A Fool's Guide to the In-Between [A Twisted Wonderland Fanfic]

Chapter 27

Y/N stared at Riddle's limp form, falling into the chair beside him and gently taking his hand in hers. Azul had brought her to the infirmary to see Riddle after he was sure that she would be all right. She pressed it to the side of her face, breathing out a sigh of relief when she realised that he was still warm. Just to be sure, she gently pressed the pads of her fingers against the underside of his chin, searching for his pulse. Only when she felt his steady heartbeat was she able to relax, sinking back into the ground and pressing Riddle's hand against her forehead. He would be okay...

"Y/N?"

The girl turned away from Riddle, smiling when she saw Trey approaching. She quickly dropped Riddle's hand, gently, and threw her arms around the boy, sobbing into his shoulder. She gripped the fabric of his clothes, inhaling his scent of cookies and pies. A delightful smell compared to the smell of death, which she still smelled like. She knew that it would be a while before the smell left her completely.

Trey swallowed the pain in his throat and pulled away from Y/N, gently placing his hands on her shoulders. "You need to come with me," he whispered, fighting the salty tears that pooled in the corners of his eyes. 

Y/N frowned. "What about Riddle? Will he-"

"We'll watch him." 

Y/N smiled when she saw Floyd and Jade approaching, and she jumped to her feet, embracing them tightly. The two boys hugged her back, trying not to cry as they felt the warmth of her flesh slowly returning to her body. They knew that they would never forget the chilling and icy touch of her voice. But they would be able to move on now that they had her back. They had their darling Y/N back. For good this time.

Y/N pulled away from the hug and turned to Trey, allowing him to take her hand and pull her from the infirmary. He led her out of the school and to the Hall of Mirrors. Instead of going through the mirror that led to Octavinelle, which Y/N had become accustomed to, Trey pulled her in the direction of the Hearstlabyul mirror.

"Let's go down to the garden," Trey suggested. They would get more privacy lost amongst the hedges. He held out his hand and waited patiently for Y/N to take it. 

Only once they were lost among the hedges, now free of the ink, did he give her the letter. 

"I'll wait around the corner," he whispered, taking a step back. "You might want to read that by yourself."

Y/N frowned and watched as Trey disappeared around the greenery. Why was he acting so secretive? But she got her answer as she opened the letter and started to read.

Dearest Y/N

I'm sorry that this letter is the only way I can tell you my innermost feelings. If you're reading this, that means that we've used the spell and it's worked. I can't help but have mixed feelings about our success. On the one hand, it means that you are finally safe. Entirely safe. And finally free from the Nowhere. Finally free from my mistake. But on the other hand, that means that I've forgotten you...

I don't know how much Trey and Che'nya have told you about your time in the Nowhere if they've told you anything at all, but I feel that it's my responsibility to at least tell you what you need to know. It was my fault that you ended up there in the first place. You remember me getting mad at you, that much I know. But after, you tried to teleport back to your school, but in the meantime, you ended up getting lost in the Nowhere. I know that you're thinking that I shouldn't blame myself for this, but I can't help but blame myself. Had I not been so... angry, you would have stayed here and none of this wouldn't have happened. You would still be... you. You wouldn't have been on death's doorstep because of my foolish choices, and you would still be at your old school. Or perhaps not. Maybe you would be at Royal Swords Academy now. In truth, the only reason you ended up at this school was because we struck a deal with Azul. That you would join Octavinelle if we were able to retrieve you safely from the Nowhere.