When Darkness Fell: An Elemental Enchanters Story by Carrigan Richards

but then relaxed into him. I breathed in his earthy scent.
    “It is okay, Savina. You are safe here.” I believed him.
    “What is going on?” I heard Colden’s voice.
    I withdrew from Aaron’s embrace and wiped my tears. “He is like us, Colden.”
    “What do you mean?” He held a cold look in his eyes as he moved closer toward us.
    Aaron raised his hands in surrender. “I mean no harm. We all want the same thing. To end this war and to kill Corbin Havok.”
    “Do you know how difficult that task will be?” Colden asked. “Corbin is very strong and has an enormous army.”
    “I do. And we have fought them a few times already. We have a coven and it continues to grow. We could one day be as strong if not stronger than his army.”
    “Perhaps. We are not interested in warring with him.”
    “Colden, we must. Do you not want to end this?”
    He looked to me. “Yes of course I do.” I could feel his anxiety.
    “What is it?”
    “I do not like the idea of war. I cannot lose you, Savina.”
    I knew he was afraid to lose me, especially after losing his father. He had always felt like an outsider with his limited abilities. I took his hand. “Colden.” His dark eyes softened. “You will never lose me. I am your sister and I will always be here by your side. Your battles are mine. We will end this war and live in peace one day.”
    He nodded. “As long as you are by my side.”
    “Always, dear brother.”
    Colden looked to Aaron. “My apologies for my attitude.”
    “Please. Do not worry.”
    “May we meet your coven?”
    “Of course.”
    “Then perhaps we can finally end this darkness and kill Corbin.”
     
    Colden and I decided to stay in that small town and make a home. We met several other Enchanters who all had extraordinary gifts. Enchanters from all over. Maggie Zhang who could transform her arms into any kind of weapon. Alena Gorshkov who could deprive a person of oxygen with a simple touch. The Gutierrez siblings, Maya, Lucia, Esteban, Diego, Carmen, and Rosario. Each had a unique ability from turning objects or people into stone to morphing to path finding to manipulating weather. The coven could do incredible things.
    Throughout the years, the coven continued to grow, and we led many battles against Corbin’s army, but never saw Corbin. At times, I wondered if someone had already defeated him, and he just had loyal followers. There were so many of us, and we needed a safe place. We built a magical manor deep in a forest near the town we settled, and I had learned to perform protection charms so it would remain unseen by anyone who was not a part of our coven. We called it Blackhart Manor. We began performing initiations to bind ourselves through blood, and Colden made empathetic necklaces for the covens. It helped us feel each other and know when someone was in danger. Our families grew, and when the parents’ children were old enough to accept their responsibilities, we initiated them into our coven.
    We accepted several young Enchanters who were abandoned because of Corbin’s army and we trained them to fight along us. We had been warring for almost three hundred years and some days there never seemed to be an end in sight.
    Despite the wars, we remained healthy and appreciative for we had each other. Colden took care of the covens by feeding, clothing, and preparing them for war. He still fought beside me, even though his lack of ability still hindered him. Aaron and I became lifemates. We strengthened each other and developed a very deep and loving relationship. I always kept George in my mind, but Aaron had my heart. We understood each other in so many ways, and I knew that was something I could not have shared with anyone else. I helped him read minds, and we both worked on becoming as strong as we could. He still made me feel as incredible as the first time I met him.
    We lived among the Ephemerals in secret, and we protected them without their knowledge. But then we received word