Chapter 26
The land of the vanished unfolded around us like a colorless, transparent outline of the real world. We were overwhelmed by the number of our subjects that lined the translucent roads as Lucien and I wandered the small village. Hope brought by our arrival mingled with despair in the faces that greeted us at the thought of potentially being trapped in this state of partial existence forever.
Sadness shrouded Lucien as he took in the devastation on each subject’s face. “There are so many,” he murmured. “The curse is far more devastating than I could have ever imagined. To think that this is only one village of countless. At least my people are still alive…to an extent. For so many years I feared that they had ceased to exist. But though we found a way to reach them, without magic I’m left powerless on how to help them.”
I still believed a clue resided somewhere in this unseen world, hidden to protect it against the disappearing force. Yet our surroundings appeared to be a seemingly ordinary mining village…with the obvious difference that it was a mere shadow of the one that had been erased from the visible world.
Our wanderings eventually led us to small quarry where we found carts of raw stones, speckles of amber in an otherwise colorless world. A miner awaited us and bowed at our approach. “Thank you for coming, Your Highness. To think you found a way to reach us even in such a desolate place…” Emotion choked his voice.
Lucien extended a warm, reassuring smile. “I will do all within my power to help you. I’m only sorry that it has taken me so long to come, but now that I’m here, we must work together to destroy the curse. Have you discovered anything since you’ve been living beneath the influence of the curse?”
Several shook their head, causing his hunched postured created by the burden of overwhelm cast upon his shoulders to bely his feigned confidence. His eyes took on a lost, faraway air as he looked aimlessly around, as if unsure where to begin.
Finally a miner stepped uncertainly from the crowd. “I’m not sure how useful this information will be, but this mineral appears to be the only matter not affected by the curse.” He picked up one of the rocks and extended it to us.
As we drew closer, I recognized the mineral as phanite from the books we’d studied—a reddish-brown mineral with a naturally hexagonal crystalline structure, an appearance that looked even more ordinary in person than it had as an illustration on the page.
Could such a seemingly insignificant substance truly be the cause of such destruction? Evelyn might be able to tell us whether it contained magical energy or what enchanted properties it possessed—if any—that might help us uncover a solution in breaking the curse. If only we had a way of contacting her from here.
Mother joined our examination. “The mining village where I’m from is almost directly on the Thorndale border and was thus one of the first claimed by the curse. I’ve since witnessed countless villages succumb to the disappearing force…along with the Thorndale soldiers who excavate the mineral left over after the curse passes through. Phanite is the only substance unaffected by the transparency that taints everything else within the vanished world, causing us to surmise that it’s the source of the disappearing force.”
Lucien turned the mineral over as he examined it before handing it to me. “What do you think?”
I was touched that he valued my opinion, such a contrast to Father’s usual attitude. I accepted the mineral and gingerly explored its surface, as if its secrets could be found hidden in the ridges and glistening stones. My fingertips tingled, but otherwise there was no reaction.
Mother’s attention grew thoughtful as she studied it over my shoulder. “Phanite is a scarce element with unusual magical properties—its powers are quite potent when harvested, but its rarity is because when obtained through dishonorable means it will vanish.”
Her insight matched the information we’d gradually pieced together. “Do you know how to reverse these protective measures to cause what has vanished to reappear?”
She nodded. “Perhaps. Many legends about this mineral have been passed down from generation to generation, yet few have become known outside the mining villages where they originated. One in particular I remember my grandmother telling me is an ancient tale of a mage whose experiments accidentally cursed him to disappear. Many claimed his cruel fate proved he was greedy and deserved to be cursed. However, his fiancée refused to give up on him, and eventually discovered the truth—the king of that land had coerced the mage into collecting a large amount of phanite for his own selfish purposes, and the mineral protected itself by disappearing…along with the one mining it.”
I bit my lip, all too familiar with such a tale of a greedy king. “Was the mage ever seen again?”
Mother smiled. “It seemed a lost cause, but through the fiancée’s own dedicated efforts she was able to discover an antidote—comprised of an even rarer mineral that must be crushed and sprinkled on the earth by hands that truly loved the affected person in order to restore them.”
The story seemed like one that would appear on the pages of the fairytales I used to read—tales of magic, true love, and sacrifice. “Greed is what claimed the land, so selfless love is what’s needed to restore it.”
