For a moment, I nearly pull away, my fear too strong.But then, from somewhere deep within, a quiet strength surfaces. It overpowers the fear, steadying my resolve. My fingers move again, closing the final distance between me and the bundle of roses.
My breath hitches. I brace myself for the impossible—for my body to stiffen, my skin to harden into lifeless stone.
But the transformation never comes.
There’s no pain or loss of consciousness, even as my fingers touch the delicate petals. An audible gasp sounds behind me, followed by, “Impossible.”
But it’s not impossible. The magic of the flowers has no effect on me since it’s no longer in the hands of a monster looking to destroy us. Because that’s what it is. Living, breathing magic. Not a curse. A solution. One that taunted the demons, but a solution nonetheless.
I stand tall and move to the edge of the river. Gently, I pluck the roses from their thorny stems, setting them down next to me. I can’t help but think of my sister and her love of roses. They were never a curse for her, not like Oziel viewed them. They always brought her happiness.
Perhaps the true magic depends on who wields the roses and their intentions. I want to heal this land. Save my husband. There’s no future without Oziel—I see this now.
The five buds in my hand hardly seem enough to heal an entire river, but I don’t let the doubts overcome me a second time. One by one, I crush each flower between my hands, until the petals all separate, and drop them into the river. I do this five times until nothing remainsin my hand.
Bright pink petals float in the black water. Oziel once told me the river ran red, and the hum of power could be felt all throughout the kingdom. I want to see that for myself, experience River Hel in all its glory.
At first, when the petals do little more than float, a trickle of doubt creeps back into my mind. Before I can spiral, one at a time, each petal dissolves into the river, making a sizzling and crackling sound as they disappear before my eyes. The wind picks up, my hair blowing behind my shoulders as the ground begins to shake as if reacting to the magic, gently at first, and then harder until it feels more like an earthquake.
“Cover the queen!” someone yells before I’m dragged away from the river’s edge, shoved between demons as the world feels like it’s about to split in two. The sheer force has me stumbling and grabbing on to the nearest guard. Delmare and Allarick both shield Erin, her eyes wide with fear.
What did I do? I messed with magic I had no business messing with. This doesn’t feel like I’ve saved my kingdom. No, this feels like I’ve damned them all over again.
As abruptly as it began, the shaking ceases, leaving me dizzy and unsteady. A strange lightness fills my limbs, as if the ground has momentarily vanished beneath me.
“Look!” exclaims the demon I’m still clinging to, his voice edged with urgency. He points at something behind me, eyes wide with shock.
I take a steadying breath, forcing myself to find my balance before turning to see what hascaptured their attention. As my gaze lands on the river, a jolt of disbelief shoots through me. My expression mirrors the astonishment of those around me.
I’m no longer looking at a black, poisoned river. Instead, I look upon a river where the water runs as red as roses, buzzing with energy I have never felt before. The color is breathtaking, but the power it emits also leaves me breathless. It feels like a living entity—powerful, determined, resilient. The surface glitters as if thanking me for restoring it.
“You did it,” Erin says from somewhere behind me. “Isabelle, you did it!”
“I—”
My words are cut off by a loud splash and the sound of someone gasping for breath. No, not just someone…two someones. They emerge from the river, arms stretched up to the sky as if they were trying to get out for a long time. I’ve seen these demons before, back when Oziel first explained the curse upon the kingdom. He had shown me two stone statues at the bottom of the river.
Well, they certainly aren’t statues anymore.
“Go to them!” I shout at the guards surrounding me, and they quickly spring into action, running to help the two demons out of the water. Oziel thought the River Hel would cure the demons, and he was right. The two gasping for breath a few feet in front of me are proof.
It’s like a fire is lit beneath me as I desperately look around for something to capture the water in. As if sensing what I’m looking for, Erin reaches into herpocket and pulls out a small vial of what looks like perfume.
“I started carrying this with me a while back when I surfaced after someone made a comment about a fishy smell. Here, take it. Fill it up and take it to Oziel. We’ll be right behind you,” she promises.
A truly selfless queen would shake her head and declare that her people must always come first. And while I won’t forget them, because I fully intend to help them, I can’t pretend to be that kind of ruler. Because I am selfish.
Oziel comes first.
And he always will.
“Thank you.” I snatch the bottle from her, quickly open it and spill the contents onto the ground before running to the water. I don’t even think about the consequences of touching the river as I dunk my hand in to fill up the vial. Luckily, there are none other than chilly water. It doesn’t take long, and, once full, I inspect the bottle. It’s not much, but I hope it’s enough to bring Oziel back to me.
With water from River Hel in my hands, I turn back toward my castle and run to my husband.
I’m coming, Oziel, and I will save you.
Chapter 39
