by Kristen Day
I nodded, "Bridgette will kill me if I don't get down there to cook," I said. Michael's mouth twitched as though he wanted to say something, but he let me go.
I scampered down the tree without even bothering to look down and make sure I was balancing on stable branches. I just had to get away from Michael, I had to escape, I couldn't have him distracting me from what I knew I had to do.
"Alice, why are you going so fast? Bridgette will understand," Michael called down. I was already on the ground and racing towards camp.
As soon as Bridgette saw me she handed me a wooden spoon and pointed at the pot hanging over the fire she'd already started.
All I had to do was stir the stew Bridgette and Scarlett had thrown together from our remaining food, but it was a welcome distraction. Especially when Michael finally joined us, I kept my head down and pretended to be very intent on making sure every vegetable went around the pot an equal number of times.
After dinner there wasn't much I could do to avoid Michael completely. We had decided to bury Kinga's body and there was no way Michael was missing that and there was no viable excuse I could come up with to stay behind.
Roman, Arthur, and Roan had already dug the grave before dinner; all the boys had to do was lower the body, covered in blankets, into the hole.
Leigh had insisted we use blankets instead of a spare tent so that Kinga would stay warm. Kinga's body looked more like a butterfly's cocoon than the death clothes of such a strong woman. I was glad for that though, I didn't want to see anymore carnage and it was easier to bury a cocoon than a human being.
Few words were said until it came to Leigh. She stood tearfully holding Maria's hand and when she began speaking even Roman had to blink ferociously to hold back the tears.
"Kinga was the first friend I made here. She was like a new mom to me, she told me my mother and brother might be here and she would help me look. We found my mom, but she wasn't the same anymore. She was calling herself a different name, and she refused to believe I was her daughter. It was easy to forgive her though, I knew how sad she was before she died, she was just a little lost and she had forgotten how to smile. I tried to teach her again, but she yelled at me. I knew my mommy had changed for good and that someone else would have to help her. Kinga held me while I cried that night, that's when she gave me the name Aida. She said I could forget everything that had happened to me and become a new person just like she did."
Max grunted uncomfortably and dragged her entire forearm across her face as Leigh continued.
"Kinga told me her whole story that night, even parts that happened to her before she left Earth. That was the only time I ever saw her cry. She didn’t want to do anything but forget. That's what she did; she forgot her smile too though. I tried to remind her, but she didn't want to remember just yet. She was close, I hope now, wherever she is, she'll find something to smile about.”
We all thought we were finally in the clear and that we had made it through Leigh’s eulogy. Then:
“And Michael, she'd hate you for feeling guilty."
We all laughed through fast flowing tears at that last part because of how true it was. Leigh stooped down, picked up a handful of dirt and scattered it in the grave. Each of us followed suit, but Leigh wasn't done yet. She pulled Maria's ear down to her mouth and whispered words into Maria's ear for her to repeat.
"Kina--ver--nice. Sad--but--stron. Happer-- now." Maria said.
Roman, Arthur, and Roan stayed behind to fill the grave while the rest of us packed things away and got ready for bed.
As I was about to follow Leigh into my tent I looked back to see Michael staring into the fire.
After a short internal battle, I decided to say something comforting, "Leigh's right, you know. Kinga wouldn't want you to feel guilty."
"How is Leigh so perfectly forgiving and happy?" Michael asked.
"I don't know," I answered honestly, "I don't think she had much other choice in her situation. She had to decide to be positive, or let it destroy her.”
Michael nodded, "Good night, Alice.”
I pretended not to hear and slipped inside the tent without another word. I fell asleep, lips abuzz with unsaid words and the remnants of something so dangerous I didn’t even want to think about it.
Chapter Forty-one
Leigh cried herself to sleep, but it still didn't take her long to get there and Maria was asleep long before anyone else. I envied her ability to slumber while I was fighting so much turmoil it didn't seem like I'd be able to sleep peacefully again.
I kept replaying the events of the day. It was all too much to take in. I could handle Kinga being dead, it wasn't easy, but I was able to forget about it for the most part. I just couldn't stop thinking about Michael. My heart hurt with the desire to run to Michael and apologize for how stupidly I'd acted, but my brain was telling me I'd done the right thing.
I knew if I let myself enjoy what had happened I wouldn't be able to go through with the plan if Michael asked me not to again.
I slept for maybe two hours before Bridgette called into our tent to wake us all up, "We're eating as we walk," she called in, "Get up and let's go. Yours is the only tent we have left to pack."
At that early hour Bridgette's voice was the most annoying sound I'd ever heard, I wanted to roll over, throw a shoe at her, and go back to sleep.
I wouldn’t even look at Michael all day, he didn't attempt contact. I was exhausted, I was nervous, I was hungry, and I was terrified that if I talked to him I’d mess everything up. Every part of me was screaming that what had happened the night before was bad, it was like a war captain falling in love with a prisoner, it wasn’t supposed to happen and yet it had.
I had done my best to keep myself from coming up with reasons not to go through with the plan we had come up with, and now the one who had been key in implementing me in the plan was the reason I didn’t want to do it any longer.
