The End of Innocence: Book 3 of the Kinstone series

(Rachel)

The sound of a sword being tossed onto the ground echoes into my ear. I turn around to see Marron sliding off Aria’s weapons as my daughter reverts to her human form. At first I think she had merely collapsed from exhaustion due to the battle and her sister plans to carry the child inside. But why remove her armaments?

Marron then hold her close, yet not standing. I started to walk over to them.

“Did you know she hated you after I left?”

I stop cold in my steps, “What are you talking about?”

The woman looks up at me with an anger I have never once seen within her, “When I was recalled nearly three years ago, I was on the verge of asking her if she wanted to move in with me. She should’ve been mine from the start.”

Her grip around Aria tightens, “I was the first to make physical contact with her. Even if brief, I was the one who practically raised her, who looked out for her, gave her a home she could retreat to. Yet I was ripped from her. At first I thought I could simply let it go, and for a time I did. But I still hated how little I was in her life ever since that day. Yes we could visit each other, but it was never the same as back then.”

She then rose, cradling Aria in her arms, “I’ve been given a chance at the life that was stolen from me. She and I can now be together forever as I had been promised,” glaring at me, “to live life as a normal girl.” She then pulls out a small piece of paper from her shirt.

I step closer, “Marron, please…please don’t do this. If you let her go, then we can forget this even happened. It has been a grueling battle and I have had the worst couple of days. So we can talk about this.”

Marron tosses the paper onto the ground, encircling them both in a golden hue. I dash over to her and bang my fist onto the barrier, “I am begging of you, please…please don’t take her from me.”

She closes her eyes, tears rolling her cheeks, “I’m sorry,” and teleports into the sky.

Fenris turns to see his bonded girl rising and runs for the beam and leaps, only to be pushed back, landing squarely in front of me, growling and snarling.

“I was rejected! I cannot follow with her.”

Her knights, too having seen what transpired, attempt to leap after their princess, to also be pushed back.

“What sort of magic is this?” asks Orga.

“Her Highness,” spoke Kateryna, looking on in shock.

I raise my staff and slams it into the ground in the attempt to stop her, firing several beams of magic at them, trying to disrupt the spell. But I too find myself unable to prevent their departure as it simply bounces off with no effect. A pulse of energy then explodes down onto the Manor, knocking everyone off their feet.

I rolls onto my knees and stare up into the sky, “Aria…”

Despite all of my power, my knowledge, I feel…helpless, watching my only daughter being taken away. Not by some unknown foe or enemy, but…by her own sister. Someone she trusts and loves more than anyone in this world. I had been called away into a trap, returned home, praying that I was in time to rescue her, only for this to happen.

Tears run down my face, dripping onto my shirt, “Aria…” I whisper. Why…why now? Why choose this moment?

My eyes grow wide as their light fades into the night sky. My chest tightens, shaking my head in disbelief. No…no…not my girl.

“Aria!!!”