“So. If I win, you let me leave.” Seren said, still playing with their pockwatch. “If you win, I’ll bring you children. All the ones I released and more.” The Queen’s eyes were sparkling greedily.

  “What game shall we play?” The Queen asked. “As I am such a generous queen, I’ll allow you to pick. Perhaps you’ll find yourself pleased and even happy to be in my realm.” Seren felt the push into their mind, Begging them to drop to their knees and worship the sweet and kind and… Seren grit their teeth and pushed the magic out of their head.

  “As a queen, you must have riches.” Seren said, pushing their own will forward. Such riches. So many riches.

  “Yes. The most glorious collection of wealth ever seen.” The Queen said, It was almost too easy to infiltrate her mind. “Please allow me to show you my wealth.”

  “I would love that.” Seren said, they, in fact, would not. They couldn’t care less. But the longer they stalled the better the chances the children returned home and the pool was salted. The Queen swept her way off the stage and circled her arm around Seren. Bringing them so close they could feel the icy touch of the queen. It was like touching a sheet of ice.

  “My collection will stun you. Truly bring you to your knees in reverence of my realm.” The Queen said as she pushed Seren closer and closer to the gleaming palace made of ice. She turned to the guards following her closely. “Dismiss the rest. This is between me and my newest piece.” Seren resisted the shudder. There was a haunting thought that entering the queen’s collection could mean walking right into their own cage and letting her lock them in. But they were prepared, and if they were patient, they’d escape.

  Seren was shoved into a carriage made of pure silver with a pair of beautiful stallion unicorns in bits that looked tight and painful. Seren stared at the pair in unabashed awe. They never knew unicorns were something that lived outside the pages of a book.

  “You find my steeds impressive?” The queen asked as she sat. her pride beaming.

  “I do. They’re beautiful.” Seren said, forgetting they were supposed to be unimpressed. “Are there many fantastic beasts here?”

  “Many. I possess many in my private menagerie.” The Queen said. “Perhaps you’ll tour it as well, once you’ve lost your little game. Which you still have not explained the rules of.”

  “Oh, I will.” Seren shrugged, turning their attention back to the unicorns trotting over the fae silver brick path. They watched the bricks beneath the silver horseshoes and laughed.

  “What amuses you?” The queen asked,

  “The silver brick road.” Seren pointed. “I kinda thought it’d be made of gold instead.”

  “A golden brick road?” The queen asked, thoughtfully.

  “Yeah. Leading into the palace?” Seren pointed. “It’d be like something out of a story book.”

  “Oh. Stories.” The queen rolled her eyes disgusted. “Pathetic dribble. Although the idea is intriguing.” The queen looked down on the road. No doubt thinking of how to replace it with golden brick.

  “I do wonder about another little curiosity.” The queen said, drawing her attention back to them. Seren turned and looked at them. The carriage jumped as it crossed the bridge into the palace courtyard. “How does a fae retain their color? How do you possess sprite silk?”

  “I got the silk from the sprites, of course.” Seren shrugged.

  “Of course.” The queen said dryly. She waited but Seren didn’t know how to answer the second question so they just didn’t.

  “A waterbearer gave it to me. It was a gift.” Seren said, looking up at the ice spikes that made up the gates of the palace.

  Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

  “A gift?” The queen said, “what did you do to receive such a gift?” The queen’s teeth were bared hard as she asked the question.

  “Came here willingly to tell you to shove it.” Seren said, proudly readjusting the cape around their shoulders. The queen’s eye twitched.

  “That’s a project that takes a long time.” She said as the carriage came to a stop.

  “That’s what happens when you have friends instead of subjects.” Seren said. The silence was deafening. Seren put on their best smile. “So, you have plenty of riches of unfathomable worth?” The queen lit back up.

  “Yes, please follow me.” The queen stood up and stepped out of the carriage with Seren following behind. Aware of the guards very close to them. Seren allowed themself to gape openly at the castle. Every inch was decorated in gold, silver, and priceless gems of all kinds. They had never seen such wealth so openly flaunted. Seren’s awe faded as the initial shock wore off. It was all show but there was nothing behind it. No emotion behind it. It cheapened it.

  Seren followed the Queen through the halls finding themself less and less impressed. They were led into a grand hall that was filled with a collection of wealth that would have inspired awe if the walk before it had been less gaudy.

  Gowns of sprite silk sewn with pearls, jewelry and crowns of fae-silver and gold. Tapestries with jewels sewn in, and even paintings that seemed impossible.

  “I have such a collection of wealth that there is little that is truly worthy of my collection.” The queen said, turning to Seren. Expecting to see unabashed awe but Seren’s exhaustion was wearing them down. So much so that when she turned she caught Seren mid-yawn.

  “Does my collection bore you?” She asked through clenched teeth.

  “A bit,” Seren admitted. “I mean, it looks impressive, but there’s not much of worth here.”

  “Is that so?” The Queen growled. “Tell me about this game you had in mind.”

  “I had to know what your frame of reference was.” Seren said. They slid their father’s ring off their hand and the chill hit them hard. Stealing the air out of their lungs and paralyzed them for a second. “See this?”

  “Pff. A trinket?” The Queen asked. Then she laughed. “I hope you aren’t going to offer it to me.”

  “Of course not.” Seren snapped. “This is much simpler. All you have to do is guess it’s worth.”

  “It’s worth?” The queen asked. Looking at it then Seren. “You aren’t serious. You think I wouldn’t know that pathetic thing has no value?”

  “That’s your guess?” Seren asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “It is not a guess.” The Queen raised her nose.

  “I believe it’s worth at least a hundred mag. Or I guess in your case. About a thousand golden pieces.” Seren said. Looking at the ring they couldn’t imagine parting with it but they decided that a thousand golden pieces would be the lowest price they’d be willing to consider. The queen let out a loud laugh that echoed through the halls of her palace.

  “That piece of trash?!” she laughed, “I have several of higher quality and with finer enchantments.”

  “Sure. But do they have worth?” Seren asked. The Queen started to laugh but a flicker of doubt gave her pause. She shook it off and stood up straight.

  “Well, I expect you know how to prove your worth is correct?” The Queen asked.

  “I do.” Seren said. “I believe you have the pool of reflections within your palace?”

  “I do,” The Queen said before her smile vanished. “And I suppose I have you to thank for the sudden disappearance of my sprites?”

  “Yup, you're welcome.” Seren smiled. “SO, the pool?” The Queen narrowed her eyes.

  “You better bring children in quantity and quality.” The Queen said.

  “Oh, I don’t think you need to worry about that.” Seren grinned. “Now, let's find out who is correct.” The Queen turned and led Seren through the treasury. At the far end was the reflecting pool. It was beautiful. Made of pearl and marble with statues carved into the pools. The water was as pure and glowed just like the silk cloak Seren was wearing.

  “Cast your trinket in and we’ll pull out what it’s worth.” The Queen said. Seren laughed.

  “I’m not giving it up.” They laughed so hard they had tears in their eyes. “Why do you think it’s called pool of reflections?” Seren put their ring back on to fend off the cold and then held it up to the water.

  “How do you know so much?” The Queen sneered.

  “Fairy tales.” Seren said. The reflection in the water rippled and Seren felt their heart stop. They couldn’t breathe. It was time to find out if they were right and what would be their fate. It made their head spin and they could barely breathe. The waters changed and Seren leaned further into the waters to see the result. The queen leaning further with them.

  Time stopped.

  The waters cleared.