last glance over my shoulder at the mirror that had supposedly transported me here.

Damn you and your legend, Father. This wasn't supposed to happen.

Ysac stopped in the threshold, motioning at me to follow him into the marble hallway beyond. It was eerily quiet. Wherever we were in this kingdom, it wasn't a heavily populated location. Were we in a house? A manor? A castle?

I got hints of a response when I entered the hallway, sighting the gilded wallpaper lined with crowns of gold. Actual gold, from what I could tell.

"You asked about knaves?" Ysac sealed the glass garden doors behind us, leaning against them as he studied me. I'd been fixated on my reflection in the pristine tiled-floor and jerked my head up to nod at him. "They're a variety of roles, depending on who employs them. High-class servants. Soldiers. Mercenaries. Advisors. In our kingdom, when working for our monarch, they're fierce protectors of the crown and the royal family. And errand-runners, too; they fetch whatever their masters need, wherever they need it from. They wield swords like godly warriors and are skilled with diplomacy and tact." He snorted, shaking his head. "Most of them are, at least."

Something told me his friend didn't fit that description.

"Hm." I tapped a finger to my chin as I peered about the area, taking in the rich details that told me so much about this corridor. Sculptures, gilded doorways, plants in shiny porcelain vases. This was an atmosphere of luxury and decadence that I'd grown up in and could recognize easily. "I see."

This was a castle. I'd landed in another monarch's domain.

I gulped.

We had no knaves in Springport, though mercenaries and errand-runners were common. We employed them discreetly and paid them to keep quiet. But I worried if Ysac saw my confusion, he'd find me even more daft than I'd already showed myself.

And I strangely didn't want him to judge me, to take me for a fool. Something about the softness of his gaze, despite its intensity, reminded me of Soldier Beck, and how I often tried to impress him, just for the heck of it. How I thrived off his compliments and his positive attitude at all times.

I glanced at Ysac, waiting for him to continue indicating the way. He'd been watching me, as I scrutinized this hallway. And in his surprise at me discovering him staring, he hurried to bat his lashes and pretend like he hadn't been caught as he shuffled away from the door.

He gestured straight ahead, and we began our trek to...where? I supposed I wouldn't know for a while. If we were indeed in a castle, it could be hours before we reached our destination. Especially if this castle was as sinfully large as mine.

The hall before us expanded, revealing different passages. The opening to our left basked in sunlight, its walls covered in giant windows, pooling golden glows all over the gray marble floors. To the right was a smaller corridor, its walls empty but for a few brass sconces; obscure and intriguing. Ysac marched onward, passing both side halls, and down what appeared to be the main passage.

It almost reminded me of home, if it weren't for the vivid paintings adorning the windowless, crimson-colored facade. Our paintings were dark, lacking the warmth and positivity of these masterpieces. Or the glittering lights overhead, like fireflies hovering in place; we had simple sconces along the walls, many of which were coated in cobwebs no matter how often they were polished.

Ysac must have spotted me peeking up at the firefly lights, because he pointed, his chiseled arm grazing my shoulder. We were of a similar height, though he had perhaps a few millimeters over me. "Captivating, aren't they? They're supposed to give the illusion of sparkles, or a permanent star-filled, cloudless sky."

I paid closer attention, and noticed the ceiling was a navy midnight shade. "Ah...fascinating, yes."

It was beyond fascinating. In fact, it baffled me how the staff of this castle would capture so many bugs—thousands, perhaps?—and force them to buzz about in one place without flying off. Was there a net keeping them secure, so thin wired that it was invisible to the naked eye?

"Anyway," Ysac nudged me forward, "I'm on a sort of time-sensitive mission, and Jack was supposed to help me...well, I was going to ask him to."

His bells chimed with his every step. I'd read in history books that jesters were fickle, sometimes foul-mouthed beings who spoke in riddles or lacked half their teeth or reeked of fried food and dirt. Ysac was...far from that. He radiated warmth, his golden tresses were clean, and he had the whitest teeth I'd ever seen. And he smelled like...an orchard of cherries and tangerines.

"He was promoted to Knave of Acewood, and as such he has to protect all royals and nobles residing at court. And I need...well, extra protection." His gaze flickered ahead, sharpening. "I can defend myself, but...the Aces believe otherwise."

"Knave of Acewood." I rubbed the back of my neck. "Aces? I think I need an encyclopedia to decipher your words." I was still adjusting to the fact that I'd traveled through a mirror and landed in a new world. Part of me still hadn't quite accepted the possibility. "And time-sensitive mission? Do jesters go on missions in this kingdom? I thought you...sang songs and entertained courtiers."

