Battle of the Broken-hearted
Of course, Penelope couldn't tell any one about the strange dreams and prophecies. Even she didn't understand them! So the next day, when she went back to school, she acted like nothing had happened that weird night and that next morning. Of course, consoling Wyllie was another issue, because he knew that something weird had happened.
"Are you sure you're all right? I mean if you don't like me and don't want to-"
"No, Wyllie, it's not you! I just didn't feel good and had to go to the bathroom and-"
"But, Penelope, you were crying in there! I heard you! And your mom told me! Why were-"
"Wyllie, it's not you. I like you, I really do. It's something else, and I can't tell you. All I'll say is that our pasts are intertwined in a bad way." Penelope managed to choke out those last words before having to run to her next class, not able to bear Wyllie's questions any longer.
For a week, Penelope managed to return to ease in Wyllie's presence and an easy aura once again slid between the two, even though Penelope knew the time would come when she would have to break his heart and fight him.
It had been a month now, and Penelope and Wyllie showed no more signs of problems between them. Of course, it would have been way too easy if it stayed that way. Exactly 30 days after Penelope's first date gone bad, Wyllie missed a week of school and was pale when he came back. Penelope went up to him first thing that morning and asked gently, "You okay?"
Wyllie looked at her with such sadness that she immediately felt concerned. When he spoke, his voice sounded rusty, like he hadn't used it in a while. "Is it true? The whispering feathery voice and that soul thing? Must we fight? Did you know?"
Penelope closed her eyes and sat down next to Wyllie. "I didn't want it to be you. I wish it was any body else, but now that the first line has come true the rest has no choice"
Wyllie suddenly turned angry. "Of course it would be me! Did you HEAR the prophecy? 'You will fall in love the enemy! You are destined to break his heart! Wyllie is what they call him! A world in chaos is just the start!' Wyllie is what they call him! Did you even hear that?" he shouted.
Fortunately, school hadn't started yet, so no one had heard them. Penelope opened her tear filled eyes and looked at Wyllie, "I know what it said, and it's against what I want, but what any one wants here doesn't matter. Our destinies have been written. We don't know what we really have to-"
"Of course we'll fight! How else will the world turn chaotic." Suddenly he dropped his voice and almost whispered, "You did hear that. On that night. That's why you fainted. That's why you started crying. You don't want to, do you? Wait, what did you say?" He thought for a while, his expression becoming peaceful again. "The first line came true? You love me?" Angry again, he stood up and started backing away. "Well guess what," he snarled in a totally un-Wyllie-like manner, "I love you, too, but I will be breaking the hearts here." Penelope couldn't watch as he shouted the last part. "Because we're over!" Then she burst into tears. Because now that the second and third lines had come true, the fourth probably couldn't wait. They would have to fight really soon.
That night, Penelope had the weirdest encounter with that voice yet. In her dream, when Penelope refused to fight Wyllie, the sorceress had taken her soul. She could only fight back if Wyllie helped her, but Wyllie was on the wrong side! No, no, NO! Every thing was so wrong, and if she helped one side, she hurt the other. "Where are you?" she screamed inwardly at that voice, "I need help! Everything is so SOOO wrong and I can't fix it now!" Even inwardly, her voice cracked as she fought tears. Then the voice started to speak another prophecy:
You will find the path that leads you to love
Seek help from the enemy
The sorceress will not like this turn of events
So do not tell her your destiny
Penelope gasped and woke up. There was a way! She could stop the fight, regain Wyllie's trust and love, and keep her soul and body. It was too perfect to be true. She had to go tell Wyllie about this! But she didn't notice was that, unlike the last times, the voice had been feminine. What she didn't notice that it might have not been the real voice. It might have been the sorceress herself.
Battle of the Broken-hearted
End of Book 3