Peasant (Zane X Reader) - {COMPLETED}

Chapter 36

Your P.O.V

I couldn't breathe.

My entire world just stopped turning in that exact moment, and time seemed to stop.

Then, the pain hit me full force, making me crumble to my knees as Zane rushed to upright my body, his face full of panic and utter fear.

I grunted as I struggled not to pass out, the world going dizzy around me as Zane spoke. "No no no! Stay with me!" He shouted as the crowd all slowly backed away in fear.

The priest let go of the handle of the dagger and took a few steps back, smirking in victory.

"I come on behalf of the kingdom of Alleera. You have disrespected us and we have simply come to return the favor. I hope you can understand." He said as he took off his priest's uniform, revealing the Alleera crest on his undershirt.

"You bastard!" Zane shouted in fury as I slumped against him, trying so, so hard to remain conscious.

"Tut tut tut. That kind of talk will get you no where. And besides, trying to save her won't do you any good." He paused as Zane's expression morphed from fury to worry in less than a second. "She will burn to a crisp. As will all of you." And with that, he pulled out a bottle of oil and splattered it on my dress before striking a match he got from his pocket and throwing it at me.

I screamed and thrashed as the heat started to tear through my dress and make it's way to me skin, blistering through it and leaving a trail of absolute agony as it burned my legs.

Zane shot up and grabbed a sword from seemingly out of his coat pocket before slicing the burning fabric off of my dress, narrowly missing my legs.

I started to careen towards the floor before Zane caught me once more, holding me in his arms as I laid on his chest.

The traitor let out a venomous cackle as the fire started burning through the wooden planks and flowers and banners and everything else.

The people in the crowd were a mess of chaos. People were running over each other to reach an exit before they were consumed by the flames. Clary, Riva and Peony tried to run to my aid, but sadly, the mass of people just blocked them and if they tried to reach me, they would be trampled to death.

The pain in my chest just got worse and worse as it throbbed harder and harder, my once perfectly white dress turning a dark, crimson red. The priest quickly ran to the back window and smashed it open before jumping out, vanishing into the night.

I grit my teeth, hating the man and everything he stood for. Zane shuddered, and I looked up. Tears streaked down his face as he watched me with a frozen expression, shock and absolute agony covering his features.

Then, I heard a bark.

I slowly turned my head, and saw my favorite golden retriever jump over the flaming floorboards and rush to my side, being vibrant with life and jumping up and down while panting with his tongue sticking out.

"S-Scruffy... Clary took care of you like I asked... that's good..." I weakly muttered as I reached my hand out towards him. He whimpered and fit his cheek into the palm of my gloved hand.

Zane looked over at the puppy before looking back at me. "W-Why?" He asked, as if I could give him an answer.

Then, to my utter horror, an overhead beam lost its support to the fire and fell to the ground, making me wince as it crushed some poor unsuspecting guests and burned others.

I watched in relief as Riva, Clary, and Peony were unintentionally pushed out of the room and away from the fire. Willow's guards grabbed her by the arm and urgently pulled her out of the vicinity as tears streamed from her eyes. Halley's face was covered in horror as she was pushed out of the ballroom by the crowd, and Lady Zianna cried and screamed as the guards rushed her away from the fire, all the while she kept screaming, "Not my baby! Not again!" Master Garroth seemed to be in the same position as her as he thrashed against his guards to rush back into the fire to save his little brother. "Zane! Zane! ZANE!" He kept screaming and screaming and screaming... all the while tears streamed from his eyes before he was pulled out of the ballroom. Then, another overhead beam fell, crashing right where the exit was, giving no room for escape.