Most of the Royal Council had already assembled in the Conferenz Room when Tem and I arrived. A large oak-paneled room entirely lit by buzzing firefly lamps, there was not a sliver of shadow to be found in this room. I inhaled the sweet lavender scent of the room. My childhood had been spent sitting next to Father, listening to discussions about the Spriarweed economy growing ten-fold, Achilles building yet another casino in his Kingdom of Ellis, and how the Kingdom of Killi was falling to ruin and we ought to draw our troops (we hadn’t.) I scribbled pads of notes while other children ran around outside playing Knights and Thieves, and despite my early childhood rebellion, I had grown to love it.

Three men and two women were present: Bill, our spymaster, had his signature frown creasing his weather-beaten face; Ralf, our unofficial Prince, only offspring of the late King and Queen, sat with his fingers clasped on the mahogany table, his face sullen; Spriar Codesworth, named “Springy” for her relentless energy, royal scientist and founder of Spriarweed, had tossed her snowy hair back to laugh at something her brother Barney said; Barney and Tammy, our civilian reps, were both grinning widely.

“It is not funny,” said Bill. “The rumors could very well be true. Trust me - I have seen many inconceivable things in my line of work.”

“You’re letting paranoia take hold again, Bill,” Springy said. “It’s been eighteen years. Why now?”

Bill threw his arms in despair. “I don’t know! Ask the villagers whispering about a girl found in a cave, surrounded by contraptions they’ve never seen.”

“She could simply be an inventor, or someone who has traveled to the ends of the Realm.”

“Besides,” said Tammy, “there was never an Initiation. Doesn’t a Shaper need to be Initiated before their powers take hold?”

“Tammy is absolutely correct,” said Barney. “No Initiation, no Shaper powers.”

Bill raised a finger. “Ah, but no Shaper has ever left the Realm until her, have they? This whole situation is unprecedented. How are we to know what’s possible and what’s not?”

“If a Shaper has indeed arrived,” said Ralf, “I will tell her to scurry back to the Other Place where she came from.”

“Ralf,” I chided. “Your best friend is a Shaper.” I was talking about Achilles, whom Ralf seemed to have forgotten was the Shaper and ruler of the Kingdom of Ellis, a glitzy gambling paradise.

Ralf gave me a sour look, one I’d become accustomed to. My childhood playmate was long gone, replaced by a bitter man who still resented my abandoning him and the polished corridors of the Castle for Tem and the grit and sweat of Knight School.

“Yes, but he’s not our Shaper.”

“Enough talk about Shapers!” cried Barney, waving his hands in the air. “I’m starting to feel queasy.”

“Are you discussing the agenda of this meeting?” Keenan swept his midnight-blue Caval aside and sat down beside me. I started; I hadn’t noticed him entering the room. He caught my gaze and smiled. I returned the smile of my tutor of five years. The gold hoop in his ear lobes winked in the lamp light, and his skin glowed in a pearly sheen, the result of him hardly leaving the library.

“I thought it would perhaps be about the drought, and if the Spriarweed farms suffering for it,” he said coolly.

Springy grinned. “Not Spriarweed. Way too stubborn. Remember how our cotton fields withered and Spriarweed stood golden among them?”

“They are as obstinate as the person after whom they were named,” said Tem. He laughed as he received a fist in the shoulder.

Then Keenan looked at me with sorry eyes and said softly, “You did great at the Tournament, Ash.” The room quietened. It seemed the council had been watching, but opted not to speak of it.

I had opened my mouth to reply when the doors swung open and the King’s heavy footsteps echoed on the marble floor. A hush fell upon the room; Father had that effect on people, even the most battle-hardened Bill. Father’s face was taut, his shoulders sagged. That hinted nothing of his mood. He always looked strong yet exhausted. Makerholf, who followed behind Father, wore a more telling expression. His wizened face was more furrowed than usual, and the usual sparkle in his eyes was nonexistent. They each took their seats. Father exchanged a grave look with Bill, who lost all the color from his face. Makerholf met my gaze and gave me a weary smile. I didn’t know if he was thinking of my sorry performance at the Tournament, or if it was something worse.

