Elowen took a deep breath. She was ready. Her stepmother was nothing. There was a way to win the book back. At least that's what she kept telling herself from the moment she woke up in Fletcher's arms that morning.

The prince hadn't left her side all day. Fletcher looked more nervous than she did. Every time he thought she wasn't looking, she saw him drumming his hands on his side and rapping his cane against his leg.

Brennon had stayed present, too. Her brother hovered like he was assessing Fletcher, but she knew that Brennon only meant well. He was worried about her, and she didn't blame him. They were in way over their heads, but she couldn't just stand back and watch.

She'd managed to at least give her brother the slip by claiming she needed to get ready for the ball. Fletcher had taken her back to his room and given her his entire bathing room for privacy while he waited on the bed.

A servant had delivered her dress. Brennon had brought it last night to the castle, and she was glad that she had the last of her mother's fairy-made dresses to wear. It was only fitting since she'd need all of her magic tonight if she were to stand a chance against the countess.

The purple dress was silky and looked like a swirling galaxy. She twirled in Fletcher's full-length mirror and donned her mother's ornate shoes. They were surprisingly comfortable, and the heels cushioned her feet.

"Elowen," Fletcher's knock came from the other side of the door. "Are you ready? We have guests."

She opened the door and stepped back into his chamber. Fletcher wore yet another fine Cyran uniform, and his long hair was pulled back with a purple ribbon that matched her dress. She wanted to kiss him right then and there, but she stopped when she saw the group that had joined them in Fletcher's room.

Estefania de Sahar had wings. There was no denying it. They were like fine spun silk and stuck out from her beautiful robe. Beside her stood Avangelique, who looked like a flower with pearlescent butterfly wings that reminded Elowen of the stained glass in the ballroom. They were fairies. Real live fairies standing before her.

"How?" She asked.

"I woke her with the scepter," Estefania said.

Elowen frowned. "What about the book?"

"We still need it," Avangelique said. "I still don't have very much power, and we need to cleave the curses Mona has created. I can only do that with the book and the scepter."

"And we know Mona will come to the ball tonight?" Fletcher asked.

"She will," Avangelique said. "She's a fairy. She must bow to the fairy empress. She might have tried to destroy my family and Cressida, but she didn't realize the fairy empress would be reborn. I hold the power of all the empresses before, and that will be, and I swear tonight will be the end of Mona. She has abused her magic, and we will strip her of her wings."

She sounded so certain. Elowen couldn't help but admire the girl's gumption. She was committed to saving everyone. Even if she didn't understand Avangelique's strange new fairy power, she was suddenly liking their odds against Monique.

"We should head down to the ball," Fletcher said. "Not that I want us to rush this, but the guests should have all arrived downstairs by now. My brothers should already be there waiting for us."

Fletcher held out his hand, and Elowen took it. She smiled and stepped towards him. He held her close and gestured to the door with his other hand. Estefania and Avangelique walked out of the room, and they followed them.

Avangelique led them all downstairs. Elowen could hear the collective gasp as the princesses made their way into the ballroom. She couldn't blame them. Their wings were unlike anything she'd ever seen. More vibrant than even the ones her father had in their entry hall.

She and Fletcher walked down the steps behind them. She saw her father in the crowd and he smiled at her. Brennon stood at his side looking on with disapproval but she knew that her brother wasn't mad. He was just worried and she had a big target on her back standing here with Fletcher.

Still, that didn't matter to her. She would keep Fletcher safe herself. Not to mention, they had Avangelique on their side.

"Prince Fletcher de Cyra and Lady Elowen de Nene," the herald announced.

The eyes of the guests dragged from Avangelique and Estefania's wings to Elowen's dress. She was on the arm of an engaged man, and there was no way to avoid the attention tonight. After all, Estefania was his betrothed and here she was making a scene.

"I promise I'll call it off tonight," Fletcher whispered in her ear. "I'd rather pursue a future with you, Elowen. If we can pull off the impossible."

"So you're going to let me do this?" She asked.

He chuckled softly. "I can't stop you, can I? You proved that at the first ball when you took off and left me limping after you."

"I'm sorry about that," her cheeks burned. "But I realized that my stepmother was a fairy, and everything became a blur."

He smiled at her. "You know, the moment I saw you, I knew there was something special about you. Maybe it was your baking, but you made me want to live for the first time in a while, Elowen de Nene."

Estefania de Sahar met her eyes across the room, and she nodded slowly. Then, the Saharite princess turned her attention over to the marquis who approached. Nathaniel wore a pressed uniform like his brother, and his hair was tousled.

"Your brother is back to normal," she said.

