Anger drove me forward. All around me I could hear snarls and shrieks. The wolves had finally reached the center of the battle field, ripping into the oncoming frost soldiers. Luckily this left me a clear path to the Queen. Her soldiers fell with blood curling screams, or leapt forward to meet the huge black wolves, leaving their Queen. She didn’t even notice, her eyes were fixed on mine. It was as if the rest of the battle field melted away, leaving us facing off. There was only her, and each long stride took me closer. My heart was in my throat, and I realized the rage was mixed with fear. Yes, I was still scared, but I was also fueled by anger, by death, by determination. 

Finally we closed the distance, and there were only a few feet between us now. If I stepped closer I could reach out and touch her. Her eyes skimmed over me and a shadow passed over her face. Anger? Fear? What did she see when she looked at me?

“I see you wear the crown of a royal,” her voice was low, trembling with anger, “you wish to take my place. You wish to strike me down and take my throne.”

“I never wanted that,” I said sharply, “Never. You did that. You drove your people to it.”

For a fraction of a second her face softened and her voice trembled, “Amora…I don’t want this…”

My fingers tingled; the guiding memories of Amora were urging me to leap at her. To lash out at her. To my surprise I found myself spitting out words that weren’t exactly mine, involuntary words.

“It’s too late for regrets, mother.”

The Queen’s eyes snapped open wide, and then I was moving, launching myself at her. An angry scream ripped from my throat, a frightening animal noise. Was I making it? I had no time to think about it, because the Queen had raised her sword and met mine, and the crash of steel filled my ears, my arms shook with effort, but I drove forward, knocking her backwards a few steps. My heart was beating wildly, and not because I was facing the Queen. It was because I had no control over my own body anymore. Before, Amora had been merely a guide, instincts that helped me in battle, but now…now I couldn’t stop myself. I launched myself at the Queen again and again, like some sort of warrior puppet. Someone else was working the strings. Part of me was relieved, because there was no way I could bring her down by myself, but the feeling of being taken over was utterly terrifying.  Eira’s eyes had grown wide and her face was pale as I drove her backwards. She knew it wasn’t really me anymore. She knew she was facing Amora, the daughter she had murdered.  Another crashing blow, and my katana was inches away from her throat, the Queen’s arms trembled, pushing me back. Her face hardened, the marble-like mask slamming back down. She was cold and unfeeling again.

All around us the sounds of battle raged.  The snarl of the wolves and the screams of the dying. I tried to block out the noise, tried to concentrate on the rhythm of the fight. Tried to figure out what Amora was going to do next. Eira’s face twisted in rage as she shoved me back hard, and I stumbled backwards, my heel striking a rock painfully.  For a moment Amora’s control was gone, and I fell backwards, my back hitting the ground hard. Stars burst in front of me, all I could see was little bursts of light. Panic jolted through me when I realized I couldn’t drag air back into my lungs. I coughed and retched, and then Amora was back and my limbs were no longer my own. My arms went up, holding the sword across my body. Something came down on the blade, and I grunted with the effort, the muscles in my arms protesting. The Queen loomed over me, a smile twisting her lips. My leg shot up and my boot made contact, sending her flying backwards. She hit the ground with a grunt and scrambled to her feet with an enraged scream. Her sword was still on the ground by her feet, and I was confused for a second as she came at me with outstretched hands. Then horror washed through me as I realized what she was doing.

Between her outstretched hands a steadily thickening network of shining crystals was forming, knitting into a thick stream of ice. She threw her arms out towards me, and the ice howled through the air, the sun glinting off the shards as they flew straight at my face. Again it was Amora that moved my arms up instantly. Together it took us only seconds to form a shield of ice between my palms. The attacking ice pelted my shield harder then I’d been prepared for, and I stumbled backwards. If she kept coming at me with her powers I wasn’t going to win this. Even with Amora, I wasn’t strong enough.

The ice stopped, and I lowered my shield. Eira looked pale, and she actually swayed a little as she stood there glaring at me.

Again words were dragged out of my mouth, “You’re over exerting yourself, mother.”

The Queen snarled, “you’re a fool to challenge me, Amora.”

“You’ll never admit that you’ve grown weak, will you?” My fingers tightened on the hilt of my sword, and then I was moving forward again, swing for the Queen’s head. Eira ducked and whirled around, the sudden movement catching me off guard. A sharp stinging sensation on my shoulder made me suck in my breath. There were now two slices out of my tunic, and there was a spreading patch of red just below the first wound.

Amora’s instincts snapped my eyes back to the front just as the Queen was swinging her sword for my head, and I met her blade. She drew back and reached behind her, smiling at the sound of steel screeching. Then she came at me again, this time with a long, curved blade in each hand.

