She stumbled as her feet found every rock in the path. The chill grew
behind her. She couldn't risk a glance over her shoulder without the
chance of falling. Her hands tingled and the pull on her was even
greater now that she was out of the castle. She wrapped herself in as
much energy as she could, stealing some of the vitality from the
weeds and animals that dwelled nearby.
She reached the end of the path and looked over her shoulder. Ice
slowly made its way down the path she'd just run. Rocks cracked
beneath the cold. All around her the villagers slept, not knowing
what was coming. She could feel the tiny points of life vanishing as
plants and animals were killed as it followed it's inexorable path.
She stopped and reached out once again. She seized on every life she
found. Taking only a fraction of the power released by them, she sent
her magic to stop the curse. The gods smiled on her this time for the
ice stopped at the edge of the village.
She could feel her own spell from the castle making its way down now
too. A different curse would soon be upon the villagers. This one she
couldn't stop. She didn't want to. There were some things that she
couldn't forgive.
It was dawn when she returned to her home. There, she saw her five
children sitting near the fire. Her oldest son Baldric was sitting
closest to the heat with all four of his younger siblings surrounding
him. The two youngest, Ceinwen and Ronen, were sitting in his lap.
Isabella and Grainne were sitting on stools. All five of them were
watching the door.
Great snippet!
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