Queen Katrina's wolf form is huge. Bigger than a horse and she flies straight for Aspen. The snake hisses a laugh and tosses the wolf away with a flick of her tail, managing not to injure the Queen with any of her black root spikes.

"Mum!" Daniel shouts, rushing over the High Queen. The wolf yelps as she tries to stand. Her beautiful pale creamy fur is now muddied and bloodied with cuts sustained from landing. She growls at the snake.

"You're lucky I need you or you would be dead right now. You are trying my patients. Crown my daughter or I will kill your son," the snake threatens. "Or I'll kill you and rip the stone off your body!"

Katrina attacks again, this time avoiding the swoop of Aspen's tail and landing on the snake's body, burying her teeth into her skin. Aspen hisses in annoyance before twisting and throwing Katrina off.

"Haven't you realised yet you stupid woman!" she spits. "My snake form has been magically enhanced!" As she says that, the bite heals and the snake grows in height a little.

"Every injury I sustain only makes me more powerful!" If anyone was trying to plan a sneak attack then suddenly stops as they realise that with every attack, she will become more powerful.

"Everyone stand back!" Aspen shouts pointing to a part of the field. Everyone quickly shuffles toward it, even the other royals, not wanting to damage the situation more. Everyone is terrified. And we can do nothing to stop it. We are still trapped.

Katrina looks back at where we are. We'd be able to defeat her.

"Those little dragon brats can't get out! They are going to be trapped there for eternity. Or maybe I'll make a statue collection in my throne room," she smiles. No. I can't be trapped like this! Katrina shifts back to her human form.

"You forgot," she says. "That one of them can control the Earth."

"The earth brat will never be able to break throu..." she stops as there is a huge cracking sound and Serenity flies out of the stone, a determined look on her face. I scream with joy. Now let us out Serenity! We'll defeat her! Toryn and I will shift. 

"No!" the snake hisses and makes a move to impale Katrina.

"I'm sorry, there is no time!" Serenity shouts and I assume it is to Tanya who must be begging for her to release us. I watch as my youngest sister races across the field at an incredible speed. Her hand's twist and great vines wrap around the snake and stab straight through her skin.

Come on Serenity! The snake hisses and screams as the vines continue to wrap around her and impale her, getting so tight that the snake can't grow in size with her injuries. Serenity stops and holds out her arms. Beneath the snake, the ground begins to open and a creator forms. The snake screams as the vines drag her into it. Blood is spraying every as my sister's vicious vines twists and tears into the reptile, crushing her and tearing her apart. As the snake disappears, the earth closes behind her and the sounds of screaming disappear. Serenity lets out deep, tired breaths before running to the injured queen. Relief fills me and I almost cry with joy. Oh, Serenity you hero!

"Are you okay?" she asks.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you, Serenity and I'm sorry for doubting you," she says. Daniel runs over to his mum and nods at Serenity.

"I've got her," he sighs with relief. "Now, free the others." She nods her head and begins to run toward us. I feel the rock loosening around me as she forces it out of us. She comes to a stop, closing her eyes to concentrate. I can see it taking a toll on her. It took long enough to free herself.

"Come on Serenity," I say to myself. "I love you, little sister, you can do this," I say the words of encouragement through my head and she smiles as though she can hear it. The ground rumbles behind her. My eyes widen and fear spikes through me.

"Seren..." I shout in my mind, my voice panicked. My scream interrupts my own warning shouts. Aspen is there, bursting out of the ground bigger than before and in a smooth motion, she flicks her tail. I scream again and my body shakes with pain.

Aspens, Blackroot spiked tail slams into Serenity. Except she doesn't fly away like the High Queen did. Her body only jolts with a horrendous thudding sound. I scream and scream as I see multiple spikes sticking out of Serenity's body. Thick and black, dripping not only with Blackroot, but Serenity's blood. They protrude all over her. She is looking at us with wide, shocked eyes, her face twisting in pain. Blood, mixed with blackroot leaks from her mouth! Her blood soaks her dress and skin and I scream again, my body shaking with sobs. I try to move but I can't. I am trapped. All I can do is watch. Serenity lets out a gurgling sound as a bubble of blood escapes her lips and a pained frown creases her features. Her eyes dart to the part of the rock where Tanya is hidden. A small smile plays on her lips. As if she is telling her twin that everything is going to be alright.

"No Serenity!" I whisper. Serenity lets out a final pained groan before her body goes limp and her head rolls back. I scream again as the snake lifts up my sister's body and brings it to her face.

"That was easy enough," she hisses before flicking her tail. Serenity's body flies through the air and lands in a bloody heap.

"Serenity!" I shout. "Serenity!" there is an explosion and I see Tanya bursting from the rock and running toward her twin. An explosion surrounds me too as I scream again and suddenly, I am free. Toryn is also free and the two of us race to Serenity. Tanya has thrown herself over Serenity and is screaming at her.

