Page 287 of Spring Guardians & Songbirds

“Show them hells,” Nia whispered through tears as their hands grazed one another’s and linked tight for a moment.

Something shifted in the air, the further Snow made it to their side and the more the others made it to ours, the harder it stirred. The scent of mint and magic grew heavy and thin bands of red almost resembling strings appeared around Nia’s and the other’s necks tied to Melanthe’s extended hand. The witch had a wicked smile pasted on her face as she tugged her hand back, the thin, red bands of magic snapping.

It all happened so quickly. Too quick. As if time itself froze and then sped up.

One moment the red bands were around their necks, and the next…gone. Leaving behind a deep slash on their throats. On everyone’s throat.

Blood.

Blood and death.

The wind turned quiet and soft again as nine bodies dropped to the ground.

“Snow!” My brother howled, tugging on his bounds like mad, eyes veiled black as he tried to summon magic against the veil surrounding him, bony limbs breaking earth but struggling to rise.

I ran, darkness and night roaring as I crossed our veil of protection in her direction.

Snow turned, but not quick enough to realise her father had played us because red, phantom chains rose from the ground, slithering around her limbs and neck, a Crafter’s circle taking shape beneath her—trapping her in place.

Every lord and lady lay slain on the cold ground. Nia, too.

Snow’s blood curdling scream drowned by thunder and hail. She fought the veil around her, drumming her fists in the invisible layer as tears spilled from her horrified stare.

Visha’s magic howled and shot in crimson flames toward Melanthe while mine girthed soldier after soldier and every beast around us, turning them all to dust.

Oryn crossed the veil, too, aiming for her father.

Darkness shot from every corner reaching for Snow—reaching to catch her while I ran toward Nia.

Just before it grazed the tip of her fingers…she disappeared. One moment she was there, the next she was gone. All of them were gone, my brother, too.

She was gone.

Gone.

Both were gone.

“Take the injured to healers!” I shouted the order, gathering Nia in my arms, shedding my shirt and wrapping it around her neck that spilled a stream of blood. “Don’t. Don’t do this to us, Helenia Drava.”

Her eyes peel open for one fragment of a second before she went completely limp in my arms again.

“My chambers!” Visha shouted and opened a portal for us to go through.

Time slipped from my fingers as I laid Nia down on Visha’s marble table and clutched her cold hand in mine. Don’t, please.

Healers flooded around us as Visha gave command after command. Hands tugged on my arms, on my wrists, on my shoulders, but I didn't move. “Come on, Nia. Come on, you can do this.”

White magic glowed around us, casting Nia in gilt and vivid crimson. My own magic surrounded her, feeding her own mana, helping her body fight it through.

Her wet eyes peeled open just slightly, a tear sliding past them. My pocket, she mouthed.

Immediately, I reach for her pocket, fishing out what seemed like a pendant. I didn’t understand.

“Snow’s mother,” she hoarsely whispered, a trace of blood spilling from her mouth. “I got it back for her. I found it. Mal helped me get it for her.”

I wiped the blood away from her cheek and felt every string in my heart pull and snap. The edges of the pendant cut onto my skin as I clutched it tightly in my hand. “You will give it to her yourself, you hear me?”

“Tell her that I love her. So much…Kil—” With one last touch of a faint smile, her eyes drooped shut and her body went slack.