Spellbound: COMPLETE

Chapter Thirty-One: Ariadne

Ariadne's POV

More and more men kept coming to try and figure out what happened after midnight in our room. However, they always fell asleep before we left and did not wake up until we were safely back in our rooms. Dancing at night seemed like our only escape from the commotion made by all the gentlemen. Tonight, was another prince who was charming, but the only thing he would say to us was compliments and he also constantly was kissing our hands. It was a little odd.

It was a trick trying to get ready fast, without our maids, and quietly so the guards outside our door would not hear us, but even when we were loud, the guards did not even call inside to ask if we were okay. Although the number of guards seemed to double every night since my father had left. 

            "Ariadne, come help me with El's dress," Bell whispered as she tried to tie the back of El's satin dress together.

"Ow, that hurts!" El exclaimed.

            I hurried over and helped Bell, then made sure everyone else was ready.

            "Should we bring Khione and Leto?" Charities asked. "I do not want them to get hurt down there, but I also do not want to leave them alone."

            I looked over their tired faces. "We should probably let them sleep. I think last night wore them out."

            Charities nodded and left to put Leto in her cradle next to Charities' bed, while Bell did the same with Khione.

            Once we were all in the common room, apart from Khione and Leto who luckily were already asleep, we all carefully removed the seat cushion. As we did so all our candles blew out and we all fumbled around before Fortuna held up a lit candle and we all descended down the stairs in a giddy nervousness. We reached the end of the staircase and ran to the bridge, happy to see ten other faces smiling at us.

            "My, you girls got here fast," Estevan said with a dazzling smile as he came down to meet us.

            We all curtsied as he approached. "Just excited, I guess," I replied, trying to contain that exact excitement but not doing very well.

            He grinned. "Then shall we dance?"

            I attempted my best smile as I took his arm. The second our feet touched the pavilion's smooth tiled floor, gentle music started, surrounding us in its gentle rhythms.

            I did not realize that the others had joined us until we almost ran into Bell and her partner. Estevan, however, did not seem fazed by it and expertly moved us out of their path.

            Then he spun me and I could not contain the small laugh that burst out. I could not explain the sudden excitement I had. However, Estevan's smile was not the same and I noticed a hint of despair in his features that had not been apparent before.

            "Are you alright?" I was a little hesitant to ask, remembering when he threw me off the boat when I had first met him down here.

            He took a few moments to contemplate it, and I was beginning to think that he wouldn't answer at all. "No," he finally replied. "And I would not be telling you this if I thought there was any other way."

            "What's happened?"

            "Let us sit down," he said and led me over to a couch on the side of the dance floor. I smiled as a beautiful butterfly flew past my head before turning to Estevan, hoping I could help.

            "The power source to our kingdom is this magnificent tree in your world. There is a replica of it down here as well, but the true magic comes from the one in Glendowin."