pretending to be tied up with magic. The moment Ornella stepped through the doors. Relief flooded through my body. She was
alive, and here.
Surely now was the time for the female mage to let my sisters and I go, so we could fight, protect our loved ones, but she
didn’t budge. She kept her spell on us tightly.
“You must protect, Ornella!”I shouted to the mage as Ornella offered herself up on a platter.
Her instead of me.
Pulling at my binds, I called to my shadows to help, to get me out of this jam. They seemed dormant, unable to answer and a
sense of weakness shattered through my bones. Looking towards my sisters, they seemed to all feel the same way. Whatever
this female mage was doing to us, it was weakening us.
“Let us go! I will be able to protect you from Dorian!”I pleaded.
Instead of helping, she kept her eyes set on Ornella as she sent a shockwave of light towards her. Dorian and the female
mage exchanged words about me. I didn't know or care what those words were, my sole attention and care was Ornella.
We were marched towards the stairwell that would lead us down into the depths of the castle. I continued to ask for her
help.
“Please! Whatever happens, please do not let Ornella die! You must promise me this! I will do anything you ask of me.”
“I will do everything I can, majesty, but if this is the Goddess’s wish, we must do as we are told.”
The Goddess would never allow strangers into the belly of this castle to open a portal that could destroy her world. I didn’t
believe it and was now half suspecting this mage had other ideas. Trying to look into her mind, even with my magic depleting, I
found only a wall and sharp eyes staring back at me in anger.
If Ornella died, that would be it for me. I didn’t know if the bond magic was stripped away or if it still held. Regardless, I
could not—would not—live in this world if my light was no longer here. I needed her to keep the fire in my heart a blaze.
“Ornella, please don’t do this.”
I would beg, plead, anything to get her to reconsider. She ignored me, or perhaps couldn’t hear me. Dorian kept a tight grip
on the back of her neck and my blood boiled with fury. I wanted to tear the very skin off his bones just for laying a finger on
her. I wanted to wrap Ornella up in a safe, protective bubble where he couldn’t touch her ever again.
“Please, Ornella, please, tell me you can hear me.”
I sent out another call, hoping she would answer me. When we went down another flight of stairs, and she didn’t even
flinch at the sound of my voice.
My heart broke more.
Our bond was truly severed.
