Heartless

❆ Nine ❆

Nine

My vision tunneled in the rain of ice. My feet rapidly crunched through the snow in perfect sync with the thunderous beats of my heart in its cage. Pain flared inside my veins with every step I took away from the towering stone walls of the palace.

My body crashed to a halt at the edge of a dive, a sheet of ice covering a frozen lake ten feet below. Trembling breaths passed over my frozen lips. Which would it be: stay and let him kill me, or run and freeze to death in the mountains? My pulse raced, my head spinning. Which is it, Adaira? Choose! A snarl ripped through the air behind me. I squeezed my eyes shut and plunged toward the bottom. My knees slammed against the ice with enough force to rattle my teeth. I clawed for grip and skidded across the blanket. My legs shook as I tried to stand.

"You can't escape me," he breathed behind me. I spun too quickly to face him. Pain exploded through my head and black orbs danced around his silhouette. I scrambled to my feet again, slower this time. Cold warmth trickled down my temple. He stood at the edge of the wide pond, his dark suit tattered and torn. Blood smeared across his chin. Black hair cut through his silver eyes. I glanced back at the trees behind me, at the freedom that awaited me there. Hendric. Kenji. A home. The home Papa had promised. I moved my feet toward it.

"Adaira!" I looked back to him. His face contorted in pain, a fearful look in his eyes. My heart winced. I had put it there. "Don't leave me." His foot stepped onto the ice. A crack splintered under it. My blood turned cold.

"Beast, stop!"

His other foot touched the lake. "Never." He took another step. Black tendrils slashed through the ice. A deafening roar pierced my ears. The ground beneath me shattered and suddenly the world froze.

I jolted awake with a scream echoing off the walls. Ice spiked in my chest. Throwing myself over the edge of the bed I heaved to relieve the cold. The sound of gushing blood rang inside my ears, drowning out the incessant thumping coming from the door. I staggered to my feet and unlocked it. Mrs. Potter stepped in and stared at me with a surplus of concern that made me grimace. "Good graces, child!" she shrieked. "What on earth are you doing?"

Her arm wrapped just around my waist and propped me up with a surprising amount of ease. She set me down on the divan at the end of the bed. "I was sleeping," I said around the icicles in my lungs. "Or trying to at least. I can't close my eyes without having nightmares."

She smirked softly. "It'll pass, hon. Don't worry." She sat down beside me with an exhausted sigh. "You'll get use to the palace soon enough."

I don't want to, I wanted to scream at her. I don't want to get use to any of this. I tried to imagine the thoughts I'd had last night— Hendric and Kenji leading a group of angered villagers up the mountains to save me, to take me away from here. I'd be safe again, and after Beast and the others were gone, none of us would ever have to give up our loved ones ever again. I tried to pretend that this wouldn't last, but there are limits even on wishful thinking.

I ran a hand through my tangled hair. "Is there something you wanted, Mrs. Potter?"

She turned to me, eyebrow arched. "Hmm? Oh, yes! The men have gone out for the day on business," she said calmly, and my heart surged. "I thought it would be nice to take a walk outside. Get some fresh air."

"Yes!" I said, a little too enthusiastically. Her brow scrunched, worried. I whipped out a dashing, innocent smile and went about the room collecting my boots and cloak. She watched me carefully. I tapered my excitement. "Please, Mrs. Potter. I need... out."