“Hit us,” said Barney. “What’s the bad news?”

Father inhaled before speaking. “Cassandra’s daughter is here.” Confused silence. “She is our new Shaper.”

For a moment the fireflies were all I could hear, buzzing in their relaxed life of feeding, mating and dying. Suddenly I didn’t care if I’d made a scene in a pool in front of Aragonians. That seemed as insignificant as a speck of dust on the street.

Bill erupted in an angry outburst, “But there was no Initiation! Shapers don’t become Shapers until after their Initiation.”

“She has proven her power to shape things, Spymaster,” said Father. “It appears an Initiation was not needed.”

Across the table, Ralf muttered a curse. Tem and I exchanged resigned looks. The rumors were true. A Shaper had indeed arrived. Stars bless us all. This was big. Huge. How would Aragonia, the only Kingdom that prides herself of being Shaper-free (while harboring a steady distaste for Shapers) deal with their spanking new one?

“She will not assume the traditional role of Shaper in the Realm,” continued my father. “Instead, she will follow our rules. She will still receive a seat at the Royal Council, yes - that is non-negotiable - but she will make no decisions, nor will she be granted the will to Shape anything she pleases. The Knights will keep her under close surveillance to ensure she complies, as well as for her personal safety.”

“For good reason,” said Bill snarkily. “I know of a few men who still hold grudges against her mother.”

“We have to help her assimilate,” said Barney. “She can’t be living in her own bubble if she is to be accepted.”

“Who said anything about acceptance?” said Ralf bitterly.

“Give her a chance, Ralf,” said Tammy. “We haven’t even met her yet.”

“Trevain and the Dragon Squadron are escorting her to us as we speak,” said Makerholf. “I assure you, she is very pleasant.”

“If Makerholf thinks she’s nice,” said Springy, coiling a strand of silver hair around her finger, “I cannot argue.”

“You flatter me, Spriar.”

Just then, my ears picked up a marching rhythm. It was fast approaching. Thump, thump, thump.

“They’re here,” said my father. He said it in a tone that might as well have said, Brace yourselves.

Feeling very self-conscious all of a sudden, I checked that my white chin-high, bulletproof collar was straight, slid my fingers over the metallic rose trimming, and wondered how this was going to unfurl.

Everyone in the room held their breath while the doors swung open.

Fifteen Knights flooded the room in two lines. Each of them was clad in full armor, their Dragon insignia emblazoned on their chests. In the middle of the assembly I saw a shock of frizzy red hair, like dancing flames. The Knights fanned across the room, and the last to enter shut the door. Two of them stood by the entrance, their hands resting on the hilt of their swords. Trevain, his helmet off so I could see his worn, handsome face and rusty goatee, stood by a girl about my age with the fiery hair, clad in what I’d read in my studies of the Other Place were known as a T-shirt and jeans.

“Dear Council,” said Trevain, “May I present to you – Marylea, our new Shaper.”

There was a low hiss from both Bill and Ralf. Barney, on the other hand, cracked a smile and said, “She looks just like her mother.”

“Thank you,” said Marylea, looking slightly startled.

“How is Cassandra, by the way?” chirped Tammy. “Is she doing well?”

“We do not care how she is doing,” growled Bill. “She left us for dead, so she’s dead to us.”

“Bill, don’t be rude.” My father’s voice reverberated in the still room. He nodded at Marylea. “Please pardon our Spymaster. You may answer the question.”

Marylea swallowed. “Uh – Mama is doing well. She’s in Dubai for an architect’s conference.”

Ah. I’d heard Cassandra was a brilliant architect, and that we had her to thank for our castle, grander than any other Kingdom’s – a long stretch for a Kingdom whose main economy used to be cotton. She’d designed our villages, shophouses, and marketplaces, drawing tourists from throughout the Realm with our unique Aragonian charm.

Running through the facts in my head made it easier for me to deal with the spanking-new Shaper who stood before us.

“Good to hear,” said Tammy. “I was only a teen when she left, but I do remember she had a beautiful smile.”

