The sun aimed true through the mechanical blinds, aided by the snow, right into Sorrel’s face. She squinted and rolled over, turning her face away from the light. As the spots faded from her vision, it hit her. 

The blinds were open.

She bolted out of bed—Coppelius was gone. She dashed out into the hallway just in time to see Coppelius’s glowing white hair disappear down the stairwell. She sprinted after him, hurling herself down the stairs. She only stopped at the threshold between the kitchen and the parlor when she caught a full view of him. 

He already had his clothes from the day before back on and was opening the front door. 

“Wait!”

Coppelius stopped in the doorway. He closed the door and turned to face her, his expression softening. 

Sorrel stepped forward. “Where are you going? Let me go with you, maybe I can help—“

“No, Sorrel.” His eyes were wistful. “I wish I could. But you and your family are better off not involved in this fight. I’ve already brought enough danger to your doorstep.”

“You don’t get to decide that.” Sorrel took another step forward. “What if I want to take on the danger?”

“You don’t even know me.” He closed his eyes, reaching for the deep blue glowing stone on the end of the slender golden chain around his neck. 

“But I want to.” 

“Why?” 

Sorrel opened her mouth to argue, only to be interrupted by a knock at the door. 

Coppelius froze and visibly paled. “Are you expecting anybody?”

“By the order of the Empire of Annwyn, open up!”

Well, that answers that question.

“Get upstairs, I’ll handle this,” Sorrel hissed. 

Coppelius lingered by her, conflict as clear as day hanging over his face like a shadow. All the while, the pounding on the door continued. 

“It won’t be long before one of the patrons comes out to see what’s going on and sees you.” Sorrel glanced up the stairway to the guest rooms. No activity yet. “Go upstairs, get Gwynn. She’ll know what to do.”

He nodded, suddenly resolute. Then he bolted back through the kitchen and up the stairs, leaving Sorrel alone in the parlor. Only once she could no longer see any sign of him did she turn back to the door.

“The Governor of Perrault has ordered all citizens of Hoffman to comply with orders from the Empire of Annwyn! Failure to do so will result in legal consequences—“

Sorrel pulled the door open at exactly that moment, cutting the soldier off. “Yes, yes, sorry, some of us were still asleep, you know.”

On the front porch was one Annwynese soldier, on the younger side and with a fancier uniform than the other three behind him on the street. All had the dark hair, jeweled eyes, and freckles like diamond dust over their cheeks that was characteristic of the Annwynese, with fine features like a doll’s and a height closer to Sorrel’s than that of the usual human man. They were wearing the turquoise, white and gold dress uniforms Sorrel had seen in news broadcasts and textbooks in class. 

Perhaps most menacing were their shining gold polearms, with the crystal centers. The sinister hum of electricity ready to be deployed at any moment, powered by the magic only practiced by the few who could afford the right crystals and the right teachers. It was a reminder of what was at stake by going against Annwyn. 

The young soldier met her eyes, then pulled a holo-disk out of a pocket in his jacket, balancing it flat in the palm of his hand. “My apologies. I am Captain Honor Ardell of the 53rd Unit, in Legion 709. I have come in search of a fugitive from justice who escaped our custody.”

“A fugitive from justice?” Sorrel crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow. “What did they do?”

“I am not permitted to disclose his crimes at this current time.” Captain Ardell swiped at the hologram emitting from his palm. The text switched to a blurry image of what was clearly Coppelius, shining white hair and all. “Do you recognize this man?”

“Nope, never seen him in my life.” Sorrel shook her head. 

“Do you mind if we take a brief look around, just to make sure?” Captain Ardell turned off the holo-disk and placed it back in his pocket. “This fugitive is very dangerous, it’s important that we find him as soon as possible.”

“Do you have a warrant?” 

Captain Ardell paused, hesitation crossing over his face. “Technically, no. But the Governor has granted whatever authority is needed to assure our task and to allow us to leave as quickly as possible. Your cooperation with this would be greatly appreciated.”

“No warrant, no entry.” Sorrel started to close the door. “Sorry, Captain.”

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Captain Ardell reached for the polearm strapped to his back. “Trust me, I don’t want it to come to it, but we will use force if deemed necessary. Please don’t make it necessary.”

“Then come back with a warrant.” She pushed the door closed, only for Captain Ardell to stop her with his foot. 

“Come on, you’re not stupid enough to not see what’s at stake here?” He tilted his head. 

“Not so stupid that I don’t know my rights,” Sorrel retorted. “Look, just because the Governor’s let you trample all over our world doesn’t mean that the rest of us who live here will.”

“I really didn’t want to do this, but you’ve given me no choice.” Captain Ardell drew his polearm and it sparked to life, pale violet lightning coursing over the golden end of the staff. “Against the wall, hands up. I won’t ask again.” 

Time seemed to slow for a second. Sorrel was out of options, but her mind raced right along with her thundering heart. She couldn’t let the soldiers into the inn, and risk them finding Coppelius. But Celine didn’t deserve the trouble that would come with trying to fight them. Not that she could fight them.

She started to back away, hands up. 

Come on, think of something, anything—

“Hey!”

Both she and the soldiers froze and turned their heads to see Coppelius standing in the doorway between the kitchen and parlor, Gwynn and Celine a few paces behind him.

From the moment she’d first laid eyes on him last night, Sorrel had considered Coppelius to have an innocent, boyish face. He inherently did not seem like the kind of person who could call down the wrath of the system’s most powerful empire. 

