Rosalina
HOW IS IT THAT in the Enchanted Vale I’m always going from being a prisoner one moment to being
given the most exquisite chambers one could imagine the next?
“Look over here!” Astrid cries, flinging herself into a velvet armchair and wrapping herself in a
huge chunky knit blanket. “Perfect place for reading, don’t you think, Rosie?”
“Is it ever!” I squeeze myself into the chair beside her.
Our party has been given our own personal chamber with a shared living space that deviates to
private rooms. The main room is massive, the centerpiece being an open fireplace that crackles
merrily, surrounded by all sorts of seating, from plush chairs to flouncy pillows strewn about in every
autumnal hue.
A nearby table is laden with plump apples and pears, warm spiced cider, and a tray of flaky
pumpkin pastries that still steam with their delicious aroma. Marigold stuffs one in her mouth. “Not as
good as the ones back home.”
Papa stands at the door leading to the hallway, arguing with Dominic and Billagin. The twins were
instructed to set us up with our quarters. “No, no, no, pumpkin spice has been recorded in human
history since 1675,” Papa says. “The blend is simple: nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, pepper—”
“You’ve got it all wrong, old man,” Dominic chides. “A fae alchemist made it by accident.”
“He was trying to enchant some pumpkin seeds into growing into objects other than pumpkins, but
he came up with that instead,” Billy continues. “We’ve been using it in cooking for centuries. ‘Course,
once a fae brought it to the humans, well, then they made their own version. Nowhere near as good as
ours.”
“I simply don’t believe it,” Papa says.
Dom bumps him on the shoulder. “Come to the kitchen. We’ll show you.”
Rosalina
Papa’s face lights up and the three run off like schoolboys. He seems so full of life.
But isn’t that what the Vale had done for me too? Brought me back to life?
The princes are milling about, claiming rooms and talking in quiet voices. I observe the matter-of-
factness between Kel and Ezryn as they solidify plans to keep Farron safe tonight. Something
happened between those two.
I lean my head on Astrid’s shoulder and try to take a peaceful moment. Large, arched windows
offer a stunning view of the landscape outside: a riot of reds and golds from the massive trees that
stand beyond the keep. We’ve been given a chance to clear Keldarion’s name and save the Autumn
Realm. Together, we can do this. Farron can do this.
Farron. Where is he? “I’ll be right back,” I murmur to Astrid. I peer into a couple of the bedrooms,
but don’t see him anywhere.
I push open the door to the corridor. He’s standing about halfway down the hallway, gazing up at a
tapestry. I drift over and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him.
It’s not hard to tell the tapestry is of his family. There’s his mother in the middle, dark-haired and
regal, though she’s depicted softer here than when I met her. His father, smiling and joyful. Two
identical young boys in the distance, each riding a stag. Standing beside the large tree in the
foreground is an adolescent girl. That must be Eleanor.
And right beside his mother is Farron: younger, but unmistakably him. Somehow, the tapestry
manages to capture the curiosity in his gaze. I run my fingers over his shape. “You look really happy
here.”
“For so long, it felt like nothing in my life ever changed. Like I was stuck reliving the same day
over and over.” Farron’s voice is raspy, unsure. “And now I’ve woken up and realized that it was
only me who was stuck. The world’s moved on. I can’t keep up.”
I lace my fingers through his.
“They’re so different,” he whispers, eyes still on the tapestry. “My brothers have become fighters.
My mother can barely look at me. She was always so gentle with me. We used to take long carriage
rides together, pass books back and forth. Now she’s waging war. And she can’t even look at me.”
“Fear changes people. She’s scared, Farron.”
“If she had Autumn’s Blessing, she could have already stopped this. But Autumn’s stuck with me. I
can’t even remember the last time someone took back the Blessing.”
“It’s not all up to you.” I squeeze his hand. “We’re here with you. Kel, Ez, Dayton. Me. We’re here
with you, Farron.”
“But isn’t that worse?” Tears well in his eyes, and he hastily wipes them away. “We have to break
the curse. And they’re here for me. What about finding their mates? Saving themselves?”
“We have time.” Gently, I touch the side of his face and turn him away from the tapestry. “We’re
going to struggle to break this curse if the realms are at war. I know it’s difficult to see, but you matter
so much to them. Take strength from their love, Farron.” My breath catches in my throat. “Take
strength from me.”
He stares down at me, eyes shining and mouth a half-opened question.
“I’m with you,” I say. “There and back. I’m with you.”
“I’m with you,” he repeats. “The whole way.”
I lace my arms around his neck, pulling him against me as if it could keep him safe. His embrace
envelops me as he nuzzles into the curve of my neck.
If only you saw yourself how I see you.
“You have no idea how much I missed you,” he says.
“I can feel your heartbeat,” I whisper. It’s rapid and strong and I never want to tear myself away. I
love this heart.
“Rosie?”
“Yes, Fare?”
“I think you’re the best friend I’ve ever had.”
I draw back slightly to study him, to map the contours of his face. My heart blooms like the sun
from beyond the gray clouds. “I know you’re the best friend I’ve ever had.”
He leans his forehead against mine. “I guess we should get back to the others.”
“Yeah.” A window at the end of the hallway filters in red-orange dusk. “It’s almost night.”
Time to see if making a bargain with the devil was worth it.