by Marnie Cate
Snowystra took my mother away before I even met her. The woman raising me was not the real Eliza. I knew the perfect woman she described. I wanted to be like her. She was beautiful and confident. Would I have to lose myself to save my daughter? My son?
How could I make such a mistake? My fears should have never led me into his arms. I have never betrayed Elliott. Throughout this marriage, I have kept our marriage bed sacred. One stupid mistake and I have ruined it all!
Reading of her betrayal surprised me even though I knew about it. She had forced my father to leave us so she could be with Cedric.
Elliott watches me like he knows what I did. He knows I have deceived him. Does he see my scarlet letter or am I just being paranoid?
I can't use the excuse of being tired of being a wife and a mother as the reason for keeping my distance anymore. I should forget what happened no matter how much I want to be with Cedric. In his arms for just that one night again has fueled my desire for him and my hatred for her. Her Winter. Her need for power. I will find a way to save my daughter from her. Even if I must sacrifice my own heart.
Skimming through the next pages, Eliza detailed my father's kindness and loving gestures but her entries were sprinkled with her pain of losing Cedric. I stopped on the next entry. My tears fell onto her words.
I'm pregnant and there is no way the child can be Elliott's. I must hide this pregnancy for another month and proclaim the birth came early. I have to hope that my mother doesn't see through my deception. I can NEVER let Cedric know I am carrying his child. His mother would use it for her benefit.
She was lying to everyone to cover up her affair. There has to be another journal —- one where Eliza will say she is wrong. She will say she made a mistake about dates.
I cannot write in this journal anymore. It holds my lies. I will hide it and one day you may find it my beautiful baby girl. Dear sweet Meg Violet Stone. Yes, Stone. Can you ever forgive me? I hope I have told you my secrets and you're not reading them for yourself. Please forgive me for not telling you Cedric Drygen is your father but you have not missed anything with Elliott as your dad. Elliott is the kindest and sweetest man in the world. If only I could convince myself your green eyes were like Elliott's not mine. Look in the mirror, my daughter. You are a Drygen. No matter how much I don't want you to be – You are! I hope you will forgive me and one day you will meet Cedric and you will see the kind loving man that I know and love. I pray that the darkness will not have consumed and tainted him by the time this day comes. I pray for you my baby. I pray that you do not carry the magic and you will be kept safe.
I shut the journal and once again wiped away tears. Meg was a Drygen.
“You can't tell anyone,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “You can't tell our fa… you can't tell Elliott,” I said, choking back my tears.
“Oh Mara, he knows. Please, please don't cry. I told him many years ago. I found the journal and I was devastated. I didn't know what to do. Essie found me and I confessed everything. Do you know what our silly father said? He said that no matter what genetic makeup brought me to him, I was always going to be his daughter.” Meg began to cry. “He said from the first kick he knew I had his heart and I would always be his. So, I do carry the Winter, Mara,” Meg said, grabbing my hand and hugging me. “We will always be sisters.”
She pulled away and looked into my eyes. A coldness filled me. She had lied to me. “You should have told me. Why would you hide this from me? Are you relieved you aren't my sister? You have your new family now.”
“Of course not,” Meg picked up the journal and shook it at me. “This doesn't change how much I love you. You mean more to me than anything. I am sorry you had to find out this way. I couldn't find the right time to tell you. You had just come back. Cole left. You were already so broken.”
Her bravado cracked and she could no longer maintain her role as the strong sister. “How could I take one more thing away from you even if it was just words? Do you hear me? It changes nothing. How could you doubt this, Mara?” Meg asked, throwing the journal.
As the tears fell down her cheeks, we glared at each other. Snowystra was right. I will destroy everyone and everything that means anything to me.
I grabbed Meg's hand and forced her to look at me. “I'm sorry. How could you have told me? I couldn't take care of myself. Promise me I won't lose you. I just…I can't lose you.”
“There is nothing that can ever separate us. When you were gone, I felt incomplete. You were gone. My sister was gone. My world was gone. Please don't let this destroy us.” Meg fell into my arms.
Stroking her hair, I held her tight against me. “I had been incomplete without you, too,” I whispered."
We silently clung to each other as the hateful words and anger melted away. A sweet smell wafted in the room and we reluctantly released our hold. The room was hazy, filled with lavender smoke. The image of Kinema Delli formed. Her blue gown waved in the breeze of her elemental air.
“Meg, you made your choice. It is time for you to accept your responsibilities.”
“What choice?” I asked, stepping in between the Goddess and my sister.
“Your sister has made her decision, one which cannot be undone. Step aside.”
“Not until you tell me what choice she made.”
Kinema waved her hands. Meg groaned. I turned around and watched her collapse to the floor.
“No,” I cried, falling to my knees next to her. I wrapped my arms around her. “You can't have her.”
The room began to glow and Sarika appeared.
“Daughter, pick up the girl.”
“Don't touch her,” I said, holding her tighter. “What are you doing with her?”
“Release her, Mara,” Sarika said.
