“It is.” Snow’s smile fell. “I tried to cheat death. I couldn’t let go of Beatrice. I’m sorry, Talia.”
“Beatrice? What does-” Talia frowned, remembering Snow’s behavior after Bea’s death. Snow had created Gerta, a fully formed woman, from nothingness. It would have taken months to prepare such a spell… a spell to create a new body, one which could receive the spirit of another. “Oh, Snow.”
“I couldn’t let the demon escape. I knew Gerta would figure it out. In my daydreams, she was almost as clever as me.” Snow’s smile was full of mischief, even as her words grew faint. “Tell Danielle to make sure Jakob gets a good teacher. He’s a gifted one.”
“I will.” Talia almost let go, wanting only to touch the reflection in the ice. “The mirror wouldn’t have held forever. If not you, someone else would have broken the glass. Someone less able to fight this thing.”
“I know. Mother’s demon would have… destroyed everything. I couldn’t let her win.”
“You didn’t,” Talia whispered. “You beat her.”
“Damn right.” Snow blinked and looked about, as though disoriented. “Gerta loves you, you know. We both do.”
“I know.” New tears welled. She turned to where Gerta lay dying on the ice.
“So why haven’t you… kissed her yet?”
Talia smiled. She would have stayed here forever, just to listen to Snow tease her, but even as she watched, Snow’s reflection was fading. When she spoke again, Talia had to press her ear to the ice to make out the words.
“Danielle… clever woman. Jakob’s blood… weakens the demon… enough for me to do this.” In the reflection, she slipped a hand around Talia’s neck and kissed her cheek. The other Talia released the chain, which fell away to reveal the paleness of Snow’s throat.
Snow looked through the ice and winked. “Promise me… you’ll take care of her. She deserves to be happy. You both do.”
Talia’s vision blurred. She twisted her head, furiously wiping the tears on her shoulder.
“Happy ever after… is a choice.” Snow glanced away. “I’m sorry, Talia.”
“Please don’t go,” Talia whispered.
“I created her. I bound her. I can… free her.” Snow touched the underside of the frozen lake. “Mirror formed of ice so cold… sever now my magic’s hold.”
And then both Snow and the demon were gone.
CHAPTER 23
Daniellefelt the moment the magic on Snow’s sword failed. The ice blade grew heavy, and the hilt began to melt in her grip. She tossed it away, and it broke apart when it struck the ground.
She didn’t fool herself into believing she stood a chance against Snow’s beasts. Not that it would stop her from doing her best to slay them all if they came too close. But they didn’t attack. They stumbled about as though drunk, snarling and swiping at one another if they collided, but mostly keeping to themselves.
“I’m cold, Mama.”
Danielle stepped sideways, moving toward Jakob. He ran up and grabbed her jacket, pressing against her like an animal burrowing for warmth. His hands were bloody, the fingertips an unhealthy blue tinge, and he had lost so much weight. His cheeks were sunken, and there were shadows beneath his eyes. But he was alive.
“I’ve got you.” She crouched to pick him up with one arm. He wrapped his arms and legs around her body, clinging with all his strength.
Talia and Snow lay on the ice at the base of the throne. Toward the door, Gerta had managed to stand. She was unsteady, and held one hand to her side, but there was no blood.
“Gerta?” Danielle kept her sword ready. Talia had never released the chain. The demon shouldn’t have had anywhere to go. Yet how could Gerta live, with Snow- Danielle forced back tears. It was like swallowing a stone.
“It’s gone.” Gerta’s head was tilted, allowing her red hair to fall over the ruin of her eye.
“How?” Danielle glanced at Snow. “You said the two of you were bound. I thought-”
“I should be dead. Back in Noita’s garden…”Tears fell from Gerta’s good eye. She sounded dazed, though whether the shock came from the loss of her eye or the fact that she was still alive, Danielle couldn’t have said. “This is the death I saw. I was part of her, our fates bound.”
“Was?”
“She saved me,” said Gerta. “She and the demon were both dying, but Snow was able to cast one final spell. She severed that bond between us.”
With Danielle’s help, Gerta made her way toward the dais. Talia’s body was taut. The chain had fallen away. Pinched, bloody skin showed where it had dug into Snow’s neck.
The sight brought new tears, and Danielle hugged her son tighter.
“Is he all right?” Gerta asked.
“He’s cold.” Danielle remembered the fear in his face when she asked him to hold out his hand. But he had obeyed, knowing what was needed. He had cried when she cut him-they both had-but he never flinched away. She unbuttoned her jacket, wrapping it around him. “What of you? Your eye, your side-”
“Hurt like hell, both of them,” Gerta admitted. “But I’m not bleeding.” She pointed to the weapon in Danielle’s hand. “You shouldn’t need that. With the demon gone, the mirror shards have no hold over them anymore. They’re free, all of them.”
Even Armand. Danielle sheathed her sword and sat, her muscles gone weak as though her limbs were melting. The creatures stumbled about, confused and frightened, but no longer hostile. Jakob climbed into her lap, and she held him with one arm. With her other, she gently reached over to touch Talia’s back. Talia’s muscles were like stone.
Years ago, Talia had awakened from a fairy curse to find her entire family dead. She had fled to Lorindar, where Beatrice and Snow found her and took her in. Now Bea and Snow were both gone.
“Snow chose this,” Gerta said. “The moment our mother’s mirror cracked and she sensed what hid within. She trusted her friends to help her destroy that evil.”
“I know.” Talia didn’t move. Her hair hid her face. “This is Allesandria, home of magic. There must have been something more we could have-”
“There wasn’t.” The certainty in Gerta’s voice was absolute. “You saw how many nobles fell to the demon, not to mention the king of Allesandria. Snow spent her life studying magic. She was gifted enough to rule, stronger even than our mother, though she never believed it. She knew there was but one way to undo what Rose Curtana had set in motion. She wouldn’t want you to grieve. She’d want you to celebrate her victory.”
A cracking sound echoed through the throne room. A thin curtain of snow drifted from the ceiling. Danielle rose. “What happens to this place now that the demon is gone?”
“Nothing good.”
An animal like a dog with vestigial wings of edged ice charged toward them. Its snarls sounded more panicked then angry. Danielle tried to stand and draw her sword, but Gerta was faster, slapping a palm to the surface of the frozen lake. The dog yelped and limped away, favoring its front left leg. Blood dripped from its paw.
“We can’t stay here,” said Danielle.
Talia took a deep, shuddering breath. She rolled Snow’s body to face her, then leaned down to kiss her lightly on the lips.
Danielle held her breath. Once before, deep within Fairytown, Talia had awakened Snow from a curse with just such a kiss… but Snow was gone. Talia seemed to shrink into herself.
“Talia, we have to go.” Danielle wasn’t letting go of her son, and Gerta was too badly hurt to physically drag Talia from the palace, assuming Talia didn’t knock her unconscious for trying.
“You promised her,” Gerta said.
Talia didn’t move. “You heard that?”
Gerta tugged Talia’s shoulder. “Do you have the faintest idea what her spirit will do to yours if you stay here and let yourself die? It won’t be pretty.”
Slowly, Talia nodded. She lifted Snow’s body, cradling her to her chest, and stepped away from the throne. “What about the traps?”