“Okay.” I said giving her a false smile which she was too relieved to notice wasn’t real. She nodded over to where Zagan and Vincent were discussing something and I made out like I was walking her way. Then as soon as she turned her head back to the group I made my move. I looked to the other end of the throne platform and knew he was on that side but more importantly, he was on that side hiding something from me. So I just went for it. I didn’t care if every supernatural being in the square was looking at me as I just picked up my skirts and ran.
“Keira no!” I heard Sophia cry from behind me but by that time I had already become lost in the crowd. I ran into sadistic laughing jesters that seemed to mock me and long beaked, feathered birds that followed me curiously as I pushed my way past.
“Sorry…sorry.” I would mumble as I made my way through and I felt lucky when some recognised who I was and stepped out of the way for me. Well that luck continued right up until I spotted Draven from behind and ended very abruptly when I saw who he was stood with. I came to a crashing halt and the crowd took their time to take in my presence but once they did they started to slowly back away from me. This happened at the same time I heard the soul crushing words coming from Draven that were being spoken to someone other than me.
“I need you…”
“Keira?” Draven was interrupted by the woman he was speaking with, as she could now see me when the last of the crowd slipped away. I watched as Draven’s back stiffened at hearing my name and then he turned his head slowly my way looking over his shoulder. His regretful eyes hit mine and flashed purple when they took in the unshed tears held suspended in my own.
Then I hissed the name I truly loathed…
“Aurora.”
Chapter 33
When the Apple Falls
“Keira don’t” Draven growled knowing what was coming next because let’s face it, it was what I always did.
I turned and ran.
“Keira!” Draven shouted from behind me as I bolted through the crowd once more, only this time in the opposite direction. I just couldn’t face this, not again. It was like catapulting me back over ten months ago. Back to the day my heart discovered true pain. The day it shattered and became lost like my soul, wandering around in the bitter space of a hopeless abyss. And all this time together had been like the net, reaching out and slowly but surely piecing together what I had once lost. And with that dance, with that kiss, with every moment I felt his touch it had done the impossible. It had made me whole again only to have it implode with three words,
“I need you.” I had heard him say to her. Was it really possible that all this time I had been lied to? Had I been played? I couldn’t believe it! But was that because I just didn’t want to believe it…I mean this man had faked his own death and fed me the cruellest lie of all. Could the only man I ever loved do that to me again?
These thoughts plagued me as I forced my way through the joyous crowd that were all oblivious to the crumbling life that ran pushing past them. There was just too many of them! The sound of their laughter was like finger nails raking down my skin and leaving bloody track marks in my flesh. It was pulling me in and becoming too much for me to cope with. I covered my ears with my hands and looked around feeling dizzy. The faces! All those faces, all too colourful, all too frightening… all too real!
“Stop it…” I whispered in a weak voice as they all seemed to be sniggering at me. I don’t know what was happening but it was like they were closing in on me, suffocating me with their cruel mocking. I spun round and round trying to block out their horrific faces that just seem to warp and twist into uglier versions of their masks.
It was almost like being on a demonic merry go round. One second I would see the mask of an animal or just some feathered pretty mask held on a stick. But then the world would change and the animals would be dead and decomposing. The pretty masks would change from black velvet to human skin and bare bloody flesh would be the only thing left when the crude mask was pulled back. Skulls would bleed, horns would twist into deadly shards and eyes would turn black into endless pits of despair.
“Stop it!” I shouted louder this time as I held my head and sank down into the middle of the spinning crowd. The weight of them all getting faster and faster until blurring into an uncontrollable force of evil around me. I needed to block them all out, I needed to…
“STOP IT!” I screamed as loud as I could and stood. The force of me pushing my hands out knocked everyone around me backwards. But the worst part was that just before everyone went forcefully hurtling backwards, no-one had even been too close to me. There hadn’t been anyone laughing at me, pointing at me, not even taking any real notice of me. But now they stared, because I had just given them something real to stare at.