Page 66 of Once Upon True Love's Kiss
He did not realize the danger he’d put himself in by standing up to the queen.
“Step aside, young elf. My quarrel is not with you, but with the princess.”
This time it was Elator who spoke. “She belongs here with us.”
Hot pinpricks of fear skipped up her spine, tingling the back of her neck. Elator moved to stand next to Ardan, making her cringe. She appreciated they wanted to protect her, but she feared what would happen to them if they tempted Seraphina’s fury.
“You have to stop them,” she whispered to Roderick. “Dosomething.”
“Stand aside, you pathetic weaklings, and give me what I’ve come for.Her.” She pointed at Snow. “If you do not stand aside, then I will be forced to take drastic measures.”
A glint of a blade in Ardan’s hand caught Snow’s attention. She realized then he wielded his enchanted blade. He charged the queen. Snow shouted something incoherent—intending to tell him to stop but it came out as nothing more than a shout.
Seraphina sensed the attack before it came and spun, using a punch of magic to shove him away from her. He went flying across the village and somehow managed to hold onto the hilt of his blade. She seethed, her hands balled into fists as she pinned the young elf with her death glare.
Snow wanted to run to him, to see if he was all right, but Roderick spun and pushed her back, holding her in place.
“I have to help him,” she said, desperation lancing through her voice.
“She means to kill him,” Roderick said, his voice low.
As the queen advanced on him, she realized she intended to do just that. She raised her arms over her head, ready to strike once again with her magic.
Snow wasn’t going to allow her to hurt Ardan. She shoved Roderick off her and stepped back, raising her own arms level with the ground. The vines and the leaves and the trees answered her call. The vines struck first, wrapping their long tendrils around the queen’s raised arms, tightening with every struggle she made to get free. A shriek of frustration exploded from her.
“Release me!” she demanded.
“Never.” Snow stepped around Roderick and faced the queen, no longer afraid. “You will leave this place and never return.”
A long beat of silence passed between them as the wraiths hovered behind the queen, desperate for their next order. Then Seraphina emitted a long, low laugh.
“You silly girl. You think you can defeat me?” She shook her head, still smiling. Then she used a bright flash of magic to singe the vines and release her bonds. “You will never defeat me. Attack her.”
The wraiths charged Snow White.
But Roderick was ready for them. He lunged as one whipped overhead, stabbing with the enchanted blade. The wraith emitted a high-pitched screech and then dissipated into mist. Ardan joined the fray with his blade, destroying another one.
With shaking hands, Snow wielded the one Roderick left on the table, killing another one as it tried to attack her. Seraphina emitted a cry of frustration and sent three more wraiths to attack. Snow, Ardan, and Roderick all stabbed them with their enchanted blades, killing them.
“You traitor!” Seraphina shrieked. “Instead of killing her with that blade, yougave it to her!”
Her wrath was directed at Roderick. She flung her hands toward him, a stream of magic pulsing from her fingertips. It looked like lightning. When it hit Roderick, he flew backward, landing against a tree. Snow gasped, watching as he fell to the ground, unconscious.
“I should have killed you myself when I had the chance,” she said, advancing on Snow. The lightning danced between her fingers as she lifted her hands to attack.
Suddenly, she cried out in pain, her back bowing and the light disappearing from her fingers. She spun to face the attacker. Ardan yanked his dagger from her shoulder. As soon as it cut her, there was a hiss and smoke rose from the wound. She shrieked out of pain and frustration and anger.
Snow sucked in a sharp breath. “Ardan!”
“You!” the queen seethed.
Rage creased the queen’s face as she turned to the young elf. Snow clutched her dagger, torn between helping Roderick and defending Ardan. Just as she decided to sprint to the elf’s side, Seraphina flung her lightning hands toward him.
A flash of light blinded Snow for a brief moment. When it cleared, she saw Ardan on the ground with a smoking hole in his chest.
“No!”
She ran to him, dropping to her knees beside him. His eyes were glassy as he looked into nothingness. He was dead. Tears flooded Snow’s eyes as she reached for his hand, clutching it in hers.
