Part 16 (1/2)

The thought didn't even take a moment to register in Ettie's mind; it was clear in her eyes as I turned my head to look over my shoulder at her.

She shook her head.

”Ettie, it needs to be done. It's the only way. You know it, Ashe even knows it. Why do you think she's trying to buy us time?” I explained as I turned all the way around to face her.

”No, you know what will happen. If I do it... I can't do that to you. It would kill me. I don't know why you made me your key.” She shook her head, her ear length hair hardly s.h.i.+fting as she did it.

I sighed, but didn't stop looking toward her. Finally after a few more repeated mantras of her saying no, she briefly shot her eyes up to me, and I caught them.

She couldn't look away then.

”You were the only one with magic I trusted enough” I spoke softly, the crackle of the fire nearly drowning out my voice.

Ettie's eyes held firmly, her head shaking to continually tell me *no'. I stepped the distance to reach her. She looked down at me, our eyes still locked. ”I can't Riri, something could go wrong. You could die, I could never live with that. When I agreed, you said you would never actually ask me to do this. You promised!”

”I know.” My voice was calm, probably barely audible with the magical flames. My free hand reached out to grab her shoulder, while I lowered my axe to the side.

”You promised.” She continued.

”I know.”

Her body lunged forward into me, which was a whole lot of woman to come barreling into me like that, and not knock me over. Her neck craned down.

”Please, there must be another way.” She nearly cried. I was almost sure I was seeing tears stream down her cheek.

”No. You are my only key, Ettie. And we need my magic. Just do it.” My voice was practically a wisp of nothing as I added one last time. ”I need you, Ettie.”

This time I was sure I saw a tear, as it streamed along her chin and dropped onto my cheek where it stayed while I felt one of her guns press into my gut. Then she did something I hadn't been expecting.

She lowered her face down to mine, and brought her lips against mine with a whimper.

She kissed me. Dreary-eyed but pa.s.sionately.

Then she shot me.

Twice.

Sixteen.

Say the Magic Words Is it any wonder that the strongest magic in all the world is love? The greatest curses or weakest charms couldn't stand up to a proof of love. Because love is unconditional, even with magic; it literally breaks the barriers between people and in turn, magic as well.

I know, I sound all mushy, but I do mean all love, not just the prince and princess falling for each other kind of thing, but sibling love, parental love, love between friends; all of that, still counts. It's just the proof of love that can be difficult for those. Romantic love is easy; a kiss is all it takes.

You might find it strange then, when I tell you, no matter how glorious the kiss felt to me. It wasn't the kiss that would break down the spell that kept my magic from me. It was the magic bullets she fired into my gut. The kiss was just an unexpected treat. An impossibly unexpected treat.

If my head hadn't been blurring and swirling from the magical blasts to my heart and gut, then it certainly would have been from that kiss. Or maybe it had been because of the kiss?

I dropped limp, sliding right into Ettie's arms, with my mouth gaping and gasping and my body convulsing into shakes. It was not a pretty sight at all. My head was pressed up tight against the chest of the st.u.r.dy vixen whom held me.

I could hear Ettie, continually whispering, ”I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.” But the truth was she hadn't done a single thing wrong. Well unless she was talking about kissing me. But my head was spinning so fast and the world was dropping out of sight, that I could hardly come to think of something that happened seconds ago. I was having enough trouble staying in the present. Or maybe it had been the future?

I managed a few whispers of my own as Ettie dropped to the floor with me slumped into her arms and body. ”Don't apologize. You did great. I'm the one slacking here.”

I attempted hus.h.i.+ng her, as she seemed to be sobbing further, curled down against my body. She cradled me like I was going to die any second. Had I forgotten to tell her the rest?

When I refused to use magic any further and choose to seal it away in my body. I needed someone else's magic to be a key. In case I ever needed to unlock that power again. Ettie had been my choice, because when I still had magic, I had been the one teaching her how to use hers.

You could imagine; a girl like her, her whole life had been spent capturing and dealing with witches. And there she was: A witch herself. It took time for her to get over that, but eventually she wanted me teaching her.

I couldn't refuse. It wasn't just that her father having been the only person willing to take me in and mentor me on how to fight and use an axe when I was still young. I... also would have done anything for Ettie at the time. I still would.

Now because she was the key to unlocking my magic, any magic of her own struck into me, like what she had just done, would do the trick. But to ensure something accidental would not trigger the effect, we etched further markers into the key.

One: proof of love had to be involved, essentially breaking the spell that would bind my magic, as well as unlocking my magic. The kiss might have served the purpose if she really felt that way. But I think it was the fact that she trusted that I would be alive if she shot me.

And two: we had to say our magic words, despite how ridiculous and silly they were.

They were her idea, I swear.

”Hey Ettie,” I coughed, my body already illuminating in the two areas I had been shot. I raised a hand to touch the tips of my fingers against her chest where her heart might have been if it was on the outside. I was smiling one fey of a stupid grin too. ”What big heart you have.”

Her eyes went wide as she stared down at me. She shook her head, and I could see a smile starting to form at her lips, softly. She was worried of course. But that wouldn't stop her. She always had a strong heart.

She touched my cheek with one of her hands; it felt like vanilla b.u.t.ter running back and forward across my face. Her voice came out so sweetly, like ribbons dancing on the wind, only the wind was much fiercer in this case. ”The better to love you with, Riri.”

Then she leaned down to kiss me again. Her eyes flittered closed, and this time I was ready, for it. I felt the gentle touch of her lips and my eyes closed as well. I could smell the sweet scent of magic that she had just used, mixed with a fragrance of lilies, from her favorite tea.

Some moments are far better than others. And this one I would treasure, even if Ettie never wanted to kiss me again. I'd always have that kiss.

When I opened my eyes, she was gone.

Her touch ripped from me. The tower, the fire, everyone around us, it was all gone.

Even her scent had vanished. Though in its place was one of honey and porridge.

I squeezed my fingers together to make sure I was really alive, and looked down at them.

It was impossible.

I was lying on the pixie path, glittery sparkles of dust swirling at my booted feet. Everything else was covered by my crimson cloak.

My crimson cloak.

My hood was down, raspberry tangles of hair pulled behind my ears, and my lips were still curled into a smile from feeling the lingering of Ettie's kiss, right before the shock of everything struck me.

A voice like crusted old honey captured my ears. ”Are you just going to lie there all d.a.m.n day, Red? Or can we like... get moving. Sometime soon? Maybe?”