Dark Enchantment (Elvis Presley Story)

Chapter 64

Sophia was gutted. Worse than gutted.

She'd just watched the man she loved reduced to nothing, his soul captured forever in a crystal prison. She wanted to die.

"Sophia?" Aurora was driving them back to the Manor. Sophia had absolutely no desire to talk to her. She had no desire to talk to her sister ever again. Aurora must have sensed that because she said, "I'm so sorry," and nothing more.

Sophia squeezed her eyes closed and rolled her head away so her sister couldn't see her tears. She didn't want to give her the satisfaction of knowing once again she won, she'd got-

Sophia sighed. No. She wasn't going there any more, wouldn't give in to that dark, insidious place. If Elvis had taught her nothing else, he'd taught her that ugly thoughts, thoughts of hatred, and of revenge, only got you in trouble. She owed it to his memory to honor that lesson, hard-earned as it was.

When they reached the Manor, Aurora turned towards the east wing so she could take the crystal containing Elvis's soul to the dungeon. "Come with me," Aurora urged gently.

Sophia shook her head. "No. I can't bear to see him like that." Funny how it never bothered her before-crystallising demons. How she bitterly regretted her smug attitude when Elvis had questioned the cadre's right to choose which individual was evil and which wasn't! Who was she to judge others? Thank God she wasn't an adept. Tomorrow she would tell the High council she never wanted to be promoted. She never wanted to have to make that kind of decision. Ever. Let others be judge and jury. She didn't have the heart or the stomach.

"Sophia?" Charles asked with concern. "Are you all right?"

"No, Charles," She whispered. "I'll never be all right again."

She smiled bleakly as she said it, and hugged Elvis's jacket which she had brought from the car and put it to her lips, then walked to the staircase leading to the top of the Manor. It was nearly sunrise. And Sophia knew what she must do.

The wind was as cold as ice. It moaned through the trees below, mournful and unearthly, like a low, keening cry. Sophia shivered at the sound. An orange silver of sun trembled on the indigo horizon. In the meadow beyond the oak, faerie lights danced in a circle to the music of the dawn. But the only sounds she could hear were the moaning of the wind and the cries of her heart.

"Oh, Elvis," She whispered. As she pulled Elvis's jacket tighter around herself.

"Sophia?" Aurora's voice sounded from behind her.

"Aurora, What do you-" Suddenly, Sophia saw what was in Her sisters hand. Her heart seized. "What are you doing with that?" It was Elvis's crystal.

Aurora carefully set the crystal pyramid on the ground. "I guessed you'd be here." She twisted the ring on her forefinger. "You love him very much, don't you."

It wasn't really a question, but Sophia answered anyway. "Yes. I love him. More than I thought it possible to love a man."

"But he's not human."

"Are you sure? Demons are a part of us, Aurora. A dark part, to be sure. But we wouldn't be human without that side of ourselves. We have to accept it. Once we do we can see the humanity behind our demons. And demons cease to rule our lives. They become human. Like us. Elvis is human now, Aurora. As human as you or I."

"How is that possible?"

"Simple. Through love. Elvis was changed by love. My love for him and his for me."

Aurora's troubled gaze stared down at the red crystal for a long time. Finally, she said, "I heard his love for you in his voice when he pleaded for your safety. I saw his love for you in his eyes when he was facing death. I knew he'd changed. But I didn't want to believe it. The gargoyles knew," Aurora said. "It's why he passed their test."

Shock went through Sophia's body. "What are you saying?"

"It's true. They told the High council. It's why they refused my petition to crystallise him."

"But....but..."

"I suspected as much after tonight. When we returned, I went straight to them and told them what happened with Rofocale and Marcolf. The council told me everything then."

Hope surged through Sophia. "I-don't understand."

Aurora squeezed her hands. "Even our father said Elvis had proven himself and his worthiness."

"So...what now?"

A gust of wind whipped around them. "I'm letting him out, Sophia. You can be together."

Sophia let out a cry and fell to her knees beside the crystal. She reached out a trembling hand but stopped short of touching it. Tears blinded her. "Aurora, please hurry. Oh, God, please, hurry!"

The ice-cold wind rushed over her skin. She didn't hear her sisters chants, couldn't see through the watery veil clouding her vision. But she felt the power of the spell. The energy built and swelled and grew in strength until the air was crackling and swirling with the power of it. Aurora's hands lifted and she shouted the final words.

A bolt of lightening cracked down from the sky, booming like a thousand cannons, lighting up the Manor like a sunburst. It hit the top of  pyramid. The crystal exploded, raining a thousand pieces of red.

And in its place stood Elvis.

And he's back! There was no way I could leave his poor soul in a crystal for all eternity.. anyways I hope you enjoyed this chapter! and thank you so much for reading! xoxo