And I’d witnessed firsthand what happened when someone achieved too much power.
A shiver traversed my spine at the memory of Elana trying to destroy all of Earth Fae kind with her dark magic. She’d tried to suck our souls from our bodies, to absorb our abilities.
My connection to the earth source nearly fractured because of her.
I’ll never be like that, I thought to myself.
But what if that was my fate? What if this connection Shade had forced upon me drove me insane?
I’d nearly unleashed a burning thwomp on this suite. What else could I do?
It didn’t matter that I hadn’t known. I should have known. Should have dug deeper into the being’s core to determine its purpose before picking it for my plight.
My knees buckled and I hit the ground, my eyes on the floor.
How had everything gone so horribly wrong? What
could I do to stop it? Learn dark magic? Control it? Would that even help?
“We’re going to need a new binding spell,” Kolstov muttered. “A more powerful one.”
I remained silent because he was right.
Returning to the Elemental Fae realm was impossible in my current state. Bringing dark magic there would upset the balance.
I had no choice but to remain here while my future revealed itself.
All because a Midnight Fae took advantage of me in the Human Realm.
My eyes narrowed.
Kolstov might have pissed me off with his high-handedness, but it was Shade who earned my ultimate wrath.
That male would pay when I saw him again. I’d wrap him up in vines and squeeze until his gorgeous head popped off. Then I’d burn him for good measure.
“He warned me you would be beautiful, Aflora,” he’d said.
He who? I pondered now. And why did you do this to me?
Death and I were already well acquainted, as I’d been placed at the lethal doorstep a few times before. Once as a child. And again just last year. Yet my life had won both times before.
I wasn’t one to just give up and accept fate. I fought it every step of the way. And this wouldn’t be any different.
A new task list brewed in my thoughts, providing me with renewed purpose.
Play along.
Learn how to control the darkness.
Behave.
Demand answers.
Kill Shade.
Yes. Yes, this would work.
And then, when I finished, I’d escape.