A sudden smile spread over Garrett's face as the light around us darkened. I felt a sense of evil spread through me as a tornado of black smoke appeared in front of us.

I quickly turned my head into Cas's chest, as if to cover myself from the darkness that seemed to be expanding in the room. Wind whipped through my hair, causing Cas and I to fall. A sharp pain spread throughout my back at the impact and I cried out in pain.

Though now my eyes weren't covered, I could see the embodiment of evil before me.

A woman stood, her hands blazing fire. Her eyes are dark with hatred and power, a shiver went down my back as I looked into her eyes. My heart beat widely as I felt intimidated under her powerful gaze, though I refused to look away. I felt fear sink into my heart as I stared at her. The black mist surrounded her, as if it was protecting the witch. Garrett and Damian walked to stand on either side of her, sickening smiles plastered across their faces.

"Now who's screwed." Damian taunted.

I looked away from the witch and stared daggers into Damian's eyes and he stared right back. His face contorted with the same anger the witch seemed to hold.

"Lilura, destroy them." Garrett said, pointing at Cas and I.

I watched as the witch lifted a blazing hand towards us and spoke a silent curse.

"Aurora." Cas yelled and tried to pull me up and away from the black smoke that was drawing near us. I tried to get up, but the pain in my back was causing me to stumble and trip back onto the floor.

"Cas, leave without me. Please." I looked up at him.

"No, I'm not leaving you Aurora." He responded and looked back up at the smoke.

"Cas-"

"I love you." He said, cutting me off and capturing my lips with his. I knew the curse was enclosing around us, but I couldn't think, I couldn't think about the cold of death that would soon come. I couldn't think about escaping. I was only replaying Cas's words in my mind, I love you. And the thing was, I loved him too. The feelings I had for him became clear. I loved him more than anything. Our hearts seemed to beat as one and I couldn't think of any other way to die than in the one of the man I love.

Though as we waited, the pain of death didn't come. We broke our kiss and looked around to see we were still in the ballroom of the castle. Though now the black smoke seemed to be blocked by an invisible fortress.

"Run." A witch said from behind us. "We don't know how long we'll be able to hold the curse much longer. This witch is strong."

"Come on." Cas said, taking hold of my hand and pulling me with him, I quickly grabbed the blood soaked dagger that laid on the ground and placed it in the front of my dress. I let Eric pull me past the witch who held the barrier and into the foyer.

"Wait. Where's Calia and Daphne?" I asked, in the midst of what had happened, I had lost track of them.

"They went to find Elizabeth." Someone said, walking through the front door. "Now hurry, I doubt Margery and the others will be able to hold the shield much longer, though they are our strongest."

"But I can't leave without them ." I protested, the strong feeling to protect my mother figure and best friend seeped through me. I needed to know that they were safe.

"Alright. Serenity." The witch called and another appeared. Her appearance screamed power and strength. "Go and find the Queen and Daphne, make sure they're alright and then meet us back at camp."

"Yes Lyra." Serenity said and ran in the direction of the dungeons.

"Now, we must leave." Lyra said, taking a hold of my free wrist and pulled me through the castle doors.

"Stop!" I heard a rough voice yell from behind us.

I turned to see Damian running towards us, his once clean suit now splattered with blood. If he were here that would mean the shield had broken and the blood he had on him was of the witches who tried to protect us. My blood burned and my hatred towards this man grew. I pulled my wrist free from Lyra's grip and tore my hand free from Cas's

"Aurora, what are you doing?" Cas asked as I starred towards Damian, he was growing closer with every stride

"What I should have done a long time ago." I said and felt a new sense of confidence wash over me. As if a power had been awakened in me that had been dormant for years. This power seemed to make the pain in my back disappear and the tight feeling in my stomach lessen.

But as I ran, my foot caught in my dress, tripping me and causing me to fall face first into the gravel.

"Ha, for someone so confident, you really are a klutz." Damian's voice came from above me. I tried to get up, but the sudden feeling of his hand around my throat stopped me. "You know I can break you. Just one snap you'll be broken and at my mercy."

His words brought memories of all the terrible things that he had done to me. Tortured me, whipped me, beaten me until I had almost nothing left to hold onto. But as I thought of all these things, one thing stood out. I was still here. I was still here and ready to fight. Through all of the pain and suffering I had still hung onto something.

Hope. That was the thing that kept me from breaking. From being crushed under his gaze. I felt the power that had rushed through me just a few moments ago return and a small smile washed over my lips.

"What?" He asked, his voice filled with curiosity.

"You... have... never been... able to break me..." I choked out.

"Yes... I have..." He said, was he this naive? Was he this confident about his abilities that he couldn't see that I was stronger than him, stronger in spirit and strong in hope. I had never let him break me, I had never let him break anything except my body that had healed with just a touch of a witch.

