Adele's Stories

I balked at the man in front of me. This couldn’t be real, this cannot be real. I clutched Cobalt’s reigns tighter. He snorted and shook his head, clearly sensing my anxiety. It was all I could do to keep him calm as thunder boomed overhead. The man extended his hand even farther towards me. “Are you going to take it or not?” His face held a hint of amusement.

“But… where did you find it?”

“Does it matter? If you want to save your people from Count Ebony you’re gonna need it.”

I shook my head and took a step back. “No, Aiden, we agreed. We weren’t going to stoop to his level. We’ll defeat him fairly. Good always wins.” Aiden frowned slightly. Cobalt nudged my shoulder, clearly anxious to get away. I knew he felt the dark magic coming from the object in Aiden’s hand just as much as I did. It made my a little nauseous. I leaned my shoulder against Cobalt’s to steady myself.

“You’ve been fighting him for two years Aila. It’s time to end this war. Use the arrow.” Aiden came towards me the arrow extended in front of him. Cobalt lifted head and stepped back so quickly he almost dragged me with him. Aiden stopped, tossing my horse an annoyed look. I had never seen that look in Aiden’s eyes before. And it scared me.

“What happened to your vow Aiden? To never use dark magic? After what it did to your parents?” Cobalt nudged me to the side and stepped forward slightly, using his shoulder to shield me from Aiden. Aiden rolled his eyes.

“I was young and naive, Aila. But I’ve matured since then. Is dark magic really dark if you’re using it for good?”

I clutched onto Cobalt’s main as I used him to support me before my knees buckled. “How can you talk like Aiden? You know what that arrow will do. And you call it good?” I shook my head in disbelief. “Oh Aiden. I always believed that of all people you would never succumb to the darkness.”

Aiden’s face darkened and suddenly he was flying at me, arrow extended. I didn’t have enough time to even scream before Cobalt had nocked him aside and reared threateningly. He snorted and tossed his head with an aggression I’d never seen before. Then again I’d never been threatened like this before.

Aiden was flat on his back and trying to wiggle out of the way of the giant stomping hooves. And the arrow lay a few feet away, snapped in half. I don’t think I’d ever felt so much relief. Aiden, on the other hand, was furious. “You’re going to regret this decision Aila.”

I swung onto Cobalt’s back and turned him around to face the trail back home. “You may have been willing to darken your soul to get what you want Aiden, but I never will. You were my closest friend Aiden. I thought you knew me better than that. And I thought I knew you.” One flick of the reigns and Cobalt and I were galloping down the path.

It took everything in me not to look back as I left behind the closest friend I’d ever known. It felt like I was leaving apart of myself behind with him as I galloped away. It hurt like a pain I’d never felt before. Oh Lord have I done the right thing? As if in answer to my question the dark clouds above me rolled away and the sunlight began to pour through.