The maid of honor's duty is to the bride. This is why Alina's still standing in the spot where she's been led, straight and dignified and looking directly at Ourania in spite of everything else that's happening. Even now at the very edge of total disaster, she doesn't pull out some fantastic trick or brave sacrifice play. 

Of course she doesn't. How could she? Argossa is too sick to reward all of her other sacrifices with new magic. There are no more colors on her crown. Her arms and legs are bound and she's still being held on a leash by Cassian. She can't even say something brave or defiant or bring hope to her friends while she's gagged like this. 

Oh, Adila. She's so sorry. Fly. Please, fly! While there's still time, spread your beautiful wings and fly! She thinks it over and over again, screaming it inside her head just in case that makes a difference. But of course, she can't project her thoughts even an inch in front of her face, so who knows if that's doing any good. She switches to wishing with her heart, instead.

This is the end of the journey. Alina feels so very tired. Oberon is so hopelessly strong. But do you see it, Ourania? Her beautiful green eyes are dazzling and bright. Her posture is tall and proud. There's not a hint of a shake or a shiver to her anywhere, even though she's standing so close to him! This is the shape of your latest miracle: a broken princess being strong for you. All for you! So that, just this once, you can let yourself be weak. Cry if you need to, it's ok. 

But, you know the funny thing about miracles? It's the tiny ones that always seem to make the biggest difference. A young girl sees a sunrise at just the right moment, and it makes her heart melt. A cat and a mermaid become friends at a party both were invited to by accident. All these tiny, trite moments cascade into each other until they're a force more powerful than the tallest waterfall. Like how a single snowflake can become part of a flurry. And that flurry can grow into a blizzard, and then the blizzard leads to a single perfect Solstice Morning where two little girls can bundle up and go shell hunting on the riverbank together which, although they don't realize it until many years afterwards, leads directly to them falling in love. 

Those are the true miracles, the real magic of Hyperborea. And you know what? They're too small and too numerous for someone like Oberon Greymane to stamp them all out. Maybe that's what Alina's thinking when she turns to look at the snow falling down on you from the sky. Will you look too, Your Majesty? Can you hope the way that she hopes, for one more tiny miracle to turn the tide?