The Other Evret lead the way to the dining hall. Staring at the back of his head, Winter noticed a neat row of seams running down the nape of his neck.
"Papa, why do you have stitches on your neck?"
He stopped and turned to her. "I do? I've never noticed that…"
"It looks like someone sliced your skin and sewed it back together again."
"I guess the details have been stolen from me, because I don't remember getting cut up."
Winter pursed her lips. "You don't remember getting buttons stitched over your eyes?"
"I don't," said the Other Evret, "because I've always had button eyes. Those glass beads of yours are things I've never seen before. They're very pretty."
She lightly touched her eyes, the brown and silver orbs she had taken from her mother.
Was this man really Evret Hayle? He had the face, but the way he was dressed, the way he walked through the palace as if it belonged to him...he acted more like a king than anything.
Above all, though, how could her father have never seen human eyes before? His had been so beautiful. "Everyone has eyes, where I come from," she said.
"That must be really cool."
Winter glanced around the hallway. It was deserted aside from herself and the Other Evret. The emptiness of it was starting to make her anxious. "Hey, why are there no guards around here?"
"Why would we need guards around here? There's no danger."
"No one wanting to steal things? No one wanting to kill the queen?"
The Other Evret smiled whimsically. "Everyone loves my Sweetheart. Why would anybody want to attack such a wonderful queen?"
That wasn't something that Winter thought she'd ever hear. "Do you love her?"
"She's my soulmate. The love of my life."
These words made her shudder. Before she had the chance to come up with a reply, they arrived at the dining hall. The Other Evret held the door open for her, ever the gentleman. Winter gazed at the grandiose room; it was similar to the hall back home, but like everything else in the mock palace, it gave off this sense of jubilant life that warmed Winter's body.
"Good evening, Sweetheart!"
The Other Levana stood by the window. She turned her head to look at the Other Evret and a joyous smile spread across her face. They rushed to each other and embraced into a passionate kiss. When they broke apart, she beckoned Winter forward. "Did you like your surprise, Darling?"
Winter held her hands behind her back, hiding her astonishment. "Yes," she mumbled.
"You must be hungry...that other Levana tried to feed you chard again, didn't she?"
"You mean the real Levana?"
"The mean one," the Other Levana laughed.
Winter frowned. "Wait...how do you know that we had chard for dinner?"
"Hush, that's just what mothers do. We watch and we know." The Other Levana gestured to the table. "Shall we sit? We're just waiting on one more person, and she should be along soon."
Button eyes glinted in the chandeliers' light. Winter was beginning to get used to it, now that the shock had worn off. The more she looked at the buttons, the more she found them to be rather pretty.
The door suddenly opened. Winter heard the soft patter of flats echo against the marble floor. A girl swept past her, dressed in a silver gown.
"I apologize for my tardiness, Auntie," said the girl.
"That's fine," the Other Levana replied. She waved her hand carelessly. "Come and sit, so that we might share a feast with our guest."
Winter watched closely as the girl sat down beside the Other Levana. The newcomer brushed her long hair back behind her shoulders. She smiled at the queen. Her every move was graceful, very princess-like. From the warm-toned skin to the button eyes, she held an uncanny resemblance to the Other Levana.
Even more striking than that, though, was the similarities this girl shared with another from Winter's past.
"...Selene? Is that you?"
The girl's head whipped around. Winter was certain that she was staring at her, although it really was hard to tell with those buttons. "Do I know you?"
"She's our guest, Selene. Treat her nicely," the Other Levana chastised.
"Yes, you do...we used to play together. Don't you remember?"
The girl looked to her aunt for some kind of instruction. The queen nodded. "Hmm...that might be right," the Other Levana murmured. "You were close to the other Selene, once."
The Selene from Winter's own world. So that meant that she was the Other Selene. Suddenly, Winter felt an oppressive sadness flood her heart; sitting here, like this, surrounded by her family...it was all she had ever wanted. If fate hadn't been so cruel, she could have had her father and Selene alive and with back home.
She held back a sob and instinctively went to pick at her scars. "Yeah, until she burned. Until she became nothing but ashes."