When I resisted, she lifted her hand and blew an amber dust into my face. I felt Meg's body slip from my arms. She took Meg from me. As the powder cleared, I saw Kinema encircle Sarika, Meg and herself in a cloud of silver particles. I dived at them to stop her but I was too late. The room flashed for the briefest moment and they were gone.
My sister was gone because she was the Winter? What did this mean for my daughter?
I ran through the hallways into the birthing area. It was eerily quiet. Where was everyone? I swung the door to the room open and found Cole changing Finn.
“What's wrong, Mara?” Cole asked, picking our son up and rocking him.
“Where is Mazie?” I asked, not answering his question.
“She's in the bassinet, Mara. She just fell asleep. Calm down or you will wake her.”
I scooped Mazie into my arms and held her tight. “They took Meg.”
“Who?”
“Kinema. Sarika. They took her. We have to hide, Mazie. They will take her too.”
Cole caught me with his free hand and pulled us close. “Stop, Mara. Slow down and tell me what happened.”
The room began to fill with silver particles. Before I could warn him, a light flashed.
Chapter 51
Cole and I stood in the Council's chamber in Asceraunia. Tannus looked down on us with an expression of satisfaction on his face. I held onto Mazie tighter, as Cole held Finn.
“Good, I see my sister has convinced you to agree to the change in our agreement. Bring the child to me,” Tannus ordered.
Kinema and Sarika stepped through a doorway escorted by two guards. Sarika still held Meg's lifeless body in her arms. I had to stop them from whatever they had planned. They couldn't take my sister.
“Not so fast, Tannus,” Kinema said. Even with her petite frame, she commanded the respect of everyone in the room.
“Mother, what are you doing? You cannot interfere with this. I am doing what is best for our realm.” Tannus sounded more like a petulant child than an almighty god.
“You will have your Winter but it will not be the baby,” she said, flicking her wrist.
Tannus was transported from his throne to his mother. Stroking the back of her hand along h
is cheek, she said, “You must trust I know what is best.”
“Sarika is holding your Winter, Tannus. Meg has offered to fulfill the role.”
“She doesn't hold the Winter,” Tannus scoffed.
“Are you questioning me, Son?” Kinema's eyes flared.
“The child Mara is holding is clearly the Winter. Have you ever seen a child born with skin color and hair so white?”
Kinema waved her hand again. Two prismatic tubes, like jar specimens from a science class, appeared out of the air.
Instead of opening the jar, Sarika pushed Meg's body into it. What initially seemed like glass, welcomed Meg inside and coated her body. She moaned, as though in pain.
“No, you are hurting her!” I cried.
Kinema turned to me. “She is in no pain, Mara. Bring me your daughter.”
“No!” I cried. “I did not agree to this.”
Turning to Cole, I hissed. “Stop this.”
Cole stepped forward. “You can't have her. They promised us a year.”
“Mara, bring me the child. I am offering you a solution. No harm will come to her,” Kinema said.
I wouldn't give them my child. This was not an option. We had all lost too much because of their cruel games. I could not lose another person I loved. I would not sacrifice my child.
I wouldn't move.
“Give the child to me or to Tannus. You must decide now.”
I was frozen. I could not make this decision. I didn't want to turn my baby over.
“Give her to me,” Cole said. He took her from my arms and handed me Finn.
We would stand against them together. We wouldn't let them take our babies.
Finn began to cry as Cole carried Mazie away.
I grabbed his arm. “What are you doing?”
“She promised Mazie would be safe.”
“Why would you believe them? Give me my daughter.”
Cole removed my hand. “Trust me, Mar.”
Stunned, I watched Cole walk away. Just like that, he gave her away. As if, she meant nothing.
I screamed as Cole offered our daughter to Kinema.
Before he released his hold, he said, “You promise me our daughter will not be hurt?”
“You have my solemn vow,” she said.
Kinema held Mazie tightly, whispering soothing words to her. She placed my daughter into the cylinder of liquid next to Meg. Suspended in the fluid, threads of silver left both Meg and Mazie's skin, travelling through the glass container. The threads twisted and combined, changing through the colors of the elements.
When they turned black, I gasped. “No, please not the darkness.”
Cole wrapped his arms around me. I tensed. I could have killed him for his betrayal. The binds began to change again. Yellow. Orange. Mazie's skin lost its white frost and became rosy. Her snowy locks became raven black like mine and she emitted a healthy glow. The transfer stopped. Kinema lifted Mazie out of the tube and offered her to me.
Mazie's skin was so warm. She began to squirm towards Finn. Only when I held them close to each other, she settled. She is safe. It worked.
Sarika reached through the container to Meg's lifeless body and checked her pulse.
Please don't be dead. Please not Meg.
“Is she alive?”
“Her body will not last more than a few days,” she answered, solemnly.
Both babies began to cry. I wanted to join them. My sweet little sister who had done nothing to harm anyone had sacrificed herself for my child.
“You need to go and take care of your children,” Sarika said.
“No, I won't leave my sister,” I said.
Kinema waved her hands in the air above us and the room faded black.
Chapter 52
I was transported with Mazie to my bedroom in Starten. Finn was no longer in my arms. Cole was not with us. Meg was alone in the cold chamber of the Council. My pulse began to race. I searched the bathroom, closet, out the window. Mazie started to wail and I began to pace frantically, trying to calm myself and her. Finally, Sarika appeared with Cole and Finn beside her.