That’s hardly fair. I had no idea how to fight someone with two blades, but luckily Amora seemed to know how. She forced me to meet each blow, ducking and whirling back and out of range of the Queen. Eira’s face was slowly turning red, and sweat was breaking on her forehead. She had to be tiring, which was good, because my arms were starting to feel really heavy. They shook as Amora continued to dictate my movements, meeting each thunderous blow, matching the Queen’s every move.

Eira’s face was twisted in rage. Clearly she was not used to anyone matching her. She had obviously expected this fight to be over long ago. Finally she stood back, chest heaving,

                “Amora, it doesn’t have to be this way. You have a second chance through this girl, she is nothing. Simply take her body and use it. Come back with me. You can rule the ice kingdom at my side, you can be with Erik again.”

Somewhere inside me there was a jolt of surprise, and then it was replaced by longing. But it wasn’t my emotion. Shock crashed through me, waves of sick horror buffeted me as the Queen continued,

“Think about it, you can have your old life back,” her red lips curled upwards and a greedy light shone in her eyes. She knew Amora was listening.

It felt like my insides were being ripped apart. The part that was me was horrified and scared, but Amora was feeling so many other emotions. She was terribly angry at her mother, she longed to be with Erik again, she felt guilty about what she was doing to me….

Amora, I pleaded silently, please…

“She is nothing,” the Queen hissed, tears were collecting in her eyes, “take her body and use it. It was genetically created for you. Please daughter, give me one more chance…”

There was a terrifying moment of silence. A moment where I felt Amora contemplate her mother’s words. It felt like my life was spinning out of control. This couldn’t be happening. I thought Amora was on my side, I thought she was helping me. Would she betray me now? Would she push me aside and take over forever?  I would be trapped in my own head. The thought was horrifying.

Amora’s words tumbled out of my mouth, “I cannot.”

The Queen’s face fell, and then she ducked her head, her expression defeated, one sword tumbling from her grip, “I cannot kill my daughter. Not again. I shall draw the army back.” She turned away from me, placing one trembling hand over her eyes.

I felt a stirring inside as Amora drew back. The fight was over. I backed up a step, lowering my katana, relief making my body limp. My knees nearly gave out.  I could move myself again. I was me again. I held out one hand and wiggled my fingers, I could still feel her inside me. She felt mournful, torn apart by a deep sadness. Erik’s face flashed by in my mind, the picture shot with emotion, a torrent of love and grief.

It was Amora’s thought, not mine, but it was still strange.

The battle was thinning now. The armies were much smaller.  My throat closed as I saw the bodies that littered the field, dark lifeless shapes, struck down well before their time. This wasn’t worth it, wouldn’t ever be worth it. A tall dark figure was shoving his way through the soldiers, ducking swords and bashing anyone who got in his way. My heart leapt, and my knees felt even more watery as he approached.

Loki’s helmet was gone. His dark curls hung limp, coated in dust and blood. There was dirt on his nose and a dark red smear on his cheek. Other than that he was unharmed. I let out a breath of relief. Realizing that a sort of heavy dread had been weighing on me since I lost sight of him when we first arrived at the pass. He was alright. The battle was almost over, and somehow he was still here. When Loki’s brown eyes met mine he looked equally relieved.  A small smile started to curve one side of his mouth, and I felt my stomach flutter. Even standing in the middle of a field of corpses, Loki still thrilled me. Was that wrong of me?

Suddenly his expression changed to panic and he broke into a sprint, “No, Megan!” His eyes were fixed on me, no…fixed on something over my shoulder. Something inside me shifted, and again I was taken over, Amora’s instincts kicking into gear, swinging me around, bringing the blade up as I moved. The point of the sword that was headed for my back glanced off my blade, sliding off to the side. A sharp pain in my arm made me cry out, but Amora drove me forward until my katana was buried deeply in my attacker’s belly.

Queen Eira’s face had turned paper white. Her ruby lips, such a contrast against marble skin, were open in a round “oh” of surprise.  Her eyes were wide with shock, fixed on my face. She dropped her sword, and it fell onto the dry grass at our feet, red smearing the tip. My blood. I ignored the white hot pain in my shoulder as Amora tugged the katana free. The Queen let out a gasp, falling backwards onto the grass, hands pressed over the gaping wound, scarlet already seeping past her slim, white fingers. Her white furs pooled around her, and her hair had come loose in the fight, resting in soft curls over her shoulders, framing her face. She looked almost angelic as she lay dying. Amora’s emotions raged inside me, tangled and confused.

I crouched down beside Eira and extended a shaking hand, wondering why Amora was doing this. Before, all I had sensed was anger in her, but now emotions buffeted me from all sides. Sadness, pain, fear. This was still her mother, she had loved her at one time. She was still angry, hurt and betrayed, but now she realized she still loved the Queen, no matter how twisted Eira had become. My fingers curled around the Queen’s still, cool hand. Eira’s lashes fluttered. A fleck of red stained one corner of her mouth. Her voice was faint when she spoke, “Amora…”

“I’m here,” my voice, even though it wasn’t me speaking. I was choked, tears were filling my eyes. My emotions were mixed with Amora’s now. It was getting hard to tell them apart, “mother, I’m here.”

