Page 154 of The Starlight Savior

“My girl,” her father breathed into her ear as Saige’s body jolted forward. Her hand reached out to him, his palm rough against her cheek. It seemed she was traveling through memories, her consciousness lodged far from her body. “One day you’ll have to make such difficult decisions. But just know, you’ll be strong enough to move forward. Always. No matter what happens, don’t stop moving forward.” Had she heard these words before? Saige didn’t know, but she soaked them in nonetheless.

A hand roughly tousled Saige’s hair as her father drifted away from her memory. “You’ve always been my sister’s favorite friend,” Baron spoke with a smile edging across his lips. “I’m your sister’s only friend.” Saige heard herself laugh. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” She felt Baron pull her into a hug, but wasn’t he supposed to be fighting?

Judith’s home blossomed in her mind as the world lurched forward once again. “I will always protect you,” Judith murmured, “even if I may not agree or understand…” her words were swallowed by a sharp crack. Saige absorbed her caregiver, the very woman who provided her sanctuary and companionship. The pulse of her magic felt like a daze, memories of bliss flooding into her. Sometimes it felt like Judith was Saige’s true family.

A set of lips were rough against Saige’s cheek. The only kiss she would allow herself, alcohol numbing the curse in her body. “You’re the most beautiful girl in Opela,” Hadeon murmured against her. Saige wanted to relish in this feeling, bottle it up and tuck it close to her side. It felt wrong to lean into such a thing.

Music filled Saige’s ear, drowning out the cries around her. Niana’s grip was tight against Saige’s wrist as she forced her to move to the beat. A flutter of euphoria began to build in her, like a butterfly bouncing around in her chest. Niana’s smile was wide, her eyes filled with so much gratitude. She couldn’t help but soak it in. Even if she didn’t deserve it at times.

“My niece,” Eva whispered in Saige’s ear. Niana’s face morphed and distorted until her aunt’s piercing blue eyes met hers. Her heart ached at the sight of life gleaming in her irises. Her aunt was dead. “I’ve dreamt about the days of meeting you. Your face is the only thing I see when I sleep. Even if I didn’t know what you looked like, I knew you’d have your father’s eyes.” All Saige had ever wanted was her family. Just as Eva once wished for.

The moon shifted into view, but Saige’s sight still hadn’t returned to the battlefield. Bright light hung above Conor’s frame as he waited for her. His hands rested behind his back, curled hair pushed up against his forehead. A wicked smile lit up his face as one hand extended. She was pulled into Conor’s chest with a laugh. Their bodies swayed to the music in the distance, head resting on his chest. The sound of his heartbeat was almost melodic, each pulse shaking the ground below them. Had Saige ever felt so safe in her life? She wasn’t sure. Her veins began to alight, as if her magic was enthralled by his presence.

Her body lurched forward as the white light subsided. Her vision blurred. Saige had suddenly been thrown into the air. A perfect view of the land before her cracked in half.

One side stood strong, more beautiful than Saige had ever seen. Rolling hills of greenery, golden sand dunes, glittering oases, and peaks of snowy mountain tops. Yet on the other side, the world was enveloped in mist. Dark, gray, and heavy. What pieces of land were visible were barren and dead. The snarls and cries of beasts pained Saige’s ears as they scratched against the ground, tugging at thinning flesh. Even in the rivers and ocean, the flora and fauna were contaminated. Tainted.

All because of a greedy king, a wish for no barriers, and a starlight witch who couldn’t say no.

Saige didn’t understand how she was flying over Opela, but she knew it was deeply rooted in the ancient magic channeling through her. In the back of her mind, her physical form was still rooted in Brevil. But her consciousness had been forced away from her and through the open air, traveling through moments and memories that brought her so much life; it was as if she was clinging to the very person she was.

Her mind glowed like a star, traveling through the sky, until her sight reeled to a stop, and all she could see was the eastern islands. Despite all she had seen, the death and turmoil was tragic upon the land jutting from the ocean. The structure before her was fully crumbled, a shell of the starlight kingdom. In the corner of the open room, standing before the gnarled tree, was a woman.

“Your memories are beautiful. So much joy,” the woman said, her voice floating ethereally between them. She was tall, dressed in dark robes. As the woman turned, her hood was pushed back, revealing white hair. Saige’s eye caught on the eight pointed star in the middle of her chest.

“I know you.” Saige’s voice sounded equally as far away. As if the physical attributes of her body weren’t directly connected.

The woman smiled as she took a step forward. Peaks of glowing white veins were revealed as her robes shifted, traveling up her arms, neck, and brightening her eyes. “And who am I, witchling?”

“The Last Queen,” Saige breathed, “Ameris.”

Ameris nodded, licking her lips. “The Last Queen.” She laughed, voice bitter between them. “Maybe not quite.”

“What am I doing here?” The ocean churned behind them viciously, white water smashing against the sides of the island. The smell of rot drifted in and out of her nose, mixing with the salty air.

“You called.”

“Did I?” Saige’s brow furrowed.

“Your burnout was approaching. You needed my help, and so I have come.” Ameris cocked her head. “I’ve been watching you. Magic often gives us the power to watch over our descendants. You’ve been working hard, trying to break the very curse my daughter cast upon us.”

“Cecilia was your daughter?”

“Next in line to the throne.”

A lump formed in her throat as the words lingered in the air. “What do I do?” Saige asked, suddenly in panic. “I’m supposed to heal the land, but it feels impossible to reverse all Opela has done.”

“You’re doing it now. The land can feel the shift, but you just need more strength. More magic. And I’m”—Ameris took another step forward—“here to provide that.”

“How?” If Saige’s physical body was so close to burnout, how could she absorb more magic? The stars and full moon felt like her breaking point, ripping through her flesh.

“There is no right or wrong way to engage in magic. It is all intention. Emotion. The strongest of your magic is connected to all that joy built up in your body. All those memories.” She smiled softly again. “What a beautiful thing it is to have trust in someone.”

“I didn’t always,” Saige said slowly, thinking back to all the people who filled her soul.

“It was there. Or else you would’ve never made the very connections you’ve formed today. The very people who are fighting for you now.” She held up her hand, a glimmering ball forming before her. Instead of just pure magic, Ameris revealed the battle.

Wielders and mortals still fought strongly through the field. It wasn’t clear what they were fighting for anymore. Their anger and hatred for one another was so deep that it seemed to drive every given blow.