“Where is my sister?” I demanded, forcing myself to remain calm. “I told you I would not leave without her.”
“Your sister is healing and we will need to be patient. I believe the transformation will happen soon,” Sarika said.
“Send me back to her then. She is not going to go through this without me,” I insisted.
“Mara, you're being unreasonable. She is being cared for—”
“I said I would not leave my sister and I meant it. Bring her here or send me there. She is not going to be alone during the most important decision of her life.” As I said the words, the tube holding my sister materialized by the window.
My beautiful sister laid motionless. I pressed my hands against the tube but it did not bend for me. I'm sorry, Meg. It should be me in there not you.
“There is nothing you can do for her, Mara. She must remain where she is until her body has accepted the transfer.”
“And if her body rejects it?”
“If it does, we will deal with it then.”
“If Meg rejects the change, could Mazie, too?” I asked.
I would lose them both. There is no way to avoid losing the ones I love.
“Enough focusing on the negative things, Mara,” Cole said.
Cole took Mazie away from me. I was about to object when I realized what he was doing. He laid Mazie on the changing table, cooing at her, calming her. I hadn't even noticed she needed changing. This was all so easy for Cole. Being a father came so naturally to him. But I didn't have time to bond with my babies, not with everything going on.
“You're going to make yourself crazy. Focus on our healthy babies not the gloom lurking around every corner, Mar.”
His words felt like a bucket of ice water had been splashed in my face. My initial anger softened and I realized he was right. One day I would have to let go of my fear of the bad things I thought were always waiting in the shadows.
As Cole walked toward me with our freshly changed daughter, he said, “Here is Mommy, Mazie. I bet she is ready to feed you.”
I had no words for Cole. Instead, I forced myself to smile. Sitting in the rocking chair, I held out my arms for Mazie. She cried. Of course, she doesn't want me.
She grunted and turned her head away refusing to feed.
“Just try and relax. You're doing great, Mar,” Cole said.
As I rocked and stared into my baby's eyes, the anger I had for myself consumed me. Cole was doing my job. He was taking care of our daughter. Since their birth, I had not changed one diaper. I had not worried about putting lotion on her new skin. I had not even changed her onesie.
“Tell me what you want, Mazie,” I whispered. “How can I make you happy?”
I took a deep breath and stroked her cheek. Mazie grunted and resisted. I patiently rocked her. Then eventually she latched on and began to nurse. My eyes caught Cole's. He was smiling at me, his eyes so full of love.
“Did you need to contain your magic, Mar?” Cole asked.
While I was lost in my self-hate, I neglected to control my magic. Even though I could feel she was hungry, I did not have the painful experience like the first time. Instead, I only felt a small amount of magic pulling from me. There was no need to stop her from taking it. She had lost her powerful magic.
“No, I forgot.” Cole laid Finn in my arms. “I am sorry for my tantrum. Thank you for taking such good care of our children, Cole. I will become better at this.”
“You're doing great, Mara. If you could have just delivered the babies and had time to care for them, it would have been different. Don't beat yourself up,” he said, kissing me on the cheek.
He was right; our world had been turned upside down. I had been a good sister to Meg when she was a baby. Maybe, I would have been a better mother if things had been different.
When Finn began to nurse, I felt an odd sensation ripple through me. He
was pushing his magic through me to Mazie.
“Finn is trying to protect his sister,” Sarika said. “You have very powerful children. The girl still carries a small grain of the Winter magic and I wonder if the boy may also. You both will have a great responsibility with raising such dominant children.”
“Can I ask you a question, Sarika?”
“Of course.”
“I read Eliza's journals. Were you the one saving me from Snowystra when I was a child? Is this why you said you were my guardian?”
“Yes, Mara. There was something about you calling me to protect you. I didn't know you would be the one to save Faramond but from the minute you were born, I knew you were special.”
“Why didn't you stop her from taking Cole?”
“The moment she found you by the lake and opened the door to the Shah, I could not save him. I had to let you fulfill your destiny. Your sacrifice freed the Miezitari.”
Sarika waved her hand and a set of silver platters appeared on the table. “We can discuss this further later. For now, I will leave you. I insist you both rest and care for yourselves.”
“What about Meg?” Cole asked. His eyes shifted to Meg's body floating in the thick liquid.
“I will return as soon as there are any changes to Meg's condition. Now eat the dinner I had prepared for you,” Sarika said. With those words, she vanished.
* * *
With the babies tucked in their bassinet, Cole and I sat down to eat. Cole lifted the lid on the platter revealing a bowl of the kreas patata. We picked at our meal; both too tired to eat. Even though we should have talked about what had happened, neither of us spoke. The lack of sleep had caught up.
“I'm too tired to eat,” Cole said, standing up. “You look like you're finished yourself. Come, let's get some sleep while we can.”
On my night table, there was a glass of purple liquid. Next to it, a note read: Take care of yourself. I am nearby if you need me. Love, Laura.
Taking a few sips of the drink, I climbed into our bed and closed my eyes.
