Do you know that one moment in life when you know for sure that from now on nothing will ever be the same again?

I had this moment when I was only five cycles old. I had crawled out of bed because I couldn't sleep again and was sneaking through the halls. The events of the previous day were still echoing in my mind and giving my mind no peace. My sister Lucca and I had once again driven our teacher mad - we were very good at that.

But what could you expect when two five-year-old girls were being taught by an old, doddering man? This time, however, our teacher could not calm down, so he went to our parents and gave up his job with us that same afternoon.

Today I wonder if the events of that horrific night would have been different if our teacher had still been with us. Because even if he couldn't handle us properly, he knew how to control his abilities. Unlike my sister and I. We had only used our abilities for the first time a few moons ago - by accident, of course - and in the process almost razed an entire forest to the ground.

Completely lost in thought, I didn't notice where I was going until my feet suddenly stood on wet grass. I walked to the middle of the courtyard and let my gaze wander to the trees that framed the garden. Of course, I couldn't see anything in the darkness, so I decided to finally lie down on the grass and look up at the stars.

My thin white nightgown immediately soaked with water and within a few blinks of an eye my back was soaking wet, but I didn't care about that, nor about the fact that the grass would leave green stains and my mother would know again that I hadn't been in bed at night. I was too fascinated by the play of the sky above me to think about anything like that.

The night sky was cloudless and I had a perfect view of the starry sky. The full moon slowly moved into my field of vision and I watched in fascination as it continued its journey over our roofs. Crickets chirped a lullaby all around me. I felt completely safe and could feel tiredness threatening to overcome me.

But I also felt something else.

Something I couldn't quite put my finger on. It seemed familiar, but I couldn't figure out what it was.

Suddenly, the sound of a branch breaking under a heavy boot shattered the peace of the night. I sat up abruptly and looked again at the surrounding trees, but I still couldn't see anything. I struggled to get up. My limbs were already close to falling asleep.

I stood quietly in the middle of the courtyard and closed my eyes. Breathing deeply in and out, I let my senses wander, just as I had been taught.

At first I didn't get much further than the grass beneath my feet, so I took another deep breath and let myself fall completely into my magic. Slowly an image spread before my inner eye. I saw the grass covering the ground, I felt the trees standing around me, fickle, unyielding and old as time itself.

I was filled with the certainty that they would be here much longer than I. The cold, strong walls of the palace loomed behind them. They too would be around much longer than I if they were treated accordingly.

Behind me, a spider crawled into one of the cracks in the wall and looked for a new place to sleep. It too was disturbed by the sudden noise. The crickets had fallen silent, but I could feel exactly where each one of them was hiding. Birds were sleeping in the branches of the trees and beetles had made themselves comfortable behind loose pieces of bark. I let my magic glide over them all and felt what they felt. They reacted to me and showed me their affection for me. They also made me aware of the presence I was actually looking for.

There they were.

They were hiding in the shadows between the trees, but I had found them anyway. Now that I knew where they were, I opened my eyes and looked straight at them. A minute passed, and then another, in which neither of us moved. The tension was almost tangible, and when I could no longer stand the silence, I took the first step.

»It is rude to ambush a lady in the shadows.«

The figure in the shadows let out a slight snort before answering, »It would indeed be, but only if you are truly a lady. Are you a true lady?«

Now I had to grin too.

They took a few steps and when the full moon lit up Enis' face, I could see his smile too. Enis is a witcher and one of our best guards. That's why my parents appointed him as Lucca's and my bodyguard. He wore the dark blue uniform of the palace guards. The silver buttons were neatly polished and reflected the moonlight.

»What are you doing here, Enis?« Even though I already suspected the answer, I wanted him to confirm it.

»It is my duty to take care of you, Princess,« he replied, bowing slightly.

I winced. I felt uncomfortable being addressed by my title by him or anyone else. Lucca is the older of the two of us and would one day be queen. I will always be second and I have already accepted that. That makes it all the more inappropriate for everyone to address me as princess. After all, I have a name.

»You know very well that I don't like it when you talk to me like that,« I blurted out. Indignantly, I crossed my arms in front of my chest.

