13. 

No sooner than I finally blinked after witnessing the fresh body of Fae being carted away on a leaf-like stretcher did the Brownie cart me out of the room.

"You need to be more careful, Miss. That man is dead because of you." His grip was tight on my arm, pinching the skin together with the sweaty middle of his palm.

"Me?" I shrieked, gripping my necklace tight and stepping away from the small man.

"Yes. He is known to be a blabber mouth, but it is forbidden to speak of certain... things."

"You mean The Foretelling?" John's eyes widened when a spoke, and he dragged me further down the hall, away from unwanted ears and prying eyes.

"Hush child! Never repeat those words again! Unless you want to end up just like him! Do you understand?"

I wanted to laugh, maybe even cry, for my eyes were pricking but my mouth was smiling. My teeth grinded and sunk into the skin of my cheek. When I tasted the metal of blood, my head moved up and down; I was nodding even though I did not understand.

"Good! Now go quickly back to your room. Many strange things come out late into the dark."

My head moved again and I floated down the hallway in a daze. Who knew a dead body could bring on such as state of lucidness? Maybe that's why people got highs off killing each other.

The hallway bended, I swivelled sideways, and was grabbed by the arm. For the second time that night, I was pulled aside further into the winding hallways and dark corners of the gigantic building. I wanted to scream, cry out for help, thinking that maybe the John the Brownie was right and the King had come to kill me, but as the scent of the person reached my nose my shoulders slumped in relief. It was Alvar, to the rescue once again.

"Alvar! Thank Go—"

"Are you okay?" He questioned desperately as if his life depended on my answer.

"You have got to stop doing that." I answered dryly, flicking a curl out of my eye and flicking the hand that gripped my bicep.

"What?"

"Interrupting me. It is not very nice."

"Well that answers my question." He rolled his eyes and ran his hand through his hair, but a smile played on the corners of his lips, clearly relieved I was okay. "But seriously, I heard you witnessed one of the Kings anger bursts, so are you okay?"

"More than okay," Voice laced in a serious dose of sarcasm, "apparently I am responsible." I finished in a mutter, crossing my arms in front of my body and staring at Alvar's broad chest.

"What?" Alvar yelled out, "Why would you even think that?"

I paused and held my breath for a moment, debating my next choice of words.

"What is The Foretelling?"

"Who—!" Alvar quickly shut his lips, muttered a few words in a language I could not understand and steam began to rise around us. "You still do not understand our ways, Lyra! You need to be careful. All fae of this plane, no matter how small, serve the King. Everything is listening. Even the walls."

I looked to the curling vines, the things that writhed with a sense of life that I did not truly understand. It dawned on me that this whole time, the walls could hear everything I said, and the fae could record everything I did, and so because of that so could the King. He already knew I had asked about The Foretelling, something I should not know of or think of. I was already dead.

"I am dead, aren't I?"

"Not yet." He sucked in a heavy breath and rubbed his eyes with his thumbs. "Ugh, I've glamoured our lips for now. No one can hear what we are saying. But we need to get you out of here before those two words are traced back to you..."

"But why? Why does it matter if I know them? I don't even know what it is!" I hissed, holding my head in my hands.

"It's..." He sucked in another breath, "I am not supposed to be telling you any of this!" Now he was pacing, walking the short distance between the walls with his head in his hands.

I reached out and touched Alvar's arm and he stopped mid pace. His dark eyes reached mine and relaxed. It was like he knew what to do the moment we touched; because his mouth opened and he began to speak he had rehearsed a speech.

"The Foretelling is set to occur upon the death of The Anima, the heart of our world. Nothing has ever been written about it, or documented, but it is said that when the First Plane begins to crumble the world will be levelled by The Shadows. Some people, dangerous people, like the King, believe that the foretelling will see the end of life as we know it. Others believe it may bring a fresh start. Others believe it will bring an entirely new age all together. And others believe it is nothing but an old tale to keep us in line."

"And what do you think?" I asked when he paused.

"I am not sure yet," He replied truthfully, "but I know it will happen whether I or anyone else want it to or not."

