“Your Majesty,” Rune leaned down and I had to keep from reacting as I realized his headpiece was off. I looked down at my hand then up at him. The fabric soaked in blood…it was from Rune’s uniform. Aging suited him well as I noted his longer black hair, streaked with gray. His brown skin was a contrast to my pale white, but both were burning under the oppressive heat. I bit my lip and his golden eyes zeroed in on the small movement. “We must go…now.”

“No,” I blurted out, “Kiki…Alexi…and my daughter. They’re not even here. I am not leaving without them.”

His eyes softened and he spoke to me as if he was calming a feral creature, “You were willing to do so the first time.” Anger coursed through me and I stood abruptly, stepping closer to him as he followed my lead.

“You’re right, Rune,” I bit out, staring up at him and craning my neck thanks to the obnoxious height difference, “when I thought my daughter’s life was in danger in Clydonia under my mother’s rule. But as the new ruler of our world, she will be safe and protected. As my daughter, the next in line to the throne, is it not the guards’ duty to protect her as you would me?” I challenged him, knowing how seriously he and the others took their oath to the crown.

He bowed his head, looking shamefaced, “My apologies, Your Highness. You are right. We wait for your daughter.” Einar had joined us, his face still paled from the debacle, and added, “Summon them, now, Birdie. We can’t waste any time.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, “You would like me to summon my daughter, with powers she has no idea I possess, and tell her I’m taking her to a world she doesn’t realize exists? Would you also like me to inform her Santa isn’t real? Because I can make this an entire day of bringing down every small piece of innocence she has left.” The two men exchanged silent glances, neither one willing to defy me. Einar opened his mouth then immediately shut it as Rune said, “You are her mother. She will have to learn to understand.”

I threw up my hands and shouted, “Just like I learned to understand my mother? What if she hates me? What if she refuses to leave?” I buried my face in my hands and quietly voiced my greatest fear, “What if I end up like the woman I despised the most?”

Someone, Einar probably, enveloped me in a hug. I dropped my hands and wrapped my arms around his waist, sighing into his chest. He leaned down and whispered into my ear, a shock traveling to my core as Rune’s voice promised, “You are too good to ever become like her and too aware of all there is to lose.” He released me gently, and I grabbed onto Einar’s arm to keep from stumbling backwards as the look of shock on his face matched my own.

“Ok,” I relented, pulling my phone from my pocket, “I’ll call Kiki. And prepare her.”

“You do that,” Einar suggested, pointing to the shade under the deck, “over there.”

I nodded absentmindedly as we all walked together and Rune noted, “Truly, Your Highness, how you managed this oppressive ball of fire for so long is beyond me.”

I shrugged and admitted, “When it’s your only option, you just kinda put up with it.” Sitting on the lounge chair with Kiki’s number dialed, I pressed the green button, gathering the courage to throw her plans wildly off-kilter.

“Oh thank the gods,” she picked up on the first ring.

“What?” I asked, panic flooding my voice.

“Birdie, your daughter is freaking out over here. I have called you 27 fucking times.”

I stood up, pacing in the shade, holding out a hand to keep my two protectors in place, “Kiki, what happened?”

“Penelope used her powers without realizing it. I don’t know why it took this long, but she did something, and, Birdie, she is freaking the fuck out.”

“Fuck,” I muttered, then my chest tightened with a realization, “Kiki, you need to get Alexi and Penelope together right now. This is not a joke. We are hanging up, you are grabbing them, and I am summoning you to me.”

“Birdie, what?!” she nearly shrieked.

“Kiki, I swear to the gods, if you don’t do exactly as I say, you will be next. How far away are they?”

“They’re in the other room…hold on,” I heard some muffled sounds on her end and then she said, “Ok, hang up. We’re ready.”

Throwing the phone on the lounge, I ignored the confused stares of Rune and Einar as I gathered the energy to bring them here, calling on yet another power I only used once…eight years ago. Envisioning them standing in our home, huddled together, holding hands, pierced my heart with hurt as the portal of my mind opened. Here, I manifested my desires, they are here. The white light beamed from above, scorching the pavement in front of me and smoke filled the yard. Einar’s distant voice commanded the guards inside to stay as three bodies appeared in front of us. My knees buckled as my daughter let go of my cousins and ran straight for me, eyes wide with panic.

“Mommy!” she cried, her flaming red hair, wildly untamed, streaming behind her.

I gathered her in my arms, soothing, “It’s ok, I’ve got you, girl. I’ve got you.”

She sobbed in my chest, “Mommy, what’s going on?” I felt Kiki and Alexi join my side, safely under the shade, as I stayed on my knees, holding my daughter as close as possible.

“Baby, there are so many things I need to tell you, and we don’t have a lot of time.” Pulling back, she rubbed at her eyes, the golden hue I never tried to hide disarmingly beautiful. Her mouth turned down as she asked, “Is it about what I did? I’m so sorry, Mommy…Aunt Kiki and Uncle Alexi weren’t mad, I promise.”