As we branched into a new area, the marble below our feet turned to a plush scarlet carpet. The walls became ebony-hued, no longer decorated with luminescent paintings. The bugs remained overhead, however, lighting our way.

"I'm not an average jester," said Ysac, chuckling. "I'll be your dictionary, my friend."

My friend. He was so trusting of me, an obvious intruder, that I didn't know whether to be flattered or offended.

"Knave of Acewood, yes. Jack swore an oath towards royals and nobles at court, here in Acewood, like I said...but he's also pledged to any other city of the kingdom. He represents the kingdom. He once represented Spade Island, but...well, circumstances changed that."

"Circumstances." My neck tensed the more I rubbed it.

Spade Island, what a peculiar name for a city.

"Dire circumstances, actually." Ysac's fists were restless at his sides. "Jack resided there, serving the King of Acewood from afar, but...now he works for the Aces."

"Aces, yes." I focused on the view in front of us; the corridor was about to take a slight left turn. "What are those?"

I'd only ever heard that word once, in a card game. Poker, it was called. We placed colorful chips on the rickety kitchen tables and made bets. The ace card always eluded me.

"What are they," corrected Ysac, but without cruelty in his voice. "They're our Mage-advisors. Ace is their nickname. They used to be vassals who lived in castles spread across the kingdom, but..."

"Mages?" I stopped, my slippers squishing into the thick carpet. "Mages...that means magic? Your people, in Acewood or Efura or whatever...you wield magic."

I sounded stupid, no doubt. Here I was, a foreigner who'd tumbled through a mirror, yet I questioned the existence of magic?

Shifting my gaze up to the ceiling, I fixated on the fireflies again...and grimaced. "Those aren't bugs, are they?"

Ysac's eyes rounded and he cackled. "You...you thought..." He slapped his thighs, bending over, lost in laughter. His jingling bells made me grit my teeth. "You thought those were bugs?"

My grimace widened at his mockery. "Yes, they are. They look like bugs, don't they? In Springport, we call them lightning bugs."

"Lightning bugs?" Ysac's cheeks turned pink, the red circles painted on his skin expanding as he laughed harder. "How cute! Oof, you're hilarious, Teodric!"

I sneered at him as I crossed my arms, a need to step back and return to the gardens overcoming me. "Would you care to explain, then, or will you keep making fun of me? I'm not from around here, remember?"

Magic? Truly? Did he expect me to believe those things up there were enchanted?

"They're enchanted, silly."

I coughed as saliva tickled down my throat. Had he read my mind? Did he use magic?

If he'd indeed had access to my thoughts, he didn't indicate it. "They're special balls of light meant to brighten our passage. The Aces hate wasting wicks and wax to make candles for corridors. Especially this one," he spun on his heel, indicating the entire area, "as it's the most important hallway of all. It deserves magical lighting, don't you think?"

"The Aces...they're mages, you said?" I slouched, fearful that these enchanted balls of light might drop onto my head and set my hair aflame. "This Jack fellow serves them, and they used to be vassals of four other castles?"

Ysac took the lead again as we veered left, following the black-walled hall. The carpet became red-stained hardwood, and his footsteps clicked atop it. Mine slicked against the surface, signaling me to be more careful as I walked.

Like I needed more embarrassment.

"Acewood has the biggest, most elaborate, most beautiful castle," he twisted his head to grin at me, "but those four other castles are...well, they're rivals."

I choked. "Rivals? Are the owners of these castles at war with you? With each other?"

Ysac cringed. "No, no, no. Rivals in their splendor only." His amethyst eyes darkened, their vivacity melting. "However, the owners," he used quotation marks, "of those castles, and us, here...don't see eye-to-eye. That's why Jack and I...well, that situation is part of our mission."

My mind drowned in questions, yet I worried Ysac's responses might confuse me more. Jesters, knaves, mages, magical overhead lighting, indescribable scents that tickled my nostrils, weird names I'd never remember...

Efura. Another world?

This was a lot to take in, and dizziness fogged my senses, rendering my legs nearly useless.

Likely detecting my unease—I'd slowed down again—Ysac waited for me to catch up to him, then gripped my forearm. Unlike earlier, I wasn't able to recoil away from him; I wasn't fast enough.

An odd jolt shot up past my elbows and zoomed through my shoulders before lodging in my chest, burning. I concentrated on his gem-encrusted eyes, unsure what was happening to me; and instead of soothing me, quietly answering my panic, those eyes puzzled me further.