»I know, but I'm still happy to do it, Princess.« This time he emphasized my title so I wouldn't miss it.

As if I could ever do that. My senses are more acute than most, and when I concentrate I could even hear my father's snoring from his chambers.

»What are you doing out here at this late hour anyway?« Enis suggested a more innocuous topic.

»I asked you the same thing.«

»And I answered you. Now it's your turn.«

If he's not mistaken.

»I don't owe you any explanation, let alone a justification,« I replied defiantly.

Normally I'm not so cheeky, but rather taciturn. Lucca is the quicker-witted of the two of us. That reminds me of something.

»How do you know who you're talking to?«

Normally, Lucca and I were indistinguishable and if we tried, we could pretend to be the other to most people. There is hardly anyone who could tell us apart. So now I was overcome with curiosity. I had forgotten his question and the fact that he had secretly observed me. I was dying to find out how he had been able to recognize me straight away. Luckily, he didn't keep me waiting long for an answer.

»It was the way you looked at the stars,« he explained to me.

I didn't understand that and tilted my head.

»Your sister doesn't seem to have as strong a connection to the stars as you do. I've seen you stargazing a lot. You seem much calmer and more confident than usual. Is that enough of an explanation for you?«

Now it was he who tilted his head.

I had to admit to myself that he was absolutely right. My connection to our roots was always stronger than Lucca's. She never understood why I could spend hours at night just looking up at the stars. Lucca was a real tomboy. She always needed action and movement.

We are often told that we are like two sides of the same amulet. Lucca is the impetuous, wild, unstoppable side and I am the calm, calculating, controlled side. Up until now we always tried to deny this and the more we heard it, the more we tried to fight it. But the more we tried to break out of this cage, the more we became what they saw in us. It seems to be an endless cycle that we could not and would never get out of.

I was completely lost in thought when suddenly the ground beneath my feet began to vibrate.

An explosion caused all the animals in the courtyard to suddenly wake up and flee.

The smell of smoke was blowing towards us in the wind. Something had to be burning somewhere, but I couldn't say where it was. I closed my eyes and wanted to use my magic again to find the cause of this unrest.

Before I could concentrate properly, Enis grabbed my wrist roughly and pulled me towards the trees. I was not prepared for this, so I started to stumble. Enis kept pulling me along with him and I quickly caught myself.

We had barely reached the forest when another explosion rocked the garden. I tripped over a root and fell flat on my face into another tangle of roots. A stabbing throbbing spread through my body from the heels of my hands and my knees.

Enis didn't give me time to think about my injuries. He grabbed my arm again, pulled me to my feet and together we ran through the trees towards an exit from the garden.

Or rather, Enis rushed ahead and pulled me behind him. I had no choice but to follow him. He held my arm so tightly that I was sure there would be bruises. But I was also sure that I would be lucky if I survived the night at all.

Another explosion shook the night and the ground beneath me began to shake.

Single pebbles fell from the wall in front of us. Maybe I was mistaken. Maybe the wall would not exist longer than me after all.

We reached a door that led us back into the interior of the palace. Inside, my eyes did not have to adjust to different lighting conditions.

The lights that normally burned in the halls of the palace during the night had gone out.

Enis cursed next to me. I could understand him. These lights were magical. They weren't supposed to just go out like that.

»Now listen to me very carefully, Micah.« Enis knelt down in front of me so that we were now eye to eye.

He could be sure of my undivided attention. I knew how serious the situation was, otherwise he wouldn't have called me by my name.

»Micah, it is my duty to protect you and your sister. Right now we are too far from Lucca for me to protect you both at the same time. So I will get you to safety first and then go to your sister and bring her to you. Do you understand that?«

I nodded. A lump formed in my throat and the cold hand of panic closed its claws around my heart. My sister was all alone in our room at the other end of the castle. I should have been there too. If only I hadn't gotten up and gone into the garden, we would be together now and Enis could have protected us both. So he had followed me and had to leave my sister all alone. Tears welled up in my eyes and blurred my vision.

