Chapter 29
Chapter
Twenty-Nine
The ruined City of Water was dark and desolate, consumed by shadows. The buildings that had been tall and pointed, constructed from some sturdy material that shone like steel, now stood lifeless and abandoned.
I shivered as the calm wind whipped around, bringing an eerie silence that settled over the ruins. The silence was a good sign, right? My head whirled in every direction.
Walking through the rubble, we drew closer to the hidden city. We would seek refuge there and depart once Hayden was gone. I intended to speak with Seraphina and Niall, requesting that they remain safe in the hidden city until we came back from the human realm.
Once we passed the city, we would only be a day away from the portal. Willa wanted to “talk” to her sister before handing over the athame.
We made our way through the crumbling streets, our footsteps echoing on the cracked pavement. As we neared the edge of the city, a sudden chill crept up my spine, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I sensed a presence, but I saw no one.
We hurried into the dark forest, searching for the burrow that led into the city. I darted my gaze around, and then I gasped as my eyes locked with sky-blue ones.
We all halted in our tracks, knowing too well it was pointless to run and hide in the city now, only to draw the fairy King’s attention to the hidden location.
Hayden had found us.
I ground my teeth, clenching my jaw.
He had followed Seraphina and somehow crept up on us, followed by a dozen of his warriors. It wasn’t her fault. She had nowhere else to go but to seek cover in the hidden city, hoping to outrun the fairy King.
But it was too late. We would fight them, although they outnumbered us.
The air around me seemed to hum with dark energy as Hayden walked closer, his lips twisted into a wicked smirk. Seeing him made my insides churn, and the unease I felt tightened like a noose around my throat.
"Ah, Willa," he said and kept walking.
My mother intercepted him on his way to me, her short, lithe form standing between us.
"What happened with protecting my daughter, Hayden?" she asked, her voice sharp.
"See, the funny thing about making plans," Hayden said, his grin widening, "is they change, just as I do. And your daughter has been very stubborn, reminding me quite a bit of you."
I couldn’t stop the frown from making an appearance on my face. Next to me, Torin and Robert tensed, on high alert.
“And you remind me of your father,” Willa said, pressing her lips together.
Hayden’s eyes darkened, his smile disappearing.
I watched in horror as my biological mother faced off against Hayden. The former fairy King had never broken the strength within her. She stood proudly before his son, her brown eyes locked on his icy gaze.
"Don't repeat your father's mistakes, young man," she warned, her voice unwavering.
Hayden's eyes narrowed with a hardened expression. "I am not my father, and I will never be like him," he spat.
As the tension between them rose, I wanted to scream to stop this confrontation, but I stood rooted to the spot, unable to move or even look away.
"I want what's rightfully mine," he said and blatantly stared at me.
The frustration inside me flared up, more intense than any flame.
"I won’t belong to you,” I shouted.
Hayden's eyes raked over me as if he were sizing me up. Even though I knew I was no match for him, I could feel the pulsing energy of the witch bracelet spreading up my arm and the unwavering strength of my wolf spirit settling in my bones.
"Brave words, sweetheart," he sneered, his eyes locked on mine. "But we'll see how long that courage lasts when I have you in my grasp."
"You’ll have to go through me to get to my daughter," my mother said.
I sucked in a sharp breath and glanced at Willa. She had sacrificed so much for me and protected me, even while imprisoned.
"Perhaps," Hayden said with a chilling laugh, "that can be arranged."
My heart pounded in my chest as my mother stood her ground against Hayden. No.
But before I could make a move, Willa made hers.
The air around her seemed to crackle with energy—the power she wielded was awakening. She took a defensive stance, her feet planted firmly on the ground, hands raised and ready.
She whispered words, her lips moving with her spell. Her brown hair danced, lifted by a sudden gust of wind. Her white dress billowed out around her.
Hayden's smirk never wavered, his sword already slicing through the air as he charged toward her. He wielded the King’s fairy sword, having taken it from his father.
A wave of dark fairies surged forward, their eyes gleaming with malice, following the actions of their King. Torin growled and drew his sword, meeting the onslaught with a series of swift, precise strikes.
Robert lunged at the nearest fairy guard, knocking him back with a powerful strike of his sharp talons. The witch bracelet spread warmth over my skin, its power thrumming through my veins, and I unleashed a blast of light energy, sending two fairy warriors scattering.
Then my gaze fell on the fight between the wicked King and the light witch. My breath caught in my throat, fear clawing at my insides. My mother was quick on her feet, evading his strikes with an agility that left me in awe.
She pointed her palms toward the ground. The earth beneath them rumbled and trembled, a barrier of soil and rocks rising between her and Hayden. But he only laughed, his sword sweeping through the air with such speed that it crumbled the makeshift wall to dust.
"You're wasting my time, light witch," he sneered, his eyes cold and calculating. "My father was weak and couldn't kill you, but I'm different."
"Are you?" my mother challenged, her voice steady despite the danger she faced. "Could you kill your chosen mate, then?"
His eyes flashed wide briefly before he met her gaze squarely, all traces of amusement gone from his face. His expression settled into a serious mask.
"Of course I could," he replied, his words cutting through me like a knife. "Watch me."
A thousand thoughts raced through my mind. My mother was bluffing, attempting to make Hayden realize his mistake, but instead of remorse, Hayden was even more triggered. Now his frosty gaze aimed at me. What else would he aim at me? His sword?
I clenched my fists at my sides. If he took a step toward me, I would will my whip and lash it at him.
The sounds of our battle drew my attention. Torin’s blade dripped with blood. We dodged and fought, but the fairies were relentless, their numbers seemingly endless.
