After Andriana made this prophecy, she disappeared again. I didn't have the chance to ask her what she meant by it.

In the days that followed, I kept going into the secret room under the library. I noticed that the bookshelves here were all filled with the same books as the shelves in front of the entrance.

But unlike those, these writings were all filled with Aurora's notes and thoughts, right down to the last page. She really was a passionate queen, companion and mother.

Everything she did, she did with apparent self-confidence and kindness. But the diaries also revealed a side of Aurora that I hadn't known about before.

She questioned every action she took and was often unsure of what to do next. Above all, she often doubted whether it was right to unite the peoples and become queen. She believed that someone else would be better suited to this honor.

Her fears were worst when she gave birth to her daughters. She describes how they grew up and became more and more dissimilar. On the outside they still looked very similar, if it weren't for their hair. But on the inside they were striving in different directions.

The sisters eventually fell out so much that Kadira left the palace and her family without warning. Aurora repeatedly let her magic flow through Aquilia, but was never able to find her eldest daughter again. This broke her heart and ultimately cost her her life.

She had predicted her death many lunar cycles before it actually happened. But before she died she wrote down one final prophecy. She knew that the Phoenix magic she carried within her would choose a new bearer after her death. She trusted that the magic would choose the right one, but she also knew what a burden that would bring.

Today I know that since Aurora's death no one has been deemed worthy of the Phoenix magic.

No one except my sister.

But she is no longer with us and I am not sure if she still carries that magic within her.

My magic, on the other hand, did not show me Andriana, Kadira or even Aurora again. I was left alone as I worked my way through the journals.

In addition to Aurora's journals, this study also contains notes from Zam. He studied the different types of magic that Aquilia provides to the Lux.

In these books I finally found what I have been looking for for so long. His detailed notes on portals and the use of portal crystals will help me bring my own sister home. All I need is a portal crystal, which I fortunately already have, and my magic to show me the way to my sister.

Strictly speaking, I would need an object that is very dear to her, but since she is my twin sister, I fall into that category myself.

There is one detail, however, that could become a problem. The spell I need to use to change planets using the crystal is very powerful and I'm afraid I won't be strong enough unless I do it when the full moon is at its highest. And that's the detail that could throw my plan off a bit.

The next full moon is in thirty days. But I can't and don't want to wait that long. So I only have tonight.

Why does it have to be tonight of all nights?

The sun slowly rises above the horizon. Another day has passed that I couldn't share with my sister. But tonight I will change that.

I hold the portal crystal tightly in my hand. The amazingly sharp edges of the small stone cut into my palm. Each time my magic is there and closes the small cuts as soon as they appear.

The sun touches the sea and begins to sink into it. I'm late. As soon as the last rays of sun disappear, the names of those we lost in the attack of the shadow warriors all those lunar cycles ago are announced.

I leave the balcony and return to my room. On a pillow on my table is the tiara that I am to wear tonight. Next to it is a silk scarf in which I wrap the crystal. Then I put the small bundle in my bag, where some copies of Zam's books as well as some clothes for the journey, some water and fruit have already found their place.

I hide the bag under my bed. I will pick it up again later, but first I have to go to a ball.

I nervously smooth out a non-existent fold from my black skirt and reach for my tiara. A final look in the mirror shows me my reflection.

The ice-blue eyes seem unnaturally bright, as does my silver-blonde hair, which is tied up in a simple bun. The black dress makes me appear even paler than I am naturally, but the tiara competes with my hair to shine.

Who will win this?

I can faintly hear the fanfares that announce the deaths. I gather up my skirt and run through the endless corridors of the palace.

The way from my room to the ballroom is not far, but it seems infinitely long to me right now. My parents are already waiting for me in front of the door that leads to the podium from where the royal family will honor the fallen. As the last fanfare dies down, I come to a stop next to them.

»We'll talk about that later,« my father whispers to me in a tone that makes me fear for my health.

That probably won't happen, but I won't rub it in their faces. I refrain from answering and put on the most compassionate smile Aquilia has ever seen. We step onto the podium together and all eyes are immediately on us.

The hall is dead silent. My father takes a step forward and addresses our guests.

