Page 93 of Down from the Tower

Legs frowns. “The Queen of Tressa?”

“Yes! Yes. I used to think it was cool when I was allowed outside. But once I was locked away I never saw them again.” My eyes slant to hers. “Do you think, if that flower is still alive, I could use it to travel back to Tressa?”

She laughs, but it’s humorless. “I’ve never tried it before, but anything is possible in my garden.”

I hold out my hands. “It would be the fastest way home.”

“If it’s the same flower,” Legs chirps. “And if the flower isn’t dead, and the connection is strong enough to send you such a long way.”

I’ll take halfway if I can stop chaos from reigning down on Tressa. “I could try it.”

She raises a brow. “And Zarev?”

I look back, but I can’t see him from here. Zarev encourages me to hone in my magic, but he can’t help me right now. “Zarev can shadow hop, or if the plants connect he can use that to come find me.”

“And you’re okay leaving him here?”

Holding up my hands helplessly, I meet her eyes. “I can’t heal him. The gold is an ongoing problem, and what knocked him out isn’t something that I can help with. He’s probably safest here with you.”

“Unless the Queen appears,” she argues.

“Yes, aside from that. But if I think about all the what ifs, I’ll never get around to doing anything. Zarev would want me to do what I must.”

Legs appraises me, and I wait for her to shoot me down. “If you believe that’s best, Princess. We can try, but you should grab whatever you might need. I don’t know if it works to come back this way, or if it’ll work at all..”

Nodding, I jog back towards the house. I need my bag and maybe the letters, and a blade. I don’t have control of my magic yet but I can’t spend any more time learning now.

Margo glances up when I rush back in. “Nothing yet, love.”

“I know,” I mutter, grabbing my bag. I toss it over my shoulder before turning to Zarev, digging through his pockets until I find the smaller curved blade he carries. Guilt rocks through me, and I lean down and press a kiss to his lips, willing that to be enough to wake him up.

It’s not. He doesn’t even react. With a sigh I stand and hurry past Margo before she asks questions.

Legs is still in the backyard, watching as I rush towards her. When I reach the rose again, completely out of breath, she’s watching me critically.

“Be careful,” she warns, and there’s resignation in her voice. “If your father kills you I will never hear the end of it from Zarev.”

I smile, knowing she’s right. I take a couple breaths, hoping I haven’t completely lost my mind, and step towards the flower. “Do I have to do anything special?”

“No, just step into the petals. If there’s another connection, it will pull you through. And Rapunzel?”

I pause, meeting her eyes. She offers me a sad smile. “Remember, you are stronger than you think. Your gifts are beyond what any of us really know, so don’t count yourself out. Just because no one’s given you the support you deserve before doesn’t mean you aren’t able to care for yourself.” There’s a twinkle in her eye. “I think that magic hair does more than you give it credit for. Like the leaves of a bloom, it will grow to its full potential. If it’s strong enough to lift a grown man, what else can you do?”

Nodding, I swallow. Her words are a puzzle, but at least there’s some faith for me in her voice. It’s more than either of my parents gave me in times of uncertainty. I glance around the garden, trying to take in the beauty I’ve only just discovered. I love this garden, and I barely had any time to explore. But if I go back, there’s the slimmest chance I can keep Zarev and thousands of citizens from suffering at Midas’ hand.

Or worse, at Arthur’s if he wins.

Stepping up, Legs slides backward. The flower is strong and beautiful, and standing there is kind of like floating on a cloud. We wait several moments, but nothing happens.

My shoulders deflate. “Well, I tried-”

Golden light engulfs me, Legs’ startled expression the last thing I see before my body shifts and twists, making my stomach roll as I disappear all together.

As quickly as the light swallowed me, it spits me back out. I fall onto my hands and knees, barely keeping from slamming my head into the ground.

Raising my head, I look around. I’m back in the gardens of Tressa, and I’ve never felt more alone.

24 Zarev

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