Drowsiness wore off slowly as Effie's aching body came back online.
At first she couldn't remember where she was, or why her feather bed felt so strange and firm beneath her. Why couldn't she hear the usual morning chatter of Moonshadow forest just outside her bedroom window, or smell the morning tea that Anise always began brewing at the crack of dawn?
Effie groaned, rolling over in bed, her tired muscles protesting with the memory of something that had happened earlier... Why was she so sore again? It didn't take much longer for recollection to flood her brain, and her drowsy eyes flew wide open. She sat bolt upright on the La Croix's couch inside their lavish drawing room.
"You're awake," Reign's voice spoke from somewhere nearby.
Effie turned her head in the direction of his voice, and saw him sitting in a chair next to her, legs crossed, a book laying open in his lap.
"You're... still here?" Effie blinked.
"Of course," he smiled, resting his chin in the palm of his hand. "I wanted to make sure no one came by to disturb your sleep. Besides, the last time you were here without proper supervision you got snatched up my my brother. And afterward you were kidnapped by my little sister and forced to tour the palace - or so I heard. So this time I'm here to see to it that you don't have to suffer at the hands of my siblings again."
"Your sister wasn't so terrible," Effie replied, almost smiling at the memory of the young girl's bright face, so full of youth, eyes glittering like a pair of precious, aquamarine stones. "She is a little overwhelming, I will admit. But she was kind."
"She's definitely a lot to handle sometimes," Reign chuckled. "But that's just Verity. Besides, she doesn't have any friends here in the palace, so she was probably very excited to see a new face around here."
"Oh... well that's sad..."
"That's the way it is here in the palace. We are royals and we have duties to uphold. We don't entertain such frivolous ideas as 'friendships.'"
Effie looked down on her hands, her fingers laced over the tops of her knees which were now bent upward to meet her chest. That's when she noticed the silky, smooth blanket that had somehow come to cover her body while she was sleeping. No doubt Reign had put it there at some point. She simply couldn't understand why he doted on her so much. Sure, she helped him out with his curse once or twice, but she could hardly claim to have saved him from it. Aside from that, he barely knew her. She wasn't rich, or beautiful... she was a hated witch, outcast from the moment she had been born. So why...?
"I hope you rested well," Reign said, drawing her out of her thoughts.
"Oh... yes. I think so. I fee much better. But- I'm afraid to ask how long I was asleep."
"Only a couple of hours."
"A couple of hours?!" Effie started, flinging the blanket off her legs and sliding them off the edge of the couch. "Then what are we still doing here? You should be hunting down the man who is trying to take your life! And what about myself? I shouldn't be resting, I should be back in Evanore with Aunt Anise!"
"Well I'm still in one piece, aren't I? And Evanore isn't going anywhere without you."
"You don't understand," Effie cried, jumping to her feet. "The last time I did this- the last time I got too comfortable at the palace something happened."
Reign's face grew serious. "What happened? Are things not going well in Evanore?"
"I don't have time to talk about it right now," Effie scrambled to the exit. "If it's not asking too much, can you have a carriage prepared to take me to Evanore? It's much faster than by foot. Believe me..."
"Your wish is my command."
-------
As the carriage crossed over from Avanthia's territory toward Evanore, the dark, black storm continued to rage on, producing howling winds and icy rain that ripped through Moonshadow forest.
'The witch is still here,' Effie thought, worrying at her thumbnail with her teeth.
Evanore was still in very real danger. And Reign was too. And what about her Aunt Anise? Effie's mind was still fresh with the memory of what had happened to her aunt the last time she spent an extended amount of time away from her. She had no idea what sort of sight would meet her eyes this time as the carriage rounded a corner and neared the apothecary.
But to her sheer relief, everything looked just as she had left it last night. All except for a few, splattered remains of tomato innards splashed across the door - which was practically a daily occurrence - nothing seemed amiss.
The guards helped Effie out of the carriage as they often did, and soon they were speeding off down the road behind her, leaving her standing at the front stoop of the apothecary alone. Effie stood under the rain for a few short moments, letting it wash away some of the dried, caked mud that still remained on her body, before finally entering the building.
The little bell above the door jingled as Effie entered the apothecary, where she immediately saw her Aunt standing over a bowl of herbs - or at least they were once herbs before Anise had worried them down into a fine powder with her pestle. Even still, she she kept grinding and grinding away, her eyes unfocused as if her mind was somewhere completely different. She hadn't even seemed to hear the bell, or notice Effie's arrival.
