Spellbound: COMPLETE

Chapter Forty-Nine: Ariadne

Ariadne's POV

Fire. So much fire. No control. 

Screams. Women, men, children. Screaming in pain, screaming in grief, screaming in fright. Of me.  

My head was throbbing. I tried opening my eyes, but it was too bright - almost like the sun was right in front of me. Almost like the fire that I had watched leave my own mouth and consume my own village.

Prince Wilson was evil. No. Estevan. He was controlled by Estevan. And then Peter. 

Peter came and tried to save me. He screamed. He couldn't see. He would never see again. He never saw his poor sister. Julie. Burnt and bleeding. 

Then singing. A healing song. 

Then darkness. 

Slowly, my ears began to clear and voices began sounding from a distance. 

"She sure faints a lot," someone far away whispered.

Where am I? Had the fire finally consumed me? Had I earned heavenly glory or obtained firey damnation?

"She didn't faint," a second voice responded. 

I died. I thought. I didn't faint. I died.

"Girls," a deep voice interrupted. "Please don't argue."

"Yes, father," the two replied simultaneously.

Father? I thought and a deep sadness overcame me. I missed my father. 

But wait, could I see him again? If I was in heaven, then he would surely be here as well.

I slowly opened my eyes and squinted around the bright room. Is this heaven? It was bright and colorful and surrounded with beautiful faces. 

My family?

"Ardeen!" Iris squealed and jumped on me - taking my breath away.

Did we all die? "What happened?" I croaked. Speaking felt wrong, like my throat wasn't used to being used anymore.

Is this how voices sound when you're dead?

"Ariadne, are you okay?"

I turned and saw Peter, his eyes filled with worry and relief at the same time. I smiled, we were still together. And he could see! They must be in heaven, it was a miracle.

"When you healed my eyes," he whispered, grabbing her hand from underneath Iris's small body. "I thought I had lost you."

Did I heal his eyes? Oh yes, the song. 

"We will always be together, whether on earth or in heaven," I responded, holding his hand tight, not wanting to ever let go. 

"Luckily, I didn't have to wait until I went to heaven to see you," he said grinning.

"We're not in heaven?" I asked, confused.

A laugh slipped from his lips. "Yes, you're alive, my dear, sweet Ariadne."

"Ariadne?"

I turned in shock as a rough, calloused hand enveloped my free hand. I looked up and followed the familiar robe to the man's face and blinked several times to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. 

Was it possible? 

"Father!" I cried and threw Iris to the side in order to throw my arms around his neck, soaking his fresh-smelling shirt in tears.