“Amora,” her hand was growing colder than mine, her grip was loosening, “child, I would ask forgiveness if I could…”

I dipped my head forward, placing my cheek on hers, feeling cold tears on her smooth skin, “You can. Mother, you can.”

Her voice was barely a whisper, “The prophecy…”

                Her hand slipped out of mine and Amora had the sinking feeling of disappointment. There would be no apology. When we turned it was with resignation, surveying the battle field. The frost soldiers were still fighting, they didn’t know their Queen was gone, not yet.  Amora was still firmly in control, and a shiver of fright ran through me as I realized how reluctant she was to give me my body back. My chest felt tight as my eyes swept the battle field. What if she had planned to keep it all along? What if she had decided to kill her mother, marry Erik and take over the kingdom?  I’d have no choice in the matter.

                A surge of excitement went through me as I picked out a tall figure on the battle field, a blonde man striding towards me. It wasn’t my excitement though, and it wasn’t my choice to move towards him.

                More words left my throat unbidden, “Erik!”

                Erik stopped halfway across the field, confusion crossing his face. He knew something was different, somehow. I continued to stride forward, every fiber of my being was protesting this, but I couldn’t do anything. Erik smiled as I drew nearer,

                “Amora?”

                I nodded and smiled. Inside I was heavy with dread, scared out of my mind.

                Amora, I tried to turn my thoughts inwards again, what are you doing?

                My arms reached out to Erik, and before I could stop myself I was on my tip toes, kissing him full on the mouth, deep and passionate. In spite of my fear I could feel Amora’s emotions coursing through me, taking over mine. Erik’s arms around me were so strong, his kiss was passionate, his tears hot on my cheeks. The kiss seemed to last forever, and a part of me loved it, but most of me knew that this was horribly wrong. It was breaking my heart, because I knew Loki must be watching.

                Finally I drew back, and Amora spoke through me again, “Erik…”

                “Amora,” Erik’s eyes were shining with tears, “I can’t believe it’s you…”

                “It is me, and I love you…” my heart sunk as the words were dragged from my lips. This was it. It was too late for me. I felt betrayed by her. How could she do this to me?

                Erik started forward, but my arm shot up in warning. Amora's voice said, “Wait. Let me finish. I love you, but you need to let me go.” 

                His face fell, he looked so utterly tormented that I didn’t even protest when Amora reached up and cupped his face gently, “I love you, and I’ll always love you. But I want you to be happy. This isn’t the way. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

                Tears were rolling down his cheeks, but Erik still managed a faint smile and a nod.

                My fingers trailed down his cheek, and I could feel Amora’s heart breaking like a physical ache inside me, “I’ll wait for you.”

                I stood back, and then there was a shift somewhere deep inside me, and an electrical surge ran through me, like I’d been hit by a lightning bolt. Just like that, she was gone. All her memories, all her abilities, the very essence of who Amora had been. Gone. The shock made my head spin, and my skin went hot and cold all over. Around me the battlefield seemed to tilt and blur. Someone was calling my name, not Amora…but Megan. The voice was familiar, closer and closer. Then I was falling, the world tilted. I expected to hit the ground, to have the wind knocked out of me. Instead a pair of strong arms encircled me, supporting me. When I looked up there was a dark blur above me.  I blinked, and the blurriness cleared, turning into a face. Soft brown eyes and dark curls.

                Loki.

                “Megan,” his voice was concerned, “are you hurt? Are you alright?”

                My heart sunk. He’d seen it all. He’d seen me kiss Erik, “You must be mad.”

                Loki looked surprised, then he gently lowered me to the ground, helping me sit up, crouching beside me he put his hands on either side of my face. His fingers were warm on my cheeks,

                “I’m not mad,” he said firmly, “I’m just happy you’re alive.”

                He really wasn’t mad. The heaviness lifted, and I actually breathed a sigh of relief. When I looked over my shoulder Erik was gone. I spotted him a little ways off, tending to one of his fallen men.

                Loki gently tipped my face up to look at him, “Megan?”

                “Hi,” it nearly came out in a hysterical giggle. I was realizing now that it was all over. The Queen was dead. Amora was gone. I was me again. Just plain old Megan, “it’s me,” my voice was wobbly and high pitched with excitement, “just Megan. That’s all.”

                “That’s all I wanted,” Loki smiled, and then his lips were on mine, hot and demanding, and he was pulling me close to him, holding me so tightly I could feel his heart thrumming in his chest, consuming with his warmth. Finally I felt myself relax into him, letting him hold me up. It was all over.

               I shut my eyes and lost myself in his arms.