Page 62 of Snow White

Fuck. I scramble through the shelves, looking for anything that might build my magical reserves back up. Unicorn horn? No. Leprechaun’s corpse? No. Banshee’s tongue? No. None of my many magical items will give me what I need at this moment. Dark magic is not like Elemental. I need to squeeze the magic from those born with it in their veins to make spells, enchantments, and protections. Even my glamor is falling at the moment. The tattoos and sigils that cover almost every inch of my skin flicker in and out of existence. The only one remaining steady, unaffected by my glamor, is my bond to Snow.

I trace my finger over the tree on my inner forearm. At least Snow was safe. So long as the willow flourishes on my arm and apples form and fall on my skin, I know she’s safe.

My one good deed.

She’ll move on, forget all about me, have children, and be happy. She’ll make others smile, their lives brighter from her presence. The world is not ready for a life without Snow. The world can’t exist without Snow White.

If she died… I can’t think like that. Even the thought makes the contents of my bolt hole shake with barely contained magic. I don’t know what would have happened if I’d been too late. Something dark and fetid uncurls inside me, whispering for me to punish the world that almost took Snow White from me.

A jar full of tiny faerie wings falls and shatters on the ground, making me jump. The fairy dust clouds the air, and I cough, choking on the pure magic.Fucking fairies.The fairy dust clogs my throat, invigorating me slightly, replacing some of the power drain. The creatures are still a nuisance, even after they are dead.

Fairies! Shit! How could I have forgotten? Snow is still in danger. The forest encroached ever closer. The older Snow gets, the more powerful she becomes, and the more the fairies want her back. Shit! I slam my hand against the side of my head, trying to focus through the haze. I made sure she is protected in the castle, but what if she goes out?

Time is running out, and soon my protections will fail. I grind my teeth, looking at the single black box on the shelf. My mouth goes dry as I push aside my emotions and open it. The hinge creaks and dust scatters. How long has the box sat on that shelf untouched?

My hand shakes as I reach inside, gripping the contents. The empty box makes a dull echo when it hits the floor, the sound muffled by the rug. I try to keep control of my fragile emotions, but after earlier with Snow, I can’t seem to stop the tears. I haven’t cried since I was a child, but now I seem to be on the verge constantly. Snow changed me. She would hate me if she knew the truth and what I am about to do.

It doesn’t matter. There’s only one thing that matters in my world. One good deed that I must always protect.

I am trembling as I raise the contents of the box to my mouth. My teeth sink into the flesh. It’s tougher than I thought it would be. Normally, I would cook it or mix it in some sort of spell, but I don’t have time.

Tick tock.

I force my mouth around another bite, struggling not to retch. I drop to my knees, determined to do this for Snow.Bite.Keep her safe.Swallow.One good deed. I take another bite and choke on the taste, the hard, leathery flesh forcing its way past my throat. There was a reason I never resorted to this before, why I kept this power sitting on a shelf gathering dust.

Once I finish consuming, I drop to my hands, gagging, my body trying to expel it. It tears at my insides, trying to make me purge it. What I just did is unnatural. It’s evil, dark magic, and for several minutes, I’m not sure if I’m going to keep it down. I can feel the power inside me rebelling. My fingers are glowing. The pure original magic is turning dark inside of me. I’m not the predestined holder of the magic, nor am I the current holder.

I was never supposed to be a Vessel to an Elemental Spirit. Not like Snow or Eric. But even after they pass and the Elemental goes to a new Vessel, their bodies will still contain a surfeit of the magic. They are not human, not truly. You have to be special to survive the power of an Elemental, and holding one of the original four is the closest thing to divinity our world will ever see. The four made this world in an explosion of magic, and when I heard that one of their Vessels had died, I hurried to her corpse and stole what I could. The power had already passed on to the next Vessel, but I can feel the remnants in me. Snow and Eric live with this inside them? Every day?

They would despise me if they knew what I just did. It’s better that I never see her again. How could I ever face her after eating her mother’s heart?

Chapter Forty

Snow

Belle and I arrive at the stables out of breath. The horses are stomping their hooves uneasily, a couple neighing at the sight of our arrival. I slowly walk past the stalls, calming the horses. They all seem to settle when they see me. I stop at Doc’s stall to slide a soothing hand along his neck. He seems restless, probably sensing my anxiety through our bond.

After pressing a kiss to his velvety nose, I move to Beast’s stall. He slams against his door, and I jump. I remember him being aggressive, but I know how to calm him.

Belle squeals. “Is that him?”

“Yeah.” I nod and hold my hand out, summoning a snowflake. The Beast stares at it for a moment before chomping it and slamming his body against the gate again. I jump back from the gate, and Belle storms forward.

“Listen here, you stupid horse! You’re going to help us!” Belle exclaims.

The Beast snarls, slamming against the gate again and splintering it. I scream and throw my hands out, creating an ice wall to keep him in. My powers feel different, stronger. I shake my head, pushing the thought aside until later.

“Let’s not yell at the horse!” I exclaim.

“Yeah, yeah,” Belle hisses at the wall. “Now what?”

I chew my lower lip, trying to think. Azura had said that the horse used to be the rudest of men. My eyes widen.Was she talking literally?!

“No, she didn’t,” I mumble.

“What?” Belle asks.

“I think the horse is a man.”

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