She then flaps them swiftly, punching a hard gust against his face. Aeron feels his waist for a dagger, he swoops underneath her, grapples her neck, and stabs her back.
The fairy yowls in pain, falling to the ground. “Hurry, she isn’t dead yet,” Aeron shouts down at me. I roll over to my side and make my way toward the twitching fairy.
I slice her neck and hold up a glass capsule for her blood to drip into. Once I have enough, I plop the lid shut. Holding my dagger in hand, I stab both of her hearts as she bursts into glitter. I hold it up. I can’t believe it, I’m one step closer to saving Donovan and Jared.
“Awesome. All we need is a corrupt shifter’s tooth, a mermaid’s scale, and an elf’s heart.” Aeron floats down.
Our group meets in the middle of the street. Soon we’re surrounded by masked people. Dawn struts through toward me. She throws my broomstick on the ground.
In her grip she twirls around a hooked sword, with sharp blades along the metal. Dawn winks at us. Her group rushes toward Charlotte and Rissa; they run away down the street. The witch hunters chuck a net ball at Jax and Aeron, shocking them.
“See, I knew you knew what I was talking about.” Dawn narrows her eyes, twirling the whipping blade Her red crop top is soaked from the rain.
I glance over at Jax and Aeron twitching in pain in the net.
“I don’t get this, Dawn. I really don’t,” I say. My friends have been attacked. I step forward, grabbing my broomstick. I notice Dawn’s left eye flickering a slight purple. I know this isn’t my friend acting this way. She’s slowly becoming corrupt, but she has a pure heart, so she just needs a little bit of a push back to her pure self.
“What’s to get? You were born to kill mystics. I was born to kill witches.” Her boots crunch on the gravel. Glass shatters from the mystics wreaking havoc.
I hear their snickers as they run around in the homes of innocent people. I hear the screams of the taunted humans, the cries of their children pulling on my ears. Dawn finds this funny, she couldn’t care less, Christian’s done something to her. I know it’s him. It has to be.
Dawn smirks. She sprints forward, leaping on the cars and rolling onto the ground for me.
Have it your way.
I lunge forth, clicking my broomstick on, my purple sword appears. She swipes for my head with the sword in her right hand, I move to the side.
Dawn then swishes the sword in her left for my legs. I hop and kick her shoulder. She stumbles back and then our weapons cling and clank as we block several blows. I twirl around, smashing one of her swords onto the ground.
Dawn kicks me away against a car.
She smashes the car’s window, missing my neck. I’m elbowed in the chest. I release a grunt and she brings down her sword. I block her weapon with my broomstick, kneeing her gut. She’s moved back by force, but hooks my waist with her weapon, pulling me in.
“You can do better,” she says, eyeing me.
I swipe my sword toward her neck, but a clang echoes through the street. Block after block she prevents me from attacking her. I side-step, duck, and punch her with the side of my hand. I bring down my sword, but both of hers hook mine in place.
She quickly twists her hands and breaks my sword.
My broomstick vibrates and then bursts apart, blasting me away. Dawn appears from the smoke, swiping her swords for me once more. I duck and dodge as quickly as I can. It was like she knew my every move and I knew hers. She knees my stomach, I hold out my hands and block the attack. We both leap into the air. I execute a roundhouse kick. Dawn holds onto my ankle and spins me around to the ground.
She holds me still and waits. I sense something aiming for me. I hold up my hand, grabbing a dart that someone threw at me. I glance up at her, pressing my lips tightly. I toss the dart away, then grip her wrists and twist, releasing her weapons. I turn around and kick her away. Dawn holds up her fists and positions herself for anything.
Our clothes rustle with our movements, the flames are crackling, and our footsteps burn against the street. I hear her deep breaths as she dodges my punches. Dawn grips my wrist and twists me around, chucking me against a car. She brings up her foot and pushes against my chest. I grab her ankle as she spirals in the air, falling to the ground. I roll over to her, getting on top. I need to find a way to snap her out of this corruption.
