Heart of Spades

Chapter Seven

As we are walking through the hallway, I can already smell the cotton candy and sugary candy apples. The smell of caramel wafting through my nose. Sylvia eyes me, distrust plain on her face. I can feel the cards in my dress, weighing me down, and I feel as if she can see right through my dress. I realize we aren't heading to the dining room for dinner; I have no idea where we're going.

Everyone's steps echo off the walls, and I think we are heading to the ballroom. I wouldn't doubt it. When we step through the door, my mouth drops open. Crowds of people are talking and laughing, drinking wine and crystal bottle rum. Men are sweet talking girls to lift their skirts and having them moan in their hair. I almost laugh at the sight, but then I feel exposed. Sylvia leaves me for a couple of other mentors. I head towards the red wine. The tight aroma fills my nostrils, most are heading towards friends or family they haven't seen, crying in their arms telling them everything, everything will be okay. But I know it won't.

I pop off the cork and drink straight from the bottle, the tangy sour taste on my tongue numbing the rest of my body quickly. I blink away tears in my eyes, and I know I'm already drunk. My stomach feels bubbly with air and all I want to do is laugh. I try to think of why I was worried a second ago, but everything just seemed to

di s s a p p e a r

I don't remember a hand closing around my wrist, I don't remember the questions pounding into my brain, I don't remember dropping the wine and hearing glass shatter and bits and pieces flying into my face I don't remember the sound of my skirt ripping and suddenly two cards are in front of my face. But I do remember when suddenly an ill feeling spread across my stomach. I narrow my eyes at the cards, and I rack my brain for what those could be because they seem so, so familiar and I feel as if I should grab them and run.

A headache flares in my brain, and two fists box me to the wall, fingers tightening my dress, shaking me and pushing me harder against the brick. I cry out in pain when the wall scrapes my bare back, then I can hear again, "where did you get those!" he shouts, but the room is so loud it almost sounds like a whisper in my ear. I look around groggily, and everything is blurry, but I can tell were somewhere else, not in the ballroom, but close because it's still too loud. "I-I don't know what you're talking about," I choke out.

"Liar!" his fists close harder, snatching skin, and I can feel the warm thick wetness of blood start pooling out of my shoulders.

"Stop," someone says, it might be me.

"Not until you tell me where you got those cards and how you got them!" he growls, and I try to focus harder, but all I can see are large muscles pulsing through skin and eyes as dark as the night sky.

"Who are you?" I ask, but he doesn't answer.

"Tell me how you got those cards and then maybe I'll answer that question." he rumbles.

"I have no idea what you're talking about-"

SMACK

My cheek burns and I yelp, it tingles on my cheek and tears form in my eyes, threatening to fall. "You know that's a lie, you know it!" He shoves the cards up to my face again, letting go of one bleeding shoulder. My eyes widen and I gasp, looking down at my ripped dress, but my reaction gives it away.

"I swear, I found them on the palace floor, I don't know anything else about them," he shakes his head.
"This card, the girl on here, is you. I can see it. And I know you know it. Your destiny is about to take a wrong turn, for all of us." he shoves them in his pocket, "I'm keeping these."

"No!" I cry, my weak limp arm reaching out trying to grab them, but he slams me into the wall again.

"Try and take them and we'll see about how many times you'll say 'stop'." I drop my hand. Then, he releases both of my shoulders, I hear his steps retreat, and I fall to the floor in a hump.