Darcy appears in front of me, pushing Iona out of the way.
"Isla!" she shouts. "Snap out of it!" A sharp pain smashes across my cheek as she slaps me. I growl and instinctually wrap my hands tightly around her throat before throwing her to the ground. She looks at me with wide eyes and I take deep breaths and stare at the broken girl.
"You," I whisper, "saved us," I say and walk over to her, extending my hand. She looks at me for a few moments. Her black hair is messy and her skin covered in mud and blood. Her dark red eyes glisten with tears. All this time I thought of her as our enemy but I now see the truth. Her mother had used her and manipulated her mind. I realise now how strong she is. To break free from her mother's curse and to betray her family in order to try and save us. With slight hesitation, she takes my hand and I pull her up, wrapping my arms around her and bursting into tears again.
"Thank you," I say to her. She starts crying too.
"I'm so sorry," she sobs and her body shakes against mine. "For everything. Everything that I've done and said..."
"You have nothing to apologise for," I whisper in her ear as I pull away from our embrace.
"You saved everyone. You were brave enough to fight against your family. We are all grateful to you. It is us who should be apologizing," I say as I step back.
"Thank you," I say again, my voice a little louder. I take a deep breath, looking around the field at everyone. They all look at me and I remember the burning pain in my chest where the Heart of Shadow sits, glowing and beautiful. I am the High Queen now. I have to take control, to help these people. But my eyes fall on Tanya and Toryn who cradle Serenity. I gulp again as my lip quivers and pain rushes through me. Serenity. My beautiful little sister. I close my heavy eyes and take another breath and lick my lips, pushing the feelings of pain down for a moment.
"Collect the two traitors," I order as Eric wakes from unconsciousness. He struggles in his restraints before a shifter tugs him roughly. He shouts through the cloth shoved around his mouth and looks at me angrily. Ignoring him, I look over at Daniel who is sat on the ground by his mother's body. Tears run down his cheeks as he stares blankly at the ground.
"Iona, go to Daniel. Take him away from here," I tell her. She nods and goes over to Daniel. She gently presses a hand on his shoulder but he doesn't move.
"Daniel," she whispers. He leans into her and starts to sob. The two disappear as Iona teleports him away.
"Collect Katrina and put her on a stretcher," I order some of the soldiers. Their armour has changed now the I am bonded with the heart. They wear sleek silver metal breastplates with cloaks of soft blue. Softly, they pick up the two parts of Katrina and place them together on a stretcher. I sink to the ground around her and shake my head as another tear trickles down my cheek.
"I'm sorry," I whisper to her, closing her wide open eyes. I hold my hands over her and form ice around her body, to protect it.
"Do the same for Serenity," I whisper. Tanya screams as they go to lift her.
"No! Don't touch her!" she sobs. I walk over and take hold of my sister, pulling her away. She screams in my arms and tries to get back to Serenity.
"No, let me go! Don't touch her!" she shouts as Serenity is placed on a stretcher,
"Tanya," Toryn whispers and wraps her up in his arms. She sinks into him and sobs. I walk over to Serenity and form an ice shield around her with shaking hands. I stand slowly, unable to look away. General Xavier comes over to me.
YOU ARE READING
Waterfalls
Fantasy"The enemy will always cheat, Isla, you need to be prepared for anything." Isla and her siblings have lived in a cave for as long as they can remember with no memory of how they got there or who they were before. They only remembered two things...
