Evra’s hands tensed around Jarael’s reins as she heard the crowds down in the Valley roar into an enormous applause. She looked around apprehensively for any signs of Tavus and Nareana returning, and frowned as she found none. She faced the balcony to watch Reanitchka as she waved at the people, turned on her heel and walked away.

She followed Reanitchka as the latter barked at two guards to fetch a horse.

Evra’s heart quickened as she guided Jarael towards where she stood. Reanitchka didn’t spare them as much as a glance as they approached.

“Leona,” Evra called to her firmly, trying to prevent her uncertainty from giving her away. Reanitchka glanced at her briefly, gold-dusted eyes glimmering in the torch-light, before mounting a black-winged horse that one of the Imperial Guard has brought to her.

“If it is of any considerable importance, Lieutenant, we can talk once we are back inside,” Reanitchka steered her horse back the path where they had come in earlier.

“Leona, please, this is important. If you’ll just stop for a minute and listen –,”

Evra’s voice was drowned by the clopping of horses’ hooves around her as the rest of the assembly filed out of the balcony.

“What is going on with her?” she said, exasperated. She then felt Jarael nudge her back with his muzzle.

Evra nodded nervously, not taking her eyes from Reanitchka’s back for even a split second. She swung her leg unto Jarael’s back and the latter immediately trotted behind the Imperial Guards’ chargers.

They wove in and out of the other horses until they were in step with Reanitchka’s steed.

Evra frowned as she looked into Reanitchka’s face in the half-light.

“Leona, I need to know now,” she snapped quietly, “Why are you behaving like this?”

Reanitchka rolled her eyes and turned her head towards Evra, cocking her head to the left. A smirk played on her lips.

“Lieutenant,” Reanitchka said softly, “You’re out of ranks. Please get back in line. Or do I have to ask one of the guards to do it for you?” she raised an eyebrow and allowed herself a small chuckle.

Evra was shaken at the words. She urged Jarael to overtake the black horse and to bar their way.

Reanitchka sighed. “What kind of show are you trying to put on here?”

“Why are you so arrogant all of a sudden? What caused you to change your mind?” Evra said hotly. “You know that your plan is for the betterment of the lives of everyone here in Kezta Frasika! That crone, Reanitchka told you to do otherwise, didn’t she? Why did you heed her? And how could you even act as supercilious as she is?”

Reanitchka stiffened at Evra’s statement and glared at her with contempt. Her voice pierced through Evra like icicles in the frigid night air.

“Reanitchka,” she said severely, “had made things clear for me.” Her eyes bore into Evra’s with such intensity that the latter looked away, yet with her chin still held up.

“If battle will commence, as I had earlier devised, it will all be in vain and – to say the least—fruitless, a reckless folly. I wouldn’t want to lead your militia to their imminent demise.”

Evra stuttered as she tried to come up with a reply. She felt an angry tear run down her white cheek as she bit her lip. “You-you told me that – you’ll…”

Reanitchka stared at her dangerously, glamoured eyes glinting fiercely in the light of the blazing torches.

Tears flowed freely from Evra’s eyes as she unsheathed her sword with a flourish and pointed it at Reanitchka’s face.

There was a resounding gasp from the guards and a shrill scream from the members of the Serelda. Captain Erfla quickly approached his mate tensely.

“Evra, please. There is nothing to fuss about…” he said, trying to keep the calmness in his voice, as he grasped her shaking arm that gripped at the blade.

“YOU’RE LYING!” Evra screamed at Reanitchka, staring down the length of the weapon with hate.

The guards in their silver armor primed their weapons; shields, lances, and war-hammers held at the ready; arrows were fitted into bows as they prepared to lunge at their lieutenant in the instant of an attack.

“You’re lying!” Evra sobbed. She turned to her spouse with pleading eyes.

“Tell her, Erlfa,” she said as Erfla shook his head somberly, “Tell her that your father is still alive…”

“Don’t tell me you’re giving up too!” she shrieked at him. She pushed him away and focused her rage at Reanitchka.

“What of your grandparents, then?” she said, her eyes burning. “You’re going to leave them at the mercy of Ramadak, then, you heartless wretch? You said we’ll save them together!”

A voice suddenly broke their clash. A voice loud and clear enough for everyone present to hear.

“Save your breath, Reanitchka. We will end this dispute tonight.”

Everyone’s head turned to the source of the redeeming sound.

Finally, Leona showed up, ominously walking down the path from the central atrium, her Arita Maija shining a dangerous crimson brighter than any torchlight. Her hair was carelessly sprawled on her shoulders, dark channels of kohl smeared on her cheeks from her eyes. Tavus and Nareana lingered closely behind.

Evra looked with shock at the spectacle. She alighted from Jarael who turned back into his human form immediately, bringing out the enchanted sword from his hand.

“What treachery is this?” Reanitchka thundered at the sight.

“I should be the one saying that, Reanitchka,” Leona said quietly, another gasp erupted from the members of the Serelda.

“Rubbish!” Reanitchka snarled, she turned to the Imperial guards standing near her, steeds pawing a the ground.

The guards charged at her with furious roars. Jarael shouted out Leona’s name and lunged at the guards but was a second too late.

“YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!” Leona shouted as the guards charged at her. They crumpled to the ground with a sickening crash as they collided with an invisible barrier that surrounded her. Sending jolts of white lightning shooting into their bodies.

