But as we stepped out into the wide hall which led to that courtyard, I paused in surprise, finding it transformed, a cascading waterfall of golden liquid rushing through the centre of it forming a hole in the roof and pooling across the stone floor.
The sound of whispering carried through the air as if the room was filled with a thousand voices, despite the fact that it was clearly empty, but I got the feeling that it was the stars who were watching us now, waiting to see our next move, trying to decide our fates once more.
A stone tablet lay before the tumbling golden liquid and we moved towards it, finding words scratched into it with what looked like charcoal.
A true Fae takes fear captive and refuses its call.
Well, I had to say I liked the sound of that. I glanced at Darcy and she shrugged, striding into the golden water and making me jog to catch her just in time for us to step beneath the waterfall together.
A moan escaped my lips as it rushed over my body, washing far more from my skin than dirt and sweat, stripping away doubts and fears and leaving me feeling rejuvenated as I stepped back out on the other side of it.
Everything we’d been wearing had somehow been washed away too and we emerged beyond the falls naked with only the pieces of the crown left intact as the loose tunics we’d been wearing for our training and the weapons we’d been carrying disappeared as if they’d never been there at all.
I raised a hand to my throat, relieved to find the ruby necklace Darius had gifted me still hanging there just as the Imperial Star remained around Darcy’s neck and we exchanged a bemused look as we used air magic to dry our skin.
Hanging by the arching doorway which led outside were two stunning floor length gowns, one an icy silver inlaid with deep blue crystals and the other a pale gold decorated with blood red rubies, each in the style of Queen Avalon with thin straps and a long train which left space for our wings to remain on show at our backs.
We moved forward and I claimed the red and gold dress as Darcy claimed the silver and blue. We dressed ourselves in them, calling our wings back into existence as we finished and turning to look at each other as we did so.
“Wow, we actually look like princesses at last,” I said on a laugh and Darcy grinned, holding up her half of the crown.
“We’d look the part even more if we had tiaras,” she said, conjuring a tiny vine covered in little white flowers to hold the half of the crown on her head and I followed suit, making my flowers red instead to match my dress.
“Let’s go,” I said, holding my hand out to her and we walked out into the sun of the courtyard and straight through the golden gates without looking back.
The time had come for us to return to the war and now that we had full control of our Order forms, I was more than ready to end it for good.
***
It took us the rest of the day and all of the night to fly back to The Burrows, using the location spell to keep us on course and warming our skin with fire magic as we powered on hour after hour.
By the time we crested the final ridge and the mountainous landscape which hid The Burrows from view was revealed, I let out a whoop of celebration.
Darcy laughed at my side and we dropped from the sky, passing right through the magical barrier and landing before the farmhouse where a group of rebel guards damn near crapped their pants as we took them by surprise.
“The true queens!” one of them gasped and in the blink of an eye all five of them had prostrated themselves on the ground at our feet, murmuring thanks to the stars for our safe return and begging us to bless them with our divine touch.
Darcy gave in and brushed her hands over them, but I wasn’t really up for touching random strangers in the false belief that I might somehow bless them so I just complimented them on the great guarding job they were doing and moved on.
I stepped past them and opened the door, denying their requests to make an official announcement of our arrival and heading through to the grandfather clock with Darcy close behind me.
I pulled it open and stepped into the enormous, stone tunnel, wondering if the others would be having breakfast or if they’d still be in bed and hoping for the former.
“I can’t wait to eat something overly processed and covered in sugar,” I groaned hungrily and Darcy nodded eagerly.
“Doughnuts, or pancakes, or just a big fat bar of chocolate,” she agreed dreamily.
“Yes. All of it. I wanna eat until I pop and then I’m gonna find Darius and lock myself in a room with him for a week.”
“Seth is not staying in my room this week either,” Darcy agreed decisively. “If him and Caleb haven’t sorted their shit out yet then he can just go sleep on the floor in Max and Xavier’s room. I need Lance all to myself.”