»Today we remember those who gave their lives in the fight for our safety. Today we remember those to whom we owe the right to stand here today. Today we remember those who were by far the bravest and most honorable among us Lux. Today we remember those whose lives were taken in such a cruel way thirteen lunar cycles ago. The shadow warriors threaten our continued existence again today. But together we will stand up to them. Together we will push them back to where they belong, to the shadows from which they came.«

As my father gives the same speech he gives every cycle, I let my gaze wander over his audience. He always manages to captivate each and every one of them, even though his words have hardly changed in twelve lunar cycles.

Most of those present wear a golden vine diadem on their foreheads. They are highborn like my friends Alivia and Jaxon. But like at the last ball, I look for someone who is not one of them, someone without a vine diadem on their forehead.

This time I am sure that I will spot him. After all, his father is the emissary of the Puks and thus has a certain obligation to attend. I cannot imagine that he would allow his son to skip this ball.

Out of the corner of my eye I see fiery red hair. I quickly look to where I think it is and...sure enough, there he is.

He looks simply stunning in his tailored black suit. His red hair is not even remotely tamed and individual strands fall casually over his forehead.

I don't know exactly how long I stared at him, but suddenly he takes his eyes off my father and looks me straight in the eyes.

The distance between us suddenly seems to shrink. His expression is still serious, but it brightens as soon as he looks at me. A smile spreads across his face, reaching his eyes for the first time in a long time.

I breathe out with relief. Only now do I realize that I had been holding my breath. Levi nods at me and turns his gaze back to my father, who has already reached the announcement of the names.

»Enis Julyen, son of the sorcerers, guardian of the palace.«

Before my eyes I see again how the tip of the sword protrudes from Enis' chest, how his eyes are wide and how he falls to the ground bleeding. I close my eyes and try to get rid of the image as my father begins to falter in his list.

I know which name comes next. It always comes last. The silence in the hall becomes palpable. No one dares to breathe.

My mother reaches for my father's hand. Even after thirteen lunar cycles, it is not easy for them to add Lucca's name to the list of the fallen.

The king and queen look into each other's eyes for a long time. At this moment, they are not the leaders of a people who have lost their subject, but they are a father and a mother who have lost their eldest daughter. Not even I can fill the hole that Lucca's death has left in their hearts.

»Lucca Kadira Dijan Arien, daughter of the Star Warriors, Princess of Lux, bearer of Phoenix magic and my twin sister.« I'm not sure if I just said that out loud or just in my head.

Someone in the audience starts to sob. All eyes are on me now. Apparently I did say it out loud after all.

My mother looks at me with tears in her eyes, my father just nods at me gratefully. I have never said out loud that my sister is one of the fallen because I was always convinced that she was still alive.

Tonight nothing has changed. I still don't believe that Lucca is dead. On the contrary, I have even found a way to bring her back. But no one needs to know that.

Before I can sneak away, however, I have to open a ball. I walk purposefully through the crowd that parts in front of me towards Levi.

As soon as I reach him, he gallantly asks me for the first dance. I agree and he leads me to the dance floor. The musicians start playing and we glide across the dance floor.

»I have to tell you something,« I finally begin.

»Fine. But first I have to apologize to you.«

I paused. »For what?«

Embarrassed, he looks over my shoulder, at my tiara or at the Lux standing around, just not into my eyes. I squeeze his hand lightly. That seems to give him courage, because he finally looks me in the eyes. The sadness that hits me takes my breath away.

»I behaved like an idiot,« he finally admits.

»You can say that out loud.«

»Please let me finish.«

I nod.

»I'm really sorry for how I've treated you these past few weeks. After Alivia said that rumor out loud, I could hardly think straight anymore. It was all very confusing for me. And then came the prom. I saw you walking down the stairs and scanning the crowd with your eyes. Damn Micah, you looked so incredibly beautiful that for a moment I wished the rumor wasn't just a rumor. At that moment I actually wanted you as a friend. But then I realized how ridiculous that actually is. I mean, you, the Princess of Lux, and me, an ordinary Puk...«

»There's absolutely nothing ordinary about you,« I interrupt him.