They slumped to the ground: steed and rider. Leona walked around them and started for Reanitchka as the latter drew the Rubida Nurthia from her hip. The black horse reared as she pulled at the reins.

“I am warning you…” Reanitchka said quietly, Leona cocked her head to one side and glared at the impostor.

“Warn me with what? Give it up, Reanitchka. You’ve meddled with my life long enough to make me loathe you.”

Leona pointed an open palm at Reanitchka and a blood-curdling scream accompanied a spell of fierce white light erupting from her hand.

When the light had disappeared, Reanitchka was not on the horse anymore, which was crumpled into a great black heap on the ground.

They saw her blasted back to the balcony, writhing and trying to stand up. All the fey gasped as they saw the glamour melt away from Reanitchka’s form as if it was being washed away.

Jarael nodded and turned into the white dragon. He scooped Leona up on his back with a flick from his tail.

With a great whoosh he sped past the trees with incredible speed, pearly-white scales glinting in the moonlight.

Reanitchka was standing up and glaring up at Leona through her black eyes. She grasped the Rubida Nurthia in her webbed fingers.

“You’ll never take the King from Neizagaard, girl!” she shouted amidst the beating of Jarael’s wings. “I’ll make sure of that!”

With that, several evil tentacles shot from her head and wrapped themselves around Jarael’s neck, legs ad wings.

Jarael struggled mightily as he snapped at the tentacles to free himself. Before he knew it, Reanitchka slammed him to the ground with a booming crash, leaving Jarael in a large crater of stone and dirt.

Leona tumbled out of his back, nearly going over the vine-strewn balustrade and into the plunging depths. She grasped at the cold and grimy stone and flinched as she saw the impending drop into the gaping lake. She saw that the fey were still in the Valley and were watching them, pointing, shouting and screaming from the ground below.

“Kezta Frasika! Your King is alive! The gods have spoken!”

She gasped as she was wrenched back and saw Reanitchka standing over her, clutching her neck and pointing the Rubida Nurthia at her throat. The old faery was breathing heavily in fury. Dark blue veins clearly showed through the green skin of her forehead.

“In my hands,” she said menacingly, “holds the key to your certain end.”

Leona switched her gaze nervously from the blade to the furious face of the faery.

“And I will make sure,” Reanitchka continued, “That tonight, you will be dining in U’tröthka forevermore.”

Leona breathed rapidly under the faery’s vice-like grip and the tension building up within her. She mustered all her strength to blurt out a reply.

In a move faster than lightning, she snatched at the sword and pushed at Reanitchka as hard as she could.

The latter hurled over the balustrade with a terrified scream. Her hand caught at a narrow ledge, leaving nothing below her except for the furious rushing of the falls.

Leona gasped and stretched her hand over the balustrade, reaching for Reanitchka’s free hand.

Evra and the other fey, with Tavus and Nareana came up beside her, panting heavily and gasping as they saw Reanitchka hanging for her dear life.

“Reanitchka, give me your hand!” Leona shouted above the thundering of the falls.

The faery looked up at them with blank eyes searing with hate.

“Our encounter doesn’t end here, goddess,” she said almost inaudibly over the noise.

“Reanitchka, stop talking and GIVE – ME – YOUR – HAND!” Leona bawled. Tears were suddenly flooding into her eyes. She can’t let this faery die no matter how evil she is.

No emotion showed through Reanitchka. She slowly lifted her fingers off the ledge that held her to life.

“Reanitchka, please!” Leona called out, holding both her hands towards the faery.

“Until we meet then,” she said, “At the end of the world. In U’tröthka…”

She let go off the ledge and plummeted into the roaring waters below.

And then everything fell silent except for the endless thundering of the falls and of the howling night wind.

Leona fell to her knees and felt Evra close to her. Tears freely fell from Leona’s eyes as she clung tightly around her.

“She shouldn’t have died…” she said weakly. She heard Evra hush her.

“You can’t blame yourself for what happened, Leona. I am not in the position to say that Reanitchka deserved it, but don’t go putting the blame on yourself alone…”

The goat-headed faery, Prolopa, kneeled beside Leona and held her sword out to her. The sword which would have ended her life moments ago and to which her entire life depended on.

“I believe this is yours, bright one,” he bleated softly. Leona looked at her and took the sword.

“Never have I thought that our Reanitchka could do such a heinous a-and profane thing,” he said, shaking his head and gripping his horns. He looked up at Leona with remorse in his eyes, “rest assured that we will make things right for you once more, your luminosity.”

Leona nodded weakly and staggered upright, Tavus held her from falling back down. She looked at Prolopa and said, “Can you please tell the people of this? I wouldn’t know, and couldn’t find the right words to say.”

“Is Jarael going to be fine?” she asked him, as Prolopa stood at the balcony with Evra at his side and was speaking in the faery tongue. Tavus nodded.

“Good. Everyone, tomorrow we will settle this and make our plans,” she held her head as pain throbbed in her skull.

They left the balcony in silence. And as the crystal doors of the central atrium closed, the eerie quiet enveloped the citadel once more.

The Valley could not rest, though. With the body of a powerful and dangerous faery so close to them though unseen, not knowing whether she is alive or otherwise, who could?