Chapter 38
Isabelle
Delmare leaves to round up guards back at the castle.
Everyone seems concerned by the fact I don’t have a fleet of guards following me wherever I go.
That seems dreadfully suffocating, though I admit it would have helped out when Garvan kidnapped me and tossed me into a chest as if I were nothing but an old blanket to be discarded at will.
“I'm usually with Oziel or Garvan. Even when I walked the castle, Oziel usually knew where I was. He has a freaky connection to the castle,” I explain.
Erin seemed to understand, but Allarick didn’t look convinced that was the best choice, which is why he sent Delmare to bring back a fleet. I wonder if he fears there will be more attacks. If the River Hel isn’t cured, what will become our new reality?
As we wait for their guard to return, I take the opportunity to fill Allarick and Erin in about the roses and the start of the curse in the kingdom. But keeping my gaze on Erin for too long is nearly impossible, weighed down by the crushing secret I’m keeping from her.
Every fiber of my being screams to confess—to spill the truth about what I’ve done, but I force myself to stay silent. The warmth in her eyes only intensifies the turmoil twisting inside me, making it even harder to hold my composure.
Now isn’t the time to lose focus. We’re not safe yet.
And Oziel… Oziel is lost to me.
“So, you said everyone who has touched the roses has turned to stone?” Erin asks slowly, as if she’s still wrapping her head around everything. I don’t blame her. It’s a lot, even for me. “And when a petal falls, they also turn to stone?"
“I haven’t actually seen it, but yeah. That’s what Oziel said. Garvan made comments about it too, though he was able to touch them,” I explain.
“Because he was the harbinger of the curse, which probably explains why poisoning the river didn’t seem to have any negative effect on him.
The Nephilim seek out those with the most malice in their heart and those easy to corrupt to do their bidding,” Allarick murmurs, seemingly lost in thought.
His arms are crossed over his chest, and his fingers gently strum against his biceps absentmindedly.
After a moment, he finally says, “I’m not sure it’s wise to risk you touching the roses. ”
My face flushes with anger. “I’m not asking for permission,” I snap, the stress and events of the day boiling over. “I can’t just sit here and do nothing. Ender wouldn’t have chosen me if he didn’t think I could help.”
“And if you're wrong, your kingdom will be more vulnerable than ever before. No leaders will breed chaos. That’s exactly what the Nephilim thrive on,” Allarick argues.
“And my kingdom will be vulnerable if I do nothing!” My words sit between us, heavy and tense. Allarick’s nostrils flare, his body tensing as if bracing for a fight.
Before he can reply, though, Erin reaches out and gently places a hand on his arm. Almost instantly, Allarick’s shoulders relax, and his face softens as he turns toward her. “Yes, Sweet Girl?”
I can’t see his eyes, but I bet they look similar to those cartoon heart eyes. There is so much love in the way he looks at her, I feel like I’m intruding on an intimate moment. Still, I can’t look away.
“Isabelle is right. Ender brought us all here for a reason. If there’s one thing I know for certain, it’s to trust your heart.
That’s what led me back to you, knowing you needed me, even when you thought the best thing for me was to be far away.
If Isabelle believes this is what she must do, then we can’t stand in her way.
Instead, we have to assist in any way we can,” Erin says.
I wait for Allarick to lash out. To tell Erin she doesn’t know what she’s talking about. And for her to cower before him. Perhaps I’m still thinking of the lost and beaten girl James turned her into.
Allarick’s hand reaches up, and I flinch, ready to attack the kraken king if he thinks he can hit Erin in front of me. But instead of hard, fast hands, he reaches out and caresses her cheek affectionately. “How did you become so wise, Sweet Girl?”
“I married a sweet and gentle kraken who gave me the opportunity to grow and heal at my own pace.” She smiles.
Now I know for certain I’m intruding on something.
Rustling behind Erin and Allarick signals Delmare’s arrival. He’s flanked by four other guards, all demons I’ve seen around the castle, but I don’t know their names. Definitely something I need to change after this.
As one, the four demons bow to me. When they straighten and take in my surroundings—including a very dead Garvan—I can see the unasked questions on their faces.
“Garvan betrayed our kingdom,” I announce, making sure my words are heard, and no one can mistake them.
“He was the traitor poisoning River Hel, and he died a traitor. King Oziel…” My voice breaks on my husband’s name.
I was doing so damn well until this moment.
The severity of the situation truly settles in, along with the new responsibilities thrust upon me. It’s…a lot. Too much.
“King Oziel,” I try again, managing to keep the tremor out of my voice, “has fallen victim to the curse.”
At that proclamation, the guards’ eyes widen. Clearly, nobody has discovered his body. He’s alone, in his office, a man of stone. My heart aches for him.
“We stand with you, my queen,” a feminine voice speaks, followed by the grunts of the other guards.
My body sags in relief. Part of me was afraid they wouldn’t stand with a human queen. I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear their belief in me.
“Stay with your queen,” Delmare barks. The older guard isn’t fazed by the cold looks the demons are giving him, but none of them look keen on arguing with him either.
“What do you need from us?” Erin pulls my attention back to her.
“If this doesn’t work—”
“It’s going to work,” Erin interrupts me.
“But if it doesn’t, I need to make sure my kingdom is protected.”
“Done,” Allarick says easily, like he’d have it no other way. “If one kingdom falls, we all fall. Your fight is our fight.”
“Thank you.” Tears sting my eyes, threatening to fall. I can’t fall apart now, not when I’m needed the most.
As Erin said, I need to trust my heart. Right now, it’s telling me to follow my plan. Even if it sounds crazy. It is, but that doesn’t mean it won’t work. With my mind made up, I turn my back to everyone, training my eyes on the bouquet lying on the ground, calling to me like a flame to a moth.
The first step is the hardest. My entire body aches. The initial rush of adrenaline is now fading, leaving behind a trail of soreness from today’s events. Every movement sends a sharp reminder of what I endured, but I force myself to push past the discomfort.
I move forward, drawn toward the soft glow of the roses. Kneeling before them, I hesitate, my hand hovering just above the delicate petals. Fear tightens around my chest, whispering doubts and urging me to reconsider. What if I’m wrong? What if I can’t save the demons’ kingdom?
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 remains in 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 has captured 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 her pocket 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.