Chapter 22

Briana took a step closer, confused. "Why did the voice ask if you were worthy?"

Raine bit her lower lip. "Virtra said that only someone with a pure heart may retrieve the urn."

"That's why she needed you," Bryce added. "Obviously, her heart is not pure, nor her motives, I dare say."

Colin smirked. "Far from it from the sound of it." He lifted his eyes to look into Raine's. "Why do you think she wants it?"

Raine shook her head. "She is in the Magical Forest, looking for my people as we speak." Raine's heart sank at the trouble she had caused because of her selfishness. "I assume that she wants to enslave them and use their magic, just as man did years ago. But beyond that, I have no idea. I am so sorry."

Bryce took a step closer. "I suspect that Virtra plans to rule Cambria as well as Raine's kingdom."

Everyone's head snapped up toward Raine at the same time. "Kingdom?" Colin asked, and then he turned to Bryce. "What have you done? Is she of royal blood? Royalty? Her people ..."

Bryce let out a deep breath. "Her father is King Adair of the Magical Forest," Bryce supplied. "She is a princess."

Everyone gasped. Briana was the first to speak. "But how can this be? You look human ..."

Raine let out a deep breath. "I'm not proud of it, but I retrieved the urn for Virtra. In return, she made me human for five days only so I could be with Bryce."

Briana nodded. "And then you will become a fairy again."

Raine nodded as tears filled her eyes. After having spent time with Bryce and his family, she could not imagine having to live the rest of her life without them.

"What do you suppose Virtra is planning to do?" Colin asked.

Bryce shook his head. "I do not know, but if the urn gets into Dracon's hands..." Then, he looked over at Raine. "As I told you, Dracon is the King of Cambria."

Raine's eyebrows pulled together in concern. "But Briana was the rightful queen."

Bryce nodded.

"Yes, she is the rightful queen, and you must tell no one that she is here," Colin interjected. "'Tis a long story, but Dracon killed her father and I hid Briana, raising her as my own daughter until the time is right for her to rule Cambria and take her rightful place as queen."

Raine nodded. "My people possess the gift of magic. Virtra may try to harness it in some way for her benefit."

"Or to take over Cambria, to help Dracon, or to take over our world alone," Colin added. "With that much power, anything is possible."

"But she possesses the gift of magic herself. Why would she want more?" Reese asked.

Bryce shrugged. "Perhaps she needs more to do what she wants."

Colin nodded. "Well, either way, we must stop her. If she is going to give the urn to Dracon, she has probably already done so. But if she intends to take over Cambria herself, then she'll need more magic."

Raine shook her head. "I saw her with the urn in the Magical Forest. She has not given it to this Dracon. But we must hurry. My people are in danger."

Colin nodded. "Reese, stay here and protect Briana. We have to assume that Virtra does not know of her yet, or she would have already been here. You must protect her at all cost."

Briana took a step forward. "I can help ..."

Colin placed his hands on both of her cheeks and looked into her eyes. "The way that you can help now is to stay safe and hidden, until it is your time to reign."

Briana nodded reluctantly. "Yes, Father."

Even though Colin wasn't her real father, it was obvious that he was the only father that she had ever known. Raine could tell that Briana wanted to go, but when you are a queen, you must make decisions to benefit your kingdom.

A pang of guilt ran through Raine. Briana was already a queen. Raine realized that, as the future queen of the Magical Forest, she, too, must start making decisions that put her kingdom first. "We must go ... now."

Suddenly, they heard a loud whinny outside the door. Raine opened the door to see a beautiful white-winged unicorn with bright blue eyes standing outside. It flexed its wings and pawed at the ground.

"What is Kirlin doing out of the corral?" Briana asked, concerned.

Colin looked on in amazement. "Unicorns come to royalty to give hope to a nation or kingdom."

"My people," Raine said in disbelief. As she stepped out onto the porch, Kirlin bowed before her.

"He wants you to go with him," Briana said urgently.

"What?" Raine asked in disbelief.

"Go!" Briana replied. "Kirlin will take you where you need to go."

"I shall meet you there," Bryce said as he gently kissed her cheek.

"But how will you know where ..." Raine asked.

"I will find you," Bryce said as he placed his arms on her shoulders, forcing her to look into his eyes.

Raine nodded and then hurried down the worn, wooden steps to the magnificent animal. Kirlin bowed low, and Raine slid onto his back, careful not to harm his wings. He looked back at her, as if telling her to hold on, and she nodded. Immediately, Kirlin leapt into a full gallop and raced across the field that stretched before the cottage as the sun began to set in the distance. Raine held tightly to Kirlin's mane as his hooves lifted from the ground and his massive wings picked up, undulating as they stretched out from his sides, spanning twenty feet across. A moment later, Kirlin's great wings lifted them higher into the air.