I was half tempted to beg Michael to come up with another idea, one that was less confrontational and would give us both a more likely chance of surviving, but it was selfish and would involve actually talking to Michael.
Still, every step I took was agony. Michael kept looking back through the half asleep group to where I was, but I averted my eyes and tried to help Leigh teach Maria more words.
We finally stopped around lunch time to pass around more apples and a canteen that was very low on water. Everyone was getting a little cranky, so it was decided that we would rest for an hour and then not stop until we could see the palace.
Everyone gratefully dropped their packs on the ground and soon sounds of snoring were echoing off the trees. Not one person seemed afraid that we would be ambushed by another demon, either that, or they knew they wouldn’t be able to fight decently in their current state. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to sleep, but I decided to try anyway.
I found my bedroll in the pile of supplies we had dropped and had just finished unrolling it when I felt Michael’s hand on my shoulder.
I knew it was Michael’s hand, no one else’s felt like that; my chin tingled in remembrance of its last touch. I took a deep breath and looked slowly up at him. The sun was falling almost straight down on him; it illuminated his face and made his eyes stand out even more than usual.
“We need to talk,” Michael said. I nodded; I had known it wouldn’t be long before he confronted me about not looking at him for so long. I had just hoped it would be later rather than sooner or not at all.
Michael sat down next to me on the bedroll and I subconsciously started playing with a lock of hair that had fallen out of my braid. I always did that when I got nervous, Michael must have noticed because he gently took my hand from my hair and held it in his lap.
I cleared my throat, pulled my hand back and looked around to make sure no one had seen. Thankfully, everyone seemed to be asleep.
“Why have you been avoiding me all day?” Michael asked. He looked embarrassed, “Did I do something wrong?”
“Yes,
” I replied, “I can’t even explain it. If you'd kissed me under different circumstances, if I were still alive, I’d be home right now calling Maria to tell her everything and then writing in my journal about it like some giddy little girl. But I’m not excited, I’m terrified.”
“Do you think I’m going to hurt you?” Michael whispered. He sounded truly afraid that I was going to answer yes, but I shook my head.
“Not at all, but I’m afraid your brother will try to hurt both of us. He’s already got Leigh and Maria to use as leverage against me; I don’t want him to have any more weight behind him than he already does.”
“Daman is not going to hurt me, Alice,” Michael replied, “He did it once and I’m not going to let it happen again, and I’m not going to let him hurt you either. That’s why I keep trying to get you to change your mind.”
“Well, I wish you would stop. I don’t need more people dying because of him. He wants me, and if I end up like Kinga then at least I will know that I tried and I won’t have to see the effects of my failure.”
“Alice, don’t talk like that,” Michael said, “You’re not going to end up like Kinga. If we’re lucky you won’t even have to see Daman, you just have to wait for him to contact you in your head again and then take him by surprise,” I knew Michael was trying to help, but it wasn’t doing any good.
“You’re acting like there’s something special about me besides this stupid ring on my palm. I’m not a superhero, I don’t have any hidden powers, I'm not stronger than Daman, I'm not different, I'm just Alice!”
Michael and I lapsed into silence for a few minutes. I wished he would hold my hand again, his fingers had been so warm against my terror filled, and icy ones, but I pushed the thought away and focused on a tiny sprout struggling to find sunlight.
“I need to rest,” I told Michael finally.
“Okay,” Michael said. He stood up, but he didn't leave.
I stared up at him, unsure of what to do, but a heavy snort from Roman followed by Scarlett waking fitfully from a nightmare saved me. Michael went to go check on her and I was left alone to stagnate in my thoughts. Somehow, I fell asleep.
Chapter Forty-two
I dreamed I was back in my old house. It was the morning of the day I died. Everything happened as I remembered. My phone woke me up, I read Maria’s text, and sped over to Maria’s house. I had the same feelings, and saw the same things, but something changed in Maria’s house.
Just as I had in reality, I pulled back the sheet over Maria’s face. She looked exactly as I remembered, but this time I noticed a reflection in her glassy eyes. It was subtle and hard to see, but it was clearly the reflection of something on her ceiling. I looked up and screamed in terror when I saw Daman sitting lightly on the chandelier above my head.
“Look at my beautiful future bride,” Daman said. He looked normal, his eyes were human, and he looked like the broken boy I had fallen in love with because of the doors’ manipulation, but I knew better this time.
I backed away from Daman and looked around me for any kind of weapon; I hit the wall by the door and scanned the ground around me frantically. I noticed one of Maria’s ridiculously high heels on the floor near me and lunged for it.
When I stood Daman was inches away from my face. I bit back another scream and tried to lash out with the heel, but Daman easily deflected the blow.
“I see my brother didn’t teach you anything useful,” Daman taunted, “It’s no matter, when you are my wife I will teach you.”
“I am not going to be your wife,” I protested angrily.
Daman laughed, “I don’t believe that’s up to you anymore. I’m a free man now, and I’m a king, what I say goes or I can have you executed.”
“Then execute me.”
“Where would the fun in that be?” Daman asked, “No, I think I’d rather have your dear Maria murdered, or perhaps have the little blonde girl tortured.”
