After three days of bedrest, Kyra came to get me. "Ready, Bernice?" Just one look at her was enough to take my breath away. Kyra was dressed in a beautiful frilly long-sleeved blouse, and a bck pleated skirt. The clothes gave her an air of innocence, perfectly accentuating her rambunctious smile.

  "Yes." With a nervous nod I took Kyra's hand. Her fingers felt cool against mine, but she wasn't cold. Once again my mind struggled to accept that she was a zombie Otrea had created.

  Kyra gently guided me outside. The two of us walked through the forest, barely lit with the first rays of morning sunlight. As we walked hand in hand I could hardly contain the bubbling warmth within me. I'd likely turned a bright shade of red from the self-assured mischievous glimmer in Kyra's eyes.

  "So, you and Adelita were both brought back to life by Lady Otrea?" I asked, trying to calm my nerves with some small talk.

  "Yeah," Kyra replied, pulling me along a slightly overgrown game trail.

  "I hope it's not rude to ask, but if she was just conducting an experiment at first, why bring both of you back?"

  "Well," Kyra stopped for a moment. She seemed to be debating something. It was as if there was more to the story than I'd been told. Likely something Kyra wasn't sure if she even had the right to tell me. "Adelita and I... are a package deal. Mother couldn't have one of us without the other."

  Even on Earth there were longstanding legends about the connection twins had with one another. Here in a world filled with magic, it wasn't impossible for those legends to be true.

  "Is it something crazy? Like any spell cast on you is also cast on Adelita or something?"

  Kyra ughed, "You're not far from the truth, but I don't think you'll get it. Adelita and I... we're special. Someday we'll tell you all about it, but I need to get Adelita's permission first. She's my older sister after all."

  "But you're twins."

  "Even normal twins will always have a first born. In our case, however, Adelita retains all of the memories she gained before death. I don't have any of that. So based on experience alone, it's hard not to think of her as being nineteen years older than I am."

  "It's actually kind of hard to imagine she's the older one. Especially when you're so outgoing and self-assured and she's so—"

  "—shy," Kyra finished my sentence with a deviant smile. "She's always been like that. She's quite talkative with Lyre and Mother. Even Harriette is able to have conversations with her. But the moment someone new comes around it's like she's staring death in the face."

  "That sounds so difficult," My heart ached for the poor girl. What could've happened to Adelita to make her so scared of the world?

  We continued our walk as the morning sunlight grew brighter casting intricate patterns on the forest floor. "It won't be long now," Kyra noted. "Mother keeps Theodora all the way out here."

  "Theodora?" I parroted the name as Kyra pulled me forward. I trembled slightly as I began to see more and more spiderwebs in the branches of the trees. If there was one thing I absolutely couldn't stand, it was spiders. I was terrified of them.

  "Yes. We'll get to Ciy a lot faster riding on her."

  "Okay," I breathed, desperately trying to stay calm. I didn't want to ruin Kyra's impression of me. If she wasn't around I would've bolted through the woods until I got somewhere safe.

  "You alright?" Kyra gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "You're starting to look a little pale."

  "Yeah, I'm fine," I nodded, trying to contain my tremors. With each step we took the trees seemed to grow closer. Despite being outdoors I was feeling custrophobic. I knew it wasn't right of me to wish the spiders away. This was their home, not mine. But still, I wanted nothing more than to be rid of them.

  I winced as a beam of sunlight briefly blinded me.

  "Here she is!" Kyra announced proudly.

  As my eyes adjusted to the light I struggled to suppress my scream. In the center of a vast web-covered clearing was a gargantuan spider. My mind raced, desperately trying to process what I was seeing. Kyra stepped forward still holding my hand, only to stop as I remained petrified in pce.

  "Bernice?"

  Squeezing my eyes shut I desperately tried to pretend as if I had never id eyes on Theodora. Who would keep a gigantic spider as a pet? How could such a creature even exist? Even in a fantasy world spiders just couldn't grow that big. Their bodies weren't suited to being the size of a horse. My eyes had to be pying tricks on me.

  "Bernice?" Kyra's voice rose sharply with concern. I could feel her arms around me, but I couldn't tell why. Suddenly I felt as if I was floating on air. "Bernice?! What's wrong?!"

