Dark Queen: The Cybelline Prophecies

Chapter 42

She stood in perfect silence, her face calm and peaceful as she studied herself in the water's reflection.

Her face, her true face, stared back at her. It was one that she'd known for twenty odd years.

But why did she look like she was sixteen? Granted, the acne was nowhere to be seen and her teeth did not need braces. Her hair was fell in smooth ringlets rather than the crazy birds nest of frizz that she wrestled with all her life.

"You...you're Cybelline?" The fox asked.

The girl nodded, "What, just because I got a little taller, my face changed a little bit, and my hair got longer, you don't recognize me?" She gave him a contemptuous look. 

Then she realized the problematic fact that she wasn't wearing any clothes. With a curse, she looked in her little satchel and found the dress she'd worn when she escaped the castle. It was a little short, but it would have to do until she found some clothes.

The fox ignored her, he circled her and sniffed carefully. Sitting on his haunches, he was muttered to himself, "But that's...that's impossible."

Cybelline wasn't listening, She need to go out in the world and find the children. She looked at the Fox, "Can I come back anytime now?"

The Fox seemed to be in daze, "Yes. You are now the true owner of the Ring.

"And Ithos and Myrai, will they be fine if I leave them here?" She asked. The Fox nodded again, "As long as they're in those coffins, they'll be fine."

"Okay, take care of them for me. I'll be back soon." She told him and then, looking up at the sky, "Let me leave."

"Wait!" Red cried, there was so much he needed to tell her. But Cybelline was already gone.

She was on the canyon floor, there was nothing above but clouds. With a wave of her hand, her large, black wings appeared on her back. It was as natural as having arms. With a gentle flap, she soared a hundred feet up into the air. In the blink of an eye, she was at the top of the mountain.

Never had Cybelline felt more powerful, it was as if she could go for days without sleep or food. She felt she could run around the world without stopping. Taking a few steps back, she ran at full speed and jumped off the cliff towards the direction she'd left Berin and the others. 

Cliff diving had been one of her favorite activities, but now it had taken on a new meaning as she gently landed on the ground below. 

Everything was sharper, clearer. She could hear the sound of ants crawling over bark, smell the pollen as it carried by bees to other destinations, see the movement of the wind as it flowed across the leaves.

It was as if everything she knew was now a thousand times stronger. Everything sang to her and beckoned her to examine and be distracted by. She stopped, was this the pull of magic, hungering for the Source in her body? It was an indescribable sense. She wanted to dance with the wind and sing  with the light of the stars. Cybellined fought the urge to lose herself to the newness of it all. 

Suddenly a scream sounded in the woods as the smell of blood flooded into her nostril. Cybelline rushed at the source, her figure gone in a flash.

It took her but a moment to find them.

Two men stood in front of a group of children. Cybelline's heart nearly stopped when she realized that in the man's hands was Miri.

Mattias exampled the child, whom his servant had just stabbed, "She's small, but she does have a strong Spark. Too bad she's a half-blood. Watch carefully, this is how you harvest the Spark." He reached out, about to plunge his hand into the little girl's chest.