I punch her face, tears trickling from my eyes. I frown, holding up her head and smashing it against the street. Her mouth gapes open, the purple that once was in her glare fades away. Her head lays against the street. I feel her neck for a pulse; she’s still alive. I hope that was enough. Dropping out from underneath her jacket are two bottles. I hold them up to my eyes, it’s a shifter’s tooth and a mermaid’s scale. I tuck the ingredients she had away.
All I need is the heart of an elf.
There’s a loud boom from within the forest behind the city’s buildings, another behind the homes. Purple light blasts throughout the city and the mystics that cause havoc stop what they’re doing. Mermaids, elves, fairies, and shifters all take to the streets and run toward the purple light that beams in the city.
Dawn’s gang members run away after seeing her and me fight. My broomstick is broken, it feels like a part of me has died. The silver markings on my arms and neck fade away slowly. I cough through the smoke, kneeling down to help Aeron and Jax. I free them from the net, they’re both knocked out. The wind is heavy and warm, the smell of rotten flesh enters my nose.
Rissa and Charlotte return with what’s left of the Shade. Alice trudges through the cars and crumbled buildings. Her eyes wandering across my face. “She tried to kill me. My best friend.” I shake in place, my voice quaking. I glance down at Dawn. “She tried to kill me,” I repeat.
“She was in Ravamere far too long. The corruption was getting to her.”
I clear my throat. “I have the ingredients…all I need is an elf’s heart.” I hold up the glowing capsules and hand them to Charlotte.
“We have Jared and Donovan ready to go back to Ravamere,” Alice says.
A fairy from the Shade flies toward our group.
“It’s Christian.” The fairy looks startled. “He’s broken free from Ravamere.”
Chapter 33
The fairy who delivers the message flies off against the wind and into the trees. It was only a matter of time until Christian broke through the portal. If the Shade can hold off his mystics from killing everyone—I look around, well, at least what’s left of the Shade—then I can probably get to him and end his games for good. I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’m half elf, I’m half mystic, I’m a myth. It’s up to me to get rid of Christian.
It’s up to me to save everyone and everything out there.
My boots crunch forward. Just down the street, the moon’s glare shines on the very elf everyone’s afraid of. His clothing is torn up and his hair unmanaged for the first time. His teeth are sharp, his eyes a deep purple. Saliva drips from the ends of his teeth. He stares down at us all. His markings are no longer green; they’re a Ravamere purple. He’s taken all of the darkness he was trapped in. He’s become dark himself. Far more evil than my father, far more corrupt than any living dark mystic.
He’s the meaning of hell, he’s the burning fire in a sun, the molten lava in a volcano. The monster in the closet kids are haunted by. He’s Christian. I was trapped in his manipulation, locked up from his persuasion, held captive from the words he spoke to me; mindless from his charm. My heart begins to beat, my veins pulse with energy. I feel my hair freezing into blonde.
“What about the pure heart? Dawn and Jared both have one,” I say in a hurried tone.
“Eliza, you know what you have to do. It’s the only way to be free from Christian and stop all of this,” Alice says. It’s true I did know what I needed to do. It involves choosing, it involves sacrificing. The choice of saving a life or letting it go. If I choose one, will I get the other?
“Get them to Ravamere—the portal is open.” I
watch Christian walk down the street. He’s smirking, waving his hands. Hundreds of corrupt mystics dart down the street for us. They climb on building walls, throwing innocents out of windows to die. Fairies fly through the sky, spreading their intoxicating dust, mermaids ice up the place and shifters slither, roar, and howl down the city.
Alice and the rest of the Shade take cover in the forest nearby. Soon, they all disappear into the shadows.
Did you miss me? I hear his thoughts.
I sense his anger and corruption. I take to the walls of a nearby building, releasing a sigh. I climb up the building with ease, my markings vibrating and my blood pumping. Christian begins to chase after me…he climbs up on a wall as well.
He knows he needs to kill me so he can take over this world without my interference.
