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Morana
Khallan grabs me, my back against his chest, and wraps his arms around mine to hold me still. “Get off me!” I hiss, squirming against him.
“Have a little dignity, Ravensly.”
I growl, stomping on his foot. He laughs in my ear, infuriating me even more. I will not allow this to be the end of me, I will find a way. I just need to delay them while I come up with a plan.
“I never loved you,” I spit. “You were nothing more than a means to an end.” He remains silent but spins me around, forcing me to face the palace.
Although the forest lines the perimeter of the field, the trees blocking the view of the palace were removed long ago. I eye the blanket of fog seeping out of the trees, growing taller and thicker with each passing second. I can use this. If I can get away from Khallan, I can disappear into it, perhaps escaping in the confusion. There are hidden tunnels in the bowels of the palace, and amongst them, a hidden room with supplies I readied long ago.
Khallan’s hand comes under my chin. “Look, my love. See who comes to bring your destruction.” I cease my squirming, the blood freezing in my veins.
Snow White emerges from the fog, her head held high, eyes flashing with victory. Her gold skirts flare around her legs as she moves, the navy bodice decorated with gilded embroidery fitting her like a glove. A white collar circles the back of her neck, and blue and red puffed sleeves embrace her arms like lovers while a navy cape flows behind her. At her back rises the manticore, pacing behind her like a guardian, its eyes locked hungrily on mine.
“I killed you,” I snarl, smashing my head back into Khallan’s nose. His arms loosen, and I break free. Odin’s wolves immediately circle me as I try to step away, their lips pulled back, teeth bared in vicious snarls. My soul shrivels, realizing I have not one ally. I swing my gaze around frantically, but there is nowhere left to go. Throwing my cape over my shoulder, I straighten my shoulders, pretending to be more confident than I am.
This is my last chance.
Throwing my arms out, I fire the last of my reserves at the princess. But it never reaches her. Silas appears out of nowhere, diving in front of his daughter. The death magic strikes him in the chest and bursts into blue flames, quickly engulfing him. He stands stock-still for a second, staring at me, then jerkily turns. “For. . . give me,” he groans, crashing to the ground. Silas raises his arm toward Snow White, an eerie scream ripping from deep within. The flesh burns from his body before reducing his bones to ash, his burned crown all that remains of him.
Tossing my head back, I smirk at Snow. If I have to die today, at least I have taken one final thing from her.
The king is dead. Long live the queen.
Chapter 41
Snow White
Abarrageofemotionsswell inside me, more than I can handle at this moment. I can’t afford to feel them now. Tomorrow. Tomorrow I will mourn for all that was lost, for all that could have been. My grief is not for Morana’s eyes. I will not give her the satisfaction of knowing how deeply I feel, how easily she can cut me.
Lifting my gaze from my father’s ashes, I school my expression into one of haughty disdain. I say nothing, just glare at her as if she is nothing more than an insect. She bares her teeth, all but daring me to do my worst.
If it wasn’t for the fact that he’s currently standing about fifteen feet tall, I would have almost forgotten Odin’s presence, he’s been so quiet. “I can take care of this,” he offers, but I shake my head.
I haven’t told anyone of my plan, not even Cassian. Not wanting anyone to try to talk me out of it, I’ve kept it to myself. Morana has been the cause of more heartache, more evil, and more destruction than anyone I know. Killing her is too kind. She deserves to suffer for what she’s done. And I refuse to have the stain of her death on my soul. Killing her means she wins.
“Like you could do anything,” she spits with narrowed eyes. “Who are you? Nothing but a cowering little princess, whose own father defiled her.” Lifting my chin, I allow my eyes to glow. She steps back with a gasp, coming to a halt when the wolves grab her dress in their teeth and snarl at her. “What are you?”
I ignore her. I’ll speak when I’m ready. Snapping my fingers, the wall of fog dissipates, leaving the palace in full view. I lift my arm, palm up, fingers flat. The earth shudders under our feet, and the palace breaks free of its foundations. “Mirror,” I chant, my voice carrying over the field. Morana’s eyes widen, her head shaking back and forth. “Mirror.” The palace rises into the air. Ten feet, twenty, thirty. “On the wall.”
“No!” Morana screams, her face twisting with a mix of hatred and fear.
I bring my fingers to my palm, my nails biting into the flesh. The castle explodes, a cloud of dust and fire shooting into the sky before imploding back in on itself and disappearing with a wink. A smirk flits across my lips as I stare into Morana’s eyes. “Iwill be the fairest of them all.”
Tiny puffs of magic leak from her, vanishing instantly. Her resulting wail grates on my nerves, and she sways against the hold the wolves have on her. Her hands come to her face, the trembling fingers patting it as it seems to melt away, revealing the woman behind the mask.Ravensly.
“Just do it,” she hisses. “Kill me. If you don’t, I will come back, again and again. I will destroy you and your children and their children after them.”
“I’m not going to kill you.” She freezes, staring at me as if I’m crazy. Maybe I am. “You wanted to be the most powerful woman alive. You wanted to live forever, to be the paragon of beauty.”
I flick my wrist. Ravensly shrieks as she shrinks by several inches. Her back bows slightly and her chin lengthens, becoming more pronounced. Heavy eyebrows replace delicately arched ones and her nose grows large and bulbous. Her hair whitens and her teeth grow crooked. The fine clothes vanish, replaced by a tatty dress, worn boots, and a hooded cloak. She now resembles the old woman from the village.
A round bronze disk forms under her feet, trapping her in place. Liquid metal rises from the disk, sliding over her boots. It takes her a moment to realize what’s happening, and when she does, she curses me. “You will pay for this, Snow White!”
“You wanted eternal life,” I reply calmly as the bronze moves up her legs and over her hips. “And now you shall. Your punishment for your evil is to become a living statue. You shall tire but never sleep. Hunger but never eat. Thirst but never drink. Yearn but never be loved. You shall watch as I become queen and marry Cassian, see our children at play. You will witness the kingdom heal from your atrocities. You will be forever, and ever more, unwanted, unloved, undesired. Forgotten.” The bronze encases her arms and chest, then works its way up her neck. “Goodbye, stepmother.” Her face freezes in an ugly snarl, now an embodiment of her wicked heart.
Swallowing, I turn my back on her, withdrawing the rest of the fog and unfreezing the battle. When Morana sent out her blast of magic, it killed all of her creatures—the dragon, skeletons, and the controlled servants. There is no one left for our people to fight. They mill about in confusion, murmuring to themselves.
