Luna's POV
"Luna! Duck!"
A spinning knife passed over my head as I flung myself to the ground. With a loud THUNK, it struck the wall where my face had been just a moment earlier.
Cook Martha called out, "Sorry!" from the other side of the kitchen. "I didn't see you there!"
My heart pounding, I clambered to my feet. The dungeons had been awful—rat-infested, dark, and frigid. After holding me there for three days, Queen Ember abruptly released me this morning. I was back to work now, and it seemed that the kitchen was as hazardous as the dungeons.
Near my ear, a voice whispered, "Are you okay?"
I whirled around and jumped, but no one was there. Then my shoulder was touched by a warm hand.
The voice said, "It's me," and then my best friend Zara materialized out of thin air.
"Zara!" I gave her a strong hug. "You frightened me to death!"
"I apologize. I've been spying on the royal family all morning while remaining invisible." After checking to make sure no one was listening, she dragged me behind a stack of flour bags. "I was informed of the events that took place in the training room. Are you alright?"
"I'm not sure." I held out my hands to her. I could still feel the strange tingling beneath my skin, even though they appeared normal. "I don't understand why my magic is doing crazy things."
Zara took hold of my hands and looked at them. "Tell me everything."
So I did. I told her about Queen Ember's frightful grin when she saw my abilities, about Prince Kai's fire magic going crazy, and about the ice powers. Zara's dark eyes widened as she listened without interjecting.
When I was done, she said, "This is bad." "Really, really bad."
"Why? While you were invisible, what did you hear?"
Zara leaned closer after taking another look around. "The Queen has been meeting with odd people in secret. They smell like rotting meat and are dressed in black robes. They have also been inquiring about you, Luna."
My blood froze. "How about me? However, I'm not unique."
"I also had that thought. However, I overheard them discussing the Phoenix Heart. They claimed that it was a super-powerful mage capable of controlling every element."
"All the elements?" I considered using my ice powers. "But I'm only a water mage."
"Dummy, ice is just frozen water. Additionally, perhaps you can do other things if you can freeze water." Zara's eyes gleamed with both fear and excitement. "What if you're the Phoenix Heart, Luna?"
"That isn't feasible. The weakest mage in the palace is me."
"Or perhaps you are the strongest, but you aren't aware of it yet."
Cook Martha began yelling once more before I could respond. "Where is that sluggish Luna girl? We have a ton of preparations to make for the engagement party tomorrow."
I said, "Engagement party?"
Zara clarified, "Prince Kai is getting married to Princess Stella from the Kingdom of Solaria." "It is anticipated to be the largest celebration in a century. All of the world's royal families are coming."
When she mentioned Prince Kai getting married, my heart gave a strange little flip. I had no idea why. I didn't really give a damn about the cruel Fire Prince.
Zara went on, "Princess Stella is thought to be the world's most beautiful girl." "She can make herself glow like the sun thanks to her light magic. Everyone claims that she is flawless."
I tried to sound indifferent as I said, "Good for her."
Zara muttered, "But here's the weird part." "When she arrived yesterday, I followed her to her room while remaining invisible. In the mirror, Luna was conversing with herself, and her reflection was responding."
"What do you mean?"
"Her reflection, as if it were a different person, was moving on its own. And it was stating things like 'The plan is working perfectly' and 'We'll have the Phoenix Heart's power soon.'"
My spine froze. "That isn't feasible. Reflections are mute."
Zara grimly remarked, "Unless it's dark magic." "I believe Princess Stella is collaborating with the shadow seekers, Luna. She's probably here to kidnap you."
"However, she is unaware of my existence!"
"After tomorrow evening, she will. Every servant is required to work at the engagement celebration. All of the royal guests will be served food and beverages by you."
I was ill. I was frightened at the idea of being in the same room as Queen Ember and Princess Stella. What would happen if my magic went crazy once more? What would happen if they discovered that I was the Phoenix Heart?
I said, "Perhaps I ought to flee."
"Where would you go? There are guards everywhere under Queen Ember. Furthermore, you cannot hide indefinitely if you truly are the Phoenix Heart. You will eventually be discovered by the shadow seekers."
"Then what do I do?"
Zara firmly stated, "We stick together." "Remember, best friends forever? During the party, I'll remain invisible and keep an eye on you. I'll help you get away if something goes wrong."
"Thank you, Zara. Without you, I'm not sure what I'd do."
"Probably get yourself killed," she smiled. "Good thing I'm here to save you."
For a few more minutes, we discussed the party and what we would do in the event that something went wrong. Zara then went back to being invisible in order to continue spying on the royal family. I returned to my job and assisted Cook Martha in preparing the food for the party tomorrow.
But what Zara had told me kept coming back to me. The reflection of Princess Stella conversing with her? Dark magic, that's what it was.
I became increasingly aware of odd activities occurring throughout the palace as the day wore on. There were rumors among servants that shadow creatures were present in the gardens. The royal guards appeared anxious and continued to inspect their weapons. Additionally, I had the impression that someone was observing me whenever I passed a mirror.
Prince Kai, however, was the most peculiar. He looked at me with an expression I couldn't understand each time I saw him during the day. Not as nasty or irate as usual, but... anxious? It was as if he wanted to tell me something but was unable to do so aloud.
He was strolling past the kitchen with his mother and Princess Stella the last time I saw him. With golden hair and skin that seemed to glow with its own light, the princess was even more gorgeous than people had thought. But for a brief moment, her flawless smile turned icy and mean when she turned to face me.
She questioned Queen Ember, "Who is that servant girl?"
"Nobody important," said the Queen. "Just a troublemaker, a weak water mage."
Princess Stella examined my face and remarked, "She looks familiar." "Are you certain she isn't... unique?"
"Yes, definitely. However, she has recently been experiencing some intriguing magical mishaps."
Princess Stella's gaze brightened. "Crash? What sort of mishaps?"
They were staring at me, so I pretended to be busy doing the dishes. Prince Kai was also staring, and I could feel the anxiety radiating from him.
Queen Ember remarked nonchalantly, "Oh, just some ice magic." "There's nothing to be concerned about."
"Ice magic?" Princess Stella's tone sharpened. "From a water mage?"
"It's probably nothing. Simply the strain of working in the palace."
Princess Stella, however, didn't seem to believe her. Her icy, calculating eyes continued to stare at me.
Princess Stella whispered to Queen Ember, "I want to test her tomorrow night," as they were leaving. "While the party is going on."
"Test me?" I muttered to myself. "Test me how?"
I had trouble sleeping that night. I couldn't stop thinking about what Princess Stella had said and how she had gazed at me. As if I were a puzzle she needed to solve.
I heard footsteps outside my room in the hallway at around midnight. I listened while holding my breath. Just outside my door, the footsteps ceased. Then I heard a voice I had never heard before. It was honey-sweet and soft, but something wasn't quite right. Something that gave me the chills.
The voice said, "We'll finally learn the truth about little Luna Brightwater tomorrow night." "And if the Phoenix Heart is indeed her."
I could hear the smile in the voice as it faded. "Well, let's just say that tomorrow night is going to be really interesting."
I was left alone in the dark with my heart pounding and my fear intensifying as the footsteps disappeared. The engagement party was tomorrow. Princess Stella would put me to the test tomorrow. Furthermore, I was unaware of the nature of that test.