The Huntress

Chapter 23

I look down quickly and try to keep from making eye contact. Ever since we kissed three days ago...well, awkward is an understatement for how it's been. He refuses to look at me when he speaks - if he speaks. We're never in the same room for more than thirty seconds unless we're eating dinner. Even then, he scarfs down as much as he can as quickly as possible before scurrying away.

I sigh and scoop a mouthful of rice into my mouth. Honestly, this is completely frustrating to me. If he regrets it so much, he should just say so and get over it already. I can handle if he's not interested in me.

What I can't handle is the fact that he's trying to make this whole thing awkward. Seriously, if I weren't being forced to stay her I would have left already. The only problem is - yep, my stupid foot. Curse the stupid thing for being such a pain - literally and figuratively. I just want to get out of this place.

I hear a sigh and the sound of a chair scooting back.

I throw my spoon down and look up at him. "Seriously, if you hate me so much, why don't you just let me leave already? My horse is in your barn and I can pack some bread or something to get me by until I can get more food."

He takes and deep breath before heaving out a sigh. "I don't hate you."

His words are slow and deliberate. I can tell there's a hidden message in them, but I refuse to read between the lines. It's dumb trying to figure out what the heck he's telling me when he's being so freaking cryptic.

"So...you don't hate me - yay." I say sarcastically, I can practically hear my mother screaming at me for my lack of manner. But I don't care anymore. "Now let me go."

"I can't, not until you're better." he says with finality.

I stand up and slam my hand on the table. "Well, I say I'm fine and I don't want to be in a place I'm no longer wanted!"

"Who said you aren't wanted here?" he asks, turning to me with confusion in his eyes.

I scoff at him and cross my arms over my chest. "So, you bring me here to make me better, then you flirt and kiss me, and then you decide I'm not worth it and completely ignore me. I'm making the assumption that my company isn't one you want."

"Don't take my distancing as a fact that I don't want you around. I want you here but..." he starts but cuts himself off quickly.

"But what?" I ask.

"Never mind, it's not important." he says, turning to walk away from me.

I grab his arm and stop him. He looks down at my hand and back up to my eyes. I see pain in his depths and loosen my grip. He starts to go again and I see there's a bruise on his arm where I'd grabbed him. I feel bad because I forgot my full strength for a moment and hurt him. That's the last thing I want.

When I realize he's leaving again I call out in desperation. "Wait!"

He stops and turns slowly to face me. "Yes...?"

"I see your pain...every day. I know someone hurt you - just like someone hurt me. I haven't looked this way my whole life." I say slowly, trying to open up to him so he'll open up to me.

"What do you mean?" he asks, jaw clenched.

"I used to look normal." I start, a tear rolling down my cheek.

"Oh, shoot." he says and rushes over to me, wiping the tears away.

"No, no....I've gotten over it. I just - I need you to hear this, okay?" I say and he just nods.

I take a deep breath and explain to him everything that's happened. From my last day at Rumple's home before he took off to become the Source of Power, to passing out at the ball, finding out about my parents, to getting my curse, finding my brother, getting attacked and waking up here. In his house.

By the end, we're both crying. I don't understand why he's so upset, but I'm more relieved to have finally gotten the whole story out to someone. He pulls me into a hug and buries his face into my hair for a moment.

He takes a deep breath. "Skye, honey, there's something I need to tell you."

I pull back and look into his eyes. "What is it?"

"I'm the one who brought you friend into the Forbidden Forest. The Queen ordered me to bring her out here and kill her." I turn and try to run away from him, scared. But he grabs me and wraps his arms around my waist to keep me from running away. "You don't understand, I didn't have a choice!"

"Everyone has a choice!" I say, trying to break free to no avail.

"Let me explain!" he shouts and I stop fighting. "She took my heart! I had to do as she ordered for five years before she would give it back. She took the entire Guards' hearts...all the blank looks in their eyes - it's cause they could no longer feel for someone the way they wanted. When she ordered me to kill Snow, I brought her this way and told her to run. I caught a pig in the woods and ripped its heart out and took it to the queen.

"When she found out it was a fake - stupid mirror - I ran away. I was scared for my life and I took off. She sent out the others to capture the 'Huntsman' and kill him. One of my old friends found me and let me escape. However, he said if he saw me again he'd have no choice but to kill me.

"The thing is...I want to love you, Skye - but I can't! She took that from me and I'll never get it back. I have been tortured watching the gleam in your eyes glow for me as each day passes and, when we kissed, I was happy for the first time in a long while. But then a small voice in the back of my head told me it was unfair to let you fall for me when I can't fall back!"

I hold my breath, unable to find words that could make this better.

"I knew it wasn't right. And it's tortured my brain every day since I kissed you." he says, tears running down his face.

I reach up and cup his face in my hand, he leans into it with a sigh. His other hand reaches up and grips onto mine tightly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

I looks me in the eye and I can see the emptiness he was talking about. Suddenly, these past few months make sense. Why those guards were so adamant about taking Kaige. How they didn't even blink when I was writhing on the ground in pain as my curse was unfurling.

"Because I thought, once you knew the truth, you'd leave me. For good." he says, even his voice sounds lost.

"I'm not leaving you." I say and he jerks back in shock. "I'm going to help you get your heart back. And, unfortunately, I know just the person who can help us."

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So...what'd you think? How do you feel about Archer and Skye? Do you think she'd be better off with Will or Allan?

Comment and vote.

Always yours,

Kera