I shot an anxious glance up at my cousins and both their faces looked grim. Turning back to Penelope, I promised, “No one’s mad at you, baby. Whatever happened wasn’t on purpose. You didn’t know…I didn’t tell you–I never thought…” I stumbled for an explanation. Kiki placed a reassuring hand on my back, kneeling down beside me and tried, “PJ, your mommy just became very special because of some unfortunate events. And, because of that, we’re going home. Where your mommy, me, and Alexi grew up.”

Her brows furrowed and her button nose crinkled as she asked, “California?” Einar disguised his laugh as a cough, and for the first time, my guards’ presence was noted. “Who are you?” my daughter asked cautiously, wary of strangers.

Einar mocked a bow, “I’m your mommy’s best friend…at your service.” I withered a stare at him as he wagged his eyebrows. Rune, on the other hand, struggled to resist a full bow as he explained, “I’m your mommy’s–I help to protect your mommy.” I rolled my eyes at him then looked back at my daughter whose face was in full disbelief.

“Protect her from what?” she asked. I scooped her lithe body into my arms, her tan skin a stark contrast to mine. Sitting her in my lap on the lounge, I started, “Mommy is from a place far away from here…not California. It’s a planet…called Clydonia. And eight years ago, Mommy, Aunt Kiki, and Uncle Alexi escaped from there.” She interrupted, “Why?”

I smiled, weakly, “Because there were very bad people who did very bad things. And Mommy wanted to…needed to protect the people who she cared for more than anything in the entire world. So, we came here. Started a new life. Avoided doing anything resulting in those bad people from finding us. And it worked. Until yesterday. You see, my love, Mommy has these special powers,”

“Like magic?” Her interest instantly piqued, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

I tapped her lightly on the nose, “Exactly. Like magic. And I never used my magic…but then someone’s life was at risk. They were going to die. So, I risked everything…and saved her. Unfortunately, the bad people–well, the bad person–using my magic alerted her to my location. And she arrived, threatening everything I worked so hard to protect. I reacted,” I swallowed, unsure of how to frame my actions to a seven year old, “and she no longer exists. Because she no longer exists, I have taken her place. And her powers. She was the ruler of my home.”

“Mommy,” she put up a hand, “are you telling me you are now the ruler? What does that make me?”

I huffed a laugh, “Well, my love, it makes you a princess.”

Penelope squealed with delight, clapping her hands together, “A princess?! Wait until I tell everyone at school!”

Rubbing her back and shaking my head, I explained, “Oh my love, we can’t stay here anymore. We have to go home. The bad people? They took my friends. All because of me. And I need to save them. It’s my fault they were taken, so now it’s my responsibility to bring them to their home. Do you understand?”

She nodded, but tilted her head, “Mommy…do I…am I magic too?”

“I believe…when I inherited my new powers, it awakened yours. Unfortunately, and this is not your fault at all, I think the bad people are coming back. So, we have to leave for our home now. And I know this is a lot to take in, but know this, I am here for you. I will protect you. And I am so sorry I kept all of this from you.” I blinked back tears as she brought her hands up to either side of my face, “I love you, Mommy. More than birthdays, popsicles, and rainbows.”

“Aww baby,” I said, leaning forward to kiss her brow, “more than anything in the world.” Giving her another hug, I held her close to me as I looked around at my group. Kiki and Alexi stood off to the side with Einar, quietly talking, but Rune hovered close by, watching our interaction with an unreadable expression. I furrowed my brows and mouthed What? but he shook himself out of his reverie and dipped his head. I sighed and called everyone to attention, “We need to gather the guards, pack as little as possible, and leave within the next five minutes. Keek, can you and Alexi head into the kitchen with Penelope and snag a few snacks? Rune will show you the way.” They nodded. “Einar, please accompany me upstairs to help me pack.”

He jumped to attention and teased, “Right away, Your Majesty.”

I stood, holding Penelope’s hand, and smacked his arm, “You’re so dramatic.”

He winked and leaned down to Penelope’s eye level, “Your Royal Highness, it pleases me greatly to have you joining us, and I do hope we spend more time together.”

She giggled and muttered a thank you before my cousins whisked her away to the kitchen, following an uncomfortable Rune. Einar and I split off and headed up the stairs where he shouted a quick command to the guards. We hurried into my room and shut the door. I ran to the dresser and started throwing clothes into my bag while he stood with his back against the door and let out a long whistle. I twirled to face him, hands on my hips, and demanded, “What?”

He chuckled, “Bird…I cannot believe you.”

“What?!” I asked again, carefully keeping my temper in check.

He shook his head, “Honestly, I knew you had every right to leave, after what she did, but seeing Penelope? Gods, it makes so much sense now.”

I closed my eyes, blowing out a breath, “How did you figure it out?”

He snorted, “Figure it out?” He cursed in our native tongue, “She looks exactly like him…except for the hair. She got that from you.”

Rubbing my temples, I begged him, “Do not say a single word, Einar. I mean it.”

“Tell Rune he’s a dad? Not a chance. I’ll leave that to you.”