Mother smiled and I shyly returned it, still unused to the warm affection she bestowed even as I savored it.
Lucien’s brow furrowed. “You mentioned a mineral more rare than the phanite whose protective magic created the disappearing curse. Do you have any idea what this mineral is or how to obtain it?”
“Legend has it that there is a ‘sister stone’ to phanite that is even more rare, and may now be extinct. Yet here in this realm, I believe it’s the phanite itself that is needed.” Faint light glistened off the tiny embedded stones as Mother held the mineral aloft. Each shimmer seemed to illuminate the shadows of my understanding.
“The same thing that caused the curse is the very source of its cure, as if logic works backwards in the vanished world.”
Mother nodded. “That is the hypothesis of the miners as well, yet one that for all our efforts we’ve been unable to prove. Many have tried to process it according to the legends, but with every attempt the material disappears, until we gave up so as not to waste such a precious resource. Though it’s our job to excavate it, in the end the mineral doesn’t belong to us but the kingdom of Brimoire, leaving us without authorization to utilize its powers…at least not without the aid of dark magic, which would poison our souls and leave the magic prone to evil.”
Which meant that only a true ruler with the authority to handle such a precious mineral—and the desire to use it for good rather than selfish gain—could reverse its protective spell and restore all that had been lost.
Lucien’s eyes widened with comprehension, but though the potential solution should have added a glimmer of color to an otherwise grey and discouraging situation, I sensed his unspoken worry—this would be the ultimate test to see if he could live up to his role of crown prince that he’d spent his entire life striving for. Rather than looking hopeful with the promise by the possibility, he seemed almost overcome with the vast responsibility.
“I don’t personally know all of the afflicted people throughout my vast kingdom. How can I accomplish a task when I don’t possess the love necessary to save them?”
I caressed his cheek, beckoning him to look at me. “Our second courtship not only provided us with a second chance to create a lasting relationship, but it granted me the opportunity to better know you. The hours I witnessed of you engaged in your royal duties and research into the curse, as well as your deep concern for your subjects is only a small drop in the dedication you’ve rendered throughout your life. As the future king of Brimoire, you truly love your land and its people, leaving me no doubt you have the right to phanite’s magic to heal them.”
His glassy gaze seeped into mine as my words sank deep into his heart. His hand draped over my touch against his cheek. “You’ve always been the one I most want to be worthy for. If you can see my value, I will do my best to view myself as you do. Thank you, Lisette.” With a wavering breath he folded his hand over my hold around the mineral and turned to Mother. “What must we do?”
The miner demonstrated how to crush the phanite into a fine powder then watched in admiration as Lucien and I engaged in the strenuous process ourselves, seeming awed that royals weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. Despite the gravity of the situation, I couldn’t help marveling at the feel of truly touching and feeling…though my body still looked translucent, now that I was fully part of the vanished world the ability to grip the pestle and grind it forcefully against the hard stones brought me delight. The frequent brushes of Lucien’s sleeve as I worked sent tremors through me; I couldn’t tell whether the heat in my cheeks was from the exertion I was unaccustomed to, or the proximity of the man who loved me.
At first the mineral resembled a simple refined powder of broken stone, but the longer we worked, the more shimmery it became—as if our efforts gradually extracted the curse-breaking magic. Tendrils of sparkling dust swirled up and settled back down as we continued the process.
But the source to overcome the vanishing force was more than the enchanted properties of the mineral from the old tale—it was the act of sacrificial love that made unseen things seen again. Lucien had already rendered the required sacrificed by risking not just his position but his life when he purposefully subjected himself to the curse in order to access the place where his lost subjects dwelled, but I had yet to pay the necessary cost.
My doubts as to my ability and rightfulness to rule had slowly faded during my time of invisibility, as I’d discovered my purpose as not simply Lucien’s companion but Brimoire’s queen. Now the full intent of my purpose weighed upon me, reminding me that I was not a passive bystander in Lucien’s effort to save our people. I, too, was tasked with rescuing them through whatever sacrifice would be necessary.