But something about him shifted now, as he looked angry. There was a shadow over his face and a blaze in his eye that matched the blue stone dangling from his neck. 

“Looking for me?” His tone was still jovial, an eerie contrast to the way he held himself now. He lifted his palm, and there was light gathering into his palm like the formation of a small sun. 

By the time the soldiers turned fully toward him, it was too late. 

He flung the orb of sunlight, and it scattered, turning into stardust and arcing around Captain Ardell, knocking him off of his feet. 

The other three soldiers rushed in, just as Coppelius summoned another ball of light to his hand. He plunged to the ground, thrusting the light into the floorboards. 

Sorrel’s entire world flashed white as she crashed onto one of the mismatched rugs. Blinking away black spots, she scrambled back to her feet. It took several heartbeats for her to realize the soldiers were all on the floor, completely still except for the rise and fall of their chests and covered in a glimmering golden dust. 

“What in the stars—“ She looked to Coppelius, kneeling on the ground and breathing heavily. “Explain. Now.”

He shook his head. “No time. Someone heard that, and there’s going to be more of them coming.”

Celine strode forward and shut the door. The lock turned with a final-sounding click. She closed her eyes, took a deep, heaving breath, and turned back around to face her daughters and the mysterious visitor. 

“You have magic.” Celine folded her arms over her chest. “I don’t know how we all missed that, it’s obvious in your hair.”

She sighed again, looking down at the crumpled Annwynese soldiers. “I’m guessing that has something to do with the real reason they are looking for you, yes?”

Coppelius blinked up at Celine. “I’m sorry. I should never have stayed here, I’ve put you all in grave danger and it was selfish to stay—“

“None of that now.” Celine’s voice was firm. “We insisted you stay, and we knew what we were getting into. Well, somewhat. You said that they have your ship, yes?”

“Unfortunately.” He paused. “My coming here wasn’t an accident. I didn’t mean to crash-land, but there’s something here on Perrault, near Hoffman that I need to find. I can’t explain what it is—but the Prince, one of the most powerful sorcerers in the emperor’s army, he’s also found this lead. I can’t let it fall into his hands.”

“The Prince?” Gwynn stepped forward. “I know there was a new emperor recently coronated on Annwyn, but I didn’t know there was another prince.”

Coppelius shook his head. “He’s not a prince like that, it’s a codename. Big secret. If you’ve heard of this one, you’re already in big trouble.”

“It looks like we’re already in pretty big trouble.” Sorrel prodded Captain Ardell with her foot. “Knocking out four Annwynese soldiers and resisting their search warrant will do that.”

She then looked to Coppelius and outstretched her hand. “But never mind that. We’ll help you find it, whatever you’re looking for.”

“What?” Coppelius blinked. “Why—why would you help me?”

“I don’t know if you’ve been listening or not, but it’s what we do.” Gwynn stood next to Sorrel, holding the boots she had forgotten in her early morning dash. “Now, we’d better get a move on if we want to get out of here before more soldiers or constables come asking questions. 

“I— thank you.” Coppelius accepted Sorrel’s hand. 

She pulled him to his feet and smiled. “I should be saying that to you. You saved my life just now.”

“I couldn’t let them just hurt you.” There was a way that his eyes lingered on her, on their joined hands that made Sorrel’s face unbearably warm. 

Maybe that was why Sorrel was the first to let go. 

Well, that or that she needed her boots. 

“Do you know where we’re looking?” Gwynn asked as she handed Sorrel her boots. 

“I only know that it’s in a forest.” Coppelius sighed. “I’m sure that’s not helpful.”

Gwynn and Sorrel glanced at each other, and found themselves laughing.

“More than you realize,” Sorrel finally said. “When the Society came here, they wanted to bulldoze nearly everything to make this whole world a trading hub for the likes of Annwyn and Inner World merchants.”

“But we loved our forests, and our ancestors were among the ones who fought to keep some of the wilderness on Perrault,” Gwynn continued. “There’s only one area in every city where the old forests remain, courtesy of the donation of the land from the Marchands of the time.”

“It’s there, then.” Recognition dawned on Coppelius’s face. “I can never thank you enough, truly.”

“Let’s get going, then.” Gwynn gestured for Sorrel to follow her. “Two of our own jackets just got out of the wash. We’ll leave through the laundry room and the side-gate.”

“Good idea, they won’t be expecting that.” Sorrel turned to face their mother and she paused. “Will you be alright here?”

“Yes.” A faint smile hovered over Celine’s delicate face. “This wouldn’t be the first spot of trouble I’ve been in, you know. Back when I met your father, well. . .”

She trailed off, her expression contemplative. “If they come, I’ll tell them that a man came and attacked them and like I was just about to call for help.”

“Alright.” Sorrel wanted to press on, to ask exactly how her mother would stay out of the mess she made. But time was ticking, and she couldn’t exactly stand around and demand answers. There would be time for that later—there had to be time for that later.

She embraced her mother. “I’ll see you soon, Maman.”

Celine hugged her tighter. “Stay safe, my little briar rose.”

She then let go and looked to Gwynn. “You too, snowdrop.”

“I will.” Gwynn nodded resolutely.

With that, the trio darted back through the kitchen and into the laundry hall. The twins took jackets from the washer unit that they used for their personal items, marked with a red handkerchief tied around the handle. Sorrel took the hoverboard by where it was propped against the backdoor. 

They set out, through the frozen back garden and flying into the streets.