Once upon a time, the realms of Chance and Men lived in peace and harmony. The balance of the worlds was perfect. Unfortunately, the thirst for power and magic is an inevitable poison, as insatiable as the noble families of chance. Their thirst led...
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Chapter 26
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I am awakened by a gentle tapping. I open my eyes to a room bathed in a crimson light and sit up amidst ruffles and fabrics of the same hue.
The bed I am lying on is large enough for three people, and I struggle to free myself from the silky satin sheets. My dress feels suffocating, and I rearrange its numerous petticoats. I almost jump when I catch sight of my silhouette in a large golden mirror in front of me.
My skin, paler than usual, stands out even more against the shiny fabric. It is thick and sumptuous. As I run my hand over the mid-length sleeves, I feel a material similar to velvet, as soft as silk, brushing against my skin. The tulle petticoats swirl around me. Finally, I notice the golden embroideries of suns and stars adorning the dress. I have no memory of how I ended up in this attire, and I shudder at the horror of the thought that a member of the prince's court could have touched me.
If my body is marred by the many trials I've endured in the past few days, my gaze is like daggers. If a glance could kill, I would be invincible. I feel the anger growing within me. After spending over a week doing everything to find her, I now want to leave this place, leave my sister, as quickly as possible. The atmosphere is oppressive, and I am convinced that a sinister magic envelops the entire palace. Every fiber of my being screams at me to flee, with or without my sister. I think back to her face, her pride, and her coldness. No matter how she ended up here, I know I won't be able to convince her to leave willingly. And we have no way to go back home.
"Better the demon you know," I sigh loudly. I must find a way to reach the King of Spades. I think of his heart, of the beat I sensed. Rowan. The Rowan who saved me from the flames, who watches me in my dreams. The King of Spades, with a heart of stone, wicked and responsible for the death and destruction that reigns in the world of Chance.
As the conflict continues to rage in my head, the tapping sound is heard again, this time louder. It comes from the large door guarding the entrance to the room. I move slowly across the golden parquet floor, grabbing a hairbrush from the dresser next to the mirror along the way. "Yes?" I ask the closed door.
"Madam, your sister requests to see you," a mischievous voice resonates in the room. I recognize this voice, my blood boils, and I rush to the door handle, which doesn't budge. The voice continues, "Please, ask the guards to let me in." I am perplexed by this request and reply, "It's strange for a prisoner to have to give consent to open the door." My interlocutor chuckles softly, but I eventually acquiesce, and the doors finally open.
A masked man, similar to those worn by some members of the court, appears in the doorway and offers me his arm. I keep the hairbrush hidden behind my back, in my hand, but I accept his offer. After one last look at the guards, I let myself be led away from this room.
"The etiquette of this court is truly peculiar, don't you think?" The man has stopped using the formal address. His brown hair is slicked back, and his tan skin has regained color.
Finally, I recognize him, but I step back abruptly at the turn of the first corridor. "Xavier?" My rescuer finally drops his mask, just enough for his mischievous gaze to wink at me. "I thought you were dead." A wave of intense relief washes over me. "I had to change plans at the last second. But I will get you out of here." He takes my hand and leads me down a spiral staircase that seems to descend infinitely. He puts his mask back on, concealing his features. "And your sister?" I whisper, trying not to stumble in this impractical attire. "That would take too long to explain now." He leads me to a new floor, as we approach freedom, with columns overlooking a garden as artificial as the beauty of this kingdom. "I promise you will have all the answers to your questions." As he says this, his hand tightens around mine. "Where are we going?" I simply ask.
Xavier suddenly grabs me, concealing our bodies behind a column as three guards hurriedly pass by us without noticing. "Find her," the largest one says. When he finally releases me, we run towards the entrance of what appears to be a labyrinth of thorns and roses. "Oh no, not again," I murmur, making my friend laugh. "This one doesn't involve dragons or killer rabbits, I promise." I nod and run after him.
My friend seems about to say something when voices are heard near us, and he pulls me a little further away. "Two rights and one left, follow the path straight ahead, there's a flaw in the labyrinth, a hole. You're slim enough to slip through." I try to protest, but he continues, "I know about the dreams with the King, I also know that he's coming for you. Run to the Forest of the Banished."
I look at him without understanding. "And what about you?" He removes his mask, and I see his smile, realizing that it hides a secret.
"If you want to see me again, you have to leave, now."
Without thinking, I throw myself into his arms, embracing him tightly. "Thank you." He returns my embrace before turning back, and I start running. After the first right turn, a familiar meow catches my attention as the cat leans against a thornless rose protruding from the bush on my right. I look at him without understanding as he stretches and jumps by my side. I am convinced he was waiting for me.
Thinking back to Xavier's gaze in the forest, I ask the cat, "Who are you?" before resuming my frantic race, with the cat following closely. He meows again without enlightening me, and we turn right once more. I question him again, more to myself than to him, asking, "Do you work with Xavier?" But his new meow reveals nothing new.
The voices behind me grow louder as I turn left, and I pick up my pace, breathless. Thunder rumbles above us, and the air grows darker. The cat meows at me to follow and rushes into a hole between the thorns.
I smile and lean over the opening, but it's much too small for me. I feel as if the roses are moving on their own, slowly closing in. If I pass now, I'll be pierced by millions of thorns. I turn around and see the castle behind me, and I see her. My sister is leaning against a balcony, and even from a distance, I immediately recognize her. She smiles at me, raising her hand in my direction.
It's her, she's capable of doing that. Rage fills my heart, and I feel that burning emotion spread throughout my body. I am determined to show what I am capable of. I am no longer afraid; I want to leave this place, and neither my sister nor the largest of armies can hold me against my will. The mere roses cannot stop me. I plunge into the bush, and upon contact with my body, the roses turn to ashes, their thorns into stardust. I emerge triumphantly from the bush, holding my head high.
Around me, darkness envelops me in a mist of ash. I look up at my sister just as her voice whispers in my ear.
"The die is cast."
"Let the game begin," I reply through clenched teeth before running as far away from her as possible, into the darkness of the Forest of the Banished.
