|[ The Soul Reaper - 2 ]| [UNDERGOING EDITING]

Chapter 11 // Disguise and Lies - Part I

Time sped up. I felt hands turn me over, and concerned voices. Forcing myself to act I pushed the hands away, rolling to the side. Dirt clung to my damp clothes and I looked up to see Claude watching me, his eyes wide and – dark grey. My heart slipped further.

"By Ģija, it's about flaming time!" he snarled, scrambling to his feet. Behind him Cedric was rising to his feet, clothes dripping wet and clinging to his form. His hair could've been the same, but I knew before he looked at me that those eyes would be colourless, just like the rest of the world.

"Ignoring me now, are we?" Claude growled, "Four weeks in Sylktäs and it's like you don't know me."

"Claude, I..." I began.

"What happened?" Cedric interrupted, turning to look at me. I almost cried. We were so close... so close... and yet... I took his hands, staring up into his grey eyes; his white face. His lips the palest shade of grey.

"I brought us back." I whispered. He walked towards me, brushing hair out of his face.

"From where?" Cedric cried, "What happened?" Claude crossed his arms and stepped to the side, giving him a sour look.

"You... you..." I shivered, "You were about to marry Imelda... and..."

"That man!" Cedric cried, "In the blue cloak... I remember him grabbing me, but then..."

"He took you to Sylktäs." I sighed, dropping my eyes, "The Crystal Forest... but I went after you. I brought us back."

"How?" Cedric wondered, his eyes wide, "How did you do it?"

"I... it doesn't matter..." I smiled, hugging him, "At least we're safe."

"I don't deserve you," Cedric mumbled into my shoulder, crushing me against him. A tear rolled down my cheek and grew cold against my skin. It was then that I looked around properly.

"Well this is all lovely and all too cute," Claude interjected, glaring between us, "But we have more pressing matters at hand."

"Claude?" I blinked. I had almost forgotten he was there. My expression seemed to say as much and his lips curled up into a snarl.

"Yes, Irene, I'm still here." He snapped, "Sorry I couldn't give you two the alone time you obviously want, but we really need to get back to Eltor."

"What's happened?" I asked, worry gnawing at my stomach, "What's..."

"Come with me and see for yourself." Claude said sourly, turning to the water, "And do try to keep up. I'm sick of saving your skin." He dived beneath the water's cool surface and disappeared with a plume of bubbles.

"We're going through that?" Cedric asked, eyeing the water with a raised eyebrow.

"It's... it's a kind of bridge." I explained, "It will take us back home." I held my hand out to him. "Just follow me and you will be fine." Cedric took my fingers in his and we walked out into the water, feeling its icy touch around our legs. I took a deep breath and submerged completely, my head pounding from the cold. There was a hint of resistance as Cedric hesitated, but a moment later he followed, hand still in mine.

***

I broke the surface to freezing air – colder than even the water. I gasped as it hit me aggressively, knocking the last of my air from my lungs. Behind me Cedric spluttered and together we climbed to the banks. Already Claude stood, leaning against a tree, his long hair miraculously dry.

I felt my blood freeze over as I suddenly realised what I was staring at; the ground was covered in a thick blanket of snow, the grey trees empty of leaves, but supporting their own white cloths, and the early morning sky above us, shades of grey and white, had a thin layer of clouds shrouding the sun.