Page 192 of Dark Fate

I stand frozen, my mind racing. This wasn't part of the plan. We were supposed to hold the cards, not the other way around. But here we are, caught in a web of our own making.

"Stop," I command, my voice ringing out with a force I didn't know I possessed.

The purple-eyed witch ignores me, her focus on Rhyland and his brothers as they thrash on the ground, blood pouring from their ears. The sight of their agony sends a surge of panic through my veins.

"Dani!" Emily shouts, her voice cutting through the chaos, but I can't see her. My vision narrows, my world shrinking to the three figures writhing on the ground and the witch who holds their lives in her grasp.

And then, something inside me snaps. I feel hot, angry power charging within me like a building storm. It's wild and untamed, a force of nature demanding release—a power I've been honing to control for weeks—I'm about to detonate a human-shaped bomb filled with magic.

"Big mistake," I growl.

My hands ignite, white-hot flames engulfing my fingers. The heat is so intense it should be painful, but all I feel is a surge of raw power. A roar tears from my throat, a primal sound that echoes as I unleash my power outward like a supernova.

White fire surrounds me, a blazing inferno that consumes everything. The screams of burning witches fill the air, a cacophony of agony.

The purple-eyed witch's concentration shatters, her hold on Rhyland and his brothers breaking as the flames engulf her. Her screams join the others, a symphony of suffering.

I stand at the center of the maelstrom, a pillar of light and fury. The witches fall like dominoes, their charred bodies hitting the ground.

And then, it's over. The flames die out, leaving nothing but the acrid stench of burnt flesh and eerie silence. I stand there, chest heaving, hands still glowing.

Holy shit. Did I just...? I can't finish the thought. I look at Rhyland and his brothers, their eyes wide with awe. I've just unleashed a force I never knew I had, a power that saved their lives but ended many others.

The last time, it was just a blast of power. This time, I unleashed a ring of white-hot fire. The difference is staggering, and I can still feel the heat lingering on my skin.

I look around at the devastation, the charred bodies of the witches scattered like discarded dolls. The air is thick with the stench of burnt flesh and dark magic gone awry. It's a scene from a horror movie, and I'm the monster at the center of it all.

But even as the horror settles in, I can't deny the protectiveness that still courses through me. These witches were going to kill Rhyland and his brothers, and I did what I had to do to save them. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Rhyland pulls me to his chest, his arms wrapping around me like a lifeline. "Thank you, Angel," he whispers. I can feel the steady thrum of his heartbeat, a reassuring rhythm amid the chaos.

Lucian and Erik stand, holding their heads, blood still dripping from their ears, but the agony is gone. They look better, but the haunted look in their eyes tells me the memory of their torture will linger.

Suddenly, Sable comes running from the castle. She stops, eyes widening in horror. Then, she drops to her knees, a broken sob tearing from her throat.

I watch as she kneels before a witch, possibly a friend, hands covering her face as she weeps. The sound of her sorrow is like a knife to my heart.

"No…Emily!" Sable's anguished cry pierces the air, her voice raw with grief.

My mind misfires, the sound of my best friend's name falling from Sable's lips like a blow. Rhyland stiffens against me, his body mirroring the icy numbness spreading through me.

"No..." The word falls from my lips, a broken whisper.

I tear away from Rhyland, my feet carrying me toward Sable. I drop to the ground beside her, the impact sending shockwaves through my knees, but the physical pain is nothing compared to the agony in my heart.

There, lying before me, is Emily. Half of her body is burnt, the once-vibrant skin now charred and lifeless. She lies still, no breath passing through her lips.

"No, no, no…EMILY!" I scream, my voice raw and broken, as I gather her into my arms, cradling her against my chest. Sobs wrack my body, tears pouring down my face as I stare at the lifeless form of my best friend.

I can't breathe, can't think, can't do anything but rock back and forth, holding Emily's body as if I can will life back into her. This can't be happening. This can't be real. But the weight of her in my arms, the stillness of her once-lively form, is a truth I can't escape.

This is my fault. The power I unleashed to save the ones I love has taken the life of someone I never imagined living without. I couldn't control the magic burst from me like a supernova, and Emily paid the price.

Guilt and grief war within me, threatening to tear me apart. How can I ever forgive myself for this? How can I look at my reflection again, knowing that this power is responsible for the death of my best friend?

I bury my face in Emily's hair, tears soaking the once-vibrant strands. "I'm sorry," I whisper. "I'm so sorry, Emily. I never meant for this to happen. I never meant to hurt you."

But my words are meaningless, hollow apologies that can't bring her back or undo the devastation. I've lost her, lost a piece of myself. And as I kneel there, holding the lifeless body of my best friend, I know that nothing will ever be the same again.

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