Silver fire exploded out of my palms and struck two of them, the ones who had slit Snow’s neck. They screamed, and the acrid smell of burning flesh stung my nostrils. My eyes blazed as I watched, horrified at what I was capable of, while two of the Shadow Guard were enveloped in sheets of blazing silver fire.
Immediately my shield was bombarded with red bolts of energy, and I was momentarily pushed back. I turned my gaze on the rest of the Shadow Guard, who still moved toward me.
My eyes narrowed as I strengthened my shield and moved toward them. They may have been men once, but the dark magic that they practiced had changed their features. Soulless eyes, black as night, and white, paper-thin skin barely covered the last vestiges of humanity that they had left.
The Shadow Guard were relentless and powerful, but with my amulet gone, my shield was slowly becoming impenetrable. Strikes of red energy blasted at me and bounced away.
I looked down. My feet were inches from the ground. I could feel the magic in the air all around me, helping me. I was now completely surrounded by the Shadow Guard, who desperately tried to get through my shield.
I was filled with an overwhelming need for revenge for what they’d done to Snow and Kalen. I gathered my magic, letting it flow through me in a surge of unfettered power.
The lingering Shadow Guard shrieked in terror when I unleashed the full intensity of my powers and struck them down with wave after wave of silver fire until there was nothing left of them except smoke and ashes.
Return of The Dark Queen
I ran over and checked Kalen’s pulse. It was faint, but he would live. Snow, on the other hand, looked like she had breathed her last. I left Kalen and knelt next to Snow, tears streaming down my face as I held her lifeless head in my arms. She had no pulse, and there was so much blood. What was the use of all my powers if I couldn’t save the ones I loved?
I buried my face in her mane and wept. My mind ran through everything I had learned in healing class. I had to try to do something; maybe she wasn’t completely gone.
I put my hand over the gash on her throat and proceeded to try to heal her. I opened myself to the power around me and channeled it into Snow. She was still lifeless, and I concentrated harder, searching around in her body, concentrating on trying to find some sort of life to start the healing. After an agonizing few moments of frantic examining, I found it, a faint flicker of white light. It was like a silk thread, so fine that I had to strain to catch it.
I concentrated harder and pushed more magic into Snow. My hands started glowing, and slowly whatever I was doing began to work. Veins mended themselves, muscle and tendons regrew. Bit by agonizing bit, Snow’s neck began to heal.
Suddenly the deep voice in my head spoke, and this time it was even more urgent. “Stop this, Aurora. It is forbidden.”
I stopped, but only for a moment. I then continued my healing as I spoke. “If I can use my powers to heal her, why shouldn’t I try?”
“The pegasus is on the threshold to the otherworld. If you bring her back now, and I am not sure that even your powers are strong enough to accomplish this task, there will be a price to pay,” said the voice sternly.
“Then I will pay it,” I said stubbornly, refusing to listen. “If I can somehow heal Snow and bring her back, it will be worth it.”
“Then let it be so!” said the deep rumbling voice. “But you have been warned, Princess Aurora. This kind of magic always demands consequences.”
I was determined not to let Snow die. “I will deal with it when the time comes.”
The voice was silent again.
I turned my concentration back to what I was doing. My magic was healing Snow’s neck, and now the last bits of tendon, muscle, and skin were reforming. I pushed more healing power into Snow, and her eyelids fluttered. I sagged with relief and decided it was all worth it when Snow opened her eyes, got up, and shook her beautiful white mane.
“Thank you, Princess,” she said simply. “But I fear you don’t fully understand the magnitude of what you have done. The magic you performed here has never been performed before. Even Auraken Firedrake was never able to successfully bring someone back from the otherworld.”
I laughed with joy, and happy tears rolled down my face. I didn’t care. I had done it. Morgana was gone, and Snow was alive.
“What have you done?” said Kalen, horrified, scrambling over the stone courtyard toward me.
I looked up at his terrified face. I was relieved that he was all right.
“This is dark magic, Princess,” he said, shaking his head, “and all dark magic comes at a cost.”
“I know, but if it comes to that, I will deal with the consequences.”
Kalen raised an eyebrow. “You may not be the one who has to pay the price.”
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!” Rafe rushed over to me, closing the distance between us in a few huge strides. He pulled me toward him, and I let myself melt into the safety of his arms and rested my head upon his chest.
“Are you all right?” He gently kissed the top of my head and smoothed my hair.
“Sort of,” I mumbled
