The moment the soldiers sided with Isotta, the tension in the air thickened, and their gazes hardened as they turned toward us.
Leonardo paused, clutching Noemi protectively. Her blood-flecked gown looked almost black against the fabric’s deep hue. When he spoke, his voice carried the resonance of power, amplified by magic that seemed to ripple through the very air. The faintest hum of water accompanied his words, reaching every corner of the grand ballroom.
“I am your High Lord,” his voice boomed, commanding authority. “From the day I became Fae, I committed myself to this world-and to its people. You matter to me. Stand with me now and honor your court. Fight against the true threat, one that has been plotting your destruction all along. One of your own has sown the seeds of chaos. It’s time to end this treachery. Fight for your court, for those who cannot fight for themselves!”
I expected nothing from the crowd-after all, we were outsiders to their world. What loyalty could these fae have to us? Yet, against all odds, a flicker of hope sparked. I watched as a dozen guards turned toward Isotta, their hands inching toward the white pommels of their swords.
“For the Water Court!”
“For the High Lady!”
The cries rose over the chaos, and the ballroom erupted into pandemonium. Water Court soldiers clashed, brother against brother, as we darted out of the room. The floors trembled beneath us, stones crumbling from the battle behind. The distant screams of those who hadn’t escaped pierced through the noise as we sprinted through the circular hall that looped around the ballroom.
Leonardo held Noemi close as we ran. His wide-eyed panic mirrored my own, and seeing him shaken tore away my resolve. His composure had always been our anchor, and now that it wavered, fear clawed its way into my chest.
“We can’t stay here any longer, Noemi,” Leonardo said, his voice fraying under pressure.
Noemi’s anguished cry broke through. “I can’t leave her, Leonardo! She’s all I have left! Mother-she killed her! It wasn’t supposed to happen like this!”
Tears blurred my vision, hot and relentless, as we ran through a door leading deeper into the castle. My chest heaved, both from exertion and the weight of the realization that escape might cost more than we could bear.
Then I saw her. Slumped against the wall, her dress the soft pink of wilted roses, Graziana’s figure made me skid to a halt. A yelp tore from my throat as I stumbled toward her.
Blood soaked her dress at the abdomen, still fresh and wet. I pressed a trembling finger to the stain, and Noemi’s sob echoed mine as she caught sight of her sister. Leonardo hushed her, knowing the battle would rage on, and we couldn’t afford to linger.
“Noemi, listen to me,” Leonardo said, his voice firmer now as he placed his hands on her shoulders. “You must do everything I say. We’ll come back when it’s safe, but for now, you stay with Isabella. Move fast and don’t let go of her hand. Do you understand?”
Her voice cracked as she nodded, brushing away tears. “I understand.”
Scooping Graziana into his arms, Leonardo led the charge through the castle. Noemi gripped my hand tightly, guiding us down twisting corridors with shouted directions. Each turn brought us closer to the castle’s edge and the valley beyond, where the dense forest could offer some semblance of safety. But between us and freedom lay a perilous stretch of open ground, exposed and vulnerable.
As we rounded a corner, an icy blade came dangerously close to piercing my chest. Reacting instinctively, threads of fire magic coiled from me, wrapping around the attacker as I hurled flames in his direction.
A groan came from Leonardo’s arms. “Ugh, she stabbed me,” Graziana muttered weakly, her eyes fluttering open.
“Shouldn’t you have healed by now?” Leonardo’s worry etched deep lines into his face.
“Poisoned blade,” Graziana grunted, peeling back her blood-soaked dress to reveal the wound. Though smaller, it was still there. “It’ll heal-just slowly and painfully.”
“Like a human,” I quipped grimly, and she gave a faint, bitter smile.
“Exactly,” she muttered.
We reached a towering set of doors, already ajar, likely from other fleeing fae. Pushing through, we stumbled into the castle’s courtyard. Frost clung to flowers, and fountains had frozen solid. Every step crunched underfoot as the bitter remnants of Marinella’s spirit magic lingered, turning the once lush garden into a desolate winter.
The courtyard opened into a vast valley, its sloping earth carved like a bowl. Wildflowers lay flattened and frosted, and the distant forest beckoned. We reached the valley’s base when an explosion rocked the ground, forcing us to pause.
“Set me down,” Graziana demanded, struggling against Leonardo’s arms. “You need your hands free. If I use my magic, it’ll slow me even more.”
When he didn’t comply, she shouted again, her voice laced with authority. “Now, Leonardo!”
Reluctantly, he lowered her to her feet. Graziana squared her shoulders, her eyes locking with his. Then, her gaze shifted to Noemi, quiet and questioning. “Emi, why is Leonardo High Lord? Where’s Mother?”
Noemi’s trembling lip and silence answered more than words could.
Another explosion cut through the tension, followed by the rumble of boots against earth. Soldiers spilled from the castle, their onyx and icy blue hair unmistakable. Isotta and Marinella had been planning this for far too long.
Graziana’s voice broke through the chaos. “You need to start using your abilities. Both of you. Leonardo, you’re more than you once were. Isabella, your magic obeys you-command it!”
She was right. Running wasn’t an option anymore. We faced soldiers just as fast and strong as us, and the steep valley walls left no room for escape. I exchanged a glance with Leonardo, silently communicating the plan neither of us wanted to enact.
“Get behind us,” he told Noemi and Graziana.
Side by side, Leonardo and I watched the soldiers, their synchronized movements almost hypnotic. Frost melted as they raised their hands, pooling into streams of water. The streams twisted and writhed, forming a massive serpent with shimmering scales and fangs that dripped water. Its tail coiled around the ruins of a fountain, crushing it effortlessly.
Time slowed as I stood there, feeling the warmth of the sun filtering through clouds. Despite the chaos, a strange calm settled over me.
The serpent lunged, demolishing trees and fountains in its path, leaving a trail of soaking rubble. The battle was inevitable, and with it, the weight of the power we wielded.