Chapter 149

ISABELLA

I was undercover once again.

I had made it to the Fresonian embassy before the Bensons arrived home, effectively blowing my cover and exposing my deception to them. Charles and Joseph had assured me safe passage from the embassy back to Europe, where I was going to be sent to Abernathy to do a little digging.

Various spies from across the other kingdoms had reported that Abernathy supposedly was not having any issues with their magic. Since I was still exiled from Fresonia, I was deemed the best choice to infiltrate the enigmatic kingdom and report my findings.

I knew deep down that the real reason I was chosen for this mission was because I was still seen as expendable. The crown still did not trust me. Although I understood why, it did sting a bit to be seen as a throwaway for even my own home kingdom.

Nonetheless, I was determined to prove my value. I gathered what little belongings I had left to my name and set off for Abernathy.

Abernathy was the only one of the seven magical kingdoms I had never visited. Its borders were closed to tourists, and only royals on diplomatic missions were allowed in. The kingdom even sported the strictest anti-immigration policy in the region: no one goes in, no one goes out.

A falsified passport from the South Smythe Islands, along with some encoded instructions from Charles, were passed to me on the plane ride over. I used a bathroom in the airport to dye my hair a rich, coppery red, and carefully dotted eyeliner freckles across my nose. I was utterly unrecognizable.

Throw in some drab business clothes and there I was: Constance Enid. I was playing the part of an emissary from the South Smythe Islands, doing my best to create a functional relationship between the two kingdoms in the wake of their new monarch.

As soon as I stepped off the plane in Abernathy, though, I could feel the presence of magic.

My family was one of the oldest lines of Dragon Knights in the kingdoms. My father was technically noble enough to be somewhere in the line of succession for the throne, although he knew better than to ever vie for that power. Although I had no magic of my own, I’d always been aware of its presence.

In Abernathy, the air practically sparkled with it.

I had heard rumors for years that this kingdom was wild with magic–commoners and nobility alike had powers and used them regularly in their day-to-day lives. If that was true, then if something was going on with Abernathy’s magic, it would be especially apparent.

I was escorted to the sprawling palace by two silent soldiers. I kept repeating my name and cover story over and over again in my head: Constance Enid. I’m from the South Smythe Islands. The Queen has sent me to discuss trade possibilities.

I knew next to nothing about the trade economy of the Islands, but hopefully I could get by on charm and flirtation alone. After all, that was what I’d had to rely on my whole life.

The palace of Abernathy was large and spread out, with most of its size coming from footprint rather than height, like in Fresonia. The southernmost edge of the Dragon’s Teeth Mountains were just visible at the kingdom’s border, and there was flat, sprawling farmland and nicely organized villages as far as the eye could see.

I had never felt so small or so afraid, even when I was sent to live with the Bensons. They may have been terribly cruel, but at least they didn’t have dragons they could feed me to.

Abernathy was a different story.

To my complete and utter shock, the King of Abernathy greeted me personally in the throne room when I arrived at the palace. I bowed my head as I approached. We had not spoken during his brief alliance with Charles, and I’d only seen him from a distance even then. Still, it was better to be safe than sorry.

“Miss Enid,” the King said smoothly. “I’m surprised to see you here.”

“Your Majesty,” I demurred, sinking into a deep curtsy. “It is an honor to represent the South Smythe Islands in your court.”

“Indeed,” the King said. “It is rather unusual to have visitors from your kingdom.”

“From what I know, sir,” I said, “it’s unusual for you to have any visitors at all.”

For a second, I froze. Had I gone too far? Had I pushed the King into a sore spot?

The King was stunned for a moment, as if unused to having people joke around him. Then he spread his arms wide and started to laugh.

“I like you!” He crowed. “Let’s go to dinner, shall we?”

Dinner was held in the large courtyard at the center of the palace. I had changed into a slinky black dress, careful to sit with the leg slit pointed in the King’s direction. Notably, he could not take his eye off me all night, despite the Abernathy nobility around us.

After a long evening of smiling and nodding along with the conversation around me, the King finally dismissed his court so that he could wine and dine me properly. I knew what was going on–he wanted to get me alone, to learn any secrets about the Island that he could squirrel away.

“So, Constance,” the King said, settling into a chair next to me, “tell me why you’re really here.”

I blushed and lowered my head. I knew this was coming.

“The Islands are dwindling in magic,” I whispered. “I was sent to see if you all were experiencing the same thing.”

Close enough to appear honest, but never letting on the full truth.

The King’s eyes glittered with alcohol and greed. “Oh, my dear, that is not a problem unique to the South Smythe Islands. We here in Abernathy have been feeling the strain for a few weeks now.”

I scooted a bit closer to him and gazed up at him through my eyelashes. “Oh really?”

The King ran a hand down my exposed leg, and I restrained my urge to slap him. “I don’t want to bore you with details.”

I ignored the way my stomach was twisting and purred, “You could never bore me, Your Majesty.”

The King leaned in conspiratorially. “We merely redirected our power supply. Our commoners don’t really need the magic. Not the way I do. As far as I’m concerned, I’ll just hoard everyone else’s magic while the drain continues.”

I blinked. I couldn’t quite believe how easy it had been to get that information out of him. “What happens when the magic runs out?”

The King smirked. “Magic runs in the veins of our people. That means it’s time to start opening those veins.”

A genocide for magic.

I swallowed my disgust and plastered a pleasant look on my face. “Tell me more.”

I smiled at him, allowing him to wax on about his secret power supply, all the while quietly tapping out information on the emerald ring on my right pointer finger. The Morse Code was being directly transmitted to Charles, who would then pass the information to his brother.

Abernathy had no idea they had just let a wolf into their precious little henhouse.