Peter let out an amused huff. “Good idea. I doubt there will be much giggling on the battlefield,” he added wryly.
“Good point.” Miron lowered my hand back to the table, but this time, he didn’t remove the contact. “Whenever you’re ready, Elle.”
I nodded, then slipped the blindfold from my eyes. Once I had adjusted to the light, I focused my gaze on King Peter’s deep green stare. Usually, my magic acted on its own without any prompting and wildly followed my emotions, but when I looked into the king’s eyes, something felt different...
My magic didn’t feel like a wild animal left off-leash; instead, it felt cool and collected, as if it was awaiting my command. I blinked in surprised for a few moments, then adjusted my gaze toward Miron, who was giving me a puzzled look.
Nothing.
Despite looking directly into his eyes, my magic didn’t force its way through me. My heart drummed in anticipation as I wordlessly turned my gaze back toward King Peter, and prompted the wildest question I could imagine as a test.
What will King Peter eat for breakfast tomorrow...?
Not an ounce of me felt hungry after recently finishing a bowl of hearty stew, yet my power still stirred to life at full force. My sight went black.
He’s seating himself at a table. His eyes fall on a basket full of bright, colorful fruit, and for a moment, he taps his finger on the table in consideration. His hand reaches for a bright red apple, but then stops midway and instead, changes for a juicy orange.
He sits quietly at the table and peels the orange under the light of a candle while the sweet smell of the citrus rouses his appetite. He pulls out the first wedge of fruit and takes a satisfying bite.
The vision concluded, and I sprang out of my chair while still keeping a tight grip on Miron’s hand. “I did it!” I exclaimed as every eye in the room turned to me in bewilderment. My joy nearly burst from within me as I turned my gleeful expression to meet the mage who had tamed my powers. “Miron, your magic doesn’t simply amplify focus. It amplifies magic! Just now, I had full control over my vision and its use. Your power is meant to be used to support others by strengthening their gifts!”
Miron’s mouth dropped open, along with every other person in the tent. “So... I’m a power booster?” he asked with bulging eyes.
I nodded excitedly. “Yes! Just look, I’m staring right at you and my magic is completely at bay! Could you imagine what you could do with other mages?”
Killain’s surprise softened and morphed into deep thought. “If Estelle is right... Then we could easily use your magic to outclass whatever power Conan stole from the other mages. They’ve all offered up their magic to aid in our cause... and, if your power can boost theirs, then we’ll be able to outrank his strength.”
Nixie’s eyes glittered with excitement. “Of course! All we have to do is test Miron’s power on the others. And Estelle, if you have full control over your visions, then we’ll be able to get every answer we need before the battle.”
“Oh, you’ll get more than that,” I stated confidently. “I’m going to join you. If my visions are under my complete control, then I can update you every step of the way throughout the attack.” I turned toward Miron with a pained glance. “Besides, there’s someone I need to be there for in the throne room.” A tear welled along my lashes, and Miron gave me a brave smile. “I can’t change my visions, so I’m going to make the best of them. If I’m going to lose Miron to Prince Conan, then I at least want to be there to ensure he never hurts another soul again.” My voice lowered into a gentle whisper that only Miron could interpret. “And to say goodbye...”
A fresh sting slashed at my heart as I admitted the truth behind my love’s future, but there was no avoiding what couldn’t be changed. If I was destined to lose Miron, then I at least wasn’t going to let him die alone. I would hold him until his very last breath...
Miron’s eyes glistened with a sheen of unshed tears, but he blinked them back before they could break free. He turned his attention back to Peter with a far more serious glare. “Alright then, it looks like we have the beginning of a plan. All we need to do now is confirm that Elle is right about my power.” He stretched out his free hand toward Peter. “Don’t be shy, come hold my hand.” He winked playfully and I had to stifle a laugh.
Peter narrowed his gaze at the prince, but then shrugged. “Fine,” he said while rising from his seat. “But you have to tell my wife.”
chapter twenty-three
Today was the day...
A dark shiver crept down my spine as I stared through the brush at the castle that used to serve as my prison. Miron remained crouched beside me with his fingers laced tightly through mine. His eyes were narrowed and tense as he glared at the home he’d abandoned. In front of us, King Peter, General Fabian, Nixie, and Killian sat low in the bushes as they awaited my signal.
We had spent each day for the last two weeks preparing for battle. I had probably told over a hundred visions during the preparation, so we were ready for every surprise King Darius could throw at us. Miron’s power had proven to be exactly what we hoped, so he had spent nearly every waking hour aiding either me or the other mages.
The rest of the soldiers silently stood another fifty feet behind us in neat and stiff rows. They had been grouped by kingdom and each platoon possessed a different goal. The Isallan soldiers wore blood-red coats and were armed with short swords and light round shields. Their job was to keep King Darius’s soldiers busy while the Sybtettian platoon breached the castle. The Sybettians were split into two groups—both dressed in emerald green—the defenders and the hunters. The defenders had spears and shields, while the hunters had crossbows and daggers. Their mission was to locate King Darius and apprehend him. The final group was the Draconians, dressed in blue, who were going to be our support team that gathered any injured and handled prisoners.
Overall, we had one goal: to find King Darius and take him into custody with as little bloodshed as possible.
My hands went clammy as I anxiously watched for the first cue from my vision. In all the times I had spent digging through the future, I never once saw King Darius. There had been many clues that he was still within the palace, but I had never known where—hence why we needed an entire team to simply look for him. The only person I did know the location of was Conan—he would be in the throne room...
A hot tear stung my eyes, but I blinked it back to remain focused. Miron and I had accepted the task of confronting Conan about his father’s whereabouts. Peter and Killian were going to join us, so together, they could hopefully apprehend the dark prince before he could harm Miron. It was a solid plan, but I knew it was doomed to fail. My visions were absolutely unavoidable, so today would be the day my love sacrificed himself to save his kingdom.
My thrashing heart nearly distracted me from the soft green leaf that fell only an inch from Peter’s face. He swatted it away in irritation, then focused his gaze back on the castle gates.
That was it! That was in my vision of Peter.
I took a steadying breath then squeezed Miron’s hand for reassurance. “Peter, now!” I shouted in a hushed tone.