The Angel's Sacrifice

The Angel's Sacrifice Ch. 20

I sense that Jack also knows that our moment was lost. As he stands, he looks at me one last time before finally disappearing back into the ballroom. I'm left alone in the silence of the outside world. The cold of the stone seeps through my dress, giving me shivers that run up and down my spine. Funny how I didn't even feel the chill when Jack was with me. I hug myself to keep warm as I star gaze. I can't help but feel hurt that Jack didn't even ask me to come with him, but I know that he needs to focus on helping that girl.

The girl...

I stand up. There's another girl? Suddenly images of this person staying at the castle, being taken care of by Jack, pictures of them huddling close together in the library and finally them kissing all races through my mind. They are images from my own experiences yet I can't help think that it could happen with another. This can't happen... Jack is mine.

The fear of losing Jack is so sudden, so potent I almost gasp in horror. I try to think rationally but I cannot be helped. It's true that I had thought many time about my love for Jack but never this suddenly, or this deeply. I wanted it to be me, and only me, beside Jack. There was no proof that this girl would take my place but the possibility was too great, no matter how small it was plausible.

Jealousy crashes over me. Finally, when I had decided to give myself over to my emotions to Jack, this girl comes! Jack and I are meant to be together-- I wouldn't feel so passionately if it weren't so.

With out a second thought, I rush to the doors as best I can in heels and weave in and out of the faceless dancers as I try to reach the golden doorways.

As I arrive, I stretch out my hand to grab hold of the handles but suddenly I'm forcibly yanked back by and unseen force. I crane my neck to see the two men who had taken me to my room when I had first arrived at the castle.

An unnatural wind bursts through the glass, obliterating any remains. It snaps around my dress, tossing it up. I struggle to keep it down and it picks up. It moves swiftly around the room, taking the light away from the candles. The illusion of other dancers shimmers as they collapse to the floor. Lightning crashes and then a down pour rain finds it way to my face, slapping me sharply. My tiara, the stupid jewelry, is flung from my head. Fighting against both the storm and my captors I scream at them to let me go. I have to get to Jack! Something isn't right!

"Oh no you don't," the shorter one says with a smirk, almost unaware of the conjured weather.

"Can't have you messing up the plan," the other one says, chuckling. His laughter swells above the howling wind and it sickens me.

The last thing I'm aware of is a sharp pain in my head and a terrible black cloud taking over my body.

...

I slowly awake with a pounding headache in my room, under the covers. From the weight on my feet, I can tell that I still have on Nellie's heels. As the room stops spinning, I see that I still have everything on from the ball. I know it's silly, but I pat my head for the tiara but I just feel my messed up hair.

As my eyes adjust to the dark, I see a figure get up from the couch. I identify it as Jack. He slowly paces up to my bed, concern written well into his features. He breathes a sigh of relief when he sees that I'm awake.

"You had me worried there Fae," Jack says, coming to sit on the edge of my bed.

"Wha- What happened?" I ask. My memory is muddled. All I remember is reaching the door way of the ballroom then black.

"Lance said that you stumbled in your heels and hit your head on the floor," Jack says quietly. "How does it feel?"

I struggle to wake completely. At the mention of Lance, I get up even more. I'm hesitant to believe Lance's story, partly because it's Lance we're talking about. Something deep beneath me says to not but all the same I let it go. It sounds about right to me. I hesitantly touch my forehead. I recoil from the contact. "Sore," I grimace as I respond to Jack's earlier question.