Solis raised her hands and both orbs jumped into her palms like flitting birds. The movement jarred Nova out of her head.
“We used an orb to lead Jade to Cor Montem so she could learn about her magic. We used an orb to point Nova toward the menagerie so she could use the animals to defend herself against Katrina,” Solis replied. “And the orbs also allowed us to watch as you battled your mother in the menagerie.”
Jade reached into her nightgown pocket and pulled out a jar. “Did you also make this?”
Nova recognized the jar immediately. It was the jar that held the sun potion— the magical potion that could turn night to day. It was the reason the sun was shining, even though it was the middle of the night.
Solis stepped toward the jar, taking it carefully from Jade’s outstretched hand. Inside, a small rock glittered dimly.
“My sun potion,” Solis said, gazing into the jar. Stella and Luna scooted close. “Have you been using this? The magic is nearly gone.”
“We had to,” Jade replied, sounding startled. “We’ve been using it for the past month, ever since we had an altercation with King Mortuus. He has a ghost army and sunlight is the only way to guarantee his ghosts cannot enter our kingdom. Is the magic fading?” Jade was clearly concerned with Solis’ comment. “Can you make another?”
Solis squinted, thinking. “Depends on what you have on hand. Do you have another piece of the sun?” She looked at both girls as though that was a normal question.
“A piece of the sun?” Nova asked, not sure she heard her right. “Where would we get that?”
Solis pointed at the jar. “This rock came from the highest point of the Silver Mountains. A local shaman found it and said he could see that it came from the sun. I didn’t believe him until I made a sun potion out of it.” Solis handed the jar back to Jade. “A sun rock is not easy to come by. What did your mother leave you with?”
“Quite a few potions. Tons of strange ingredients and objects. All in Cor Montem,” Jade responded. “But I don’t know what they are or how to use them.”
“We can help you with that,” Solis replied. “This ghost army you refer to. How close are they? How much time do we have?”
“It seems as though King Mortuus’ army is focused on attacking kingdoms in the higher elevations right now,” Jade said.
“We think he’s killing in order to add to and strengthen his ghost army,” Nova explained. “It’s only a matter of time before he comes for us.”
Mortuus was making brutal attacks on surrounding kingdoms, and Nova knew they needed to be ready to defend themselves. However, the Larkspur Calvary would not be enough to battle Mortuus. They would need to fight him with magic as well.
“Mortuus,” Solis replied thoughtfully, as though she recognized the name. “Yes, he’s a tricky little fellow. You’ll want to be as prepared as possible. If you can take us to Cor Montem, we can assess the situation, see if your mother left you enough fixings for another sun potion. Hopefully, there will be other potions and ingredients we can make use of as well.”
Nova looked to Jade, trying to gauge her confidence in these women. But what choice did they have? Jade and Nova were blindly trying to understand their powers— relying on Jade’s limited magical knowledge, and the few books and records Katrina had left behind. If these women truly understood the Larkspur magic, they could teach them. They could prepare Nova and Jade for what might come. Nova gave a nod to Jade.
“We will take you,” Jade said to the witches, “But first, we need to release the rest of the prisoners.”
CHAPTER TWO
Jade
Jade instructed her guards to coordinate the release of each and every prisoner. She was sick to her stomach, knowing those people were locked in the dungeon under her castle, confined underneath her own feet. She should have paid closer attention. Of course her mother would’ve instructed that prisoners be listed on the same records that included gold and jewels. Katrina saw people as bartering tools. She used human life as a means of trade. Futhermore, Jade knew without a doubt the prisoners had done no crime. She was certain Katrina had plucked them from her kingdom or her conquests and punished them as she saw fit. Jade would not allow that abuse to continue. The prisoners deserved to be freed, immediately.
As the guards followed Jade’s instructions and gave the prisoners their freedom, Jade led Nova and the three newly-discovered witches through her castle, toward the back where they could access the tunnel to Cor Montem. Jade was conflicted about taking them there— she hadn’t even introduced Nova to Cor Montem just yet— but Jade knew she needed help before Mortuus or some other scheming royal took advantage of Sterling’s new queens and their inexperience. Jade didn’t even know how to run the inner workings of her own castle yet, let alone all the magic that Cor Montem contained.
Leaving the last bright hallway of the castle, Jade led the group into the dark stairwell that descended into the earth. The Larkspur castle was built into the Silver Mountains. Its white marble towers were the face, the façade above ground, but the most important piece— Cor Montem— lived deep in the dirt.
As they marched through the twisty tunnel, Jade broke the tense silence with a question. “What did she accuse you of?” Jade wanted to know what blame her mother had placed on these women.
Solis cleared her throat. “Officially, we were charged with treason. In reality, we couldn’t give the queen what she wanted.”
“Sounds like Katrina,” Jade said, certain most of the people locked in the dungeon had been charged with treason. Treason could’ve been her mother’s favorite word.
“Why would she do that?” Nova asked. “Weren’t you helping her?”
“We were, but she didn’t see it that way. We couldn’t give her the thing she wanted most,” Solis replied. “She wanted full power of the Larkspur earthan. She was terrified of losing her powers to you, her daughters, but there’s nothing we could do to alter the power of an earthan. There’s no potion or spell that can override that type of magic.”
Jade focused on a single word that Solis said— terrified. Jade couldn’t picture her mother terrified of anything. Regardless, she understood the extent Katrina had taken to keep the Larkspur magic for herself. She’d attempted to kill off her own offspring simply so she wouldn’t lose control of her magic.
As they neared the end of the tunnel, Jade approached the closed door that protected Cor Montem, but stopped short of pressing her palms to the ancient wood.
Jade turned to Nova. “You should open it.”
“What?” Nova glanced over her shoulder, back into the dark like something was going to sneak up on them. She’d been unusually quiet as they’d walked through the tunnel. “Are you sure we should’ve left the guards back in the castle?”
“They don’t belong here,” Jade said, but something inside her wanted to make sure Nova did. Jade pointed at the door. “Place your hands on the handprints. Please.”
Nova stepped forward, looking unsure as she inched toward the glowing handprints on the door. The witches watched both girls intently, their backs sidled up to the edges of the hall. When Nova pressed her hands against the wood, the door popped opened. Nova jumped like it’d burned her.