the girl led them on a long, winding route, and just when elise feared they were being led into a trap, they popped out of alleyway and through a back gate used by soldiers, taking them straight into the servants' portion of the castle. two stable boys, who were waiting at the gates, took the horses from elise and brida before the girl led the way to a servant entrance into brandis.

the girl left them in an empty corridor and went skipping back outside.

"well done elise, captain meier. you have made it to brandis safely."

brida unsheathed her sword and elise spun around, looking for the speaker. "gabrielle?" she said.

"of course."

elise peered down the hallway. "where are you?"

"oh, i apologize. i forgot. puss, if you would please?"

gabrielle's black and white cat leaped out of thin air, and princess gabrielle shimmered into existence. the princess wore plain clothes-a skirt that was barely knee length, men's breeches, and black boots elise was shocked to see-but the trial had not dimmed her beauty. gabrielle still glittered with a natural splendor most women would envy. "i'm so proud of you," gabrielle said, embracing elise.

"what? how did you-?"

"angelique has been in contact with me. she told me how you broke the curse, but we have to hurry. your brothers are not an hour behind you," gabrielle said.

"what? how did they catch up so quickly? we should have half a day on them," elise said.

"it is not surprising. half the country witnessed the route we were going," brida said.

"i suspect clotilde is also expecting you," gabrielle said.

a chill invaded elise like icy hands grasping at her throat. "how?"

"she is in the throne room. no one has spoken a word of your travels, i can promise you that," gabrielle said, glancing over her shoulder as if the witch queen could hear her whispered words. "she has grown stronger in your absence and likely felt you enter arcainia through her dark powers."

elise leaned against a wall, letting the cold stone support her as her sister-in-law and guard continued the conversation.

"even if the queen is aware of furstin elise's presence, an ambush is not out of the realm of possibilities," brida said.

"we could jump her in a hallway. she has a usual orbit she makes through brandis-it is unusual for her to remain in the throne room for such a lengthy amount of time," gabrielle said, unrolling a map of castle brandis and holding it against a wall. "we have a short while until tea time. she eats here, in the sun solar with king henrik," gabrielle said, tracing a path on the map with her finger.

"the best place for an assault would be here. a smaller space is ideal. furstin elise must be in close quarters with clotilde," brida said, pointing to a narrow hallway.

"we have at least half an hour before she leaves the throne room to pick our spot and fortify it. wouldn't you agree, puss?" gabrielle asked when her black and white cat leaped to her shoulder.

"at least," the cat said. (so that part hadn't been a dream. elise had been hoping it was.) "perhaps closer to an hour."

"excellent. we must warn the servants, but we must also mask the point of attack or clotilde will expect it," brida said.

"yes. she isn't very bright, but even clotilde-elise?" gabrielle asked.

elise left the wall and started walking down the hallway. "no," elise said.

"no, what?" gabrielle asked, taking a few quick steps to catch up with her.

"there will be no ambush; there will be no waiting," elise said. "i will face her now. there is no point in delaying it. i will either match her power or i will not," elise said, making for the throne room.

"but elise-" gabrielle started.

"are you sure that is wise, furstin?" brida asked.

elise stopped walking and spun on her heels to face brida, puffed up like an angry cat. "if i wait much longer, my brothers will arrive. i will die before i let that witch touch them again," elise hissed before she marched off, her black skirts swirling around her like angry storm clouds.

"bravo," the cat said.

"then i will go with you," gabrielle said.

"what?" the cat hissed.

"it would be shameful to ask elise to stand alone. i don't have any magic, but i will do my best to support you," gabrielle said.

"i will not accompany you," the cat said. "the princess stands a chance with her magic; your presence would be like presenting clotilde with a fattened calf with a bow tied round its neck."

"i don't care," gabrielle said.

"i too will stand with you, furstin," brida said.

"no," elise said as she started up a staircase. "the, the c-cat is right," elise said. she never imagined a moment when she would agree with a cat. "it will be too dangerous for both you. i should face clotilde alone."

"not a chance," gabrielle said.

"out of the question," brida said.

"i don't want you two to sacrifice yourselves for my sake," elise said when they left the staircase and entered the main part of the castle.