My pendant suddenly warmed against my chest, reminding me of its presence. My fingers enfolded the familiar stone, a movement that drew Mother’s notice. “I gave you that necklace just before the king took you away from me.” She smiled wistfully at the memory as she cradled it in her palm. “My great-grandmother told me when I was a child that it was charmed long ago by a powerful and benevolent witch to protect her young daughter. Perhaps that was true, or perhaps it was simply my love as I watched over you that enhanced the phanite embedded in your necklace to protect you when the curse befell you, giving power to your purpose that anchored you to the seen world.”
If this pendant had prevented me from fully vanishing, would its power also work for the kingdom we yearned to protect? I currently had little to give our people, but perhaps I could at least give this token—not only my most prized position but a symbol of the past that through Lucien’s help I’d healed from in order to create a brighter future.
I unclasped it from my neck, and after glancing at Mother for her nod of permission, held it out to Lucien, but he hesitated to accept it. “It’s alright,” I insisted. “I will do all within my power to become the queen Brimoire needs in order to safeguard the beloved kingdom we will rule together, beginning with showing my love through this sacrifice.”
Meaning filled my declaration beyond my hopes of breaking the curse—it was my promise for the future Lucien and I hoped to create together. A smile of admiration crossed Lucien’s face as he took the necklace from me with careful fingers. Painstakingly he pried apart the tiny prongs that held the stone in place and slipped the metal pendant into his pocket.
“Someday I will recreate this for you,” he said. “As I recall, it was the first thing you mentioned when you listed your favorite things.”
With care he laid the freed stone before me and handed me the heavy marble pestle. I softly touched it, running my fingers over its familiar facets one last time before lifting the pestle. With my first strike, a bright flash of light shone outward, slowly fading but maintaining a glow as I worked, as though the imbued power of love and magic was freed from its restraints and ready for use. As I crushed the mineral and added the shining pile of dust to the rest of the processed phanite, I felt the last reservations holding me back finally sever.
The powder glistened in an otherworldly manner that testified of enchantment and promise. Lucien and I brought it to the nearest villager standing in the small crowd that had gathered to watch us a short distance away, the miner who’d brought us to the phanite reserve.
Lucien clasped his hand, calloused from many years of labor. “Tell me your name and story.”
The miner shifted, seeming embarrassed by the attention. “I’m nobody, Your Highness. Just a simple man who has done my best to fulfill the task entrusted to me.”
He embodied the image of a common man—even with his translucent body, I could see the patches in his worn clothing and the smudges of dirt marring his skin from his labor in the mines, untouched by the curse that had brought him here.
Lucien studied each wrinkle lining the man’s hands, as if trying to excavate every last detail about his subject’s story similar to how the miner had unearthed raw material from the nearby mine. His grasp tightened as he evenly met the elderly man’s gaze. “Tell me your name and story. Please.”
The miner stared at him for a long, disbelieving moment before tentatively responding. “My name is Shale, Your Highness.” His voice emerged quiet and uncertain, but gained strength at Lucien’s encouraging nod. “I was born in this village on a winter evening sixty-three years ago…” He wove a short tale of his childhood, the family he had raised, and the service he’d rendered in the community—a simple life by many standards, but one that held infinite meaning to the one who’d lived it.
Lucien listened with rapt attention and smiled warmly when the man finished. “Thank you for sharing your story, Shale. You are one of my beloved subjects whom I’ve dedicated my life to serving. I will do all within my power to rescue you so that you may continue living your wonderful life.”
He took a deep breath as he turned towards the phanite we’d crushed, now carefully swept into a large basin. I could see his uneasiness when he met my eyes as he wondered exactly how to work the cure. He reached a careful finger into the basin, but before he could make contact, the powder pulsed with light and a trace of mineral rose, swirling upward to rest on his fingertip.
Lucien stared in awe, then extended a tentative hand towards Shale…but before he could reach him, the light began to fade.
He drew his hand back. “What am I supposed to do?” Whether his uncertain whisper was directed to the phanite or to me I wasn’t sure. Another trace of powder lifted into the air, whirling in the shape of an S before settling back. Lucien’s eyes lit up.
“Your name!” He turned to Shale. “Recording your name with this magical substance will reaffirm your identity in the seen world, I’m almost sure of it.” He glanced around, as though wondering where to write it.
I stepped forward and patted his pocket that always housed his precious notebook and he snatched it out eagerly.
