Elara immediately straightened, her eyes going wide. Lady Margot curtsied deeply.
Even the princess is intimidated by Mother.
Good.
She SHOULD be.
"Having trouble?" Mother asked, her voice smooth and amused.
Yes.
Obviously.
I've been trying to make a fucking rose appear for TWO HOURS.
"Illusions require control," I said through gritted teeth. "I'm... working on it."
Mother walked to the center of the room, her movements graceful and deliberate.
Mother's gaze flicked to Elara, then back to me.
"The princess is observing your struggles," she said. "How... educational."
Oh, she's MOCKING me.
In front of the princess.
Thanks, Mother.
Really appreciate the support.
"Watch," she said simply.
And then the room CHANGED.
What the FUCK.
One moment, I was standing in the training chamber—dark stone walls, ancient symbols, familiar space.
The next moment, I was standing in a garden.
A GARDEN.
A full, complete, PERFECT garden.
Flowers bloomed around me—roses, lilies, orchids—in colors so vivid they hurt to look at. Trees stretched overhead, their branches heavy with fruit. A fountain bubbled in the center, the water crystal clear and sparkling in sunlight that SHOULDN'T EXIST because we were UNDERGROUND.
This is INCREDIBLE.
This is IMPOSSIBLE.
This is—
I reached out to touch a rose, and my hand passed through it.
I heard Elara gasp—a loud, genuine sound of wonder.
Yeah, Princess.
THAT'S what perfect illusion magic looks like.
Illusion.
It's ALL illusion.
Every flower. Every tree. Every drop of water.
Mother created an ENTIRE GARDEN out of nothing.
Mother stood in the center of the illusory garden, her expression calm and controlled.
"This is what perfect focus looks like," she said. "This is what you can achieve when you master your emotions. When you control your chaos."
She gestured, and the garden vanished.
We were back in the training chamber.
That was...
That was LEGENDARY.
That was the most impressive thing I've ever seen.
"How?" I asked, and I hated how small my voice sounded.
Elara looked absolutely STUNNED, her mouth slightly open, her eyes wide.
Welcome to the Raven family, Princess.
This is what REAL power looks like.
"Practice," Mother said simply. "And control. Illusions reveal your true nature, Isabel. If your mind is chaotic, your illusions will be chaotic. If your emotions are wild, your illusions will shatter." She stepped closer. "Control your chaos, or it will control you."
That's the second time she's said that.
First after the Aldric incident.
Now with illusions.
She's TESTING me.
She wants to see if I can be more than just raw power.
She wants to see if I can be PRECISE.
"How do I do it?" I asked. "How do I... control it?"
Mother's expression softened—just slightly.
"You center yourself," she said. "You find the still point inside you. The place where emotions don't reach. And you build the illusion from there."
She demonstrated, her movements slow and deliberate.
"Close your eyes. Breathe. Find the silence inside you."
I closed my eyes and tried to find... silence.
Silence.
In my brain.
Where there's ALWAYS noise.
Where there's ALWAYS commentary.
Where there's ALWAYS—
"Stop thinking," Mother said, as if reading my mind. "Stop narrating. Just... be."
Just be.
What does that even MEAN?
But I tried.
I focused on my breathing. In. Out. In. Out.
Slowly, the noise in my head started to quiet.
Okay.
This is... weird.
But okay.
"Now," Mother said softly, "picture your rose. But don't force it. Don't demand it. Just... let it exist in your mind."
I pictured the rose.
Not desperately. Not frantically.
Just... calmly.
A rose.
Red petals.
Green stem.
Thorns.
"Hold it," Mother said. "Don't get excited. Don't get impatient. Just hold it."
I held the image.
Calm. Steady. Still.
"Now channel your magic. Slowly. Like you're weaving silk."
I reached for my magic and let it flow—not in a rush, not in a surge, but slowly. Carefully.
Like weaving silk.
The magic flowed into the image in my mind, and I felt it start to take shape.
It's working.
Don't get excited.
Stay CALM.
Stay STILL.
The magic solidified, and I felt the illusion form.
"Open your eyes," Mother said.
I opened my eyes.
There, floating in the air in front of me, was a rose.
A ROSE.
A PERFECT, BEAUTIFUL, RED ROSE.
I DID IT.
I FUCKING DID IT.
I wanted to scream. I wanted to celebrate. I wanted to—
I heard Elara make a small sound of delight.
The princess is IMPRESSED.
My little pet is watching me succeed.
Good.
She SHOULD be impressed.
The rose flickered.
No.
NO.
Stay CALM.
I forced myself to breathe. To stay centered. To hold the image.
The rose stabilized.
Yes.
YES.
I'm doing it.
I'm actually DOING IT.
Mother smiled—a genuine, proud smile.
"Good," she said. "Now hold it for one minute."
One minute.
I can do that.
I can absolutely do that.
I held the illusion, focusing on the image, on the magic, on the stillness inside me.
Seconds ticked by.
Don't get excited.
Don't get impatient.
Just... hold it.
The rose remained, perfect and still, floating in the air.
After what felt like an eternity, Mother said, "Release it."
I let the magic go, and the rose vanished.
I did it.
I actually DID IT.
I created an illusion.
Mother placed a hand on my shoulder—a rare gesture of affection.
"You have power, Isabel," she said. "Raw, chaotic, dangerous power. But power without control is just destruction. Learn to master this. Learn to hide your true nature behind perfect illusions. That's where real power lies."
Hiding my true nature.
Making people see what I want them to see.
That's... strategic.
That's USEFUL.
"Thank you, Mother," I said, and I meant it.
She nodded, glanced once more at Elara—who looked absolutely MESMERIZED—and left the room.
My little princess just watched me succeed.
She just saw me master something IMPOSSIBLE.
She's learning that power requires WORK.
Perfect.