Lady Of Lake And Arrow |A Swan Lake Retelling|: Book One

Chapter 34

Digital Daggers - Feel Like Falling

Elise's feet swept away dustings of ice on the cobblestones. Honestly, if she didn't have the abilities to sense people's minds, she would've still figured out that Jessa was here based on the little trails of snow left on the castle floor. She was lucky that it was winter season, so if anyone saw the trials, they'd probably just think that some poor person had managed to cover the soles of their shoes with lots of snow.

Of course, she'd considered visiting Jessa. But when Elise had cast her mind out and sensed Ryland and Jessa together, she decided it'd be best to leave them alone for now.

Instead, she was out in the castle gardens, which had been built by her uncle after he and Ilena got married as a gift. There was that overwhelming smell, of roses and jasmine flowers and hydrangeas. She never could quite figure out how Ilena could manage to keep them alive at different seasons–or Ilena herself for that matter. No one else seemed to wonder about it.

No one else except she and her beloved cousins.

Tugging at her silk gloves, she felt a sudden chill of air that blew through the garden.

Why didn't I bring a cloak? Elise thought, frustrated with herself.

Too late, she noticed the human figure that crept up behind her in the garden. And it wasn't because she wasn't using her abilities–it was because she couldn't.

Hands closed around her mouth and throat before she could say anything. Shocked, Elise attempted to resist the holds on her, clawing at her captor's hands. But the captor holding her only tightened his grip around her throat.

At the last moment, she tried reaching out with her mind.

She found nothing.

How is that possible?

Her captor lifted her off the ground, and purple spots started dancing before Elise's eyes as the breath leached out of her.

A sneer, almost amused, in her ear. "Don't even try, little princess." His voice was low, quiet. "The queen knows who you are. The queen has always known."

Help. It didn't occur to her until then that she'd needed it. Help!

Elise thrashed feebly, fighting for air. She swore she heard a laugh somewhere.

Her last thought was of her dead sister, who she'd stolen the name from.

I'm sorry, Raya.

Then the world around her turned black.

–

Help.

That one word echoed in Jessa's mind. She broke off of Ryland's arms. He also looked taken aback.

"I wasn't the only one who heard that, right?"

He shook his head. "I heard that too. The only person I–we, know who can do that is Elise."

For a split second, they looked at each other, reading the worried, confused expressions on each other's faces.

Then Ryland was the first to dart through the curtains, and Jessa followed close behind.

They arrived in the ballroom, the loud chatter and laughter and music still going on as if nothing was happening. And there wasn't.

Besides the fact that Elise was nowhere to be seen.

A couple of girls, around Jessa's age, giggled as they passed by, shooting glances at Ryland. She bristled, but he completely ignored them, eyes heavily scanning the room.