Fletcher grimaced. "We'll see how long that lasts. He's been pretty emotional around Estefania. His rangers told me that he was practically spending every night in wolf form locked up in the brig. He's in love with her."

"Is that another reason to break off your betrothal?" Elowen asked. "Or do you need to be king of Sahar and Cyra one day?"

"I don't want power," Fletcher said. "When you've been told by every doctor in the land that you probably won't make it to the age of twenty-five, there aren't a lot of aspirations left for the future. I won't outlive my father."

Elowen understood his hesitations. "But you still want me?"

"With all the wishes in my heart," he said. "You are the only girl that I want."

She wanted to kiss him right then and there but there was too big of an audience. She didn't want to cause any problems for her family. Still her heart fluttered with desire at every glance at his handsome face.

Avangelique dragged Lorenzo over to where they stood. The sixteen-year-old princess was happily chittering about something Elowen didn't catch, but magic practically radiated off her body. She didn't know how she hadn't realized that Avangelique was magic before. It was amazing how much power she held in her body, making her shine so bright at times. Elowen found it hard to look at her.

"Ava, darling," Fletcher said. "Slow down."

Avangelique clutched the scepter like a child clinging to a comfort toy. "I can feel it in the air. Mona is on her way."

Lorenzo's hand went to the sword at his waist. "You aren't facing her again."

"Zo," Avangelique said. "The only way to save Wryn and Bash is to challenge her to a trial."

Estefania crossed her arms and turned on her sister. "Elowen has agreed to do the trial, Ava. Lorenzo is right to say we cannot risk your safety again."

"I'm the empress," Avangelique harrumphed. "What use am I outside the fight?"

Estefania set a hand on her little sister's shoulder. "Without you, we lose everything."

She was right. If Avangelique was the fairy empress reborn, she couldn't die. That left the burden of destroying the blight of Monique to Elowen.

A cold wind whipped through the ballroom. There was a crack of thunder, and Monique appeared before them, rising with her bat-like wings outstretched like some great beast. She stepped forward, and her smug grin melted when she saw Avangelique and Estefania.

"Impossible," she said. "I made sure you were dead, Estefania."

"We saved them both, stepmother," Elowen stepped forward.

The countess scowled at Elowen. "What have you done, little girl? This isn't your fight. I always sensed you had the potential of a fairy but you didn't have to throw your lot in with them."

"I challenge you to a trial, Monique," Elowen said. "Winner gets the book. If you win, my life is forfeit, but if I win the trial, you release Bash and Wryrn."

"This again?" Monique laughed. "The little prince and his lady friend are mine. Besides, I don't have to deal with this insolence."

Avangelique stepped forward. "Actually, you do, Monique. You are one of my daughters, and you took oaths in my name. This binds you to my laws, daughter of Solomon."

Monique eyed Avangelique with distaste. "You're not Cressida. My oaths were to her."

Avangelique glowed as bright as the sun, and her power and light spilled through the hall. The very ground quaked at the touch of her radiance. Elowen's shoes heated on her feet, and Avangelique dimmed until it was easy to see her again, but she still shimmered.

"I Avangelique de Sahar am the Fairy Empress, morning daystar of the Isle of Wishes," her voice amplified through the hall. "It is through me my handmaidens create the desires of all humans. You, Monique de Dalinos, chose service in my name. Even you must bow to my laws."

"You aren't my queen," Monique's voice was brittle now.

Avangelique held out her scepter. "For we are fairies who can stand no lies. Each member of our order carries magic from within, which amplifies the pure wishes of the heart. When a fairy challenges another, they challenge the purity of the wisher and the fairy who has granted the wish."

Elowen recognized the words Trix had read from the book. She stepped forward and looked the countess in the eye. Monique wouldn't get out of this trial easily. Not if Elowen could help it.

Avangelique held out her scepter and pointed it at the fairy. Monique shivered, and the book of fairy magic appeared in her arms. Avangelique waved her hand, and the book appeared in her own hands, and she opened it up.

"The terms of the order of my sisterhood allow you to be challenged, Monique," Avangelique said. "And Sister Elowen has called your behavior into question."

"Sister?" Monique looked at Elowen, absolutely defeated. "She is not one of us, and I can prove it, Empress. I accept the challenge of Elowen de Nene."

Thunder shook the hall again. Elowen stepped away from Fletcher and stood beside Monique as a golden bubble sealed them off from everyone except the new Empress in all her power. Avangelique smiled and looked down at the pages.

"As a presiding judge and head of the isle, I declare this trial to be in session," Avangelique said. "But this time, Monique, we're playing by my rules."