Chapter 1 The Unlucky Bell
It was the day of the test. The first in seven years, and this time Mara Bell could not run. The king’s guards had already found her.
The great hall stood unusually quiet. Every fairy in Bellweather waited in a straight line before the massive gemstone, ready to prove the strength of their magic and the measure of their luck.
Bright wings fluttered around Mara. Some fairies whispered. Others straightened whenever their names were called. Mara’s wings stayed pressed flat against her back. She wiped her damp palms on her skirt and counted. Three more names. Then hers.
“Eden Prairie,” the priest called.
“Here.” Eden stepped forward without hesitation. He had always walked like that—like the world had already decided he belonged.
“Show us your magic.”
Eden’s mouth curved. “That’s the easiest thing you could ask of me.”
He snapped his fingers. The gemstone lifted from the floor and hovered, sparkling under the golden light. Gasps filled the hall. Applause followed at once.
Mara forced a smile. She had to.
The priest marked his page. Magic level: Super Strong. Luck level: A.
Eden’s chest lifted with pride. Powerful. Lucky. Loved. And hers—her betrothed. At least, he was supposed to be.
He lowered the stone and stepped back into line. Before taking his place he paused beside Elizabeth Bell and closed one eye in a slow wink.
Elizabeth smiled.
Mara’s breath caught. She looked away, then back. Elizabeth was still smiling at him.
“Elizabeth Bell,” the priest called.
Elizabeth stepped forward. Butterflies appeared around her, wings glowing as they circled. Her dress shimmered with the magic under her skin.
“Elizabeth Bell, from the House of Bell. A dream keeper. Show us your magic and let us know if you are worthy of this town.”
She closed her eyes. Her wings beat three times. A solid, gleaming piano took shape in front of the gemstone.
Applause rolled louder than before.
Mara’s mouth tightened. She turned toward the high windows until the sound faded.
“Magic level: Upper Class. Fascinating.” The priest paused. “Luck level: Extremely Lucky.”
More applause.
Mara’s hands dropped. She was next. The open doors stood only a few steps away. Freedom. She could still run.
Her foot shifted. Two guards turned toward her. She froze.
No. She would not make it halfway.
“Mara Bell, from the House of Bell,” the priest called. “A dream keeper.”
Every eye found her. Mara swallowed and walked. Her legs felt heavy. Her wings hung flat as she crossed the hall. The gemstone seemed to grow larger with every step. When she reached the front she stood before it and tried not to look at the king. She failed.
King Orainis was already watching her. Beside the throne, Prince Evander stood with his arms folded, gaze steady and unreadable. He had watched her the same way last market day, when the black stones first appeared in her shop window. She had thought nothing of it then.
“Show us your magic and luck,” the priest said, “so we may know if you are worthy of Bellweather.”
Mara closed her eyes and reached for the most recent dream she had collected.
“Please. Anything,” she whispered.
Nothing.
She tried again. The magic slipped through her fingers like smoke.
Click.
Three black stones struck the floor.
Mara opened her eyes and stared at them. Of course. Nightmares. The only things her magic had ever given her.
A whisper rose behind her. “Again?”
Another voice answered. “She never gets dreams.”
“She really is unlucky.”
Mara kept her face still.
“Seize her!” King Orainis’s voice cracked through the silence.
Guards seized her arms. Mara flinched. “Please—”
They pulled. Her shoes scraped the stone.
“You are not worthy of this town’s name,” the king said.
“I can do better.”
“You have had seven years,” he thundered. “And what have you given Bellweather?”
She glanced at the three black stones. Nothing.
Her eyes burned. “Just one more chance.”
“Throw her to the wolf pack,” the king commanded.
The guards dragged her toward the doors. The crowd parted. No one stepped forward. Not even Eden. She looked at his face, hoping he would speak. He looked away.
Her heart sank.
“Wait.”
The hands on her arms stopped. Prince Evander stepped forward. He did not look at his father.
“Let us give her another year. A second chance.” His gaze stayed on Mara’s face. She still could not read it.
King Orainis’s eyes narrowed. “Evander.”
“One more chance in the next seven years, Father. Keep her under watch. If she fails again, do whatever you want with her.”
Mara stared at him. Why was he saving her?
The king studied his son for a long moment. “Fine. But she remains under close watch until then. We have no place for weak fairies in this town.”
Mara lowered her head. “Thank you.”
The guards released her. She ran out before anyone could change their minds. Only when the great hall disappeared behind her did she let her shoulders fall.
---
By the time she reached the shop the streets were empty. She stood at the front door of Bell & Dreams and turned the key. The sign above had once read clear and proud: BELL & DREAMS. Magical Dreams Bought, Sold & Preserved. Now half the golden letters had faded. The bell over the door gave only a thin sound when she pushed it open.
Dust rose into her nose. She sneezed.
“Good morning to you too.”
She rubbed her nose and looked around. Her grandmother had kept the shop for nearly fifty years. When Mara was little it had been the most magical place in Bellweather. Now most of the shelves stood empty. The magic lamps flickered. A spider had claimed the space between two display cabinets. The jars that once held glowing dreams were mostly bare.
In the center of the shop sat her newest collection: a small pile of black stones.
The bell rang. Mara turned, a smile already starting across her face when she saw who stood on the other side of the glass.
“Eden.” She stepped forward, ready to hug him—then stopped.
His shoulders were stiff. His mouth was set. He would not look at her.
Mara’s smile disappeared. “What happened?”
Eden said nothing. He still smelled of fresh wood and glue. He must have come straight from his workshop.
“Eden?”
He finally looked at her. “I can’t do this anymore.”
“Do what?”
His eyes dropped. “Us.”
For a moment she heard nothing. Not the ticking clock. Not the weak hum of the lamps.
She took a small step back. “No.”
“Mara—”
“No.”
“I didn’t want to—”
“You did.”
He stopped. Mara folded her arms, holding herself together. “You’re the one who told me we’d get married. You said my luck didn’t matter. You said you’d stand with me even if the whole town turned away.”
His jaw tightened. “I know.”
“Then what’s changed?”
Eden looked away. “My family.”
A bitter laugh escaped her. “Of course.”
“Mara, listen—”
“You stood in that hall today and showed everyone how powerful you are. The whole town cheered for you. And you still couldn’t tell your family no?”
His face tightened. “My father won’t allow the marriage. It’s complicated. They see you as a jinx. Everyone knows.”
“So that’s it?”
“He says the family needs someone lucky.”
Her fingers curled into her skirt. “And I’m what?”
Eden didn’t answer.
“Say it.”
He looked at her. “A risk. You’re a risk I can’t afford to take.”
The words landed harder than a slap. She looked away. For several seconds neither of them spoke. Then she whispered, “Is there someone else?”
His silence answered before he did.
“Who?”
He exhaled and looked away. “I can’t tell you.”
Mara’s lips parted. “It’s Elizabeth, right?” A tear
slipped free. She did not wipe it away.
“My father insists I marry another Bell. One with some luck left in her.”
Mara’s brows drew together.
Eden did not wait.
“Elizabeth Bell will be my wife.”
