Frosted (Frosted #1 | Jackunzel)

{ Chapter Fourteen }

Rapunzel struggled to listen to Liesa and Zacharia's continuous questionings over the voices hissing in her head. They attacked her like a nest of bees swarming, buzzing a distracting and constant sound. All of it—the couple, the voices, worry of Jack's sudden disappearance—was beginning to drive her into a state that wasn't entirely sane. Or didn't feel so, at least.

It wasn't until she shut her eyes, eliminating one of her senses, that some of the whispers wove and took the shape of complete words—of sentences.

Come with us, Flower of Gold, one said. It's the right thing to do.

These people aren't your friend, came another. They want to kill you, corrupt you, use you! Don't trust them, don't trust him. Don't trust them, don't trust him.

No one loves you. No one ever will.

No one, except for us.

A hiss, voice tempting, raking a claw over her spine. We can be stronger together. So strong. Join us, Flower of Gold, be our friend.

Yes, our friend.

Joinusjoinusjoinus.

Rapunzel shook her head, desperate for the noises to stop. All of it needed to stop. She ripped open her eyes.

"I'll try to answer your questions when we're safe!" She yelled, cutting Liesa off from whatever new thing she'd been saying. Outside, through the still-open windows, she saw strong winds howling, darkness drowning the village as if it had traversed into the jaws of a famished black hole. No rain fell in sight, as Rapunzel might have expected.

It was as if a storm-less storm had fallen over Corona.

Kozmotis's figure rose out from the shadows before the group; he'd melted into them as soon as Jack had crossed the doorway. Rapunzel's legs had ached to run after Jack then, to find out what it was that had caused that pained look appear on his face, but she couldn't leave this couple to fight off the darkness on their own.

And, besides, she had a feeling that the dark man would not have let her cross the doorway as easily as he'd permitted Jack to.

Come forth to safety. The voices urged. Rapunzel hadn't realized she'd shut her eyes once more. This place is dangerous, but we will help you.

Focus. This one-worded thought was her own, of that she was certain. Pitch was slowly approaching—she'd almost missed it thanks to the voices.

Rapunzel threw her hands wide before the couple as if she were a shield.

As if she, a mere seventeen-year-old girl, were actually capable of protecting them.

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel..." Pitch purred, tongue holding on to every vowel. Tasting the name on his lips. He'd halted in his tracks to observe the scene. "How I've missed your bright presence."

"It's been a day."

"And a long one, at that."

Rapunzel only glared hard at him through the relentless buzzing in her head. She tried desperately to force them out, to ignore them, but to no avail. Her own reminders to focus on the task at hand seemed to help a little, however. So she kept at it. Kept focusing.

"What do you want?" She managed to hiss out.

"Straight to the point! Just like your..." Pitch tilted his head, golden eyes briefly slipping over her shoulder, only to return to her. Enunciating his next word in a way that made sure she heard it with utmost clarity. "Mother."