Page 12 of The Shadow Fae Rhapsody
The Shadow Fae killed them all…? Even the skillful and experienced Loren?
All right, now I’m scared.
“You may need this,” he says, sliding a small knife into my pocket.
The whistling sound draws closer, as if it’s just around the next corner.
“What are we going to do?” I ask, panicking a little.
Oscar smiles as he places a helm over my head. It’s way too big for me but he insists on putting it on. I’m glad it’s not as heavy as it looks. “Run from this place, Princess. I’ll hold him off for as long as I can.”
“I can’t leave you here!” I say, looking at the corpses in the hallway. I don’t want Oscar to be one of them.
The knight follows my gaze to his fallen comrades. “Their death would be for nothing if the Shadow Fae catches you. I’ll buy you some time. Hurry.”
“No!” I refuse to move.
Oscar lifts his bloodied hand to cup my face. “You must survive and live, no matter what. Do it for us.”
My eyes sting and I begin crying. Oscar hooks a thumb and forefinger around my chin to lift my face.
“Hey… I’ll be right behind you,” he promises, caressing my cheek to wipe my tears. His eyes gleams with sincerity but his words sound like a lie…
Light in the hallway flickers and dies one by one.
“Go now!” he urges, and I listen to him this time.
I sprint down the corridor like I’m being chased by Judge. My muscles burn but I keep moving forward. A bone crunching sound filters through the air and I almost turn around.
“Keep running!” Oscar yells at me.
His sharp voice snaps me from my intention. I run and I run and I run.
“Save yourself, Princess…” The knight’s voice sounds worn and in pain. My heart twists with guilt as I continue bolting down the passage as fast as my legs can carry. Then I sense something in my chest. It’s a strange awareness… like seeing a candle being snuffed out by the wind. I have a feeling that Oscar is gone.
I want to run faster but my feet are short and my lungs are useless. Something dull tackles me from behind and I fall to the floor, face first.
Darkness slithers from above, pinning me to the ground.
“No!” I struggle from its grasp, kicking and screaming. The inky shadows snatch me easily, bringing me to its master.
A cloaked figure stands before me, wearing a wooden mask. Dark vines swirl around him like snakes, and I know now why Oscar called him the Shadow Fae.
He moves closer towards me.
I’m not sure if it’s the shadows or my own fear immobilizing me right now. My limbs are locked and stapled to the ground as I stare back at the fae.
“What do you want?” I ask.
He doesn’t bother stating his intention before his shadow tosses me to the glass cabinet.
If Oscar didn’t put that helm on my head, I would have fainted from that blow. He flings me towards the wall next. The pain is near blinding and I struggle to focus.
Why does he keep hurting me without telling me what he wants?
I don’t understand…
“Is this her?” the figure finally speaks, malevolence lacing his voice.