How could someone have purple eyes?

Magic. Magic, Teo, remember?

Ysac flashed me a sympathetic smile. "You still don't understand." My lips pried apart, sticky and swollen, but Ysac shook his head before I could speak. "That's all right. It's simple—Acewood is the seat of the ruler of our kingdom. That was King Hendry, but he died of mysterious causes." His hat slid backwards, revealing a sheen of sweat on his forehead. "When he perished, his four daughters were distraught, and disputed the throne. Each believed it belonged to her, believed she should inherit the power...but their disagreement split the world in four. Five, if we count Acewood itself. It divided the people and ruined their spirit...a nightmare."

Ysac's demeanor grew gloomy, and I disconnected from his gaze. This story affected him deeply, I could tell.

"Four daughters? God, that's the nightmare, right there."

He ignored my jape. "The other three faithful knaves—Jack's brothers—were murdered during recent rebellions. This is serious. Jack is the only one remaining, and he'll do anything to help restore peace in the king's honor." He cleared his throat. "Or so, I hope."

I sucked my lips in and sighed. "And I thought my life was complicated."

Ysac maintained a firm grip on my arm as we resumed our trek towards who-knew-where. His body so close to mine should have made me uncomfortable, my bubble invaded. But...his presence sent calming waves to my brain, a comforting heat to my extremities. As long as I didn't see his unreal eyes, he soothed me.

"Those of us loyal to King Hendry's true desires...we yearn for the queens to agree to a vote. The winner would sit the throne, and the others could keep their titles of princess. But," he snickered, "they're capricious pests, those women." He gasped and slammed a hand over his mouth, turning to me as his bushy blond brows pushed upward. "Please, tell no one you heard me talking like that. The Aces would kill me."

"They call themselves queens?" I snorted. "Why not let them rule their zones and name someone else to look after Acewood?" I remembered a kingdom on another continent, back in Eroa, where there was no official royal bloodline. The current ruler was elected by his people.

As the black and red corridor ended, a room opened ahead, just beyond a set of massive gold-encrusted doors. The space was so blindingly bright, I had to squint to see it better.

More magic?

Once we stopped at the threshold, I whipped my chin up and drank in the grandeur. The ceiling was several stories up, with the same magical bulbs sprinkling from its mirror-like surface, but these were in shades of ruby. The walls were an immaculate white, with narrow, rectangular windows on either side of us, each with glass-stained images I couldn't decipher from my spot.

Straight across from us was an elevated dais of shiny mahogany, holding four thrones. Each throne had a different theme—I noted gold, diamond, seashells, and vines?—and above each throne, a symbol dangled from the ceiling.

I winced upon recognizing those symbols—a black club, a red diamond, a black spade, a red heart.

Ysac was speaking to me as we waited a few inches past the door, but my hearing was muffled. As if someone had yanked me underwater and liquid poured into my ears. I zoned out, absorbed in the motifs on the window to the left. Club, diamond, spade, heart. And the glass panes to the right. Club, diamond, spade, heart.

My breaths clogged up in my throat.

"...but the Aces insist that wasn't the king's wish, and I agree..."

"Aces," I said aloud, noticing four figures on the platform, seated on the thrones. They'd noticed us and paused their conversation. "Aces, knaves...jacks. Knaves are jacks, yes? Kings, queens...jesters...jokers! Yes, yes, those are cards, too! Wild cards. And spades...hearts, diamonds, clubs...ah, yes, I get it now!"

Ysac crept in front of me, blocking my view. He arched one brow and pressed a fingertip to my forehead. "Are you all right? What are you talking about?"

I giggled. Then chortled. Then guffawed. Oh, I was sure I looked delusional, but it all made sense now. The dimensional travel, the unrealistically vibrant colors, the migraine it all caused, the magic.

"I am dreaming. Dreaming...that I'm in a deck of cards!"

I pinched myself again, expecting to jump, to smack my head, and to open my eyes to my bedroom. To a breakfast tray on my nightstand, a naked woman at my side, my coronation breeches hanging from my wardrobe door, and those damned legend playing cards scattered over my floor.

But I didn't wake up. My skin burned, and Ysac cocked his head this way and that, studying me.

"Ysac?" came a voice in the distance.

Ysac's expression blanched, and he moved out of the way, allowing me a view on the dais again.

The people atop it had descended, and peered our way, squinting, hands lifting and pulsating with colorful...magic.

Magic.

One of them, their body covered from head to toe in black satin, including their face, cleared their throat. "What in the name of Efura is a deck of cards?"

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