  I gasped for air, tightly hugging myself as Kyra panicked. I wanted to talk to her, to tell her what was wrong, but I couldn't. My words were trapped in my throat. Terror unlike anything I'd ever known gripped me.

  Her voice heavy with desperation Kyra held me close. "Please Bernice, please just tell me what's wrong. I can fix it, I just need to know what to do."

  "S-Spiders," I forced myself to choke out the word, burying my face into Kyra's shoulder. "I'm afraid of spiders."

  "I'm so sorry Bernice," Kyra whispered. "It'll be okay. I'll make it okay. Adelita, please help me."

  Adelita? Why would Kyra call for her? Had she been following us? I was too terrified to look, but given how skittish Adelita was I could hardly believe she was with us.

  In a soft voice, completely unlike her normal tone, Kyra began a soothing chant. A moment ter, the smell of wildflowers permeated the air.

  "She's gone now Bernice," Kyra lifted me into her arms, carrying me like a princess. "You can open your eyes."

  Slowly opening my eyes I gasped. It wasn't just Theodora, the whole forest was gone! Kyra was carrying me through an endless field of flowers, petals floating around us on the breeze. "Where are we?"

  "Still in the forest," Kyra replied her voice gentle as she smiled down at me. "Don't worry, I can still see the trees."

  "Is this... some kind of illusion magic?"

  "Yes. Illusions are Adelita's specialty."

  "She followed us?"

  "Of course not," Kyra chuckled. "I told you, Adelita and I share a special connection."

  "She can cast spells through you?"

  "Yeah." Kyra smiled softly lifting me up to press her forehead against mine. "I'm sorry for scaring you Bernice. I'll take you home."

  "Wait," I pced a hand on Kyra's cheek, swaying gently in her arms. My thoughts were becoming disjointed. Adelita's illusions were intoxicating me. Knowing this, I knew it would be best to return home, but I didn't want to. The thought of giving up on my very first date before it'd even started depressed me. "We can keep going."

  "You sure?"

  "Yeah," I giggled and slurred. "Being carried through a field of flowers is a scene straight out of a romance novel. You've earned a lot of brownie points, Kyra. More than enough to make up for Theodora."

  "Brownie points?" Kyra asked raising a brow at me. "What's that?"

  "Just ugh... good stuff." I looked around at the flowers with a dopey grin. "Umm... I'm getting drunk! Make the flowers go bye bye please."

  "Oh gods, I forgot!" Kyra panicked for a moment and then the flowers were gone and we were back in the forest. My mind was too numbed with magic to know how far we'd traveled, but thankfully there wasn't a single spider web in sight.

  "I'm probably heavy," I pouted, ying my head on Kyra's shoulder. "You can put me down. I"ll be a good girl."

  "Don't be silly, you're light."

  "Kay!"

  I must have fallen asleep in Kyra's arms. Opening my eyes I noticed we were nearing the forest edge. The sun was setting overhead, bathing the nd in hues of orange. "You walked all the way here?"

  "Good morning beautiful," Kyra giggled. "Yes, I did. Sadly it looks as if we're getting to town pretty te. We probably still have time for dinner, and then we'll try to rent a room."

  "Won't Lady Otrea get mad if we're gone too long?"

  "I'm one-hundred and fifty years old, Bernice. I can't keep obeying my mother forever."

  "Why have you stayed with her so long?"

  "Fear," Kyra's lips tightened into a thin line as she stared off into the distance. "Both mine, and Adelita's. She's afraid of the world, and I can't leave her behind."

  "What's your fear?"

  "Rejection. As quick as I was to dismiss Lyre's warnings, the truth is it weighs on me. I don't want to be treated like some sorcerer's puppet. I want to experience the world, as a normal girl."

  "You look like an exceptionally beautiful normal girl to me."

  "Exceptionally beautiful?" Kyra parroted my compliment, her light-gray cheeks turning a faint shade of pink. I gazed at her in awe. Even if she was undead, Kyra was still full of life. The complex magic reanimating her made her no different than any other girl. I couldn't fathom how there could be others incapable of seeing that.

  Kyra and I continued to idly chatter and compliment one another until we made it to the walls of Ciy. As we approached a pair of guards stepped out to greet us. "Good afternoon, dies."