"Hey, cheer up. I'm not ashes. We can be friends, you and I."
At that moment, the kitchen doors burst open and servants came waltzing out into the dining hall, wearing glittering uniforms and holding trays full of delicious-smelling food. They too had button eyes, as well as smiles frozen to their faces.
"Welcome, Princess Winter!" They sang in unison, placing the food on the table. "Let us know how best to serve you!"
Winter shrank back in her chair. "Uh…"
"Would you like anything to drink, Winter?"
"Some apple cider?"
In an instant, a tall glass of bubbling amber heaven was placed in front of her. The servant closest to the table slipped an apple-shaped straw into the cider. Winter gazed at it in awe for a moment before taking the first sip. It tasted like sour apple petites and fire and life.
A giant platter of chicken was set in the middle of the table, and the royals were left to feast. Evret was the first to heap chicken onto his plate. "Now, we all must be grateful for what we have," he said, turning to the Other Levana. "We give our thanks and ask to bless, our mother's golden chicken breast!"
The queen giggled and gave him a little shove. "Oh, you."
Heat rushed to Winter's cheeks. She tried not to let her discomfort show. The scent of the food was making her stomach growl. Eagerly, she filled her plate with chicken and rice and began to eat. "Oh, it's so good…" she sighed.
The Other Selene ate nothing but a bowl of plums. "I guess so," she sniffed.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"You can call me Mother," said the Other Levana. "No need for such propriety amongst family members."
Winter nodded. "Thank you for your hospitality, Mother."
"You're very welcome, Dear. My home is your home."
Winter went to take another bite of chicken, but she noticed that her plate had suddenly vanished from the table. Instead, a big chocolate cake had been placed before her. Frosted flowers appeared to bloom from the top and the words Welcome Home! were written in red icing by an invisible hand.
"Home?"
"We've been waiting for you, Winter." The Other Levana took her husband's hand.
"...For me?"
"It wasn't the same here without you, kiddo," said the Other Evret.
Winter stared at the cake, confused. "This is kinda weird," she admitted.
"It does take some getting used to. Most never make it to the other side. You're one of the lucky ones."
"Shame, too, 'cause the side you come from seems really miserable," said the Other Selene.
"It is…" Winter lowered her head. "It's hard to be happy. People do such horrible things to each other. I never know when someone's being honest with me, or if they're just glamouring me to get their way. It's really scary, to be honest."
"There's no glamour here," said the Other Levana, her voice gentle and comforting. "You don't have to worry about that as long as you're with us."
"But I…"
"But?"
Winter took a deep breath. "I just, I'm kind of overwhelmed. I think I need to get to bed."
The queen smiled. "Of course, you must be exhausted. Come, I'll take you to your quarters."
"Oh, I know the way home, I can go by myself—"
"Nonsense!" The queen stood. "Take my hand, Darling."
Winter did as she was told, her flesh still crawling. The Other Levana's hand was soft and warm. The Other Selene walked next to them, her expression one of pure disinterest. Winter wondered if this is what the Selene from her world would've grown up to be like.
"It was nice meeting you," said Winter.
"You as well." The Other Selene didn't even look at her.
Winter no longer felt warm. Her shoulders hunched. In the corner of her vision, she saw the Other Levana kick the Other Selene in the back of her legs.
"OW! I mean, it was really nice. I hope you come back soon, so that we can get to know each other." A forced smile stretched across the Other Selene's face.
"You can go, Selene. Have a good night."
The princess bowed. "Goodnight, Auntie."
With a gentle pat on the back, the Other Levana lead Winter to the doors from which she had entered the fake palace only an hour or so before. They went inside the octagonal room. The little door stood ajar, a pink light spilling from the crack.
Winter pointed a finger to it. "I came from there—"
"Hush. You said that you're tired, so I'm taking you to bed. You needn't worry about that little door."
Winter opened her mouth to protest, but the Other Levana took her by the hand and lead her to the bedroom. Inside, Winter let out a gasp of awe. It was similar to her room at home, but here, everything was alive and vibrant and glowing. Butterflies fluttered against the ceiling. The sheer curtains floated. Dolls and toys walked about on their own, singing and chatting merrily.