My brain screamed for me to run, but I couldn’t. The world around me had frozen again; the EMTs were blocking the door with Maria’s body on the stretcher.
“Wh—what little blonde girl?” I tried. Daman just laughed again.
“You are a terrible liar. That will make marriage easy; I will always know what you’re thinking about. You’re so trusting too; my brother played his part perfectly, didn’t he?”
“What do you mean?” I questioned.
Daman shrugged, “I’m sure you’ll discover that for yourself soon enough, but it’s time for you to come see me now.”
I didn’t have time to respond before something was forcing me awake. I blinked wildly in the sun as my vision adjusted. Purple eyes were staring down at me.
“He said I would have a hard time waking you,” the demon said, “That wasn’t so hard. Let’s go.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I spat. The demon grabbed my wrist and began squeezing. I stood up in a vain attempt to ease the pain.
“I believe you are,” Purple Eyes said, “Unless you want Red and Goldie to get hurt.”
I looked to my right and saw that two more equally terrifying demons held Maria, bound and gagged, between them. At first I didn’t see Leigh, and then I noticed a large sack at Maria’s feet that was thrashing about wildly.
“Let them go,” I said testily.
“Whether that happens or not all depends on you,” Purple Eyes said lazily.
I looked from Maria to the sack and back again, “You will let both of them go and not hurt anyone else if I come with you.”
“Of course,” Purple Eyes responded.
“Let’s go then.”
I knew it was hopeless to scream, Purple Eyes had probably frozen the rest of the group in place long before he woke me up.
Purple Eyes motioned for his men to follow him. One picked up Leigh’s bag, the other forced Maria forward.
“You said you would let Leigh and Maria go if I came with you!” I shouted.
“I never said when. Didn’t you ever use that trick on your siblings growing up? You should have, it results in fewer obligations,” Purple Eyes said in an uninterested way.
I planted my feet defiantly, “I’m not going anywhere with you until you let Leigh and Maria go. You can have me, but they stay here.”
The sound of metal scraping against metal caught my attention and I turned around to see one of the demons holding a knife to Maria’s throat. It looked more deadly than even Bridgette’s and I didn’t want to see a demonstration of what it could do, especially not on Maria’s neck.
“Are you done arguing yet?” Purple Eyes asked, “We don’t want to keep the king waiting, he doesn’t like that.”
I swallowed, weighed my options, and started walking again, “I knew you would choose correctly,” Purple Eyes said, “You may call the man holding the little girl Pryor, and the other, Lucian. I am Stephano, please relax, we are not going to hurt you.”
I glared into Stephano’s eyes with all the hate I could muster, “You look tired,” Stephano said, “We’ll take the quick way.
Stephano grabbed my arm, nodded to Pryor and Lucian, and then everything went dark. I knew we were still standing in the forest, but it was different. There were no stars in the darkness, there was no light. I almost asked what was going on when Stephano started moving. He took one step and I felt the ground speed away beneath my feet. I fell into Stephano and clutched at his shirt to give myself some kind of anchor.
Stephano laughed heartily, “You aren’t going to fall, Alecsander wouldn’t be pleased if I brought back damaged goods. Just do as I said and relax, we will be at the palace soon. You will have food, clothes, and a nice bed to get your beauty sleep in before you wed in two days.”
“I’m not marrying Alecsander,” I replied, but there was no conviction in my voice. I knew there was no way around it; I just didn’t want to admit it yet.
Stephano nearly guffawed at my resistance, “I would stop being so difficult now, Alecsander does not take kindly to insubord
ination.”
“I don’t take kindly to being pushed around by power hungry villains,” I muttered. I don’t think Stephano heard me over the sound of his own rushing feet.
Five minutes later I saw lights glowing through the trees, a minute later we burst out of the forest and I was staring up at a twenty foot stone wall stretching left and right as far as I could see.
“You may want to close your eyes if you’re afraid of heights,” Stephano warned. I didn’t have time to question him. He jumped and we flew over the wall without even a little struggle.
I gasped as we fell faster and faster towards the ground, but at the last second our speed slowed and Stephano’s feet hit the ground with barely even a sound. Pryor and Lucian landed on either side of us. Maria looked terrified and Leigh was shouting unintelligible things through the fabric of her bag.
“You know where to put them,” Stephano said to his two accomplices. The captors nodded at Stephano and began walking away with Leigh and Maria. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths to keep myself from calling out to them.
“As for you,” Stephano breathed into my ear. He took a moment to relish the feel of my hair on his face before continuing, “there’s someone who’d like to see you.”
Chapter Forty-three
Stephano escorted me to a large, completely empty room. There weren't even curtains on the windows. The floors were carpeted in soft, plush white and the walls were flowery gold.
It was obvious the furniture had recently been removed; there were still impressions of various pieces throughout the room. I guessed everything had been taken to prevent me from acquiring a weapon.
I was left alone for nearly an hour with only the growling of my stomach to accompany me. At one point someone came in to offer me food. They looked normal and not demon-like at all, I almost accepted the food until I noticed a pomegranate on the cart of delicious looking foods.
I remembered the story of Persephone in Hades' court, not to mention the story of how Daman came to be a demon.
