Goddess of Magic: A Snow White retelling (Kingdom of Fairytales Snow White Book 4)

going to help us save Mother."
"Then I promise I'll let them straight into the castle when they arrive. So long as they get here before the Urbis guard does. If they're here, then there won't be much even I can do," he said.
I nodded. "They should be here before the Urbis guard," I assured him. "I think they'll be here in the next few days."
"Then I'll make preparations for them to be welcomed. If you trust them, then I do, too," he promised.
"Thank you."
He reached out and put his hand over mine. "I'm sorry, I can't tell you more about your birth."
"It's okay. I understand." I smiled at him reassuringly. "I love you, Father."
"I love you, too, Kelis. Never doubt that."
"I don't." And I meant every word. No matter what happened with the golden-eyed people, I was glad this was where I'd been brought as a baby. I couldn't have asked for anything more than my parents had given me.

31st October
Lights flashed, and magically enhanted music filled the air. It was impossible to ignore the din of people chattering and singing along. I closed my eyes and drank it all in. This was exactly what the Fright Festival was all about. People having fun, dancing, letting all of their cares slip away, if only for an evening.
"This is amazing," Rhi said beside me.
I opened my eyes and turned so I could see her face. There was a childlike wonder on her face as she took in everything, and even the glimmer of scales on her costume couldn't outshine the lights in her eyes.
I scanned the scene in front of me, trying to see it with new eyes. It had been so long since I'd seen the town look so alive.
"Your costume looks amazing," she said.
"Thanks. Yours does, too."
Even though we'd both seen one another in our costumes, it was still different with the atmosphere around us.
"What are we going to do first?" Rhi asked me, almost bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet.
"That depends. What do you want to do? We can go grab a drink and something to eat, then head over to the dancing platform?" I suggested.
"That sounds good. Is there anything else I should see?" she asked.
I laughed, but the sound got lost in the noise around us. "You should see all of it. There's truly nothing like the Fright Festival."
As if on cue, a drum started beating, and the crowd parted, revealing a group of acrobats tumbling through the people.
Rhi clapped her hands together, and I found myself pulled along with her excitement. I liked it. It gave me something to get lost in.
The tumblers passed us, moving on to the next part of the crowd.
"Is it all going to be like that?"
"Pretty much," I said. "Almost anyone who makes any kind of art comes out for the Fright Festival." It probably wasn't originally meant that way, but that was how it turned out. I liked it simply because it showcased the talent we had here.
"I expected more magic, though," she admitted.
"It's coming," I promised. "And there's more of it all around us than you think. All the lights and most of the music is created by magic. You'll probably see some people using magic for displays later." I patted my wand holster as a force of habit, checking that my wand was still there.
"I've never seen anything like it. Everything is so beautiful." It wouldn't surprise me if Rhi started dancing around at any moment. She seemed to be having the time of her life, and the night hadn't even properly started yet.
I chuckled. "There's more color than normal, that's for sure." Like me, many had opted for colorful costumes this year. I didn’t stand out as much as I thought I would.
We made our way through the crowd towards the food area. I could do with some hot apple cider; I loved the spices they used in it. I could get the kitchens to make it for me, but there was something perfect about having it in the crisp October air. This was one of my favorite times of the year with the cool breeze.
Once we'd ordered, we stood by the side of the square. I wrapped my hands around the cup, absorbing the warmth from it.
"I'm glad you want me to come back after I'm finished at university. You have the best food and drink here," she said.
Relief flooded through me at her words. I hadn't spent as much time with Rhi as I should have over the past week or so, and as much as I wanted her to come back, I would have understood if she hadn’t wanted to.
"Wait until you taste some of the stuff we make around the Winter Festival," I said. Now wasn't the time to get into any deep conversations, not when we could be interrupted at any moment.
"I can't wait," she responded.
A trumpet sounded, pulling our attention to the middle of the square. Within moments, a masque began in the middle of the square. It was a simple tale that was always told this time of year. It was easy to produce and didn't take up too much time.
"Kelis!" Adam's voice called through the crowd.
I turned in his direction, not missing the fact that Rhi didn't pull her attention away from the play. No doubt, she was trying to ignore Adam's appearance.
I was more interested in the dark-haired boy behind him. Topher's costume was emerald green with a sweeping coat and a tall hat.
"Hey, Kelis," Jake said, coming over and putting an arm over my shoulder.
I tensed, not wanting him to touch me that way, but not being sure how to get out of the situation without causing too much offense.
"How's it going, cousin?" Adam asked, stepping in between Rhi and me. I hoped it was so he could be closer to her, but I wasn't sure. I thought he was into her, but it was impossible to