Morgana inhaled and woke up. She blinked, dazed, head throbbing. She was on her side, upon a glittering rose quartz floor. Purple wisteria fluttered down like snowflakes, carpeting the floor and perfuming Morgana's hair. Sunlight spilled through high windows, warming her cheek. Crystal chandeliers dangled overhead. Morgana was in the throne room.

Sobs punctured the silence.

Morgana shifted her arm and metal clattered. She paused, heart thumping. No, it couldn't be. Then Morgana bolted upright. Iron manacles circled her wrists and ankles, like cruel hands holding her down. Her throat tightened and her eyes stung.

No.

Not again.

Not when she'd thought she was free ...

The white aura was gone, along with her magic, replaced with sickening emptiness. Bile rose up her throat. She was robbed of her power once again, as weak as a moth. Morgana wanted to scream. The diamond on her ring was scarlet, alerting her to the fact that she was in terrible danger. Panic was a vice around Morgana's heart. Nearby, Aelys was on her knees, head hanging low. Her right arm dangled at an odd angle. She too was in irons and tears dripped off the end of her nose.

"Aelys?" Morgana whispered.

Aelys lifted her head, despair on her face.

Movement caught Morgana's eye. Atop the dais was Erik, seated on a gold and bejeweled throne. A gold crown was on his long blond hair and his mouth was a cruel line.

Morgana's jaw tightened. He had brought them here.

On Erik's right was Larania. Her chestnut hair was a tangled mess. She wore a simple dress made of white silk, which would've been beautiful if it hadn't been for the splotches of red wine down the front. Larania sobbed over the throne's armrest, as if sitting up were too much effort.

Damon was on his father's left. His face was hard, eyes puffy as if he hadn't slept much. His blond hair was mussed. And he wore a white tunic and tan pants, a simple outfit as if he'd been in the middle of working, before he was brought here. He frowned at Morgana, disappointment in his gaze. Her stomach clenched, an echo of the old Morgana who used to look up to Damon and sought his approval. Then fury reared its head like a cobra about to strike. How dare he act as if she were the one who'd done something wrong.

"I suppose this is the part where we're supposed to tell you why we committed our alleged crimes?" Morgana sneered.

At that, the sobbing ceased and Larania lifted her head.

Erik stared at her coolly, as if he were a viper hunting a mouse. A predator that always won.

Pain flickered across Damon's face. "Alleged? You think what you did wasn't a crime? You practiced magic and spread a treasonous manifesto full of lies that caused civil unrest." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "There could be a civil war because of you. I don't understand how you could do this? Or why you would do this?"

Morgana's mouth twisted.

"The Morgana I knew wasn't a liar. The Morgana I knew wouldn't have wanted to harm others and be this selfish by practicing magic!"

"It's not my fault that Erik and the lords are so corrupt that the Golights can't stand it! I only made their crimes public knowledge. If there's a civil war, then that blame is on them and it's on you!"

Damon jerked his head back, as if he'd been slapped. "On me? What does this have to do with me?"

"Because you knew I was a witch this whole time and you lied about it," Morgana's voice cracked. "You and Erik poisoned me so that I couldn't use my magic. Was it worth it, Brother? Was it worth killing my parents so that you could keep me as your prisoner when my magic doesn't even harm anyone. It was a lie that Erik concocted so he could wipe out the witches because he was so threatened by their power!"

"That's a lie! Witch magic is poisonous!" Damon clenched his fists. "I'm sorry we kept your identity from you and that your parents are dead, but you're a danger to Elysia. We did it to keep you and everyone safe, repressing your powers was the most humane option!"

"You both told me you found her near a cottage fire," Larania croaked.

"There was a prophecy that she would be the downfall of Golah Court. So, we had to keep an eye on her and make sure the prophecy wouldn't be fulfilled, which was why we restrained her powers with the Coherceo Elixir," said Damon.

Larania looked askance at Erik, who remained silent.

"That manifesto is the truth, Mother," Morgana said. "Don't listen to their lies. If my magic was so poisonous then how come there are no ill fae? I've been practicing for nearly a year now."

A dangerous silence fell.

Damon frowned and seemed to be considering what Morgana had just said. He glanced at Erik. "There haven't been any reports of desecrated land or sick Golights. Have you heard anything, Father? Perhaps, there's something I've missed?"