  "Afternoon," Kyra smiled tilting her head to the guards.

  "Caught you a live one huh?" One of the guards chuckled. His gaze filled with warmth as he looked at Kyra carrying me in her arms.

  "Yes sir," Kyra ughed. "Took some effort, but I think I've made her mine."

  "Good for you."

  My face warmed as Kyra carried me through the gate. I was a blushy mess, until the voices of the guards reached me ears. Their words sent chills down my spine.

  "Did you see the eyes of that warbeast?"

  "No, why?"

  "They're the same color as the fg!"

  "Impossible."

  "I swear it."

  I was reminded of Otrea's warning. Only those born into the royal family of Ciriczar have amethyst eyes. I'd been so focused on getting to experience my first date with someone as beautiful as Kyra that I'd forgotten. Even if no one could tell Kyra was a zombie, they'd have no trouble seeing the color of my eyes. Especially if they were the color of the country's fg!

  "Everything okay?"

  "Yeah," I nodded. "Just a little nervous is all. This is my first time visiting a town in this world." As dangerous as it was for us to wander about given my eye color, it was too te to do anything about. Kyra had spent a whole day carrying me to Ciy. It wasn't fair to cancel things now. I just needed to be careful and keep my gaze to the ground.

  "Kyra Ladnier?" A woman called out Kyra's voice in surprise. Looking up I saw a cute girl with mint-colored hair and a pair of small orange horns approaching us.

  A groan escaped Kyra's throat as she sat me down. "Sorry Bernice."

  Before I could ask who the green-haired woman was, she was in front of us. "I thought you weren't allowed to leave the forest on your own."

  "Pleasure to see you again councilwoman," Kyra bowed slightly. Without knowing what was going on I copied the gesture. "Mother would certainly prefer I did nothing without her, but I'm under no obligation to obey. What brings you so close to the forest unannounced?"

  "I am attending to personal matters. There is no need to fret, I am not here as a member of the council. I will not be harassing your mother today."

  "A personal matter?"

  "Forgive me, but I believe we're being rude to your companion," The councilwoman turned to smile at me. Nervously I dropped my gaze hoping she didn't notice the color of my eyes. "I am Eurycelia Kirati Bezmelnazir, junior councilwoman for Ciriczar's Council of Sorcery. Though I'm sure you've heard many unfttering things about us, I assure you I am not your enemy. Might I know your name?"

  "I'm Bernice Edelberg, ma'am."

  "Pleasure to meet you, Bernice. What brings you to Ciy, and in Kyra's arms too?"

  "We were on a date, councilwoman." Kyra replied in my pce.

  "A date?" Eurycelia sounded surprised. "How peculiar."

  "Yes well, not everyone treats me like I'm my mother's puppet."

  The tension between Kyra and Eurycelia was palpable. I didn't know what their retionship was, but it was obvious Kyra didn't trust the councilwoman. For her part, I struggled to decipher how Eurycelia felt. Was she one of the people Kyra said wanted to see Otrea dead?

  "Is that how you believe I see you?" Eurcyelia sounded hurt. She took a step back from us, as if she was on the verge of running away.

  "Is that not the prevailing opinion of the council?" Kyra pressed. "Do you not question if Mother ever actually succeeded in giving me consciousness?"

  "What the council believes and what I believe are not synonymous," Eurycelia replied, her defeated tone soft enough I wasn't even sure if Kyra had heard her.

  "And what do you believe?"

  "I believe that Otrea Ladnier is the greatest witch who ever lived," Eurycelia straightened her spine, likely looking Kyra directly in the eyes. "I have no reason to doubt someone of her caliber could create sentient undead."

  "Truly?"

  "What reason do I have to lie to you?" Eurycelia's shoulders fell as she turned away from us. "Forgive me for ruining your date. It was never my intention to antagonize you."

  Eurycelia began to walk away as Kyra stood painfully silent. I couldn't imagine what must have been going through her head.

  "Ah, councilwoman wait." A guard approached. Calling out to Eurycelia before she could escape. "There's something I must tell you, it's about this warbeast."

  My shoulders tensed. This couldn't possibly be happening. Why did we have to run into a member of the council right after a guard noticed the color of my eyes? Why did he have to run to tell her when he could've just kept it to himself?