"No... but I will... break you..." I said and plunged the dagger into the chest, straight through his heart. Straight through the black heart that had nothing but darkness in it. A heart of darkness.

I saw his eyes grow wide as he felt the dagger and I felt his grip change on my throat and he dropped me onto the ground. I sucked in the air and felt Cas's arms circle around me and pull me away from Damians crippling body.

"Come one, we have to go." He said and I drew my gaze away from Damian. I could hear the footsteps of Garrett running towards his son. "The king doesn't look very happy."

I looked back at Garrett and couldn't begin to describe the look he was giving me. It was everything I had wished to say through the month I had been here. Everything I hated about him.

"Yeah we'd better go." I said and ran alongside Cas and Lyra.

"There are horses by the front gate, so it will make a quicker escape." Lyra said as we neared the gate.

There stood three black horses, their midnight colour seemed to blend in with the darkness of the castle.

"Hurry." The witch said, as we reached the horses. I didn't think about there only being two and let Cas help me onto the back of one of the animals.

Lyra jumped on the other horse and Cas in front of me.

The gate was wide open and the horses sprinted onto the path that led into town.

I snuck a peak behind me and could see Garrett standing there, his expression laced with hatred and pain. I wouldn't be surprised if he came after me, I had killed his son. There was no other pain like that, no other as serious as losing a child. But he had killed my father, a life for a life.

Turning my head back, I let the feeling of being outside sink in. I was finally free from the cage that I had been locked in for the past 4 weeks. Free from the marriage I never wanted. Free from the painful life I would almost have.

Though despite my freedom I couldn't help but remember the blood on Damians shirt from the witches, all of the people who had lost their lives today, and maybe even Calia or Daphne, maybe even Elizabeth.

"Stop worrying." Cas whispered, it was strange how he could sense when I was frustrated or worried but I seemed to like it.

I nodded and pulled myself closer to him. Resting my head on his shoulder, I let the rocking of the horse and the sound of Cas's breathing lull me to sleep.

~~~

I woke to the sound of clanking swords and the sound of burning cedar wood. My eyes slowly opened to the white fabric of a tent. Where was I? How did I get here?

The memories of my escape flooded into my mind as I remembered. I must be at the witch camp.

"She should be awake by now. It's been two days." I heard the sound of Cas's voice from the other side of the tent.

"Cassian, it's normal for this kind of thing to happen, after all she has been through a lot and deserves some rest. Don't rush her." I heard the voice of Lyra.

I had been asleep for two days! I couldn't think, my head was pounding along with the sharp pain in my abdomen.

"Aurora! You're awake!" Daphne said, dropping whatever she had in her hands and rushing over to hug me. Causing me to bite back a groan from a sudden pain that came from my back.

"Daphne... too tight." I struggled to speak, hearing my pain made her loosen her hold on me and let go.

"Sorry, I'm just happy you're okay and alive." She blushed at the sudden embarrassment.

"It's alright." I smiled awkwardly and positioned myself so I wouldn't be in so much pain. I looked down to see a cloth wrapped around my torso.

"Aurora?" I heard Cas's voice from the entrance of the tent, I looked up and stared into his deep brown eyes.

"Cas." I whispered and he ran over to me, not caring about Daphne. I felt her move over so he could embrace me.

"I'm so glad you're alright." He said and kissed me on the cheek.

I let myself stay in this moment, breathing in his scent. The deep woodsy smell of working at our home back in Blankington seemed to stay with him even now. It reminded me of home, of my mother and father.

"Wait. Where's Lizzy and Calia?" I said, breaking away from Cas's hold, suddenly worried about my friend and mother figure. Daphne's eyes suddenly tu

"Lizzy's fine, but Aurora..." Eric paused, looking away from me. "Calia... she didn't make it... Garrett... he got to her before we could..."

I listened to Cas's explanation on how Calia had been captured, trying to save Daphne. My mind wouldn't register the reasons, it just kept replaying 'Calia didn't make it'. Tears began rolling down my cheeks.

"Aurora, I'm sorry. It's my fault." Daphne said, tears also shedding from her eyes. "I get it... if you don't want to be near me right now."

I turned away from Daphne and let her walk away. I knew it wasn't her fault, but I still didn't want to be near anyone... even Cas

"I'll leave you alone... unless." Cas paused, waiting for me to respond. But I didn't.

It seemed he got my silent message and left. That's when the wave of emotions crashed into me and I let the tears fall freely down my cheeks as if they were waterfalls that failed to drain the water from my eyes.

Calia was the only one who had helped me in the castle, who had shown me kindness. And now she's gone...

But I would get her back... no matter what it takes.