I land on the rooftop, circling around. Failure to act on things only leaves me vulnerable for attack. Christian’s boots crunch on the ground. I turn to him. His monstrous face glares at me as he walks.
“I thought we were going to be together.” His purple markings glow in the night, the ground rumbles softly. I splay my fingers slightly. “I thought you were falling for me. Was that a lie?” He tilted his head to the side. “We’re meant for each other, Eliza. I love you.” Christian’s dark, deep voice crawls over me. I step back, bumping into the edge of the rooftop.
I breathe through my nose, sweat racing down the side of my face. In the corner of my eye, I notice Charlotte and Rissa walking in the forest. I have to be the one to stop Christian. I have to be the one to change everything.
“You’re evil and corrupt. We’re never going to be meant for each other.” My voice growls low, I twist around. My hands are freezing, they’re glowing green and my hair is waving around. I raise my hands gracefully and construct a magical bow of light. I’ve had it all along inside. I guess that’s what trusting instinct is all about, this is what Mom tried to prep me for.
Christian sidesteps a green arrow moving at the speed of lightning. It zaps the ground behind him. “That’s what lovers do, they fight but eventually get together.” He frowns at me. “It’s too bad that you’re too much to deal with, I’m going to have to get you out of the way for good.” Christian shakes his head. “I didn’t want this, I wanted us to be together, to rule everything.” He turns to the city, but I don’t lose focus. I pull back the glowing string of my bow and fire at his back.
Christian blinks from sight in purple dust, I sense him behind me, he attempts to grapple my neck but I duck, dodging out of the way and kicking him over the edge of the rooftop. He blinks again, saving himself. I roll to the ground, just in time for him to appear, smashing the ground for me.
My bow fades away. I splay my fingers, raising a sharp root from the street. It clings on the side of the building we’re on. A green leafy snake arrives at my side, the wind blows my hair around. Several flying leaves from the trees circle above us.
I narrow my eyes as my snake and root strike for him. The leaves morph into green blades, they shoot for him, cutting the side of his neck and his arms. He flicks up his hands and burns the root and snake in purple flames. He appears in front of me.
I punch the side of his face with a blow. It does nothing to him. He grins devilishly. He chokes me, lifting me up to the sky.
I wrap my legs around his neck, releasing a grunt. I tighten my legs, cracking his neck as he falls to the ground. I land safely next to him.
He gets up and releases a roaring scream.
“Your manipulation will not work, nor will your persuasion attempts. I have grown to be one with myself.” I speak as I spread out my arms and circle slowly. “I’m free from you and your tricks.” The wind halts and the sound of the flames silences.
Christian’s mystics rise up from the darkness around us, climbing up on the building. I crouch, glaring at them all and their leader. I flip backward, running toward the edge and leaping from the roof onto another. I sprint toward the forest in front of me.
I jump off the rooftop, gripping hold of a staircase. I run down an alley, hearing the mystics shout my name. I take cover in the forest, my green markings helping me see my way through. Christian lands in front of me. I hold up the side of my arm, blocking his attack. He grabs my hair and chucks me against the trunk of a tree.
I slash my hand against the side of his face, just as quick as a knife’s blade it burns his skin. I whirl around, kicking him away from me. I raise my hands elegantly. Trees cross in front of him; I punch my hands in the air again. This time, two vines rise, nice and sharp. They puncture his chest and constrict around his neck. Christian releases a gargling laugh. Purple light explodes from his chest, the vines burn off from him. He drops to the ground, weak from the fight.
“Why can’t you just accept that I can’t be killed?” He chuckles.
“Haven’t you heard of instinct? Have you accepted who you are?” I say, stepping through the foliage. “You haven’t accepted either of the two. This makes it much easier than you think to kill you.” I feel my eyes glow, my hands move around, constructing the magical bow once more.
I rapidly fire off two green blazed arrows. They force him against a large tree, preventing him from escaping. There’s a blaze within me flickering on. I don’t feel my myth forced upon me, I don’t feel anything but my own actions. Christian’s enraged face fades away. He’s blank, unaware of what’s coming. He’s worried, something that’s making Christian weak.