"Is this Plane crumbling? Is that why the King is so worried?" I wondered, remembering how perfect everything seemed about this world.

"No, not in the way you think. We as a race prosper, but the hierarchy is shaky right now. People are questioning the place of Kings and Princes and are beginning to wonder about the old days of this Plane." His voice was soft, indicating he was speaking his own thoughts as well as the peoples.

"Who ruled in those days?" I asked, curious about the odd twinkle in Alvar's eyes.

"A woman... beloved by all and creator of all things..." Alvar's voice was barely a whisper now, but his eyes were beginning to squint in fury once more, darkening to black.

"What happened to her?"

"They killed her." He spat bitterly and began to pace once more, rolling his neck from shoulder to shoulder.

I bit my cheek and waited for him to cool off or continue explaining this crazy Foretelling to me, but when he continued to pace I continued to pry.

"Why are you telling me any of this?" I asked sceptically, toying with the strap of my dress.

"Because I want it to be true!" He roared, and for the first time he lashed out in anger, punching his hand through the thorny vines until his fist tore open and bled. He turned to me with eyes of fire, his chest rising and falling quickly. "I want all of it to be true, Lyra! The Foretelling, the fresh start, the new rule! You know nothing of this world, of its true nature! You may see the pretty lights and the jewels and the dresses, but that's all a façade for the celebration! This is a dark place, Lyra," He chuckled darkly, "You have no idea how dark it truly is here. We may not look like The Shadows, but we can be darker than they are."

"You think I don't know that?" I spat, surprising both Alvar and myself with my response. "You tore me from my home! From my sister! From my family! You bring me here to face my BEST FRIEND who has been turned into one of your lapdogs! You cart me around, show me off—ooh! Look at that pretty thing with the pretty voice! Isn't that just nice. I'll tell you what's nice! Seeing a man gutted right in front of me, and then being told its MY FAULT! Just because I asked ONE SUPID QUESTION about SOME STUPID FORTELLING that has absolutely NOTHING TO DO WITH ME." My chest heaved, my head boiling, "So yes, Alvar, I think I realise your race is among the most foul and outrageous creatures of the earth. You have too many pretty things, too much food, too much partying, so you forget that you live in perhaps the most beautiful place I have ever seen surrounded by the most gentle and loyal creatures I have ever come across. And I'm not talking about your pretty palace; I'm talking about the mountains, the sky, and the creatures that live in them. Not one of them has tried to harm me, but you know who has? Your kind. The humanoid Fae. I'll tell you what, a life time living with humans, HA!" I laughed, a deep rumbling sound, my feet were unsteady on the ground, "Being human is nothing to be proud of when you are overcome with greed and gluttony. What makes good humans is love and hope; I've seen none of the kind while I've been here. None at all."

I was breathing hard, the voice that had been bottled inside of me released into the air and spreading like a viral disease. I hadn't wanted to continue looking at the bad and not the good, so I had ignored all the bad—or at least pushed it away—until I was ready to feel it again. All of it. And so it came in tears.

Alvar's arms were around me in a moment, warming my skin and my heart. Yet, the tears still came, cascading down my cheeks like tiny rivers, forking off through the valleys of my face.

"I don't want to die, Alvar. I want to go home.'

"I won't let you die, Lyra. We will get you out of here, before this all crumbles to hell."

"We?" I mumbled into his shirt, which smelled of fresh grass and tree bark.

"Lucius is like a new puppy. He might shit everywhere and stink up the whole place even after you yell and scold him, but he still follows you around... I don't want to see another person die because of me."

"I wouldn't be dying because of you, don't place that blame on yourself!" I was quick to pull away from him in shock, picking up on his choice of words. Who had died because of his actions? And why did he think he was responsible for me?

"Maybe not, but I would have to watch it none the less, and you cannot ask me to watch you die."

I was taken back by his words, but touched at the gentleness of his voice. I felt okay again, like I wasn't going to die in the next few moments without seeing my family again. And for a time, that was enough to keep me sane.

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Lil' chapter :)

But still lots to take in...

Comment your thoughts!

Vote if you enjoyed :)

xx Charli