Ralf rolled his eyes.

“Please, have a seat,” said Father. “Polonius, pull up a chair for Marylea, will you please? She’ll sit by Trevain.”

The Knight standing by Father saluted and went to grab a chair from the back of the room.

All eyes were fixed on Marylea, who shifted uncomfortably, as Polonius slotted a chair in between Trevain’s and Tem’s. A part of me felt embarrassed for her; the other half struggled with processing the frantic thoughts running through my mind. Marylea sat and tucked her boisterous hair behind her ears.

My gaze locked with Tem’s, and I saw the same questions reflected in his eyes. Was this girl aware she could shape cannons, missiles, and machine guns, and if played correctly, rule this Kingdom in a heartbeat? That the only reason she wasn’t on a ship bound for Ellis’ dungeons was we trusted her mother wouldn’t raise a monster?

I guessed the more pressing question was: what will she do with Aragonia?

It felt like ages before we were done playing musical chairs. After Trevain was settled next to Marylea, he looked around at his fellow members of the Royal Council, and explained.

“Marylea arrived a week ago in Callyweather, where she found lodging while her host notified us of her arrival. After close discussion with myself, King Dimitri and Makerholf, we have offered her boarding in the old Shaper Wing, where she will live during her time with us.”

The Council’s reaction was varied to say the least.

Bill, of course, responded with outrage, “And where was I in this discussion, Trevain?”

“The Shaper Wing’s nice,” said Tammy. “You’ll like it there.”

“You have the brightest hair,” said Springy, probably concocting experiments in her mind that she could do with a hair of that pigment.

“Are Bill and I the only smart ones in here?” asked Ralf. “She is dangerous.”

“She is safe,” said Trevain. “We can trust her. She is, after all, Cassandra’s daughter.”

“Cassandra, who betrayed us.”

“Silence, Ralf,” said my father. “One more word and we will no longer welcome you in this discussion.”

“She’s a witch, then,” Ralf pushed on. “A witch who has beguiled all of you with her charms.”

“I mean no harm,” said Marylea. Her voice pierced the outcry and brought a momentary pause to the room. “Really, I don’t. I woke up the night of my eighteenth birthday and found myself in this new world. Only when I brought stuff home in my pockets did I realize this was real.”

“Of course it’s real,” snapped Ralf. “How do you know your Other Place is not a dream?” Father gave him a cold stare, and he held his tongue.

“I have my reasons to trust her,” reinforced Trevain.

“And your reasons would be?” asked Bill. “I’m afraid I find it difficult to base my trust on your intuition, accurate as you claim it to be.”

Trevain looked at my father, who in response said, “We will disclose more information at another time.”

I felt a surge of curiosity over my fear. What did they feel was worth concealing from the Royal Council?

Ralf threw his hands in the air. “More secrets! Stars forbid we harbor secrets from each other.”

“Ralf,” said Makerholf sternly. Prince Ralf rapped his fingers on the table.

Keenan shifted in his seat next to me. “How much does she know?”

His question was the big one floating in everyone’s minds. We’d been too afraid to voice it for fear of the answer.

“She figured most of it out herself,” said Trevain. “The villagers found her in a cave with a canopy bed, sofa and a closet, and also, a television, laptop, and radio - from which she learnt that Other Place devices fail to work in the Realm. I filled her in on the other details.”

“I know I can make things,” quipped Marylea. She touched a golden locket hanging around her neck. “This is a replica of the one I have back home.” She stood and straightened her shirt. “I also made this shirt. All I had to wear when I got here was a nightie.” She grinned, but it died under the Council’s stares.

Prince Ralf scoffed. “Pretend to be innocent. Make us all think you’re such a doll. Pop on over and start playing wizard, why don’t you?”

Marylea’s face hardened. “If I wanted to wreak havoc, I would’ve done it by now.”

Everyone sat in charged silence. Then Barney broke it saying cheerfully, “Shall we discuss how we’re going to tell the people?”

“I agree,” said Tammy. “There is a chance the people might riot. It’s been eighteen years since the Abandonment, the Kingdom is prospering, and then poof! A Shaper appears out of nowhere. They’re not going to like it.”

