The Last of the Firedrakes (41 page)

I looked up at his terrified face.

“This is dark magic, Princess,” he said, shaking his head, “and all dark magic comes at a cost.”

“Whatever the price, it will be worth it,” I said stubbornly again, but I was relieved that he was all right.

I didn’t want to think about the consequences just yet. It was done now, and I couldn’t take it back. Whatever happened, I hoped I would be able to live with myself. Even the mysterious voice in my head had warned me about using my magic like this.

Suddenly the ruins were filled with voices and lights from wooden torches.

“Aurora,” said Rafe, as he rushed over to me, closing the distance between us in a few huge strides. He pulled me towards him, and I let myself melt into the safety of his arms and rest my head upon his chest.

“Are you all right?” he said, gently kissing the top of my head and smoothing my hair.

“Sort of,” I mumbled and nodded into his chest. I had only now begun to feel my injuries, and parts of me were still numb.

“I don’t know what I would have done if anything had happened to you,” he said, his voice rough and strained with emotion.

“I’m fine,” I said, looking up at him.

Suddenly there was a flash of lightning, and a dark form arose in the middle of the courtyard. I looked on in horror as the shadow moved slowly towards us. A hideous creature that was unmistakably a woman with blazing red eyes and a tattered black robe was floating a few feet off the ground. It was more wraith and shadow than any real form. Rafe moved instinctively in front of me, shielding me from whatever that thing was.

The wraith spoke, its voice a rasp. “Finally you have released me from my prison, young fae-mage.”

“Who are you?” I whispered.

“Lilith!” said Uncle Gabriel in a barely audible whisper as he came to stand beside me. He was looking at the wraith with a horrified look on his aging face.

“Yes, Gabriel,” said the shadow wraith.

“But how?” Uncle Gabriel asked. I had never seen him look so upset. “Azaren killed you.”

The creature Uncle Gabriel called Lilith spoke, its voice like nails screeching against a blackboard. “When the pegasus was brought back from the threshold of the otherworld, the fae-mage inadvertently opened a portal for me to come through. I have been waiting for this for a long, long time,” it said.

Suddenly, the wraith screeched and flew at me, trapping me within shadows that clasped around my throat. I fell backwards, hitting my head on the stone floor. I thrashed and kicked, struggling to breathe, as I could slowly feel the life draining out of me. It was like a huge crushing weight was sitting on my chest, and rotting shadows pressed at my throat.

“Heir of Azaren,” rasped the specter, “you shall pay for the crimes of your father.”

Uncle Gabriel and Rafe were watching with terrified looks on their faces. From the corner of my eye, I could see Rafe moving forward to help me, hands raised to attack Lilith.

“No, Rafe!” I heard Uncle Gabriel call out. “Do not strike the wraith. You could harm Aurora instead. Lilith is made of shadows; your magic will only pass through her. Aurora must do this herself.”

I had not come so far only to die here today. My mother had died for me so that I would be safe. My father had defeated this thing once, and I was more powerful than my father ever was. So I concentrated hard, blocking out all sensations, even the feeling of not being able to breathe. Slowly, I opened myself to the magic around me and let it flow into me.

The white light within me started to glow and move outwards, creating a shield around me. I concentrated on pushing it outwards from the center of my chest. White light coursed through my veins, and I started glowing all over, the light of my magic piercing the shade that held me in its grip. Much to my surprise, I didn’t just create a shield around me; I was the shield.

Lilith shrieked as if she was in pain, and the shadows let go of me as sheets of white light emanated from my body and pushed Lilith away from me. The dark wraith queen rose over us, hovering just out of reach.

With hollow eyes flashing the color of blood and shadows swirling, it spoke again. “Your power is very strong, young fae-mage, but once I have regained my body, not even you will be able to stand in my way,” Lilith shrieked and flew away in a haze of darkness and shadows.

My shoulders slumped as my light dimmed. I searched my pockets, and, finding my amulet, I put it back on. The light went out.

Rafe came and put his arm gently around my waist, helping me to my feet. “Come, my love, let me take you home,” he said simply.

Rafe gathered me up in his arms and gently put me onto his horse sidesaddle. He jumped up behind me and held me in his arms the whole way back to the Summer Palace in silence.

