Chapter Seven - I Feel Alive

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He makes a face at me for my laughter, but when I stand up to try and help he gently pushes my back on the bed. "Nope. You need rest."

"Jared! Let me help you or I...I'll..."

"You'll what?" He smirks.

"I haven't decided yet. Now let me up and help you!"

"Of course, m'lady. I'm sure you have much more experience with door knobs. With your luck, you'll somehow make it fall off."

"Hey!"

After a few more minutes, the door finally opens. And then he's gone.

The day goes by in a blur after that. Teague comes in at what point, but I barely remember the conversation. One thing I do remember is that he seemed more distant than usual during it. But beyond that, I don't even remember what we discussed. All I can focus on is my choice. But who to choose? And how?

I sit on my bed, staring at the clock. I checked how long it took to get to the castle entrance earlier. Five minutes. Now, the clock has just struck 11:55. Jared will probably wait past midnight for me, but still. I should go close to midnight at least. I should leave now if I want to go. I stand up, but discomfort swirls through me, and I pace for a little. Am I really going to do this?

Sighing, I open the door. Yes. I am. I close it as quietly as I can, and then hurry down the hall. But as I near the entrance, something hits me. Not literally, but the reaction is almost like that. I stop, and clutch my head as I remember.

Dread fills me. A choice. A choice between Jared and Teague. That's what I'm doing right now...And I'm making the same choice I did in the dream. The choice that was the wrong choice. I stare down the hallway, looking at the entrance - or rather, exit for me - to the castle, and then back down the hallway. My mind is made up. I'm not making the wrong choice again. I won't. The dream has to have been a warning.

I hurry back through the halls, back to my room, and shut the door.

Mina's POV

I stand up in my room - already dressed - the next day, and look out the window. No sight of anybody outside. That means Jared is gone. I feel a slight bit of sadness, but not a lot. Was I over him? I don't know. Am I now? I don't know the answer to that either.

I look around the room next. There's no sign that anyone has been here earlier, while I was sleeping. So Teague didn't come and check on me. I bite back a tinge of sadness. He was probably busy. Yup. Just busy.

The thought occurs to me that I could go find Teague. But after what happened last time...That's probably not a good idea. He wouldn't like that. And I don't want to do anything else that might upset him. Or hurt me, for that matter. I'm too clumsy for my own good.

I come to a decision to go out to the balcony instead. I can't get hurt there. Plus, it's close, so I won't get lost. Smiling slightly at the fact that I've come up with a fool-proof plan that can't make anyone mad, I go out to the balcony. I watch the sky as the clouds drift by, my hands on the railing. It's beautiful here. Beautiful...But deceptive. I shudder remembering how I was almost kill by that sea witch. Yes, it is beautiful, but dangerous. Everything is not what it seems here. I have to be careful.

I spend the entire day out there, with no sign of Teague. He didn't come by even once. With a sigh, and one more glance at the stars, I turn and return to my room. From there, I dress into proper sleepwear, and as I pull the blanket back, I catch sight of the palm of my hand.

"What?" I gasp, and turn to the candle by my bedside. With a little bit of persuasional Fae magic, it's lit. And then I get a closer look at the palm of my right hand.

Black streaks, much like cracks on the mirror except not the same, are on my hand. I excuse them for wet paint. I must've accidentally set my hand in something. But when I grab a wet washcloth and scrub, it doesn't come off. So, I try to push it from my mind. Maybe I'm just imagining it.

I get into bed.

The next day goes the same way. I go out to the balcony, watching the sky for most of the day. It begins to rain at one point, but I don't care. I miss Teague. It's a feeling that gnaws at my stomach, begging for an answer. Why hasn't he come to see me?

At night, after glancing at the stars in the pouring rain, I retreat my room, soaking wet. After I dry off and change into proper sleepwear, I remember my right hand and glance at it again. I nearly have a heart attack when I see it. The black little cracks now cover that entire side of my hand. I'm beginning to freak out. Blowing out the candle so I don't have to look at the horrific sight anymore, I go to sleep.

The next day, I stand up and get dressed, but I don't have the life to go out to the balcony again. The energy just seems to have gone. Kaput. Water isn't a problem. I have that. I don't have food though. Does that matter? I'm not sure.

My stomach growls at the thought, but I don't want to get lost trying to find the kitchens. Especially if Teague might show up. I still cling to that hope, desperate for him to show up. To remember I exist. Why isn't he here?

So, I pace in my room instead, watching my hand. By the end of the day, it's covered my entire hand. Why though? Some side effect from the fight with the Grimorie? I can't tell.

The next day goes by the same way. Pacing and watching my hand. The cracks climb all the way up to my elbow today. It's going faster. How long till it covers all of me? What happens then? Do I die? What if it's heading for my heart instead? Will that kill me? I don't even know anymore.

That next day, I don't even have the effort to get up. I just lay on my side as the cracks climb higher and higher. They're almost up to my shoulder. Up to my shoulder. Does it matter? Does it? So what if I die? Nobody cares.

Teague obviously doesn't care. He would've come if he did. The little part of me holding onto hope is beginning to be crushed. He's not coming. I can feel it. He's not coming to see me. For some reason, he doesn't care anymore. But why? What did I do? Was it freeing Jared? Did that upset him?

But I stayed! For him!

Jared won't care. Or, more accurately, he can't care. He doesn't know there's a problem. How could he? He's probably far, far away from here.

The strangest part is that I don't feel like I'm dying. I feel perfectly fine. And yet, I know I'm dying. Deep down inside, I can feel it. Yet I can't do anything to stop it. It's a feeling of hopelessness. Abandonment. I can't keep going like this. Nobody cares here. I can't get back to my plane, where people do care about me. I might as well die. And yet, I feel fine and alive, besides feeling physically drained.

Oh no! D: Teague, stop being an idiot and save Mina! I'll just scream at my fanfiction writing self in the corner while it writes this story. Trust me, there is a reason for all this though. I promise things will work out. Probably. No one can really be sure with stories these days...

Once again, any suspicions about the story I would love to here!

~ Dagger