Marylea looked hurt. “I could lay low for awhile.”

Bill narrowed his eyes. “She’s being too cooperative.”

Keenan spoke. “Perhaps I could interview her for the Aragonian Times. Cast her in a good light.”

“I say we hide her for a bit,” said Bill. “At least until we know more.”

“I don’t know why no one is suggesting banishment,” said Prince Ralf sourly.

“Ralf,” I said in a hard voice, “Stop.”

Prince Ralf gave me an ugly look, letting me know that my words were an act of brutal betrayal. He would not be speaking to me for weeks. It was hard to get mad at him - Cassandra’s Abandonment had indirectly caused his parents death, after all.

“Now, now,” said Makerholf. “Things haven’t gotten that far yet.”

Marylea sat up, rapt with attention. “Banishment?’”

“We’re not banishing anybody,” said Trevain.

“Banishment?” Marylea insisted.

Trevain sighed. “Shaper abilities don’t work outside of their own Kingdom. So if a Shaper goes rogue, he or she may be sent to other Kingdoms to be imprisoned. Kept out of trouble. But don’t worry – ”

“Remember that, Marylea,” said Ralf, spitting out her name like it was poison.

“We’re not doing any of that,” said Trevain firmly.

Marylea narrowed her eyes at Ralf like he was a wriggling parasitic worm.

In a brash attempt to ease the tension, I blurted, “You know what? Perhaps we could host a ball to introduce her.” I promptly gave myself a mental slap to the face.

To my dismay, Tammy jumped on the idea like a raccoon on an open trash can. “Hey, you know what? That sounds great! What better way to introduce our new Shaper than at a fun ball?” She grinned like Harvest Festival had come early. “I love it.”

Springy beamed. “I couldn’t agree more. That’s a great idea, Ash.”

Bill was not amused. “I’m not so sure. Marylea is a ticking time bomb, and besides, the civilians might riot and attack. It’s a security nightmare.”

“That is a possibility,” said Makerholf. “We will have Dragon squadron guard her wherever she goes.”

“She needs a friend,” added Tammy. Her eyes were vibrant, as if she had an idea sparking in her mind. Which she did. “Someone to guide her into this strange, new world. Someone who is Marylea’s age, someone who can connect with her.”

Someone Marylea’s age? A spark fired in my chest. Maybe this was my chance. Maybe...

“I’ll do it,” I said.

All eyes turned to me.

I snuck a glance at Father. His face was blank as usual - but was that doubt I saw?

That was when Tem jumped in. “I’ll help,” he said. “An extra blade and pair of eyes is always preferable.”

Affection erupted in me like a hot spring geyser. If anyone was always going to have my back, it was Tem.

Marylea smiled. “I’d love to have guidance.”

Makerholf looked at me and said gently, “I think Ashling and Templeton would be perfect.”

There was a murmur of agreement.

“All right,” Father finally said. “All in consent?”

All hands rose, except Prince Ralf’s, whose face was grim. I’ll admit I was hurt, but not surprised.

It was then that I realized my hands were shaking, and I clasped them tightly under the table. I swept the room with the sincerest gaze I could muster. “Thank you, everyone. I appreciate your confidence.”

My father nodded, his lips a thin line. He gave me an indiscernible stare. Eighteen years in this world as his daughter, and yet I still couldn’t read his feelings, if he had any. People said my mother had taken his soul with her when she’d left our world to join the Stars in the heavens. I wouldn’t know; I’d never seen his soul.

Marylea bounced to her feet and reached across the table with her right hand sticking out at me. “Hello, it’s nice to meet you,” she said, a grin stretched across her face.

I shook her hand with some force, as I’d been taught it displays confidence; I wasn’t sure if my expression betrayed my anxiety. Marylea then went on to shake Tem’s hand. He wiped his hand discreetly on his pants while she wasn’t looking.

“So,” said Marylea, clapping her hands together. “When’s this ball?”

Oh Stars, I thought, wisps of ice curling around my spine. Trevain had better be right about her not being crazy.