Oh, no. I’m not interested in being tangled up in any more prophecies. At this rate, there won’t be anything left of me.
Mrs. Fox swats him over his head with her towel. “Not now. Can’t you see the poor souls are tired? Rest. When the sun rises, we will explain.”
“We’re just trying to get to the Grimm brothers,” I whisper as my eyes slide closed, once, twice... then sweet oblivion.
Chapter
Twenty-Six
The burden of responsibility presses down on my shoulders, a relentless weight that threatens to fracture my very being. My hair whips in the biting wind, each strand a thousand icy needles pricking at my cheeks as I lift my face to the ominous, brooding sky. Above me, the clouds writhe and shift, a dark figure slinking through the gloom, trailing malice in its wake. A searing fire streaks through the murky air, clawing at the delicate threads of the frozen peace, heralding the devastating storms of chaos to come.
An enormous cracked mirror sits before me, its presence a stark contrast to the surrounding nature. I step closer. It is in that heart-stopping moment, with the storm’s fury swirling around me, that I glimpse my reflection—a silver and onyx crown, heavy and sinister, gracing my brow. A chilling realization washes over me; I am not merely a victim of fate, but a queen ensnared by a destiny of darkness.
My fingers trail over the cracks.
“Eron?” I whisper.
Pain, sharp and jarring, slices across the pad of my index finger, making me jerk my hand away. Blood smears across themirror, and a distorted cackle splits the air. The wildlife stills in the presence of Malice as her face appears before me.
“Their hearts are a burden,” she sneers. “You aren’t strong enough to do what is needed. Give me that power, and I’ll see it through.”
I take a step back, shaking my head. “No. You cannot be trusted with any power. Love is not a burden, it is a gift.”
“If that is true, why do they hide secrets from you?”
She’s trying to get under my skin. It’s not like we’ve had many turns of down time to share our secrets.
I smile sadly at her. I think she’s been scorned, and that has made her bitter. Only broken love can destroy someone’s soul. If you are lucky, you might survive it and try again. Many don’t.
I turn away from the mirror, shielding my face from her. My heart twists inside my chest. “I trust them,” I mumble.
“Foolish,” she snarls before her malevolent presence lifts from the world. I glance over my shoulder to find the mirror and Malice have disappeared.
My gaze finds a dragon soaring through the sky once more. A destructive force of nature unleashed on the world.
Sometimes you have to burn it to the ground to raise a new and better world.
At what cost?
Does it matter? Only when you’ve lost everything can you appreciate what you have. Sweep away the detritus and your true self will become clear.
I blink as I argue with the unseen voice. My chest expands, and four heart beats vibrate through my veins, each forming a connection with my soul that is unbreakable.
No, Daphne, not unbreakable.
That sounds like a threat.
An option.
I spin in place, squinting at the dark forest. Where are you?
Everywhere. That’s the wrong question.
Who are you?
Better. But still not right. You aren’t ready.
For what?
