The Last Daughter of Elysia

Chapter 17

There was a faint cry from the Resnim Forest, and Aelys ran towards Morgana, dress streaming behind her like a silvery fish darting through dark anemone.

Fatigue fell on Morgana like a heavy veil, and she collapsed onto all fours, drenched. The magic had taken its toll. But she didn't care. The chill from the frozen lake swept over her like a wintery breeze.

Aelys knelt in front of her. "What happened? I went looking for you and then I saw..."

Morgana stared at the frozen lake behind Aelys.

Aelys shook her by the shoulders. "Speak to me!"

Morgana shrugged her sister's hands off and stood up. A coldness spread over her body just like the frost over the lake. "What did you see, Aelys?"

Aelys stood up, brows knitting with confusion. "I saw you covered in water, and then you pushed someone into the lake with it. But that's impossible..."

Morgana closed her eyes, trying to slow the blood pounding in her veins. "I've absorbed too much of Elysia's magic. Lately, it's been out of control. Damon's been training me to help stop it." Her breath was coming in short gasps. "You can't tell anybody. I'm not supposed to tell anybody about the training."

"Morgana, you need to calm down." Aelys grabbed her shoulders again. "Don't worry I won't tell anyone."

"I couldn't help it, Elvenia tried to drown me."

Aelys's mouth dropped open. "I should've stayed with you. Or sent a guard with you. I'm such an idiot. I sent you, a vulnerable human into the Resnim Forest, alone." Aelys looked as if she were about to slap herself.

"You're not an idiot. Elvenia's bullied me for years."

"You were lucky that the magic protected you somehow. Which means that the elixir isn't working well anymore, right?"

"I don't know."

"Is Elvenia still in the lake?"

There was a tense moment when Morgana and Aelys gave the icy lake a grim look.

Morgana knew that it was too late to save Elvenia. She shuffled over to the lake's edge, small pebbles clattering underfoot. She felt numb as if her blood and flesh had frozen over. There were soft footfalls from behind and a warm hand went through hers. Aelys's comforting freesia scent coiled around her like a hug, and something in Morgana's chest defrosted.

"We'll do it together," Aelys murmured.

Morgana nodded, and they walked out onto the ice where the cold seeped into their shoes and up their legs like icy needles. Aelys waved a hand, blowing aside a layer of frost.

What they saw made Aelys's hand tighten around Morgana's.

Frozen in the middle of the lake was Elvenia. Her mouth was open in a scream, lips blue, eyes glassy. Elvenia's hair was a snarl around her head.

What surprised Morgana was what little she felt. She'd just killed someone, but all she could feel was relief. Relief that Elvenia would no longer harm her. Or try to kill her. 

Does that make me bad?

"I'll have to get rid of the body and make up a reason for why she died." Aelys chewed her lip.

"Damon made a decree that they weren't to bully me under punishment of death."

"Right, I forgot about that."

A silence fell between them.

"I know that you said the magic is out of control. But that doesn't explain why it did this to Elvenia and left you unharmed."