"Auntie Anise," Effie called out, not wanting to step inside with her soaking skirt dribbling rain water into slick puddles on the floor.
At the sound of Effie's voice, Anise's head finally snapped up, wide eyes focusing on the soaked form of the girl standing in the entryway.
"Effie!" Anise cried, dropping her pestle and flying across the room, throwing her arms around Effie's neck. "I'm so happy to see you! I was so worried... but you're okay."
"Of course I'm okay," Effie smiled gently, returning her aunt's embrace. "I'm always okay."
Anise frowned, suddenly pulling away to look Effie over. "Are you hurt anywhere?" She pried.
"I'm fine, Auntie, really. I'm sorry I didn't come home last night like I promised. But- But something happened. Now I think I know what's causing this storm. And... Prince Reign's life may also be in very great danger."
"Oh, dear!" Anise exclaimed. "It sounds like a lot happened last night. Why don't you come over and warm yourself by the fire. I'll put on a kettle of tea. Then you can tell me everything."
-------
Effie pulled the flannel blanket tighter around her shoulders, enjoying the warmth of the crackling fire nearby, warming her deep into her bones.
Anise finally scuttled over to the able, gently sitting two small teacups down on either side, one in front of Effie and the other at the other end of the table where she then took a seat.
"Now, you're going to have to start from the beginning, dear," Anise said. "I'm afraid I wasn't really following what you were trying to tell me earlier. Something about this wretched storm, and Prince Reign?"
Effie looked down at her teacup, wrapping her hands instinctively around its small porcelain shape, letting its heat warm up her fingertips.
"When I went out to run your errand last night," Effie began, "I ran into two cloaked figures whispering in the shadows of the alleyway. I sensed something was wrong, so I crept in closer to investigate. I quickly found out that those two individuals were crafting a plot to assasinate the prince."
"Oh, dear!" Anise exclaimed with concern. "A plot against the prince?! That is bad news indeed."
Effie shook her head. "That's almost not even the worst part. One of those people... There was something wrong. I... I believe that woman to be a dark witch. Like one of the one's you've told me about, who use their powers to hurt others and turn their hearts dark."
The color drained out of Anise's face, and she sat frozen in place, her cup lifted half-way to her mouth. She was nearly as still as a statue. Then after a few moments to take in Effie's words, she finally spoke, though her voice was small. "A dark witch, you say? How can you be certain?"
"I... I don't know. I just... felt it. Her aura was as black as the night, and it swirled with unmitigated power. And I have a feeling she's the one who has something to do with this storm over Evanore."
"Well... that would certainly make a lot of sense..." Anise said under her breath, her voice low as if she was suddenly afraid someone might be listening on on them. "I wonder how a dark witch came to be in Evanore? Is it simply to kill the prince? That seems like such a rudimentary reason for a dark witch. Dark witches usually only operate for selfish reasons, acting only if they stand to gain something from the action. I wonder what she's truly after?"
Effie absently ran the tip of her thumb along the edge of her steaming teacup, trying to make sense of it all.
"Either way," Effie finally said. "I'm worried for Reign. This doesn't seem to be a simple situation... I ran all the way to Avanthia last night to warn the prince- that's why I never came home. And he told me that he would have his men look into it immediately. But I fear the situation is more convoluted than he realizes. He didn't seem to take the treat very seriously. I just wonder... is he going to be alright?"
"Well..." Anise murmured, her eyes glancing out the window and into the storm that wailed against the apothecary. "Whether we worry or not, it won't change much. We're dealing with a dark witch here. A witch who's powers have gone rogue are far more powerful than regular witches. There may well be no way for you or I to stop them. It's good that you've warned the prince, but your job now is done. The prince will handle it from here. With all of the men at his disposal, he is far more capable of handling the situation than a couple of lowly healer women."
Effie chewed on the inside of her cheek. She still had a terrible feeling deep in her gut that all of this would end very badly. How could the prince protect himself from someone who radiated with such dark power? And how could Reign, and Anise be so levelheaded about the situation? Wasn't there anything that Effie could do to help? Why must she leave it all in Reign's hands now?
"Come on, Effie," Anise finally replied, getting quietly up from her seat. "We should close up shop early today, so I can take you back to the cabin and let you get some rest. And my goodness, you're caked with mud. I'll run you a hot bath at home."
Though Effie obediently began the process of closing up shop with Anise, she could hardly focus on the task. Her mind was still to full of worry about the storm that she felt was about to come.