Page 60 of Snow White

“She’s gone.” I whimper, my eyes watering again. Belle cups my face in her hands, rubbing her thumbs gently over the curve of my cheeks.

“Snow, you need to tell me what happened,” she says calmly.

I gulp, my throat dry as I lift my wrist. The cuts have healed, leaving behind a tattoo of an apple tree. The apples are not their usual red but purple, and a thin blue thread trails into the trunk of the tree, pulsating on my skin. I know instinctively it is a physical manifestation of our connection. She is still alive, still well. The purple apples on my skin seem to pulse to show me her heartbeat is steady. I let out a silent breath of relief.

“I… hurt myself,” I whisper, my cheeks flushing with shame. “Azura saved me.”

“Oh, Snow.” Belle pales, her hand dropping to my arm, her thumb rubbing my wrists.

I know she blames herself, just like Azura does, but this isn’t their fault. It is all mine, along with the King of Fae. But he still won, pushing me over the edge where I fell into darkness.

“She used her power to save me. I felt her calling to me while I was fighting the Fae King.” I take a shaky breath. “Someone has been hunting her and when she used her magic, they found her. And then she disappeared.”

I choke back a sob. “This is all my fault.”

Belle stares at me for a moment. No doubt she has a thousand questions, but she doesn’t push for answers. Instead, she pulls me into a tight hug, rubbing my back. “We will find her, alright? We will.”

“How?” I cry out. “I… I don’t even know where to start!”

“We will find a way,” Belle reassures me.

But how?Would we find a way quick enough? Who knows what kind of trouble Azura is in, and it is all my fault that she was discovered. The threat of the Fae King is still in the back of my mind, but that can be dealt with later. I need to ensure that Azura is okay. I need to find her.

I close my eyes.Think Snow. Think.There has to be a way to track her down. Her magic is strong, though. I can still feel the effects of her power running through my veins. It is nothing I have ever seen before. Only strong magic would be able to track her down.

My mother would have been able to do it. She was one of the most powerful Elemental users in history before she died. The power went to Eric shortly after, along with some of her strength. She had more than just the ability to manipulate water. She used artifacts that she later hid away in the tower.

“My mother’s mirror,” I whisper, my eyes widening. The artifact can show you whatever you desire. Mother told me she retrieved it from a witch, but she gave me no other details other than it was one of the most powerful objects in her possession. It is possible it could show me Azura.

“What?” Belle frowns.

I pull out of Belle’s embrace and stand, running into my bedroom to change into a thin dress. “She had this mirror that answered questions.”

“And? Where is it?” Belle asks.

“Her tower. None of her things have been moved from it on my father’s orders. So, it must be there,” I reply.

“Then we should hurry.”

The two of us rush from my room and down the hallway. We pass multiple servants who throw us questioning glances, but I ignore them all. I can’t stop now. Not while the love of my life is in danger.

I keep my muscles cool as we climb the two hundred steps to the tower. The trek is enough to take one’s breath, but I have made this walk over a thousand times. It is nothing when there is so much on the line. Surprisingly, Belle is able to keep up with me, and the two of us reach the top, panting.

My heart stops as I open the door. It looks exactly the same except for the blankets that cover everything, protecting the objects from dust. The room layout hasn’t been changed, and I know if I lift the dust covers, I will see quills, books, and objects of power that are mysteries to me.

I take a few deep breaths before nodding at Belle. Together, we begin our search. I don’t remember the mirror well, just that it was gold, with vines carved into the frame. It was wide and long enough to see the upper half of your body. If you weren’t careful, you could become trapped staring into it, but I believe my mother found a way to counter it. We will find out today.

“It has to be here somewhere,” I mutter a couple of minutes later.

“Are you sure?” Belle huffs. “Isn’t it supposed to be a big mirror?”

I nod. “Supposedly.”

“What’s it supposed to be?” a voice says.

Belle and I both jump, spinning toward the sound. The mirror is there, hanging on the wall. It is bigger than I remember and has a golden face floating in the middle of the silver surface. The golden vines seem to have sprouted roses that cling to the mirror itself. I gulp.

“How the fu—” Belle begins.

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