Heir to Light | Fablehaven AU

XX - doors of death

*A note for Ao3 readers. Ao3's XIX - doors of death was split into the previous chapter XIX - sorcerers and the this chapter XX - doors of death

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The Sphinx pulled the sword out of Garreth's chest and walked back to Kendra. The seconds slowed down.

Kendra couldn't breathe. She couldn't hear. There was nothing. Terror overwhelmed her as she gazed at Garreth. His blank eyes stared at her and the green of his shirt darkened to deep red. This couldn't be the end. No, no, no.

Kendra felt so raw. Eviscerated. Someone had scooped out all her insides.

Garreth had sacrificed his life for her. She was so unworthy. Her heart tore in half. Visions of their beloved escapades overwhelmed her eyes until her tears gushed with pain. Their first meeting in the rain. The play. The treehouse. The endless courtroom drama they endured together. The walks in the garden. The warm hand-holding and soft cheek kisses. His arms wrapped around her. Sweet words whispered in her ear. Undying devotion. Forgiveness. Learning a new world for her. Following her into the most dangerous place in the world.

And, now. Dying. Dying at the hands of magic.

For her.

King Dalgorel had been convinced that Kendra would lead Garreth into harm. He hadn't been wrong.

Slick blood pooled underneath Garreth's body, sliding over the stone floor and staining the various scattered pillows. Kendra couldn't tear her eyes from him. She felt if she looked away, she'd miss a miracle where he sat up. That if she looked away, she was admitting death. No, she would stare because something would change. It had to.

Her plan failed as her tears blurred Garreth from her sight, and she slumped to her knees.

Kendra's previous explosion of vines, flowers, and plants died as the Sphinx strolled closer to her. Leaves curled into brown droppings and vines shriveled as the Sphinx laughed at her plight. As the life drained out of the plants, the cuts along the Sphinx's skin disappeared. It was the opposite of how Kendra healed. She poured her magic into others to heal them. He stole life to heal himself.

Kendra's eyes snapped open.

It was the opposite. A mirror.

Magic was a mirror. That was what the Sphinx said, right?

Kendra grew flora, the Sphinx snuffed it. She birthed light and he wielded darkness. Therefore, it stood to reason all dark magic had its counterpart.

If dark magic used ice, then light magic could use heat. It's not like Muriel or anyone had ever taught that to Kendra. But, as the Sphinx had said, magical knowledge had been lost a million times over. It was up to her to recover it.

Kendra pushed her magic to the icey bonds around her hands and feet and concentrated on forming heat instead of just light. She thought of hot summer days and crackling fires. It worked. Frigid water splashed to the ground as the bonds melted.

The Sphinx raised his eyebrows in vague impressment as he reached her. The last of the plants dropped dead to the ground, and their sacrifice showed in his glowing, smooth skin. With that final brown vine, Kendra's lost her ability to use plant magic. "Now, we might finally have a fair fight."

Kendra took a deep breath and got to her feet. She was done playing his stupid little games and continuing light-hearted banter while Garreth's blood stained his hands and the sounds of Gavin and Muriel's battle only grew.

It was time to see what she could truly do.

Maybe Kendra and the Sphinx had started out the same like he had said. But, they weren't going to end the same. He was driven by fear, bitterness, anger, and sadness. That wasn't Kendra. She wasn't going to allow her worst parts to overwhelm her. She wasn't going to allow her life to be focused on the low points.