On the table sat Felix. Her eyes widened as she wondered how he could have come all the way down here to the labyrinth to sit in the same room as the treasure. No. This wasn’t Felix. There was no way. Her parents wouldn’t have let him out of their manor. In fact he was probably locked in her old bedroom which was more than big enough for a single cat. Even if he did escape the chances that he would have come all this way were next to none. It was impossible. There was only one way this made any sense.

  She took a deep breath. “Are you the treasure then?”

  Felix looked up at her with intelligent eyes. He opened his mouth and out came human language. “You can call me that, yes. I have been here since King ______ built this labyrinth for me and left me here. I have seen many people come here to get their wishes granted. Some decide it’s not worth it. Some die to my defenses. Very few come as far as you have to get your wish granted. Honestly, I’m impressed that you even got the help from someone else who had gotten his wish granted.”

  His tail rose into the air and formed into the shape of a question mark. “Of course, just like everyone else who has made it this far you don’t know the price to have your wish granted. This is your final chance to turn around and leave. You will not be allowed to leave after I’ve told you the price without granting your wish. You have to understand, I can’t have you spreading that information around. I am a lot more powerful than you could imagine.”

  “Let me guess.” She smirked. “The price is in two parts. The first is that you an never share the cost or the wish to anyone without having your wish getting taken away. The second part is that you will take something away of value that is related to my wish. Did I get that about right?”

  “Mostly.” The cat looked shocked. “I have never had someone tall me what the cost was before. I guess it was to be expected though. How did you figure it out?”

  “Well the first part is easy. No one who has claimed to have gotten their wish granted has ever shared the details that people are really interested in. They don’t share their wishes or anything about you. The Violet Shadow out there made that clearer with his refusal to tell me anything. It was almost as if he would die if he told me, and I’m sure that he really would considering that his wish was for immortality.”

  “The other price was a bit more difficult. I don’t think I would have figured it out if I hadn’t spent the time I just did with someone who had their wish granted. It was clear that there was something on top of his wish of immortality that was effecting Marius. I think when he was granted his wish he probably also lost his life, so he would live forever but it wouldn’t actually be life. It reminded me somehow of King ______. No one remembers his name. I’m assuming that was also a part of this price. Do I have that correct?”

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  The cat slowly nodded his head. “It is, but the price is not exactly as you said. I merely take something that is important to you. That is all I will accept for the steep price of granting wishes. I did it with King ______ when I took away his name and I did it again when I took the assassin’s life. Now that you’ve figured it out I suppose that must mean that you are willing to pay whatever I deem worth your wish.”

  “Yes.” She sighed. “I don’t have much left. If I leave things as they are I will have nothing. Take what you need to grant my wish.”

  “And what is your wish Petra Isaac?”

  “To remove Princess Alice from power so that she can never hurt anyone again.”

  “Oh?” the treasure sounded amused. “But that is not truly your wish. I can see it in your eyes that you believe that if one powerful person can be as corrupt as the princess is, then others can be to. You heard the assassin speak to his demon. You know that people will always feel they are above the law. No, you wish for more than just justice to be brought to the princess. You wish for something more.” Everything the treasure said sounded right, but it was far from what she wanted. That sounded like too much power to her.

  “No.” She said quickly. “I only want it for the princess.”

  The treasure shook its cat head. “That is not what your heart says. I will only grant one wish. I will not grant a partial wish. It’s important that your wish is worth your price.”

  “Then grant the entire wish.” She looked away. “If it’s too much in the future I can always get rid of it by telling someone about the wish I had granted.”

  “You could do that, yes, as long as the price I take is something you can live without. You will never get it back. Don’t worry, I won’t take something that will make your life unlivable. Your case is much different from that of the assassin.”

  She stared at the cat on the table. “So… what is my price?”

  The form of Felix purred. “You will find out after your wish is granted just like every one else who had a wish granted. You did come here with determination, correct? You were ready to go to any length to get this wish granted? Even going so far as to align yourself with someone whose career would normally directly oppose yours?”

  “To be honest, I wasn’t sure you would be here.” She nodded quickly. “Okay then. I will pay any price. It is better than the alternative.”

  “Ah, so you are a part of the skeptical group. I will not show you mercy just because you didn’t completely believe.” The cat stepped forward on the table and lifted its paw towards Petra. “Take my hand and your wish will be yours.”

  Without another word she reached out and grabbed his small paw. The room filled with light. And for a moment she couldn’t see anything but the blinding flash. Then the light faded back to its original levels and her eyes adjusted full of tears. The treasure was gone, or at least she couldn’t see it anymore. Not only that, but everything was different. She could feel it.

  She began to cry.