Dracula knelt before me, spectacular in all his bloody devotion. ❝Everything I am is yours.❞
I pushed the sword tip beneath his chin, lifting his face.
❝I want Catherine.❞
*...
Out above the tree tops, streaks of pink lit the dawn from the east, splitting the sky in delicate halves so resplendent, so filled with hope, I couldn't look away. Sat against my evil pet tree, I let Chandler go to work on my shoulder, fishing out the bullet. I didn't notice the pain for the hush. No more screams, no more shouts; the forest was silent.
The battle was over; something told me the good guys had won.
"Finished." Chandler chucked the bullet over his shoulder. The wound began to heal at once. He helped me to my feet - and hugged me. I swayed in his arms, exhausted.
"What was that for? I failed, I didn't kill her."
"You didn't have to. You showed that you can be better than her--and you are, Naomi. The Ice Queen, she doesn't understand mercy. That's why she will never be as good a leader as you." The Dark Knight dropped to one knee and swore his undying fealty.
His first order of business - opening the door to the Otherworld.
Chandler painted the tree with his blood, using his forefingers to create a strange Fae symbol I recalled from Dracula's books. The symbol flared in golden light and Chandler stepped back, revealing the matching door knob.
"Chandler, thank you - for trusting me. For everything."
He nodded.
With a wave of my hand, the knob twisted and the door swung open.
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I took the twisting steps two at a time, fingers skimming the grimy stone walls as Chandler and I descended deeper in the original Castle Teped.
The steps came to a halt. I flew around the corner, into a room I had seen once upon a dream.
Dracula's ballroom.
I turned in a circle, dazed by the ghosts of beautiful Fae swaying to an invisible symphony, their ballroom shining gold between centuries of dust. I wove between the ghosts, headed for the dais. The two thrones had been replaced by two pillars, one shining like the morning sun.
I shimmered to the dais, tucking my hair behind my ear as I approached the first pillar. Dracula was dressed in all white, his body glowing, pearly as the heavenly ghosts.
"Holy shit, we actually found her! It's Leda Martin!" Across the way, Chandler was staring down at the second body in amazement. He checked her pulse. "She's still alive--but barely. We have to get her out of here."
"Can you save her with your Chi?"
"Definitely." He gathered the light-haired woman in his arms, her head lolling on his chest. I followed them both across the ballroom. Whether he saw the ghosts or they saw him, it didn't seem to matter. I savored those last triumphant moments, my heart heavy as stones when I paused at the staircase.
"I think my mom was right, Barry. You can't expect others to understand. All you can do is hope they forgive you for what you know you have to do. Tell the others I love them. Except the part where I admit I think you're amazing. They wouldn't believe you anyway."
