“We’ll discuss this later,” Brystal told the fairies. “Right now, we need to apologize for Lucy’s behavior and leave before we lose mankind’s trust forever!”
The Fairy Council followed Brystal back to the stage, but they quickly realized an apology wasn’t necessary. The citizens were so bewildered by all the magic they had never stopped cheering. King Warworth returned to the stage and profusely shook the fairies’ hands—even he was spellbound by the day’s events.
While the fairies were distracted by the endless praise, four wheels and six horses were covertly hooked up to the stage. The stage unexpectedly lunged forward and it was pulled through Fort Longsworth like an enormous wagon.
“What’s happening?” Xanthous asked.
“Why, it’s time for the parade, of course,” King Warworth said.
“You never said anything about a parade!” Emerelda griped.
“Didn’t I?” King Warworth played dumb. “It’s a Western Kingdom tradition to give our guests of honor a parade through the capital.”
Emerelda growled and flared her nostrils. “All right, that’s it!” she exclaimed. “We put up with an unexpected audience, we were nice enough to accept your award, but we will absolutely not participate in a stupid—”
“Em, just let the man give us a parade,” Tangerina said. “We’ve earned one.”
“It’s the least we could do after Lucy almost destroyed their city,” Skylene said.
Emerelda wasn’t happy about it, but her friends were right—there had been enough conflict for one day. She glared at King Warworth and aggressively stuck her finger in his face.
“Expect a letter from my office tomorrow morning,” she told him. “And fair warning, it’ll have some strong language.”
The Fairy Council was paraded down every street in Fort Longsworth, and even though the ordeal lasted much longer than they anticipated, the fairies ended up enjoying themselves. The citizens were practically buzzing with excitement, and their happiness was infectious. The fairies smiled, laughed, and occasionally blushed at the eccentric displays of affection.
“I love you, Fairy Godmother!”
“I want to be you when I grow up!”
“You look fabulous today, Fairy Godmother!”
“You’re my hero!”
“Marry me, Fairy Godmother!”
Brystal smiled and waved as much as the other fairies, but on the inside, she wasn’t as gleeful as her friends were. In fact, being closer to the citizens made Brystal even more uncomfortable than before. She desperately wanted the parade to end so she could get away from all the smiling faces, but still, she couldn’t explain why.
The parade may have been unexpected, but it was also a huge milestone for the fairies. The cheering crowds were proof that the Fairy Council had changed the world—the magical community was finally accepted and safe from persecution! It didn’t make sense for Brystal to feel anything but triumphant, but for whatever reason, her heart wouldn’t let her.
Because none of this is real.…
The voice came out of nowhere and startled Brystal. She looked around the traveling stage but couldn’t find who it was coming from.
Deep down, you know this won’t last.…
It was as soft as a whisper, but despite the commotion of the parade, the voice was crystal clear. No matter which way Brystal turned or where she stood, it was like someone was speaking directly into both of her ears at once. And whoever they were, they sounded awfully familiar.
Their affection…
Their excitement…
Their joy…
It’s only temporary.
Brystal stopped trying to find the voice and focused on what it was saying. Was mankind’s affection really as fickle as the voice suggested? People’s opinion of magic had changed so quickly, was it possible they’d change their minds again? Or worse, was it inevitable?
Not long ago, the people cheering for your parade would have cheered just as loudly for your execution.…
I wonder how many fairies were dragged through these same streets before being burned at the stake.…
I wonder how many were drowned in the lake you just saved the city from.
The voice made Brystal feel unsafe. As she gazed upon the crowd, she saw the citizens in a different light. There was something sinister behind their smiles and something primitive about their undying praise. She no longer felt like an honoree among admirers—she was a piece of meat among predators. But this wasn’t a new epiphany. This was the reason Brystal had been uncomfortable from the moment she’d arrived, she just hadn’t been able to articulate it until now.
Mankind may have forgotten about the horrors of history, but Brystal would never forget what they had done to witches and fairies like her in the past. And she’d never forgive them either.
They may celebrate you today…
But eventually, they’ll grow tired of celebrating you.…
Mankind will hate you and your friends, just as they did before.
It suddenly dawned on Brystal why the voice sounded so familiar. It wasn’t coming from someone nearby, it was coming from inside her head. She wasn’t hearing voices—these were her own thoughts.
History always repeats itself.…
The pendulum always swings.…
Always.…
You’d be wise to prepare.
The grim thoughts faded away as if a switch had been flipped, but Brystal didn’t know where or what the switch was. The sensation was unlike anything she had ever experienced. She wasn’t a stranger to peculiar ideas or unsettling emotions, but this seemed completely random and out of her control.
These thoughts had a mind of their own.
CHAPTER TWO
HAPPINESS
After a long day of energetic crowds, magical charity, and not-so-natural disasters, Brystal was looking forward to a quiet evening alone. Unfortunately, as soon as the Fairy Council returned to the Academy of Magic, she realized solitude wasn’t in the cards for her.
“Brystal, can we please talk about this?” Lucy asked. “You’ve been giving me the silent treatment since we left the Western Kingdom.”
In all honesty, Brystal was furious with her, but Lucy’s behavior at the Western Dam wasn’t the reason for her silence. All Brystal could think about was the strange thoughts that had consumed her during the parade. The longer she dwelled on the experience, the more confusing and upsetting the thoughts became. She hoped a little downtime might help her find an explanation, but Lucy wasn’t going to give her any privacy.
“Come ooooon, Brystal!” Lucy moaned. “How many times do I have to say I’m sorry?”
“Until I believe you,” she said.
Brystal hurried up the front steps of the academy and climbed the floating staircase in the entrance hall, but Lucy persisted.
“Once again, I sincerely apologize for my behavior today,” Lucy said with a dramatic bow. “What I did was childish, reckless, and downright dangerous—buuuuut, you have to admit, it all worked out for us in the end.”