Iolite sat in her study, writing out a letter addressed to her associate in Kemaut. A silver bracelet studded with amethysts rested off to the side, the princess intending to send it along with the letter.
The sphinxes were an odd species to her. She knew several who had immigrated to Equestria, and had been lucky enough to meet one named Tiye who was willing to be taken under her wing.
Tiye had since become a member of Iolite’s royal guard, and she was the one who had given Iolite the contact she was currently addressing. She had many stories to tell of her homeland, as well as the gods they worshipped.
Although Bastet was their matriarch, two others had drawn most of Iolite’s interest. Ra, a patron of order and light, and Apep, a patron of chaos and darkness. Tiye had tentatively compared their roles with those of Celestia and Nightmare Moon, respectively, with Khonsu being the closest analogue to Luna.
With Kemaut being directly on the other side of the world, Ra and Khonsu served as the sun and moon’s caretakers after they had set in Equestria. When the sun rose over Equestria, night fell in Kemaut, and vice versa.
Iolite had learned of the importance of the alliance between the two nations from her mother and the other princesses, and she intended to do her part to keep it strong. Having a contact within Kemaut was invaluable, but communication was often slow. Spike’s dragonfire was much faster than normal post, but there were faster ways.
As the royal spymaster, she would need the quickest method possible.
The alicorn levitated the bracelet in front of her, slowly sweeping her magic across it as she performed one last inspection. Gems are set correctly, spell matrices are stable…
One more test couldn’t hurt.
Her horn glowed a brighter purple as she channeled magic into the gems. She spoke a single word at the bracelet, as she had many times before, with a hint of humor in her voice.
“Test.”
The gems on the matching necklace she wore lit up, and she heard her own speech immediately echoed back to her as a voice in her head.
Good. I hope Khamut’s magic is compatible, otherwise I’m giving him this for nothing. It worked for Tiye, but I can’t be sure that sphinx magic is as consistent between individuals as unicorn magic.
She set the bracelet back down and looked over her letter. ‘I hope this finds you well,’ etcetera. There would be time for a more casual conversation once he had the bracelet. With careful strokes, she wrote her closing, and ended with her signature.
A flicker of purple light dried the ink, and another rolled the parchment up. A signet ring lifted from a bowl of wax and sealed the letter. She cooled the wax in the same fashion as she had dried the ink, picking up the bracelet as well. With a sigh, she tilted her head until she felt a crick from her neck, then stood.
Now to find Spike.
Iolite lifted up the saddlebags next to her chair and put them on, tucking the letter and bracelet into them. Her horn glowed brighter, and she closed her eyes as she envisioned Friendship Castle.
Aaaand-
With a bang, her door burst open, and her concentration shattered.
A beige, blue-maned sphinx stepped in, her tone urgent. “Princess, someone’s just teleported into the atrium. Flurry Heart, she’s in bad shape.”
Iolite’s blood ran cold, and she blinked in confusion as she recovered from her broken spell. “W-what? Here, now?” She quickly took her saddlebags off and set them aside, shaking her head to try to clear it. “Go back and stay on guard, whoever it was could be trying to follow her.”
Tiye nodded, turning around and dashing back the way she came.
Iolite channeled magic into her necklace, tuning it to reach the guards in the entrance hall as she struggled to keep her voice from shaking. “Make sure Flurry’s safe.”
Why would she be here, and why would she be injured? Did something happen?
She galloped out, melting into the shadows around her. Her vision went black, and she emerged into a darkened corner of the entrance hall a moment later, She quickly swept her gaze across the room, spotting her cousin from between two columns.
Flurry Heart was surrounded by a weakly-shining yellow bubble, glaring out of it at the three guards around her with wild eyes. “I told you to get her, where is she?!”
A gray thestral stood at a distance, shadow swirling calmly around her like black mist. “She knows you’re here. There’s no need for that shield, Princess, you’re safe.”
“I’ll believe that when I see Iolite!” Flurry snapped back, her bubble flickering out for a moment before flaring to life once more, making the alicorn put a hoof to her horn and hiss in pain.
Iolite winced.
Quit watching and go!
She shook her head, galloping toward them. “I’m here, Flurry, put the shield down!”
Flurry’s wide eyes locked on the other alicorn, and her shield immediately popped. Her legs shook, but she stayed upright. “Oh, thank the stars…”
Iolite stopped a few feet from her cousin, worriedly looking her over. Smoke curled from her singed horn. Her coat and mane were disheveled, but there were no signs of physical injury. Only burnout?
“Flurry, what-”
The other alicorn suddenly lurched toward her, wrapping a hoof around Iolite’s neck and pressing her cheek into it.
“W-we were attacked, right before the Crystal Faire.”
Iolite’s eyes widened. She let Flurry cling to her, her words nearly failing her as she tried to wrap her head around the situation. “By who?”
“I don’t know who they were!” Flurry blurted, unable to keep her voice steady. “Ponies, using dark magic. T-they…” She began to tremble, and tears wet Iolite’s coat. “Iolite, they took the Crystal Heart.”
She felt her heart nearly skip a beat. “How? Wouldn’t Cadance or Shining have-”
“I put them in a shield.” Flurry’s cheek pressed harder against Iolite’s neck. “I-I panicked, keeping them safe was the only thing going through my head.”
Flurry let out a bitter, quiet laugh, stepping back and hanging her head. “...They could have stopped it. By the time Mom broke through my shield, they’d already vanished.” Her eyes closed, and she shook her head.
“This is my fault.”
Iolite placed a hoof on Flurry’s shoulder, her lips moving a few times before she finally spoke. “Flurry, no it isn’t. You couldn’t have known this was going to happen. You kept your family safe, that’s something.”
We don’t have time for this!
“I... messed up my teleport,” Flurry said, looking up at Iolite with her head still downcast. “I meant to go to Canterlot, but you popped into my head.”
Panic itched at Iolite’s mind, and she struggled to keep her composure. “We need to go, then. Now.” She lowered her horn, offering it to Flurry. “You don’t need to give any magic to the spell, I'll be fine.”
I’m going to burn myself out doing this, bringing someone else along during a teleport is difficult. It’ll be a few days before I can even use my necklace, but I can’t have her objecting to this.
Flurry raised her head, nodding slightly and touching her horn to the other alicorn’s.
Iolite’s horn flared with purple light, and they vanished with a pop.