At some point I must have fallen asleep in the saddle, and I soon found myself resting on a soft bed in my room at the palace. I had no idea how long I had slept. Penelope had healed all my injuries, but I was still aching all over, and the burned skin would take a few days to heal completely. But, for all intents and purposes, I was fine and, most importantly, still alive.

I had a bevy of visitors in my room, from Kalen and his incessant chattering, to the king, who came to tell me he was pleased that I was still alive. Kalen was hovering around the whole day, and Penelope had to keep sending him away, saying that I needed to rest.

Rafe never came to see me, but Vivienne did.

She came into the room in a bustle of green silk skirts and promptly hugged me. “How could you not tell me any of this?” she said, settling herself beside me on the bed. “I could have helped, you know.”

“You’re not angry with me?” I asked tentatively. I was relieved; at least I still had my best friend.

“I was,” said Vivienne, pouting her lips, “but only because you didn’t tell me. You are my best friend. I don’t care that you’re a princess and a fae-mage who can kill me with a simple swipe of your hand. Although my mother thinks you might murder me in my sleep.”

We both fell into a fit of giggles, and I hugged Vivienne again. It was good to have her here and finally know the whole truth.

“So is it true that you killed Morgana’s whole Shadow Guard all by yourself?” asked Vivienne, wide-eyed.

I nodded faintly and silently cringed. I was not proud of what I had become, someone who everybody feared.

“That is nothing short of amazing,” said Vivienne. “It was thought that the Shadow Guard could never be defeated. They have been terrorizing the people ever since Morgana came to power. This news has already spread throughout the kingdom. They are calling you Avalonia’s Savior.”

I didn’t want to be a savior. I had so much to learn, and everything seemed so hard and complicated. The road ahead didn’t look like an easy one. I may have defeated Morgana, but she escaped, and now, with Lilith on the loose, I had no idea how to proceed.

Vivienne’s voice snapped me out of my reverie.

“I saw the prince hovering outside your door a while ago,” she said, leaning in closer.

“He was?” I said, trying my best not to smile.

Vivienne nodded. “What else are you not telling me, Aurora?” she said, her voice becoming sterner.

I always thought that she would make a good professor; she always made me feel like a child. She was right most of the time, but I didn’t want to think about that now. I looked away, but only for a second. How did she know? Was I that obvious?

“It’s nothing,” I said finally. “The prince is a friend, and he’s going to be married soon, anyway.”

I sounded so lame, even to myself. And Vivienne didn’t believe me for a moment. She raised her eyebrows at me in a perfect impression of Professor Dekela.

“Everyone is talking about how the prince was looking at you the night of the harvest ball,” said Vivienne, grinning now. “Apparently the prince never dances with anyone. Leticia was so angry, she looked like she was going to self-combust.”

I shrugged, but I was grinning inside.

“The prince only had eyes for you. Apparently Leticia is going crazy and taking it out on everyone around her.”

“But he’s going to marry her anyway,” I blurted out. “He kissed me, and then he told me he was still going to marry her.”

“You kissed the prince?” said Vivienne, wide-eyed.

I nodded and finally broke; I told her everything, even about who he really was.

“Prince Rafael is the Black Wolf,” she said, in a stunned whisper.

“Shhh,” I said, sounding like Kalen. “You can’t tell anyone. Don’t even say his name in the same sentence, you understand?”

“Okay, okay, I won’t. I promise,” said Vivienne quickly. “You can trust me, Rory. I mean Aurora.”

I smiled. It would take Vivienne some time to get used to using my real name.

“So,” Vivienne said, making herself more comfortable on my bed. “Tell me everything.”

We talked late into the night, and it was good to have someone to talk to again. Kalen was my friend too, but he was a boy and didn’t understand what I was feeling. Vivienne, on the other hand, was full of sound advice and support. I felt I could trust her. Otherwise I would never have taken the chance of telling her about Rafe’s secret identity. I hoped—no, I knew—she would keep my secret.

“So, now the two of you aren’t talking?” asked Vivienne.

“We are,” I said quickly, “but it’s no use. Leticia has her claws in him, and his vow to his mother makes it all the more hopeless.”

“Sorry to say,” said Vivienne, a little tartly, “his mother is dead. Can’t he just break off the engagement?”

