“Yes, that’s what I’m working on right now. But I still have a long way to go.”
“I see,” Daniel said, then paused for a moment. “You know, I had the most interesting dream recently.”
“A…A dream?”
Ed looked confused and worried, unsure what Daniel was talking about. But Daniel seemed unperturbed. Instead, he gave Ed a wry smile and continued.
“Yes. In the dream, I saw a man activate a Magic Sigil when he couldn’t use magic.”
Ed frowned, staring at Daniel. “…Is such a thing possible, I wonder?”
“I don’t know. It was only a dream. And all I remember about the man is that he wore a magic-blocking collar. And he carried a Magic Stone. That’s all.”
“A magic-blocking collar and a Magic Stone…?”
Daniel grinned.
“Well, good luck with your research.”
Daniel returned his gaze to me, leaving Ed standing there in confusion.
I was too shocked to speak.
A magic-blocking collar?
But…that almost sounds like…
“Princess Annabel, I will come for you. In one year’s time.” Then Daniel leaned in and kissed my cheek next to my lips. “Stay well, my princess…”
A sudden breeze sent his blue cloak rippling as he walked away.
I just stood there watching him leave.
✦ ✦ ✦
OUR route back to Najir was the reverse of our route there.
We would ride by carriage across Nigren to the border with Najir. Once we crossed over, we were going to stop at the closest city to the border and take the Magic Sigil back to the palace.
As I settled down in the carriage, the horses started off, and the carriage began to roll. Just then, I heard someone faintly calling my name, and I sat up in a hurry.
“Princess Annabel!”
I heard it distinctly this time.
I quickly stuck my head out of the window to see Karina running down the palace steps. Her cheeks were red with excitement and effort. I halted my carriage so she could catch up.
“What is it, Princess Karina?”
Karina had mostly been resting in her room after everything that had happened. I was surprised but pleased to see her in the antechamber earlier. Why was she running after my carriage, though?
“Um, I wanted to say how grateful I am! You saved my life…” Karina gasped breathlessly when she finally made it to my carriage window.
Then she held out a small box. It was pure white, tied with a bow. Very adorable.
“I had this made when we decided you would visit me. It matches mine!”
“Oh?”
I accepted the box and opened the lid. Inside, there was a delicate metal brooch with flowers on it. When Karina first invited me to Nigren…it had been before Elena switched places with her.
I was surprised and touched by the unexpected gift.
“Will you come back to Nigren again someday?”
Karina was gazing at me with her wide, emerald-green eyes, as if afraid I would turn her down…
According to Toll, he and Ed had succeeded in removing the last of the spell from Karina, to an extent. The childlike behavior she’d exhibited had finally tapered off.
But Karina could only remember what had happened before and after being switched. She had no memory of what had transpired in between. All we could do was wait to see if those memories ever came back.
But Karina heard about what happened from Prince Harold, and I think she was worried I was leaving with a bad impression of Nigren. Or that I would stop wanting to be friends with her.
I smiled down at her, wanting to relieve her fears.
“Of course!” I exclaimed. “We’re friends, right?”
Karina’s smile was like a flower blooming after a long rain.