"Hey, she's here! It's Winter!"
"Winter! Hello, hello!"
"She's even prettier in person!"
"Do you wanna play with us?"
"Settle down! It's time for bed," said the Other Levana.
Winter laughed. She suddenly felt a tickle on her shoulders; the Other Evret had snuck up behind her. He held a gleaming silver flute in his hands. "Winter, do you want me to play a lullaby?"
"I'd like that," said Winter.
Since she was already in her nightclothes, Winter didn't need to change. She slipped under the luxurious covers, letting out a sigh. It was so comfortable, she felt like could just sink into the soft mattress.
"Goodnight, Winter. I hope we'll see you again soon."
"See you soon," echoed the Other Evret. He began to play his flute. The sweet melodies made Winter feel drowsy. She lowered her head on the pillow and closed her eyes. Even in the dark, she could still see the butterflies dancing through the air.
"See you soon…"
"And the toys were alive! Alive, Stepmother! They were asking me to play, but I was just too tired…"
Levana frowned as she took another sip of her coffee. "Winter, you only dreamed that you ate all that chicken. And weren't you saying that you're way too old for dolls?"
"But these ones were just so cool."
"What is it that you think is triggering these hallucinations? They're getting worse, aren't they?"
Winter's palms grew damp. She fidgeted in her seat. "It wasn't a hallucination, Stepmother. This time it was real. I saw it with my own two eyes. You were there, except it wasn't you, it was the Other Levana. And there was the Other Father, and the Other Selene. Selene was there too."
Levana visibly stiffened. Her coffee cup was set down with such force that the contents sloshed out onto the queen's palm. "That's ridiculous. Selene is gone, as is your father. I don't want you talking about this anymore; you embarrass me enough as it is with your other delusions."
Winter felt the urge to pick at her scars. "As you wish, Stepmother." She was suddenly glad that she hadn't yet mentioned how the Other Levana didn't feel the need to wear a glamour, or how her husband was doting and liked to make sexual banter at the dinner table. She sensed that Levana wouldn't take those thoughts very well.
"You should be channelling all this enthusiasm into your studies," said Levana. "If you were this enthusiastic with your lessons, I'm sure that your gift would be back to its former strength in no time at all."
"There's still something there, Stepmother. I try to use my gift, but it still won't come out. Your shame is my shame, but whatever's holding me back is stronger than I am," Winter lied.
The queen sniffed. "Somehow I can't help but believe that you're just lazy."
Of course, she did. Levana liked to think the worst on the subject of her stepdaughter. Winter knew this damn well. She tried not to let her annoyance show. Looking back, she really shouldn't have told Levana anything about her experiences behind the little door.
At least Jacin appreciated her recollections. He listened eagerly, swept away in the fantasy. "Button eyes? That super freaky."
"It still gives me the willies, but other than that, the place was magical."
"Do you know why there isn't another Winter?" Jacin asked, rocking back in his chair. They were relaxing in the palace library, surrounded by the sound of ticking clocks. It was the only place where they could find any privacy at this time of day.
"No, I don't...I'm gonna ask next time I go. Now that I think about it, it is weird that there isn't another me."
"And is there another Jacin?"
"You know what, I'll ask that too."
"To be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about you going back. It seems like it makes the queen quite angry."
Winter rolled her eyes. Looking at him, she saw in his expression that he was only teasing her. But it seemed like he didn't actually believe her...like she was just telling him stories.
"It's real, Jacin."
"You want to show me?"
She squared her shoulders. "Sure. Come on, the door's in my room."
They made their way to Winter's parlour. She crawled up to the little door, with Jacin watching her intently. She twisted the key, turned the handle, pulled the door open—
And there was just a wall of bricks.
"Really? You opened up for me last night!"
"You know, Winter, sometimes dreams do feel very real."
"I didn't make it up, Jacin!"
"Not saying that you did! But, well, I don't see anything," he shrugged.
She sat down, feeling defeated. "I don't understand...why does it only open up to me?"