My heartbeat quickened as I noticed Hayden's eyes become more intense. Suddenly, his free hand reached to the holster around his thigh and pulled out a knife. The cold glint of his silver dagger caused me to suck in a sharp breath.
With a swift motion, he hurled it toward me, its deadly arc slicing through the air. Before I could move a muscle, my mother’s voice echoed around us.
"No," she screamed.
She waved her hands, creating a swirling wind that enveloped the dagger. It thumped to the ground, rendered harmless by her magic. But in that moment, Hayden had used the distraction to his advantage, moving before Willa in an instant.
"As expected, you made a mistake in saving Breanna, leaving yourself open to my attack," he taunted, his evil smile sending shivers down my spine. "Your daughter could have dodged the dagger herself."
My breath caught in my throat as my mother lifted her hands, trying to redirect her magic. But it was too late.
Hayden thrust his sword forward. Her eyes widened, and as the weapon pierced her, a gasp escaped her lips. The blade sank into her heart.
The world seemed to shrink fading into a muted blur as my focus narrowed to a single point—the glint of the sword as it plunged into my mother’s chest. I choked and my scream got trapped in my throat.
For a heartbeat, there was only silence, an emptiness that swallowed all sound until I saw Willa’s mouth move again.
"Indeed, I made a mistake, but my daughter is stronger than you, young King. You will never have her."
Hayden pulled the sword out of her body. Blood soaked her white dress. Time seemed to slow as she fell to her knees, clutching the wound inflicted upon her.
The sight of my mother's pain tore at my soul, and I wanted nothing more than to rush to her side. I took a step forward, but Willa lifted her trembling arm, palm toward me as if to stop me.
“No,” she said, her voice barely audible, and a narrow streak of blood dripped at the corner of her mouth.
Her warm eyes settled over me, and she attempted a smile, but her face scrunched up in a painful expression.
“My dear,” she said in a strained voice, “I’ve loved you ever since I found out I was pregnant. You know what to do.”
Hayden stood over her, and Willa shifted her dull gaze to him.
Even in her weakened state, my mother summoned the last of her strength. With her dying breath, she unleashed a surge of all four elements. The elemental forces converged on Hayden, a tornado of wind throwing him back.
As the whirlwind circled, it caught on fire, the blaze roaring with fury. Outside the inferno, a swirling circle of water gushed close to the ground, preventing the flames from spiraling out of control.
Willa’s hands dropped, her body collapsing to the side. I watched her chest for the tiniest hope of life, but it was no longer rising and falling.
The stabbing pain in my chest left me gasping for air. Each breath was a struggle, and my lungs constricted as if I was drowning. It felt like a part of me had been ripped away. Losing my mother opened a gaping wound in my soul—a void that could never be filled.
Hayden's men rushed toward him, desperate to help their King. My mother had sacrificed herself to protect me, and a heavy weight settled in my chest, threatening to suffocate me.
"Mom," I whispered, my voice cracking.
Through my tears, I vowed I would not let my mother's sacrifice be in vain.
Torin appeared before me, his strong hands gripping my shoulders.
"We have to retreat," he said urgently as he glanced back at the scene unfolding.
His words struck me, leaving me breathless, and my legs trembled beneath me. But how much more could we run away? Every step I took seemed to lead me further into danger, and all I wanted was to find a place where I could breathe freely again.
"Breanna," Seraphina shouted, her voice slicing through the chaos. "You must run away and hide in the city!"
Her command snapped me out of my trance. My mother had sacrificed herself for me, and I couldn't afford to waste any more precious seconds standing here. I had to honor her memory by staying alive and fighting back.
The dark fairies hurried chaotically, attempting to free their King from the circle of inferno, and I used this opportunity to do one last thing for my mother.
I reached for my whip, grasping it tightly in my trembling hand. I cracked the whip, forcing the earth to split near my mother's lifeless form. The ground groaned and shuddered.
"I'll be back, Mom," I whispered and struck the ground once more, causing the soil to seep over her makeshift grave.
The world around me spun out of control as I buried my mother and the family athame with her.
Torin nudged me, tugging my arm. He was the anchor I needed at this moment, pulling me forward when I feared I would crumble.
“We need to move quickly. Hayden won't be held back for long," he said.
My mind raced as I tried to process everything that had happened. My mother was gone, and I was on the run with Torin, Seraphina, and Robert. The hidden city was somewhere before us.
Torin's hand tightened around mine, and I squeezed back as he pulled me forward, my legs pumping to keep up with his breakneck pace.
I was tired of running away, physically and emotionally.
My vision blurred with tears that refused to stop falling, but I didn't dare wipe them away. Instead, I focused on following Torin to safety.
My chest ached, each breath a struggle as we raced through the forest. But a fire burned within me, fueled by grief, anger, and determination. I would survive for my mother and myself.
I felt it when we crossed the wall of illusion and entered the hidden fairy city cloaked in an ethereal mist. Enchantment shimmered in the air, and I knew without a doubt that this was our best chance at hiding from Hayden and his men.
The tension in the air thickened, and my heart raced. I was ready to leap into action if they discovered our hiding place.
Torin’s warmth and comforting presence caressed my side. I glanced over at him, finding reassurance in his steady gaze.
I stood at the invisible barrier, watching out in the distance. I waited and waited with my hand over the golden material of my witch weapon.
After a moment, as Hayden's footsteps echoed close to our hidden refuge, I tightened my hand over the bracelet. If he came close enough, I could strike him with a surprise attack.
I would avenge my mother, even if it cost me my life.
My lungs burned from holding my breath, but that couldn't compare to the inferno raging in my heart.