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Seething, my lips peeled back. Burning determination slid through me, and I concentrated all of my affinity on that horrible dark veil. It prickled against my touch, writhing and coiling like a deadly serpent ensnaring the queen’s power and stifling her magic.
“I call upon your strength, God Zorifel,” I whispered. “Please help me.”
And then I violently unleashed my affinity once more, screaming from the onslaught as blinding light shot out of me, diving deeper into the queen, encapsulating the warlock’s dark power that resided within her, and a war among benevolence and evil raged between my light and the warlock’s dark.
But I was stronger now. Not as vulnerable as I’d been when I’d first encountered the warlock’s veil. I had the power of an angel, the divine realm at my back, heightening my magic and surpassing what the warlock’s spell had endeavored to destroy.
The warlock’s magic bucked against me, coiling tighter around the queen’s caged power, but I forced my light to spread out, heating it with each breath until it set the veil of death alight, burning and cleaving its way through the putrid netting.
I burned and burned. Divine fire raged around the warlock’s spell, singeing and destroying every single bit of its essence.
A sound came from the queen. A gasp of surprise. A stifled breath.
But I didn’t stop. I called upon everything I had until I’d completely destroyed the evil magic that resided within her, consuming every last speck of the black magic until nothing was left but smoke and ash.
Gasping, I stumbled back, my affinity sucking back inside me so quickly that a wave of dizziness swept over me.
Norivun caught me, holding me up just as the queen bolted upright in bed.
My eyes drooped, and my chest heaved. My angel affinity spiraled back inside me, coiling into that dense power of light and dark before nestling between my shoulder blades once more.
“My love?” Norivun said softly.
I gulped in deep breaths. The destruction of the queen’s caged power happened so quickly that my head spun. I swayed despite Norivun’s grip.
The prince’s strong arms wrapped around my waist, and he held me close. The scent of cedar and snow enclosed me.
“By the realms, Ilara, you didit,” he exclaimed, his words thick. “Youdidit.”
I lifted my head to see pride shining in Matron Olsander’s expression, but more than that greeted me.
Queen Lissandra sat up in bed, her eyes wide open, her body glowing with health, her wings whole and strong. Black hair, vibrant and shiny, hung down her back as straight as an arrow.
Tears filled her eyes. “Ilara,” she whispered. “You sweet girl. I can’t believe it, you—” The queen stumbled to a stand. Laughter spilled from her lips. She embraced me, and a wave of tiredness dashed through me again, but I hugged her tightly in return.
“Ilara.” She grinned. “Oh, Ilara, yousavedme.”
Magic stole over me as she gripped me tighter, and then something brushed against my Shield. A kind hand, a gentle touch. Frowning, I lowered my Shield slightly.
The queen’s voice whispered in my mind,“Thank you, my sweet darling. Thank you!”
I stumbled back, my eyes widening. The queen’s grin stretched wide before the feel of her psychic affinity withdrew.
“Mother?” Norivun said, his head cocking. Hope billowed from him along our bond.
Nuwin dashed to the queen’s side, and he whooped in delight. “Mother, your aura, it’s the way it used to be!”
“It is.” An explosion of magic barreled out of the queen. Young children danced at our sides. Flowers twisted along her chamber’s ceiling. Grass sprouted from the stone floors as petals drifted in the air, landing on the queen’s bed, rug, and chairs. Everywhere was vibrant light, bright sunshine, and peals of laughter.
I gasped. “Is this an illusion?”
The queen clasped my hands. “Yes, Ilara darling. It’smyillusion. This is how I feel right now. Because of you, because of what you just did. I’mfree.”
The queen laughed again. Joy spilled from her lips as she twirled in a circle. She clasped my hands and pulled me with her. Our midnight hair shone in the lights while rose petals kissed our cheeks before fluttering to the floor.
I laughed with her, and we twirled and twirled, doing endless circles until my stomach hurt from laughing so hard, and my head spun with dizziness.
And when we stopped, the queen’s skirts rustled along the floor before she gripped me again. She hugged me so tightly my breath stopped. “Thankyou, you beautiful, amazing, brave girl.”
