Morning Star

Epilogue | Eva

The pine trees were silent as the wild animals slumbered, awaiting the coming dawn. For once, the lake was calm and still, its surface reflecting the night sky like a gigantic mirror. Behind me, Olivia was still, deep in sleep.

As I sat on the ledge of the open window, staring out at the forest and the familiar oval shaped lake just beyond the back out of our cottage, I reflected on yesterday's picnic.

Liam had started a game. He pointed at a nearby birch tree. "Is that tree real, or an illusion?"

"Real," said Rin, and Hamish nodded, agreeing with her.

"No, my brother's a shady guy," Lincoln muttered. "I say fake."

Gloria intertwined her hands with his. "I say fake too."

Kameron made a love heart with her hands at the pair. "I'm saying real."

"No," Evan shook his head. "Fake. It looks fake. The leaves aren't even the same colour as the ones around it." Evan did have a point - the leaves on the birch tree were a lighter shade of yellow than the surrounding trees.

Doubt came over Rin's face. "Can I change my answer?"

Hamish raised an eyebrow at the witch. "Why would you change your correct answer to the wrong one?"

"I don't know..." Rin trailed off. "Justina, what do you think?"

Justina studied the tree with her piercing grey eyes. "Real," she said finally.

"Seriously?" Lincoln asked his younger sister, who simply shrugged.

"I say real," Sarah piped in.

"Fake," Olivia and I said in unison. A long time ago, I would've been surprised at our timing, but after many years, I had become used to it.

Liam blinked. "I know I can't say anything, because I'm a twin myself, but that's almost creepy."

"Sorry," we both chorused, laughing when Liam's creeped out expression worsened.

"I think it's real," Kelvin squinted at the tree.

"Well..." Liam started, and Hamish used his magic to rattle the ground slightly, like a drum roll. "The tree is real."

Hamish got up and did a victory dance. "I am a genius! See? I told you it was correct," he said to Rin.

Rin lay down on the picnic rug. "Please. You cheated. You used your magic to see if you could feel the roots of the tree or not."

"I'm pretty sure I wasn't the only one who cheated," Hamish protested, and it turned out to be true - Kameron had used her telekinesis, and Kelvin had tapped the side of the tree with a magical weapon that he'd conjured, just to check.

"You're all cheaters," Liam shook his head. "The only true winner here is my sister."

Justina smirked.

"What about me?" Sarah demanded.

Liam pretended to think. "Oh, I don't know..." Sarah charged at him, her machete in her hand, but paused when a high, lilting sound cut through the air.

We turned in unison to Kameron, who was playing her viola - a Earthen instrument that was a gift that she'd gotten from Evan a few years ago. Her eyes were closed, and she moved her body in time with the music, spilling her emotions into the song. She sang about her high school life, she sang about meeting Evan, about discovering she was the Princess of Hearts, winning the war and being crowned Queen, and lastly, marrying the boy she loved.