Fairies of The Black Circle

31

"Wake up," Flora whispered, her hands cupping Anagan's face.

His condition had stabilised since Bloom had begun her healing, his burn marks reduced to light pink scarring. Still, he hadn't yet opened his eyes.

"Wake up, please." Her eyes welled with fresh tears.

The shield around them was rapidly deteriorating, forcing them to shrink the perimeter, concentrating their magic in a smaller area. Despite Morgana's body cooling on the ground, the earth fairies had not admitted defeat.

If anything, her death had enraged them further.

"For our queen! We shall uphold her legacy!" She heard one of them cry, echoed by the cheers of the army.

Cracks had begun to form. Arrows whirred through the air, narrowly missing their targets. Spears began to poke through the holes.

Flora screwed her eyes shut. This couldn't be happening.

They should have won.

They should be celebrating. She should be wrapped in Anagan's arms, telling Helia that she loved him and that it was over between them.

But she wasn't in his arms. He was in hers. And he wasn't showing signs of waking.

Another blast rocked the shield, the noise sending a shock of fear through her.

"Stop it!" She screamed at the uncaring soldiers. They pressed in harder. She hugged Anagan tighter to her body.

"Shit." She heard Stella say as she was pushed back again, narrowly missing the swipe of a sword to her neck.

Flora's palm shone green, and ivy sprouted from the ground, yanking the sword from the warrior's hand. The shield closed again.

"It's not gonna hold!" Stella yelled, her voice edged with frustration. Her outstretched arms were trembling, her skin slick with sweat.

"Positive thinking, princess," Duman chided nearby, also straining as he funnelled magic into the shield.

Bloom nodded grimly; her brow furrowed in concentration as she scanned their surroundings for any advantage.

She couldn't find one.

She stood and joined the circle, channelling her magic into the shield. They were going to have to grit this out.

But holding up a shield was not a permanent solution. They needed a counterattack.

Ogron was without magic, Anagan on the verge of death, Riven badly injured, and Roxy a traitor.

Stella was losing strength rapidly, as were all of them. And they were still outnumbered 100 to 1.

She bit down hard on her lip, the pain bringing her back to the present. There was no point lingering on their disadvantages.

She had to fight.

~

"Flora?" A meek voice said behind her.

The sound made Flora's skin prickle with fury. She whipped around and slapped Roxy cleanly across the cheek.

Roxy stumbled backwards, a red handprint already forming on her face.

"I'm sorry!" She cried out, falling to her knees. "I'm so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. I never wanted to hurt anyone."

Flora stood above her, her expression stony as she watched Roxy babble apologies through her sobs.