AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I met her eyes. How could she think of leaving at a time like this?
“Jasmine will wake up,” she said as though she could read my mind. “We must get her out of here before the queen comes.”
I felt guilty for my thoughts toward Brigid. She was Jasmine’s friend; she was thinking of her first.
“I...” I said. “She is shaking.”
Cari’s brows tightened. Her hand still on Jasmine, she closed her eyes and went searching. I had seen Jasmine do that same thing so many times that now, I knew precisely what Cari was doing.
“I can’t hear her thoughts,” she mumbled without opening her eyes. “She is... She is changing.”
“Changing into what?” Brigid asked. She sounded worried. I shared her concern.
“Herself,” Cari mumbled again. “She...”
She couldn’t finish her sentence. I felt something against my left palm, where I was holding her limp body. It was a warm sensation that grew into a painful pinch, and I had to move my hand to see what it was.
Jasmine did not move as I placed her on the ground and made her sit. A light grew from her back. It was a purple light that felt familiar, but...
“She’s growing her wings,” Cari said, finally letting go of Jasmine and meeting my eyes. “She is free at last.”
It made no sense. Jasmine had always been free. Freedom suited her. She would never have it any other way.
But what Cari said was true. Jasmine’s wings darted up from her back and grew. Instinctually, my eyes darted down to her face for a second to see if she was the one unleashing her wings, but she hadn’t woken up.
“The block on her magic is going away quickly,” Cari said.
“What does that mean?” I asked. “What block?”
“The block that her stepmother put,” Cari replied. “She’s whole again now that she got rid of it.”
Jasmine’s wings were fully unleashed now. Purple, just like her hair, the wings were elegant with markings on them.
“We should go,” Brigid repeated.
She was right. Jasmine was only sleeping, tired because she had done something marvelous like she always did. She had to rest. And while she did, it was up to us to protect her.
“Let’s go,” I said, taking Jasmine in my arms to carry her outside. I made sure not to disturb her newly unleashed wings, but the warmth that emanated from them told me they could take the pressure.
Her wings, like her, were strong.
“Where do we go?” Cari asked.
“I thought you couldn’t leave?” Brigid said to her.
“I can no longer feel the barrier,” Cari replied. “If you don’t want me to come with you, I can...”
“You are coming with us,” I told her. There was no room for discussion. “We might need your help with Jasmine.”
I waited for her to object, to say that I was not in a position to order her around. But Cari, despite the tightening of her brows, nodded gravely.
“I can open a portal,” the monster-man spoke. “It will make us get out of here as quickly as possible.”
“Who are you?” Cari asked. “How do we know we can trust you?”
It was odd coming from her.
“Gethin,” he replied. “I was a champion, and then...”
