Golden Box Book Publishing One Picture: Thousands of Words | Page 44

“No!” I protested. Fiercely. “No, Bellaria! We can go now. Before
they come back.”
“Etruia, listen, and listen good,” My twin smiled bitterly, “They
killed Gendaron: my love, my light. They forced a wedding night
upon me but I will not give life to the High-Kings bastard spawn. I
will not!”
“But I can heal-”
“No sister. No you cannot.” Bellaria smiled softly, then told me,
“I’ve taken poppy shade. But you can make them pay. Like papa
said. Remember the ‘long game’…?”
“I remember.”
A sound escaped Liam. I realised I’d been speaking aloud.
“Bellaria shushed me.” I continued. Toneless. “I knew we did not
have long. As though she’d planned it, my twin pointed towards a
golden lamp – the one we now both know so well – and I hastily
grasped it, cradling it in my arms.
“The Elvern covet beautiful things almost as much as power,”
Bellaria reminded me, “Do you remember the old tales of far-away
lands we used to read? Remember the one about the Genie in the
lamp?”
“I nodded. I remembered.
“You will have to sleep for a little while,” Bellaria told me, “but
enchant the lamp to awaken you when the century is up; cast a spell
to make it a Grim Trap; avenge us. Play the ‘long game’ and turn it
against them: take back the future. Make the maggots crawl!”
“I stared at the lamp. I knew exactly what she was saying. Some
thoughts never needed to be spoken aloud between us. I could cast a
Weave just so: ensure my lamp would attract the most powerful