He smiles at me, tormented.

»You wanted to let me finish. Anyway, that witcher came up to you and asked you to dance, and then you granted him the honor. Some fuse blew in me that I didn't even know existed. I left the hall in a hurry. Outside I realized how stupid I was acting. The wind must have blown my head away. I went back in and saw you dancing. With one boy after the other.«

I open my mouth and want to justify myself, but he doesn't let me get a word in.

»Let me finish. I felt jealousy rising inside me. But there was nothing to be jealous of. You're the princess, everyone wants to dance with you.«

I roll my eyes. The only bad thing is that I don't want to dance with everyone.

»Anyway, I just went up to you and danced with you. All the words I had prepared jumped out of my head the moment we started dancing together. I don't know what was wrong with me that day. But I know I said a lot of crap and I'm sorry, Micah. I'm sorry for how I treated you. I'm sorry for how I talked to you. I don't know if you'll ever be able to forgive me, but I hope you can try,« he finishes, his voice breaking and his gaze lowered.

»Levi, I forgive you.« He turns his eyes to me again, full of hope.

»Why? I mean, after what I did? Why do you just forgive me for everything like that?«

»Very simple. Because you're my best friend. We've already gotten through so much together and we'll get through this rumor together too,« I explain to him.

I see him trying not to cry. We're no longer alone on the dance floor.

»Shall we go outside for a minute?«

He nods and leads me off the dance floor. Together we leave the crowded hall and walk through the illuminated corridors. Levi finds his way into the small courtyard.

There is another palace garden, which is much larger, but not nearly as cozy as this one. And we're less disturbed here.

We sit down on a stone bench at the edge of the clearing and listen to the sounds of the night. Each of us is lost in our own thoughts.

Mine are wandering to what I had planned for tonight. I don't have much time left before the moon reaches its zenith.

»You wanted to tell me something else,« Levi interrupts my thoughts.

Right. I hesitate. I wanted to tell him about my plan earlier, and now?

It's strange that I wanted to tell him about it when we were still arguing and now that he's apologized, I suddenly don't want to anymore. I'm probably just afraid that we'll argue again.

»Come on, Micah. I can see that something is bothering you.«

I take a deep breath.

»I've always told you about my dreams about Lucca...« I begin.

He immediately sits up straighter and looks at me worriedly. »Have you had one of those dreams again?«

I shake my head. »Not since the competition.«

»You mean the one where you spanked that pompous troll?«

»Don't talk about Trey like that. He's not that bad.«

»As you say.«

»But it's not about him now. That day my magic showed me my sister.«

»Your magic? What? Is it an independent living being now that it can just show you something like that?« Levi asks, dismayed.

But I can't help but notice his ironic undertone. I roll my eyes.

»No, it's not. But something is different now, since that fight. I don't really know how to explain it. She's just stronger now and she showed me Lucca. She showed me that Lucca is still alive and that she's waiting for me. And I know how to find her and how to get to her and how to bring her back to Aquilia.« Once I start telling him about it, I can't stop. The words just bubble out of me.

»Wow, wow, wow. Now, take it easy, Micah,« Levi slows me down. »What exactly is different about your magic now?«

»That doesn't matter at all now,« I wave my hand.

»I do think it's important. Micah, your soul magic is one of the most powerful forces in this universe. If something changes...that could be dangerous.«

»But I know...«

»No buts. Do your parents already know about it?«

»No, and as I said, it doesn't matter now.« I feel like I'm running out of time.

»Levi, I can't explain everything to you now. Please accept it as it is now. You can't change it anyway. There's something much more important...«

»Something more important than the weapon of mass destruction that's slumbering inside you?« he asks incredulously.

»Yes, essential more important. Wait a minute...weapon of mass destruction? Levi, I'm not a monster.«

He starts to smile. »What is more important now?«

»Lucca. I now know how to get to her.«

»But Micah, Lucca is dead. You said that yourself earlier.«

I knew that this would be my downfall, but now with Levi of all people?

How unfair does fate really have to be?

A tug inside me tells me that the time for explanations is over.

»Very well. Either you believe me without any long explanations or you stay here. I'm going to bring my sister home now.«