Snow was not to be defeated, though. She charged again, this time crouching a little lower. She gripped the blade tight in her slick palm. It continued to glow and hum against her hand. The ivy wound around Seraphina’s ankles, obeying Snow’s command to keep her in place. A whisper of a voice flickered through her mind. The words were in concert with the humming of the blade.She is not the rightful ruler.
She crashed against the queen, who was unable to defend herself this time. Snow plunged the dagger deep into the queen’s chest. A hiss emitted from the blade and black smoke seeped out from around the wound, much like when Ardan had stabbed her.
Seraphina’s eyes widened with shock as she stumbled, glanced down at the dagger sticking out of her chest. The very one she had commissioned to kill Snow White. She tripped over the ivy on the balcony, stumbling toward the railing.
With a little help from the greenery, Seraphina was hoisted over the railing. A muffled thud resounded.
Snow moved to the railing and peered over. Seraphina’s broken body was on the ground.
The evil queen was dead.
A tingling sensation was in her cut palm. She glanced down at it to see a swirl of purple magic. It lifted from her palm and flickered into nothingness. The wound knitted itself back together, fully healed. The blood oath was broken. All her promises to Seraphina were erased.
Turning from the railing, she stood a long moment in the silence. The ivy wound around the balcony moving upward toward the turret over her head. The castle had grown completely still. Roderick still slept in the center of the room. Neither destroying the magic or killing Seraphina had released him from the sleeping curse.
She walked to him, dropping to her knees at his side. She brushed back a lock of hair from his forehead. He looked as though he were merely sleeping peacefully. Whatever poison the queen gave him had taken a deep hold on him.
“I will find a way to release you from this sleeping curse,” she said, her voice low, as if he was able to hear her. She knew he didn’t. “I swear this to you.”
On impulse, she leaned down and pressed a long, sweet kiss against his cool lips. She sat back on her heels, trying to push away the sharp grief punching through her. She failed him. She’d find someone to help move him to the bed until she was able to find the antidote.
He groaned then, his brows drawing together as if in pain. His blue-green eyes fluttered open and met hers, piercing her. Snow sucked in a sharp breath as she gazed down at him. With a grunt, he pushed to a sitting position and ran a hand through his hair.
“You’re…” Snow started but she wasn’t sure how to put it into words.
Roderick reached for her, cupping her face in his hands. His eyes were like summer lightning on a warm day igniting a faint smoldering flame that startled her. Her heart fluttered. He pulled her closer, only a breath between them.
“You broke the sleeping curse.” His lips brushed hers as he spoke.
And then he kissed her. His lips captured hers in a timeless kiss that seemed to go on forever, sending spirals of warmth through her. She slipped her arms around him. In that one moment, she felt as though she floated on a wispy tender breeze and everything was right and perfect in her world for the first time in her life.
When he released her, he held her face in his hands. Light smoldered in his eyes. He pressed his forehead against hers and for a moment, there was nothing but peace between them. Despite everything they’d been through since they met, Snow was certain he was the one for her.
When he pulled away, he still held her face in his hands. There was a tenderness in his gaze that made her weak.
“Snow, this sounds odd to even me, but I knew the first moment I met you that you were the one for me.”
She smiled. “I felt the same. I need you by my side always.”
“For as long as you’ll have me.”
He took her hand. He glanced around the chamber, question deep in his eyes. He took in the shattered mirror in the alcove and the ivy that had crawled across the floor.
“I take it you were successful.” The corner of his mouth lifted in a grin.
“I destroyed the mirror, yes,” she said. “Seraphina is dead.”
He nodded, as though he had expected that. They helped each other to their feet. He was still a little wobbly. She wrapped an arm around his waist to steady him.
“And,” she added, “King Alfred is here with his army. Know anything about that?” She tilted her head back to look at him.
He gave her his best innocent look. “I’m afraid I don’t know.”
She nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. “Yes, you do. Annilen already told me.”
“Ah, then, it appears I have some explaining to do.”
She laughed. “Yes, right after we greet them.”