“What better way to serve my people than to record their suffering…and their triumph. I will create a ledger with the name of every affected person, and it will become a national treasure that proves to coming generations that Brimoire is resilient, resourceful, and above all unified as we work together to erase the curse that tried to erase us.”
Reverently Lucien took a pinch of the processed phanite, which glowed brightly on his fingertip. Flipping past his notes and sketches, he used it to write Shale’s name across a blank page in shining letters. At first nothing happened, but then the air surrounding him quivered with magical energy and the miner’s body gradually grew solid—the color and details of his features filling out like shades of a watercolor until he’d fully emerged.
He lifted his hands in wonder, gaping in disbelief as he examined them front to back before he slowly ran his touch along his body, as if to determine it was entirely intact. Tears filled his dark eyes as he collapsed on his knees before us. “Thank you, Your Highnesses.”
His gratitude was nothing to the joy that filled my heart to see him healed. Joy likewise filled Lucien’s expression and seemed to have seized his voice, rendering him incapable of speaking. He rested a comforting hand on Shale’s quivering shoulder and remained with him until his emotions had passed.
When Shale turned to face the waiting crowd who were tense with anticipation, a communal shout rang out and the people began to press forward. Mothers held out their children and begged Lucien to restore them, several exclaimed their hopes of reuniting with loved ones, and even the vanished animals began to add to the cacophony.
As joyous as this single restoration, the miner was only one of many of this kingdom’s subjects that had succumbed to the curse, this village a single structure that had been erased from Brimoire’s vast landscape. The task of traveling across such a large kingdom initially felt insurmountable, but the land of the vanished had not only erased our need for food or sleep, but the constraints of time after Lucien entrusted one of his restored subjects with a message for Prince Ryland concerning our mission.
Though I hadn’t dedicated the same amount of effort as Lucien had for his kingdom, my love for Brimoire deepened as we traveled and experienced the vanished land and its people for ourselves. As we used the processed phanite on each affected person and village, we discovered our subjects’ joys and heartaches, and learned about the details comprising their lives on an intimate level as we triumphed over the curse one individual at a time. Each person was a privilege to meet, but my greatest joy was seeing the full restoration—after the last person in each village was healed, the land would shimmer and buildings, animals, and the landscape would flicker back to life.
My world within Father’s court had been limited to the few books he’d allowed me to read, offering me only a small glimpse of the world that existed beyond the palace gates. But during our tour of Brimoire I discovered there was so much more—bakers, weavers, seamstresses, blacksmiths, farmers, masons, housewives…people from all walks of life whose lives created an intricate tapestry, their personalities as varied as the colors that comprised the once colorless world.
But it was more than their stories—it was the burdens they carried and the trials they’d endured, most far different than the shadows filling my own past. Though their pain was something only they could carry, none was any less meaningful than another. All we could only do our best in trying to understand their sadness and lend our support, giving them someone to depend on so they didn’t bear their burdens alone.
At the very least, we could alleviate the emotional burden borne by those who’d fallen victim to the hopelessness brought by the despair of being trapped by the curse. Each interaction deepened the love I felt for the people I would one day serve, allowing me to fully accept my role as the queen I finally believed myself capable of becoming.
The journey did more than restore our kingdom and allow me to become better acquainted with my mother as she accompanied us, but served as an extension of our courtship. We had infinite time to share the stories, hopes, dreams, and even fears that comprised our lives, allowing us to deepen our relationship one conversation at a time. I also never tired of seeing Lucien’s developing relationship with Mother—he continuously ensured she was comfortable, while she doted on him like a son.
We used the last particles of phanite—leaving only trace residue along the sides of the basin—to scrawl the name of the last afflicted individual, finishing with Aira and my mother with the promise that we would shortly follow. After their invisibility melted away from them and they regained access to the visible world, we slowly took in the market square where we stood. This village resided far enough from the palace that we might never have traveled the vast distance if not for the curse bringing us here, causing us to almost miss discovering such a charming place.
Like the other places we’d visited throughout our journey, we’d spent days familiarizing ourselves not only with its residents but the details of every structure until we knew every house, shop, and detail of the landscape. Each shop was owned by one of our subjects, each home provided the hearth where another not only resided but had built their life. Every story had become our own, a treasure trove I wouldn’t trade for all the jewels in the world.
