Crystal clear

Chapter 19

I flop down on my bed exhausted from the last five days of work. Alexander no longer has to leave so he's helping me train. For how much longer...I don't know. The Queen thinks him being around me might tarnish my image. So I give it a week, if that.

I can as of now wield a sword, protect myself using my powers (mostly ice because I'm best at it), I can defend a few others as well, but I can't sustain a field for any longer then about a minute each time. So if anyone try's for a period of time longer then a minute I'm totally, royally screwed. Besides the biggest threats are my siblings, and I don't care how powerful people speculate I am, I am absolutely no match for my brother and sisters.

A strong nocking sound resonates around the room as the tall oak doors are opened. Alexander strides over to me and pulls me up so I'm sitting. "Kimberly I need you to run. Anywhere as fast as you can. Just run." He seems calm but I can sense the panic in his voice. "Kimberly please."

"Well this is abrupt," I mumble.

"Kimberly this is not a time for joking!" He snaps at me.

I role my eyes. But when I turn my gaze back to him... it's what's behind him that concerns me.

"What?" He asks, shaking me urgently. I turn his head as a shadowy figure hits my skylight.

"That," I say.

"Run," he says entranced for a moment. Then more confidently, "RUN!"

I throw back my covers and run towards the door with Alexander on my heels.

I stifle a scream at the shattering of the outside chandelier. The diamonds skitter under the bottom of my door as the glass falls from the skylight in the hall. The diamonds scatter my floor by the door, reflecting broken shards of frightening moonlight across my room. We run into the shadow of my bed, when I look up to see Cheyenne and Damien on top of my own skylight. I stand and walk to the centre of the room, transfixed at the sight, moonlight washing over me as I walk out of the shadows.

"Kimberly!" Alexander whispers as loudly as he can.

I hear the glass crack once, twice, three time.

"Kim!" He says urgently.

I remain in my daze. Then the glass falls.

"KIM! ANSWER ME!" He was shouting, but I was firmly transfixed on the falling glass.

The shards sprinkle the ground and glitter as they fall. The thin layer of snow that rests on top of the falls down gracefully, falling like everything is fine and dandy. Because to me, it is. My transe like bliss holds tightly, until Cheyenne follows the snow, and coming down behind her is Damien. "Lovely to see you Kimberly. Although I think the Queen got to you before we did." Cheyenne smiles looking at the jagged scar on my arm.

My trance is broken.

I step back as they come closer. I slide my fingers up the back hem of my shirt directly over my spine. I push my fingers up and grab the bottom of the handle of my dagger. I slowly pull it down as Cheyenne, Damien and Alexander talk calmly. I pull out the sharp needle point dagger and dangle it by my fingertips. It swings back and forth slightly, but keep it mostly stationary.

"I say she comes with us and the princess can make her own decision." Damien says stepping towards me. Bad idea. Alexander lunges at him, sucker punching him square in the jaw. I hear Damien's jaw give an unpleasant snap as Alexander contacts his jaw again. With Alexander occupied, Cheyenne takes her opening and runs at me. I catch her arm and pierce it with my dagger. Because I'm barely slowing her momentum, a large gash appears in her forearm. Now from her elbow down to her wrist she has a gaping open wound she would be a fool to try to attack me with.

Sure enough though, she does. She charges at me, her own dagger out. I feel a sharp itching pain in my back and let my body go for it. Don't know what'll happen, but what is the worst that could happen? Two black wings appear and wrap themselves around me, no effing way. That's sick, stopping Cheyenne from doing any real damage. She grabs a fist full of the feathers on my wings and tears them off. A slight tingle runs through my back and I suddenly stop thinking. I close my eyes and let Cheyenne tear at my wings. I hear the pounding of more and more feet as I sit on the floor. I force my heart to slow down as I breath. I can hear Alexander winning against Damien and see my mother stopping most others from entering my room in an image she's sending me.

I let my eyes snap open as Damien brakes free and charges at me, dagger in hand. I crouch and let my wings beat behind me, knocking Cheyenne off of her feet. The second Damien is directly beside me I push off of the ground, flip over Damien and let my dagger burry itself in his neck. He falls limply to the floor, blood painting the back of this neck and the base of his head.

I pull my dagger out as I hear him mutter, "two more to attack."

Then I feel them. Two hands curl over my wrists and pull them behind my back, "stop resisting." A syrupy voice commands. I suddenly feel light headed as my wings fold into my back. "I will kill him if I have to." His gentle voice reminds me of someone I know, but who that is is beyond me.

A man walks in front of me and places a hand on my chin, "funny that usually works." He says absentmindedly. "Sleep" he whispers in my ear. And I do. I fall into a deep spell of darkness.