Erik didn't answer.

"Father?" Damon studied Erik's face. But the king's features were blank. Emotionless.

Then suddenly Damon winced and clutched his head. A memory swept over him, he and Morgana were in the training room and she was saying something about the witches ... He shook his head.

Morgana glared at Erik. She'd never hated anyone so much in her entire life. If she could burn him with her gaze alone, she would. "You know, I was going to make you confess the truth to everyone at the New Year festival about what you and the lords did." A dangerous smile was on her face. "Yes. You. A fae king as my puppet and everyone would've seen how weak, how cowardly you are for killing the witches."

"Morgana," there was a warning tone in Aelys's voice.

"What? He can't kill me. If he does, then Golah Court will fall."

"Father were there reports of sick fae or desecrated land?" Damon rubbed his head, voice louder. More urgent.

Morgana tried to summon her magic but nothing answered her. Not even the elements.

Larania looked to her daughters and Erik. Finally, she fixed her gaze on Erik. "Answer your son. Were there any sick fae? Why aren't you denying what Morgana has said?" Her voice shook.

The room rumbled from Erik's earth magic and his mouth twisted. The chandeliers tinkled and wisteria petals showered the floor. Erik whirled on Larania and snapped, "I will not apologize for wiping out the witches and two measly humans so I could save my court! The witches were beasts who would stop at nothing for power! They were a pestilence to fae-kind, my own father was murdered by one of them!"

One of the chandeliers crashed to the floor. Broken crystal skidded across the room.

"It doesn't matter that their magic wasn't poisonous!" Erik roared. "Their existence threatened the fae. Given the time, they would've killed us all. They were too powerful!"

Larania's hand covered her mouth.

Damon stared in horror.

"You don't know that!" Morgana screamed. Heat surged beneath her skin. "The witches lived in peace with fae-kind for centuries!" Her laugh was harsh. "How typical of you, to try and justify such a horrible crime. It's what every tyrant does. It's why you subjugated Aeperos Court and took away their free will. You're the one who is power hungry! You're the one who is a pestilence to Elysia!"

The heat beneath Morgana's skin grew with her fury, to the point where her iron manacles melted into a silvery puddle onto the floor. The king bolted to his feet, and Morgana stood up and snapped Aelys's manacles off with her earth magic. Erik blasted Morgana back. She tumbled, pain punching over her body. Larania screamed. Morgana came to a stop, landing on her stomach. Erik's earth magic pinned her to the ground.

"Stop!" Damon lunged towards his father, but he was flung into the wall by Erik's earth magic. He slid to the floor in a groaning heap.

Morgana couldn't move. Blood bloomed over her skin from the crushing weight of Erik's magic. She screamed, the pain was unbearable.

Distantly, Larania was yelling, "Stop it! Stop it!"

Suddenly the weight was gone. Morgana scrambled to her feet and rallied her magic. Blood stained her clothes and her body felt like a tenderized steak.

Aelys's unbroken arm was outstretched; it was her who'd sent a powerful gust of wind that had Erik sliding on his side towards the back wall. Her air magic ripped wisteria from the ceiling, vases shattered onto the ground. Erik's eyes narrowed as he overpowered Aelys and came to a stop. He stood up, face twisting with fury as he sent fire roaring towards Aelys and Morgana. Larania screamed and dived off the dais as the fire chewed through the thrones as if they were made of sticks.

Damon, who was still on the floor, sent a wave of water magic towards the inferno but it evaporated into hot steam. "No! The curse, Father!"

Morgana's power sung in her veins as her earth magic shielded her and Aelys just in time. The flames wrapped around them as if it were a rapid surging around a rock. Sweat bloomed over Morgana's skin from the heat. After a moment, the flames disappeared.

"I don't care! I want her dead!" Erik roared, fury clouding his judgement.

Larania lay unconscious on the floor.

Aelys and Morgana tried to flee, but Erik tripped them with his earth magic. Morgana's head hit the ground, teeth singing as she tasted blood. Aelys twisted and landed on her broken arm. She cried out.

"Father, stop! They're your daughters." Damon ran over to Erik.

"That witch is no daughter of mine!"

Aelys and Morgana scrambled to their feet and fled. Heat licked their heels as Erik sent another burst of flame.

Aelys screamed.