Lucien examined the map worn from use as it guided us throughout our kingdom, looking for any vanished pockets we might have missed. During our travels this past month, he’d had sent frequent delegations back to the visible world with instructions for his family to send soldiers to guard each mining village that hadn’t yet succumbed to the curse to protect it from Thorndale’s interference.
After a moment’s perusal his shoulders sank with relief. “This village was the last village affected by the curse, which means all that remains is the curse on ourselves.”
His fingers laced through mine. “Thank you for supporting me throughout this long journey. I couldn’t have done it without you. I am comforted knowing that whatever challenge I might one day face, you will always be at my side.”
I shared the sweet sentiment, grateful for the support I’d found in him. We’d drawn closer during our second courtship, but that was nothing to the depth we created after our shared journey together…a love far more real and beautiful than I could have ever imagined in my earliest fantasies.
“I love you.” I whispered the words that still felt foreign on my tongue, but sweeter than any I’d ever spoken. “Also…I think I’ve discovered your secret.”
He looked at me, puzzled.
“The pastime you enjoy above all else,” I explained. “You may have thought that a hobby needs to be something universally considered enjoyable, and you may have thought you didn’t deserve to have one due to your many responsibilities. But just as you knew my love of art without my telling you, I know that you love researching and historical writing—it’s no accident that our courtship was so comfortable as we worked in the library and study.”
He smiled in acquiescence. “I’d never considered that a true hobby, and admittedly I’ve often felt ashamed to spend so much time on it. But I’ve always been fascinated with our nation’s history and harbored a dream of continuing the work of previous historians. Perhaps I can take my detailed journals and finally turn them into a volume…beginning with this curse and adding all the names of our subjects that we’ve gathered.”
“Your choice is an admirable one,” I said. “But no matter your hobby, I look forward to being by your side as you explore it. You once told me that it’s never too late to choose for myself the life I want, so now I’d like to say the same to you.”
His eyes softened in appreciation as he stared down at me before we returned our attention to the nearly empty bowl of phanite. We each ran a finger along the basin wall to gather the remnant of the powder, and Lucien opened his notebook to a new page. But rather than immediately write each other’s name, we paused to stare into one another’s eyes.
I saw beyond the reflection filling his tender gaze to his own story that had become intricately woven with my own, allowing me to love him enough to access the power we needed to break the curse upon ourselves. His own care allowed him to be able to do the same for me, not only uncovering the hidden corners of my heart but accepting every part of me with the promise to cherish me forever.
We were truly seen by one another.
I found meaning in each curvy letter of his name as I used the reddish-brown powder on my fingertip to carefully write it across one blank page while he simultaneously wrote my own across the page opposite, our shoulders brushing companionably as we triggered the magic that would restore us to the visible world now that we’d completed what we’d set out to do.
Lucien closed the notebook and tucked it back in his pocket, then entwined his fingers with mine as we waited for the power to take effect. Soon my body began to tingle in the familiar way I’d experienced when I’d partially emerged from the shroud of invisibility, only this sensation was stronger—different than the temporary cover of visibility I’d once fought so hard to cling to, but now a permanent part of my very being.
Details of the real world gradually emerged like brushstrokes of color and shape as the visible world settled around us, but I only had eyes for Lucien. I hadn’t realized how much of him had been faded beneath my cursed sight until the filter had been lifted, allowing me to see him more fully like a cloud parting to reveal the sun.
My touch slowly explored his dear features, finding particular pressure in the dimple I could now clearly see accompanying his bright smile. He seemed equally fascinated, his fingers playing with my hair, marveling at the softness that hadn’t previously existed beneath his touch while my body had been transparent.
Lucien’s eyes bulged as he stared at me, looking as if he’d just awoken from a dream. A tear slid down his face and I reached up to softly dab it away. “Lisette…” He lifted a reverent hand to caress my cheek, his touch gentle as he explored my face like a blind man who’d just been granted sight. “It feels like it’s been forever since I’ve seen you.”
“Yet it was during my moments when I was invisible that I have never felt more seen. You taught me what it means to be truly loved—not just admired or appreciated, but understood and unreservedly cared for.”
“I promise to always see you, not just now but for the rest of our lives.” He bridged the remaining distance between us and I stood on tiptoe to meet his lips to share a tender kiss, a symbol of our promise for the courtship that had finally healed our past and brought us together to extend into forever.