The Last Ever After by Soman Chainani

line.
    â€œ Quickly then.”
    â€œNo!” Agatha shrieked, her gag breaking away.
    Guards wrenched Callis from the crowd onto the stage and shoved her next to Agatha, binding her waist to the pyre. Helpless, Tedros ripped at the rope, his bicep veins about to burst.
    â€œThis is my fault . . . ,” Agatha sobbed. “This is all my fault—”
    â€œClose your eyes, dear,” said Callis, trying not to cry. “It will all go fast from here.”
    Agatha looked up and saw Stefan’s hand wasn’t shaking on the torch anymore. With an eerie calm, he advanced towards her and her mother, the dancing flame reaching for the wood sticks between them. He finally met Agatha’s eyes, a strange sadness in his face.
    â€œIf you ever see my daughter again, beyond this world . . . tell her I love her.”
    â€œ Now , Stefan,” the Elder commanded.
    Petrified, Agatha seized Tedros’ hand as she leaned into her mother’s shoulder. She saw Stefan looking at Callis, his lips trembling.
    â€œI’m s-s-sorry,” he whispered.
    â€œYou saved me once upon a time, Stefan.” Callis smiled mournfully at him. “I owe you a debt.”
    â€œI c-c-can’t,” Stefan faltered.
    â€œYou must,” said Callis, hard as steel.
    â€œNOW!” the Elder thundered.
    With a pained cry, Stefan plunged the torch at Callis. Agatha screamed—
    Callis thrust out her finger from beneath the binds and shot a blast of green light at the torch. The fire turned greenand ricocheted off the pyre like a comet, blasting Stefan off the platform, before circling the stage in a wall of green flames, sealing the captives in.
    Before Agatha could suck in a breath, her mother cut her and Tedros loose from the rope with her glowing fingertip. She grabbed Agatha and spoke over the villagers’ cries beyond the firewall—
    â€œThe spell won’t last, so listen carefully. Stefan knew what I was, Agatha. From the night you went after Sophie, we had a plan to save you girls from the Elders if you ever returned. Stefan would do anything to keep his daughter safe. But when you came back without Sophie, Stefan had no reason to keep to the plan and endanger his new family . . . unless he believes his daughter still needs you. You must repay my old debt to him, Agatha. You must save Sophie as Stefan saved you. You hear me? Do not fail . Now run for Graves Hill as fast as you can—”
    â€œYou’re a w-w-witch—” Agatha spluttered, trying to find air. “You were a witch all along—”
    â€œThe grave between the two swans. Help will be there, waiting for you,” her mother cut in. “You must find the grave before it’s too late.”
    Dazed, Tedros turned to Agatha, expecting her to know what her mother was talking about. But Agatha was paralyzed, staring ahead. Tedros spun back to Callis. “Who? Who will be waiting for u—”
    Only now Tedros saw what his princess was looking at . . . the circle of fire falling around the stage, Callis’ spell about to end. In the green firelight, Agatha glimpsed Stefan, stunnedon the ground but unharmed, before a fleet of shadows jumped over him, throttling towards the stage. Tedros and Agatha raised their eyes at the same time to see the guards charging through the crowd with spears, dashing right for them.
    Callis took Agatha’s face in her hands. “Don’t look back, Agatha.” She kissed her daughter’s forehead hard. “Whatever you do, promise me you won’t look back.”
    With a scared cry, Agatha grabbed her mother’s hand, but her prince was already dragging her towards the edge of the stage away from the sprinting guards. Tedros hooked his arm over Agatha and flung the both of them off the platform in a flying leap. Spinning around, Agatha pulled her mother with them, holding on to her hand with every ounce of strength—
    Callis