The Darkness Beyond the Stars

Chapter Ten: Attack number two, or, me being an Idiot

The ground was dry and packed under my feet, making only the barest sound as I walked. Hot heavy air pressed all around me. The sun barely made it through the trees, making puddles of light here and there.

I still couldn't believe the prince hadn't seen me sneak out the window in the bedroom. I grinned.

If I went too far, the guards would find me, and probably escort me back to the cabin. Was I a prisoner here? I squeezed my eyes shut. I wasn't. I could go whenever, and wherever, I jolly well pleased.

I started off again, ducking under pine branches.

I really do hate that prince.

I slapped at the bugs that were trying to fly in my ears and up my nose.

In fact, I hated him so much that I wished he was more stupid, so I could at least insult him easier. And less handsome, so I could find more faults. Maybe he was a little too tall and broad. And his eyes were unnatural. Unnaturally blue and piercing. And his hair was far too long, and again, unnatural. Nobody had hair that pale.

I nodded, and walked a little faster, tripping a little. I watched the ground.

"Princess!"

A dark figure stood right in front of me.

I yelped.

"Princess, what are you doing?" His face was covered with a black cloth mask, but his voice sounded like the one from last night, and the one from the library. I was pretty sure this was the Aeoir. A shiver ran up my back.

"Walking!" I glared at him, hiding my fear.

I could barely see his eyes through the mask, but he seemed to be watching me warily. I lifted my chin. "Is there a problem?"

"You should not be this far from the cabin. Does the prince know where you are?"

I drew in a breath. "Actually, I was just heading back. Thank you." I turned, and walked as fast as I could back the way I came.

The branches scratched at my face and arms, making them itch. I pushed back the urge to scream in frustration. How could I survive three months here, unable to be more than three hundred feet away from the cabin? I looked down.

A long slender body slithered along the ground, barely two feet in front of me. I froze. It was bright green, with a white pattern marching down it. I swallowed. Poisonous. I loved to look at the illustrated book of poisonous creatures back at the palace. This one was bad. I took a step back. This was the one that could kill you within minutes. An emerald head reared up. I slowly took another step back. The snake froze. I watched it, and picked up my foot for another step back.

It struck, sinking its fangs into my leg. My throat closed. I couldn't move. It let go and jerked back, watching me. I fell to the ground. The snake stared at me. For some reason, all I could think about was that my hands were shaking.

The snake jerked forward, and I tried to move away, but it latched onto my arm, its green body blindingly bright.

I screamed. Again. And again. And again.

The snake retracted back, and watched me.

A cool heaviness crept in my limbs. I heard a crashing noise in the bushes, but it was as if through water. A blurry form skidded to the ground in front of me, and then an explosion of blood marred the bright green. Somebody was yelling. The light began to hurt my eyes, so I closed them.

....

My leg was on fire. So was my arm. I groaned, and tried to move. Somebody held my shoulder down, and I heard whispering. My eyelids felt as if there were heavy weights on each one, but I dragged them open. There were two blurry things. One blurry thing was right beside me, and another one left as I watched.

"What," I lifted my head a little. It was on something soft.

The blurry thing came a little more into focus. It had blue eyes.

I blinked hard. "What, what ha-"

I lifted my arm. A white thing was wrapped around it. A bandage.

I sat up in a jerk. "What..."

"Shhhh." The blurry thing pushed me back gently.

"Is it dead?"

"Yes."

I took a deep breath, and rubbed my eyes. The room came into focus. Raön was sitting beside me, in the cabin bedroom.

"How do you feel?"

I lifted my arm. "Awful."

He watched me. "You were bitten twice by a viper."

I looked up into his eyes. His unnaturally blue eyes. For the first time, there was no hint of laughter in them. It was terrifying.

"You shouldn't have gone off alone."

I said nothing.

"Do you understand? You would have been dead in another few minutes."

I stared back at him. Something snapped inside of me. "And why should you care? You don't care about me, and I certainly don't care about..."

The room went silent. Everything seemed to freeze. He stared back at me, his eyes in shadow.

Guilt pinched my stomach. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. Please..."

He stood, and went to the door, closing it behind him without a word.

"I'm sorry." I whispered.