I sense his emotions. “Wow, you’re afraid,” I whisper, tilting my head up.
I narrow my eyes. Weeds and roots slither around him, baring his chest for me. The wind picks back up, the night crawling between us.
I place my hand on his chest. Our freeze burns my hands, I wince at the pain. I shut my eyes and pull on the strands in my thoughts. I force through the wall of my consciousness and open my eyes.
His screams are nothing to me at this point. His mouth gapes, his purple eyes beam against me. I glance down at my hand, it’s inside his chest. I feel what I want. I hear him choking for air. “I’m going to be needing this to fix the shit you’ve caused,” I hiss, pulling out his beating heart. Christian lifts his gaze up at me, his skin cracking into thin lights of pale purple.
I step back, my hands bloody and the warm air punching my face. I turn around at the mystics who watch me. I lift my hand. Roots wrap around their ankles and branches hold their arms. A clap of thunder sounds through the still area.
“No!” I hear his voice crack, echoing across the lands.
An explosion of purple light blasts from behind me, my heart stops beating for a second.
I drop to the ground, struggling to breathe. I find my breath, coughing. I turn around to nothing but purple dust on the tree bark.
***
I’ve never been so free. Everything that was ever inside of me was let loose when I killed him. I have nothing to be afraid of now that he’s out of my life. Corruption is still spreading, I’m responsible for stopping it. My boots squish against the moist dirt in the tunnels of the Shade. I make my way to the bowl where Akamu is standing with Audrey. The rest are waiting for me in Ravamere with my brother and the one I love the most.
Akamu is aware of what has been done, a worried grin sparks across his face. I don’t know if I’m okay or if I’ve done the worst. What if killing Christian has caused a darkness inside of me? I blink, standing in front of the two.
Audrey takes the bloody heart from my hands and rushes over to a bubbling cauldron. She plops it into the liquid. Akamu turns around and attends to the potion. Purple, blue, green, and orange lights sparkle on the surface of the liquid. He hums a soft, haunting melody. Dipping a spoon into the bowl, he places the potion into a capsule and hands it to me.
“Why are you only giving me one capsule?” I say. “I need to save both Donovan and my brother.” I eye him.
“You’ve only given me one elf’s heart,” he says.
“This pot is filled with potion. You mean to tell me it won’
t save both of them?” I move him aside and dip a capsule into the pot. I fix the capsules in my pocket and leave to the tunnels.
“You can only save one, Eliza,” Akamu shouts out from behind.
The portal to Ravamere is in front of me. I glare around at my condo. I remember my mother cooking her spaghetti just right over there in the kitchen, and my best friend and I chilling on the couch. I don’t know why tears are sliding down my cheeks. I breathe in, knowing it’s time.
I press my palm on the wall where the portal is hidden. My skin burns and the feeling of fireworks boom against my chest. I’m pulled into the world of corruption.
I roll down against the mud, gathering myself up. The clouds are dark and lightning strikes. The mansion I was trapped in is lit with purple flames. I brush through the rough bark of trees around me. I race out onto the warm, bubbling mud. Alice and Rissa are standing outside waiting.
“They’re inside, you only have a few minutes,” Alice says.
I nod, entering inside the mansion. On the floor lies Jared and Donovan, their bodies cold and lifeless. The tears are coming back now. I fall down to my knees, placing my hand on Jared’s chest. My lips tremble as I pull out the capsule, looking at it for a few seconds. The leaves outside are rustling and the mansion creaks.
I study between the two. There’s Donovan, the witch I grew to love. He’s my stubborn hero. He’s saved me more times than I can think of and he was there when I was going through my change. Then of course, there’s Jared, the cat I’ve loved from the beginning. He knew about all of this except part of his memories were wiped. He protected me just as much as Donovan did. He kept things from me for my safety. He looked out for me first instead of himself. How could I ever not choose him to save? How can I make the decision who to save and who to kill?
Magical (Mystical Series Book 3) Page 23