"Serenity! Come back! Please! Don't leave me alone!" Tanya sobs. We reach there and pain shoots through me. Serenity lies there. Her body mangled and broken from the gaping wounds. Blood stains her skin and hair, oozing into the ground. Her bright green eyes are wide open, staring at the sky lifelessly. 

"No," I whisper as I crouch down heavily next to her, sweeping her hair from her face. My body shakes from the sobs that escape my lips. "No, Serenity please wake up," I beg, stroking her forehead delicately. "Please," I beg. Toryn is sobbing as well as he cradles her body.

"You can't leave us!" he shouts and begs. Tanya is screaming as she hugs Serenity. Her body is shaking violently from her sobs.

"Please!" I whisper again as I take her hand. "Come back..." I plead and sob as I realise that she isn't coming back. She is gone. Forever. Serenity is gone. I am never going to see her smile again as she grows a flower in her hand. I'm never going to hear her laugh as she winds up Tanya. I am never going to see the two of them bicker. She's gone. Tanya screams and screams and the wind around us picks up. I look back at Serenity and I break. Why is she gone? My body is shaking furiously as I sob and sob.

"Isla!" I hear a voice shout. Eric comes rushing over to us, his eyes streaming with tears. 

"Eric, your mother...she killed..." I am in shock. I can't even focus on anything.

"We need to stop her!" Eric shouts as he gets closer. "You have to stop her!"

"I...can't... I can't... no...Serenity..." I can't string a sentence together or focus properly. All see is my little sister, lying dead beneath me.

"Isla!" Eric shouts again getting closer. I don't even react as he pulls out a dagger.

"Eric what are you..." He grabs a hold of my arm violently and pulls me away from Serenity, slamming my hand on the floor. His expression is furious and angry. Before I can comprehend what the hell is going on, he slams the knife down. I scream in pain as the knife slices into my hand, going straight through and taking my pinky and ringer finger with it. My blood pools around the two fingers and I look on in shocked horror as pain explodes. He picks up my pinky finger. The finger that held the spelled ring that was keeping the NightShades away. The ring that was burned into my skin so I could not remove it. He throws the finger at his mother and she catches it on her forked tongue. Her eyes bore into mine cruelly as she bites pulls the finger into her mouth and bites into it. It is then, I realise her teeth are also BlackRoot coated. She holds out her tongue again and I watch as the ring dissolves and our magical protection spell is broken. I look at Eric and his mother. He laughs cruelly but I still can't focus. Even on my finger. I just turn back to Serenity who is still lying there. Dead. I turn around and throw up, my body shaking and wretching.

"Pathetic," Eric hisses.

"Eric?" Tanya whispers softly, finally looking away from Serenity. Her cheeks are stained with the tears. Like me, she is a complete mess. He laughs.

"You thought I actually loved you?" he grins. "I've been helping my mother the whole time," he hisses. No. That can't be true. But I can't think. Come on Isla. You need to sort yourself out. Do it for Serenity! Tanya stands her face twisting in horror. She screams and explosions shake the ground around us. The sky is dark with thick black clouds and hundreds of twisters fill the air, all slamming into the ground with deadly force. Eric is about to attack when a snake attacks him. It is Darcy. I recognise the smooth black and red scales. He turns to her, a look of surprise on his face. Her attack takes him by surprise and she slams her tail smashes him against the ground, knocking him out. I throw out my power, wrapping him in ice and trapping him.

"Stop!" I shout and my voice booms with the thunder that crashes at the same time. Heavy rain smashes against my skin as it pours from the clouds. Aspen turns and slithers away from where she was.

"Shift back!" I shout. "Or Tanya will kill him and it won't be pleasant!" I scream. Tanya is seathing and angry and I know she would do it without hesitation. The snake almost whimpers as it returns to human form. Aspen stands with wide eyes. She looks at Darcy who is still in snake form.

"You betrayed me," she says, but not to the snake. Instead, looking behind her. My eyes widen in shock as Darcy stands there. She wears nothing but a little black cover over her breasts and her black shorts. Her dress lies in a crumpled heap on the ground, the silver snake missing from it. Tears stream down her face and she doesn't say anything. I am just confused. Broken and confused.

"It doesn't matter anyway," Aspen hisses. "Because I have the Heart," she says, holding up the small glowing diamond-like object that is the Heart of Shadow. Except it is covered in blood. I look around her and see High Queen Katrina lying on the ground blood surrounding her. Daniel sobs over her and I watch as her chest slowly rises and falls.

"I ripped out of her skin and now, it is mine. I will be the next High Queen of Shadow," she grins. Pressing the stone against her skin. "And King Harrison and I will rule for an eternity."