The Ruined Lady of the Vale

Even through her joyful haze, Celine noticed her soldiers marching on the streets of New Orleans. Grey Cloaks in all their silver-armored glory, their helms catching rays of moonlight. It was odd to see them in the dark. She’d never witnessed any summer fey beneath a starlit sky.

What were they doing here?

Celine shook her head. It felt heavy. Blanketed by a drunken fog.

“What a shame they were closed.” Pippa sighed, her arm linking through Celine’s once more. “Should we go to the café near the convent? I don’t like their pastries as much, but their coffee is divine.”

The edges of Pippa’s features looked blurry. Again, Celine closed her eyes tightly and shook her head. What was wrong with her?

Then Pippa squeezed Celine’s hand. The warmth of her touch felt so real. Celine returned the gesture. Marveled once more that Pippa was still alive. Nothing could describe the feeling of having a lost loved one restored to her. It was like the sun on the first day of spring.

Explosions in the sky continued to echo in Celine’s ears. But she couldn’t see much through the fog, save for the marching soldiers and the archers at their backs, who continued aiming their arrows upward.

Every so often, Celine thought she heard the growl of a wolf. It should have frightened her. But she knew her powers could keep Pippa safe.

After all, she was the Lady of the Vale.

“Lead the way,” Celine said with a cheerful grin. She knew it was foolish. Something strange was occurring around her. Maybe they needed her help. But she could not let go of this moment. Not yet. This peace was worth protecting.

Together, they wandered by the Ursuline convent.

Pippa paused just outside the entrance. “Strange,” she murmured. “I’m not used to seeing this gate bolted.” She frowned. “I hope everything is all right.”

“Should we check inside?” Celine asked. “I can send some soldiers to see if everything is as it should be.”

Pippa’s frown deepened. “What soldiers? I don’t think soldiers should be here, Celine.”

“They are only in the city to keep us safe. And to make sure Bastien pays for what he has done.”

“What did he do?” Pippa’s blue eyes were wide.

Celine shook her head. “We can discuss that later. I don’t want to talk about it now.”

“No.” Pippa placed a blurry hand on Celine’s arm. “Something is troubling you. Please tell me what it is.”

“Please,” Celine whispered. “Please, can we just go share a pain au chocolat?”

“Why are you avoiding telling me, dearest? Is it because it causes you pain?”

Pippa’s words caused something to crack in Celine’s chest. No. Being with her friend for this short breath of time had allowed Celine to forget the ache for a moment. She did not want it to return. Not now. Perhaps not ever.

In the furthest reaches of Celine’s mind, she thought she caught the sound of someone shouting. It was followed by the clanging of metal on metal.

Lines gathered along Pippa’s forehead. “Whatever Bastien has done, he loves you. I know it. He—”

“No!” Celine shouted, tearing her arm away from Pippa. “Bastien loves himself. If he loved me, he would have fought for me. If he loved me, he wouldn’t have asked me to choose. If he loved me”—she swallowed—“he wouldn’t have killed my—”

She heard the arrow before she saw it. It was fired from close range. Celine tore her right hand through the air, sending a gust of wind to redirect the arrow from its path.

The arrow that had been aimed at them buried itself in the dirt outside the Ursuline convent. In a rush, Celine grabbed Pippa in an embrace and carried them both over the gate into the courtyard.

Pippa felt lighter than air. Too light.

No. Celine shook her head. This was real. She’d saved her friend. All this violence and destruction were worth it if she could keep the ones she loved safe.

“Celine!” a muffled voice shouted from above.

She gritted her teeth. She knew that voice.

When Bastien called for her again, Celine spun in a rage. She channeled a tunnel of air before her, then formed a circle with her hands until the raging winds collected into a ball.

Without thinking, she hurled it toward Bastien in the sky.

“Celine!” Pippa cried out.

This time her voice was much clearer. It was coming from across the courtyard instead of behind her.

Confused, Celine looked over her shoulder. The figure of Pippa wavered like a mirage. Smiled sadly.

And disappeared.

Celine blinked.

“Stop it!” Pippa yelled again as she ran toward Celine with Arjun at her heels. “You must stop this at once.” Panic alighted on her features. She was dressed in trousers. Her hair and face were a mess. But she was not blurry. Nor was she serene and smiling and waiting to share a treat and coffee.

Pippa was alive. Real. Not a mere illusion. Arjun stood beside her, hand in hand. Jae and Boone and the rest of her chosen family came into view as the moonlight touched their drawn features.

Realization caused Celine to freeze in place. The muffled sound in her ears started to clear. Then a ball of fire soared through the night sky toward the Ursuline convent.

Toward Pippa.

Celine did not hesitate for a moment. She threw her powers into the fireball, sending it to the other side of the courtyard, just beyond the entrance.

To the hospital beside the convent.

The next second, it exploded in a blanket of flames.

Pippa screamed. A long, tortured scream, her face set in horror. She fell to her knees screeching for help. Without hesitating, Arjun raced in the direction of the hospital. Celine gasped when she turned around. Terror clutched at her chest. She began to run behind Arjun, her powers collecting in the air around her.

Bastien was beside her in an instant, grabbing her by the waist, struggling to take hold of her wrists. “No, Celine.”

“Get off me,” she yelled, kicking her feet and flailing.

“Stop it!” he said. “You can’t try to put out the fire. If you blast it with air, it will get worse.”

Of course. Celine knew that. Still, she tried to shove Bastien away. His grip only tightened, his face filled with sorrow.

Inside the hospital, the cries for help reached a fevered pitch. Jae and Boone chased after Arjun, the trio entering the building without a glance back. A breath passed before flames engulfed the hospital on all sides.

“Arjun!” a small boy yelled from behind Pippa. Celine watched Pippa grab hold of her brother and sister. Henry tried to tear away, clearly intent on helping.

Boone made it outside, carrying two patients across his shoulders. His clothing, hair, and skin were badly burned. Once he deposited them on the ground far from the building, he pivoted to return.

The hospital caved in before he was able to make it two steps.

For an instant, they all stood in silent shock.

Bastien blurred toward Boone, holding him back, even as Boone cried out, his voice inhuman in its grief. Pippa began sobbing, and Henry ripped away from his sisters, racing toward the blaze, shouting one thing over and over again:

“No! I have to save my brother. He’s my brother!”

Celine couldn’t watch. Bastien barely managed to pull Henry away from the blaze.

The small child’s cries buried into Celine like the tip of a knife. Then he fled toward Pippa, who knelt on the ground, clutching both her siblings to her chest as they wailed.

Without thought, Celine bent toward them, tears blurring her eyes.

Pippa screamed, “Get away!” The words came from her chest like a roar.

The sound stopped Celine midstep.

“How—how could you do this?” Pippa wailed to Celine. “What have you done, Celine?”

“No.” Celine shook her head. “I saved you. I came here to save you.” Her body began to shake. Her hands pressed to her temples.

“Save me, as if you were God?” Pippa cried. “Who lives or dies isn’t your choice to make!”

When Bastien attempted to take her in his arms, Celine turned on him. She shoved him back. “This is your fault,” she yelled. “You did this.” She pushed him again. “You made me do this.”

He did nothing. He said nothing.

The fire continued to rage in the distance.

“Fight back,” Celine demanded of Bastien, shoving him once more. “Fight back, you coward. You murderer.”

Bastien continued staring at her, the pity in his gaze tearing her into pieces.

Celine screamed a soul-deep scream and fell to her knees. The wind roared around her. The fire blazed into the purple sky. Her heart thundered through her body.

If Bastien was a murderer, then so was she.

And they would both pay the price for it.