»Micah, look at me,« Enis gently lifted my chin so that I had to look him in the eyes.

He was struggling to control his powers. I saw a storm of lightning raging in his eyes. He would do anything to make sure nothing happened to me. I tried to swallow the lump and blinked away the tears.

When my vision cleared again, I gathered all my courage and nodded. That was enough for Enis and he straightened up again. He carefully watched the corridors to our right and left.

If we went to the right, we would come to the ballroom, from there a staircase would lead us directly to the kitchen and there was a corridor to a shelter. But this path was long and dangerous. Since we didn't know exactly where the attackers were, we couldn't possibly risk running through the large open space of the ballroom. On the other hand, the alternative didn't look much better.

To the left, the corridor led us directly to the entrance area and presumably to the intruders' main target.

I could see it in Eni's face, he was struggling with himself. One thing was certain: we definitely couldn't stay here.

We were on display and it would only be a matter of time before they found us. I felt the danger that surrounded us. It was streaming towards us in hot, strong waves from both the ballroom and the entrance hall.

But I also felt a cool draft of air and it wasn't coming from outside. There was a way that was safer for us than the alternatives and it wasn't a way that Enis knew.

Lucca and I had discovered it only two weeks ago during one of our forays into the palace. I walked towards the opposite wall, ignoring Enis's protests behind me. With some force, I pushed against a loose stone in the wall. Shortly afterwards, a small door swung open beneath me. It was just big enough for Enis to crawl through. I also had to bend down to fit through.

I saw the surprise on Enis' face. A slight grin spread across mine.

Lucca and I knew secrets about our home that no one else knew about.

Voices came from the entrance hall and quick steps came towards us. We crawled into the secret passage and heard the alarm bell start to ring before the door slammed shut behind us.

The passage lay in total darkness before us and silence enveloped us. We listened intently to the sounds coming through the wall. But the wall was just too thick and if we didn't open the door, we wouldn't hear what was going on outside. But that would tell the attackers where we were and that was not planned.

This time I grabbed Enis's hand and pulled him behind me. I didn't need a light to find my way in the tunnel. My feet guided me through it without me stumbling once. Unlike Enis. Here it was him who couldn't stop himself from getting caught on his own feet.

Again I couldn't help but grin. I should be paralyzed with fear. But in this secret passage within the walls that my ancestors had built, I felt safe. I felt like they were with us, guiding me. Lucca always teased me about how I thought I could sense our ancestors.

Lucca.

I started to falter and slow down until I finally stopped. My sister was all alone. I couldn't help her.

What if we never sneaked through the secret passages together again?

If we never annoyed our parents together again?

If she could never tease me again?

I had to go to her.

Now.

Enis almost ran into me when I stopped. He seemed to know what I was planning. He grabbed me roughly by my shoulders and turned me to face him. The lightning still blazed in his eyes, but there was something else I couldn't put my finger on.

»I know what you're planning, Micah. You have to trust me. I'll protect your sister as soon as I know you're safe.«

I shook my head. He couldn't protect her.

»She's my sister. It's my job to look after her.«

He started to shake me. »Come to your senses, Micah. You can't protect her. Leave it to me. That's my job.«

I tore myself away from him and ran further down the hall. Without my guidance, Enis had difficulty following me. The exit was in front of me. Through this door I came back into a hallway. Here, debris from the door lay scattered on the floor.

We were now on the other side of the entrance hall. I carefully crept towards them, pressed against the wall.

I heard voices, but couldn't figure out where they were coming from.

Suddenly a sweaty hand was placed over my mouth and someone held me close. A rough laugh rang out, shaking the body that held me as I tried to scream and thrash around. He picked me up and carried me effortlessly into the foyer.

»Look who I found here. You thought you could overpower us all by yourself, didn't you? Well, you thought wrong, little princess.«

The man started laughing loudly and his friends joined in. Only now could I see how many there were. Four came running down both staircases from the first floor, five came from the hallway to the ballroom and three came out of the hallway behind us. Two more were standing between the remains of the large entrance door. That would explain at least one of the explosions. They had somehow blown the double doors open.

»She's not alone.«