  "Yes?"

  "Madam Councilwoman, I believe this warbeast's eyes are... the royal shade."

  "Are they?" Eurycelia approached me. "Bernice, please raise your head so that I can see your eyes."

  Taking a deep breath, I did as I was asked. Raising my head I gazed into Eurycelia's bright orange irises, praying my date with Kyra wouldn't end in disaster.

  "Her eyes are impressively pink," Eurycelia commented and turned to the guard. "I can see how they could cause some confusion. But I can assure you the color isn't quite right."

  "But it matches the fg perfectly?"

  "The fgs of Ciy have slightly faded with constant exposure to the sun. We should probably repce them soon."

  "Ah," The guard bowed to both of us. "Forgive me for intruding. "

  "I appreciate your vigince in matters reted to the royal domain," Eurycelia replied—sounding every bit like a toneless politician. "You may return to your post."

  Eurycelia waited for the guard to leave before turning back to Kyra and me. "Forgive me again. I had wanted to leave the two of you alone, but now I cannot. I have to know, just who are you, Bernice?"

  "Why? What's the problem with Bernice's eyes?" Kyra turned to gaze at me. "They're beautiful. I don't see what the problem is."

  "They represent a broken promise with the gods," Eurycelia noted as I struggled to process Kyra calling my eyes beautiful. "Amethyst eyes belong only to those who carry the blood of Ciriczar's royal family. For Bernice's eyes to share their color, either she's an illegitimate child of the king, or our whole kingdom has lost the gods' favor."

  "The color of someone's eyes couldn't possibly be that important."

  "The Adherents of the Primordial Doctrine would disagree," Eurycelia sighed. "I really don't want to make a nuisance of myself. I have important matters of my own to attend to."

  "Then leave us. There's nothing wrong with Bernice's eyes."

  Eurycelia chewed her lip before speaking with an air of resignation. "I'm aware you don't understand the gravity of this situation. But those eyes mark Bernice as part of a sacred lineage. What I need to know is if Bernice truly carries royal blood. Before someone else discovers her and causes problems."

  "Mother won't let them."

  "Lady Ladnier isn't here now is she?" Eurycelia stepped in closer. "Ciriczar is currently in the midst of a succession crisis. It is not yet widely known, but the first prince's eyes lost their color three weeks ago. For there to be a girl who bears the royal shade now of all times, Bernice could be in danger. And it wouldn't take any effort at all to take her away from you."

  As if to prove her point, Eurycelia snapped her fingers. An orange fsh of light appears where her fingers connected before vanishing. A sudden sense of euphoria washed over me. Stumbling forward I colpsed into Kyra and began drooling on her chest.

  "What'd you do to her?!" Kyra growled.

  "Just a simple soothing spell," Eurycelia stammered. "I really didn't expect it to hit her this hard."

  "Bernice has no resistance to magic. She can't handle having it cast on her." Kyra gently pushed me away from her chest. Her face twisted in concern as she lifted me into her arms. "Seriously, it's been one thing after another today. Why can't anything go right for once?"

  "Follow me," Eurycelia beckoned toward Kyra. "She can rest in my room."

  "I don't think it's wise to leave her with you even a second longer."

  "I'm trying to help."

  "Help?" Kyra ughed sarcastically. "You overdosed her with magic, just to prove a point!"

  "Who could've imagined her tolerance would be that low?"

  Despite the intensity of their conversation I couldn't help but giggle. My thoughts were a fluffy mess. Try as I might to add to the conversation I could do little more than babble incoherently.

  With a heavy sigh, Kyra surrendered and allowed Eurycelia to guide her to the inn where she was staying. Eurycelia's bedroom was on the third floor, and likely intended for any nobility passing through Ciy.

  The room had an elegant four-poster bed, with soft blue curtains draped around it. Around it was an assortment of furniture all expertly crafted and likely quite expensive to acquire. As I gazed around the room I continued to babble, occasionally breaking out into ughter and sobs.

  "I want you to know, I wasn't acting out of malice. I really didn't intend for this to happen," Eurcyelia fidgeted as Kyra id me down on the bed. Kyra's lips parted to reply, but I couldn't make out what she said. The magical intoxication finally got the better of me, and I drifted off into heavy slumber.

  Cossimeri