Morgana muttered an incantation and the fire froze behind them. They were out in the corridor as Erik roared for the guards. Valerio slipped out of a shadow, by the throne room doors, and lunged for Morgana. She dodged out of his reach and right into a wall of water. Bubbles floated out of her mouth as she floundered and tried to push Valerio's water magic away with her own. Aelys slammed Valerio onto his back with her earth magic. The watery prison collapsed, splashing down the corridor, washing wisteria petals away. Morgana fell to her knees spluttering and gasping for air, drenched. Valerio was on his back, unmoving, blood pooling beneath his head. Behind them, Captain Flynn thundered down the corridor with a host of guards. Morgana chanted a spell that had a glowing light settle over her and Aelys. A shield to protect them. Aelys braced her broken arm with earth magic.

They shared a look then sprinted down the corridor.

"To the stables. The shadows will be crawling with spies." Aelys winced. Each step jabbed her broken arm.

An icy mace flew towards Aelys and exploded into ice chips as soon as it hit the shield. An arrow whizzed past. They turned a corner and sprinted down a staircase. A hob with a tray of mutton yelled as they upset his tray when they went past. Guards flooded the doorways like ants spilling out of a nest. Morgana and Aelys blasted them back with earth and air magic. Red lightning shot out of Morgana's hand and a group of guards collapsed in agony. Shouts echoed as they sprinted out of the castle and the chilly air robbed them of their breath. Their legs burned as they stumbled onto the icy path around the castle. They reached the stables where it smelled of hay and manure. Horses whinnied. Aelys and Morgana grabbed a snowy thoroughbred out of her stall, already saddled. Shouts and pounding footsteps rumbled closer. They clambered onto the horse and Morgana extended the shield over the thoroughbred as well. Her hands shook. She didn't know how long she could hold the shield for. They galloped out of the stables as guards swarmed it. Morgana and Aelys knocked them aside with air and earth magic.

They galloped onto the driveway just as Damon ran out the front doors. "Stop!"

Morgana glanced back and her throat tightened at the look on Damon's face. He'd stood up to Erik. He'd tried to save them. Regret stabbed her belly as she turned around. Damon had also been a victim of Erik's lies. He'd thought he'd been doing the right thing. But that still didn't excuse the horrible things he'd done. Morgana knew that she couldn't completely blame Damon for what he did but she still couldn't forgive him either.

Morgana and Aelys were up to the castle gates when Erik walked out of the castle and sent a wall of fire towards them. The guards yelled and jumped out of the way. Snow melted and hot steam billowed into the air. The flames enveloped them and they emerged out of the inferno unscathed.

"Get them!" Erik roared.

Morgana and Aelys were beyond the gates now and the horse thundered down the road, icy trees rushed past.

"What road goes to Aeperos Court?" Morgana asked. "I've only been there once with Caliath, but we'd shadow-walked."

"I'll show you. But we'll have to lose them first." Aelys glanced over her shoulder.

Guards on horseback raced down the driveway.

Sweat beaded Morgana's neck as she gathered what little strength she had left and mumbled an incantation. Cold trickled over Aelys and Morgana as if they were doused by an icy waterfall. They became invisible and the guards behind them shouted in surprise.

All of Morgana's training with the grimoire had finally paid off in that moment.

The clop of galloping horses faded into silence as the guards gave up chase. Confused yells drifted through the wintery air.

"It worked," Aelys gasped, clutching Morgana's waist.

Morgana dug her heels in, and the horse raced over the icy road until, "Turn right!" Aelys yelled.

They turned onto a smaller trail that had them plunging through the woods.

"This goes to Aeperos Court. It'll be harder for them to track us because we're not on the main road," Aelys explained.

"When we get near the border I'll shadow-walk us over. There's a secret cave that Caliath showed me once. It's the only place I've been to in Aeperos Court. I reckon he'll try and find us there." Morgana glanced at her ring which now faded to clear. She exhaled. They were safe. For now. The ring's diamond wasn't obsidian which meant that Briar, Caliath, and Orin had hopefully escaped. Morgana tightened her grip on the reigns. "And once I get my hands on that wand, we'll end this once and for all." 

The End

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Thank you so much for reading this book and The Last Daughter of Elysia! I'm currently writing The Last War of Elysia and I hope to have it to you guys soon. (I've written about half of it now).