“No!” I said, shaking my head. “He won’t do it.”

“Then just tell him it was Leticia who was the one responsible for letting the Shadow Guard into the palace.”

“I can’t,” I said, shaking my head again. “It’s her word against mine, and Damien will side with her. Rafe will never believe me. He will think it’s some sort of tactic to get him to break his engagement to Leticia.”

“I think, after all you have told me,” said Vivienne, after thinking for a moment, “Rafe will definitely believe you over Leticia. Ever since they brought you back, the prince hasn’t left your bedside,” said Vivienne, a huge smile on her face.

“Why?” I asked. I wanted her to spell it out.

“It doesn’t take a fool to see that he was distraught about what had happened to you,” said Vivienne. “I heard one of Leticia’s ladies talking, and apparently the prince hasn’t slept since you went missing three days ago.”

“I’ve been asleep for three days?” I said, aghast. I thought I’d just had a few hours of fitful rest.

Vivienne nodded. “Yes, and he was waiting to see you when you woke up, but I suspect there were too many people about. I arrived this morning, and he was pacing outside your room. Then, when he saw me, he walked off.”

I sat there in my bed and thought about what she said. Rafe may have been concerned, but I didn’t believe that he hadn’t slept for three nights because of me. And this time I didn’t agree with Vivienne about telling Rafe about Leticia’s role in the whole Morgana thing. Even if he believed me, I didn’t believe that he would go back on his vow to his mother for anything. It was pointless thinking about it, and it was starting to give me a headache.

I yawned, and Vivienne jumped up from the bed.

“Oh dear, I must let you rest or Professor Plumpleberry will have my head,” she said looking around.

I smiled at the vision of Penelope coming after Vivienne with a broom, or maybe a huge stack of books to study.

“Now I have to go see Mother and help her. She is having one of her boring garden parties again,” said Vivienne, rolling her eyes and opening the door. “Don’t get into any trouble while I am gone.”

“Why does everyone keep saying that to me?” I said, making a mock grumpy face. “I can take care of myself, you know.”

“I can see that,” said Vivienne, good-naturedly raising one eyebrow as she left the room.

Finally Uncle Gabriel came to see me.

“I am glad to see you are feeling better, little one,” he said kindly, sitting down on a chair next to my bed.

“Thank you, Uncle Gabriel,” I said. “I have to tell you it was Damien who let the Shadow Guard into the palace. You must tell the king.”

“I know,” said Uncle Gabriel, sighing and leaning back in his chair. “The Blackwaters have fled the kingdom, by ship apparently, so we have no idea where they are.”

“They’re gone?” I said. “All of them?”

Uncle Gabriel nodded. “The Royal fleet is on the lookout, but I doubt that they will be found,” he said. “They have now openly shown their allegiance to Morgana and Lucian.”

I couldn’t help a smile spreading across my bruised face. I was glad Damien and all the Blackwaters had finally shown their true colors, but the guilt over what I had done was overwhelming me, and I had to talk about it.

“I am so sorry about what I did, Uncle Gabriel,” I blurted out, “but I couldn’t just let Snow die. I couldn’t! I had to do something. I didn’t know Lilith would come back like that.”

Uncle Gabriel listened to me quietly. “I think you’d better tell me everything, young lady,” he said finally. “Start from the beginning, and do not leave anything out.”

I recounted everything that had happened to me that horrific night. Meeting Morgana, the fear and terror I felt, the anger about what she did to my parents, the voice in my head, Snow, everything except Leticia’s role in the whole thing.

I had finally decided that, since she was going to be Rafe’s wife, and Rafe would never go back on his vow to his mother, even if he hated the person he was married to, I didn’t want him to spend his life hating his wife because of what she did to me. Technically, it wasn’t her who let the Shadow Guard into the palace; it was Damien who had the magic, and it was Damien who openly hated me. So I resolved to say nothing. In any case, Leticia without Damien and his magic was harmless. Still mean, but harmless.

Uncle Gabriel sat patiently listening to me. His face looked troubled, but he said nothing. Finally he spoke. “I understand why you did what you did, Aurora, but I hope you now realize that all actions always have consequences. And the greater your power, the greater is your duty to do the right thing.”