A/N: It's official. I am horrible. It's been like, a year since I updated this. I have MASSIVE writer's block. I'm sorry, guys! If there are any of you still interested in this story, a million thanks go out to you.
It takes every ounce of determination I have not to break down and cry. I have never felt so helpless in my life. Katazyna can sense my weakness. I feel her watching my every move. Is there nothing I can do to stop her?
Exhausted, I flop onto my back, grumbling to myself. She knows every chink in our armor. What is her chink? What is it that can tear her down? Her power? Her ability to frighten?
I hear her chuckle softly to herself.
"Tut, tut, Gemma darling," she coos softly. "Giving up so easily?"
"Shut up, you prune," I snap, sitting up and glaring at her. "I'll be damned if I let you win." Angrily, I stand. There must be someone here who can help me. I glance around the garden, first looking to Felicity and Ann, and then to Kartik. My heart clenches. With one last glare towards Katazyna, I stride towards the forest. There is someone I can think of. I just pray that they are willing to help.
I brush aside mossy ferns and scraggly tree branches; between the green, sunlight streams through, an eerie tint to it. I have not been this way in such a long time. I do not know what to expect, what creatures inhabit the area. I pause, resting one foot up on a fallen tree. Do I really know what I am getting myself into? Before I can give it more thought, I move forward. If I hesitate now, I will never push on.
I move deeper into the moist greens, brushing hair out of my eyes. I feel as though I have entered a rainforest, wild and overgrown. Finally, the castle comes into sight. My breath hitches slightly, fear taking over. Calm yourself, Gem, I scold. Securing my hair back, I close the space between me and the door.
"Ugh!" I cry, turning the knob; gnats swarm around the door, attracted by the wetness of the ivy scaling the wood. The door opens and I take a trepid step inside. The stones creak-this castle has seen better days, to be sure.
"Who is in my castle?" a lofty voice calls. I look towards the sound, my eyes working to adjust to the darkness of the castle. There is no longer a fire burning in the fireplace that once hosted a beautiful flame.
"Me," I say, my voice hoarse. I take a few more steps forward, staring around. Finally, I come to rest in front of the staircase. She is at the top, staring down at me. I can feel her eyes boring into me. How do I even begin to talk to her? We parted on less-than-civil terms last time…
"Why, I say," she says, "Gemma Doyle." The room fills with light, and I close my eyes, not used to the brightness.
"Pippa," I breathe. She descend halfway down the staircase, and then stops.
"What are you doing here?" Her voice is biting. I chew on my lip, deliberating. I could just tell her it's nothing, turn, and go right back to the clearing..but then I think of my friends, and my resolve strengthens.
"Pip," I say, "I..I need your help."
"Why on earth should I help you?" she drawls, her voice dripping with disdain. "First," she starts, taking small steps down the stairs, "you left me here, let me eat those blasted berries. Then," she continues, taking another step, "you tried to turn Fee and Ann against me. And then, you abandoned me, and took Felicity and Ann with me, and left me alone here, with savages. And you want me to helpyou?" Her face is close to mine; her eyes, icy blue and black, narrow dangerously.
"Yes," I reply, my own eyes staring back.
She laughs bitterly, taking a step back. "And why?"
"Because…because you're the only one who might be able to," I say. "Because I cannot do this alone..and because Ann and Felicity need you."
"Fee…Fee is here? In trouble?" she asks, her voice softening. For a moment, I think I see the old Pippa, and then it is gone and replaced with her cold demeanor.
"Do you know who..Katarzyna is?" At the mention of her name, Pippa freezes.
"The Shyfter..yes. What do you know of her?" She has started towards the door, and I follow suit. I can only assume this means that she intends to help me. Briefly, I catch her up to speed. We pick up the pace. "You don't get it, do you?" she asks.
"She feeds on fear?" I ask as we race towards the clearing.
"Among other things. Fear…concern..all of those silly human emotions," Pippa says, rolling her eyes. "Even love. Especially love. She was a sufferer of unrequited love. Gypsy love. When he left her, she was stripped of her magic. She made a bargain with a Winterlands creature and-well, you know how those end.."
That explains everything, then. Why she won't weaken. Ann and Felicity are afraid. I am afraid, for my friends, and for Kartik..and it's not only fear I feel for him. I groan. The stronger she gets, the stronger her spell gets. We are doomed.
We make it back to the clearing in record time; I do not remember a time I moved faster. Pippa races ahead of me. Shrouded by the sunlight, she looks almost ethereal. We burst through the trees and into the clearing; gasps tear through my body as we finally stop moving.
"Pip?" Felicity says, staring. "Oh, Pip!"
"Fee, darling, it's me," she says, taking her into her pale arms. "How ever did you get yourself into this mess?"
"Oh, I don't even know," Felicity says, wiping her eyes.
"Oh, and Ann, darling," Pippa says, extending a hand. I tap my foot on the ground anxiously, watching Katarzyna.
"I hate to break up this reunion, guys, but in case you haven't noticed, Kartik is dying and we are all trapped," I eventually say.
"Pippa," Katarzyna says, coming to stand by her, "Pippa, have you forgotten your mistress?" Felicity pushes Pippa away, eyes hurt.
"Mistress?" she says, staring between the two.
"Felicity, darling, no," Pippa says, taking hold of her hand. Fee pulls it away, angrily rubbing it.
"How, Pip? How could you..with her?" The tension is rising between the two. Ann backs away quietly, always content to avoid conflict. Katarzyna, however, stands between them, a feral smile tugging at her lips. This is the kind of contention she thrives on.
"That's right, Felicity Worthington," Katarzyna croons, drawing herself to a full standing position. She seems to grow taller as I stare, and then I realize that she is gaining height. The added fear and hurt are only strengthening her.
"Stop, you two, please!" I cry. "You're making it worse." The two girls glare at each other. This is a disaster. I feel as though I could crawl into a hole and never come out. Kartik is dying; who knows, he may even be dead by now. Ann is useless, Felicity feels betrayed, and Pippa has no idea what's happening anymore. "You," I say, pointing at Katarzyna. "You're doing this. What do you want? Why are you doing this?" I am screaming by now, my face twisted with fury.
"He shouldn't be here," she shouts, pointing at Kartik. "They're liars, every last one of them."
"Who?" I say, narrowing my eyes. "What matter is it, if Kartik is here or not? Why does it affect you?"
"The Rakshana," she spits. "They lie. They use love to their advantage. No more!" she cries, rising still. "They die and I live. I will always live. Why should they get to go on with their happy little lives while I am stuck here, watching them come and go, not a care in the world?"
I stare at her. What on earth is she trying to say? And then I remember Pippa's words. Unrequited love. Gypsy love.
"Amar," I breathe. "You lost your magic when you lost Amar."
"Stop," she screams, her voice terrible and metallic in my ears. "You don't know what you are talking about!"
"And that's why you want to kill Kartik. You made a bargain with the Winterlands! It's corrupting you, bit by bit, and you need a new sacrifice! You..you…you selfish bitch!" I howl. And then it hits me. I turn on Pippa. "She bargained with you."
"Pippa?" Felicity asks, recoiling. "Pippa, it's not true!"
"And what if she did?" Pippa asks, glaring at me. "Is it so wrong to want to be powerful? Well? Is it, O High Priestess?" she spits at me.
She moves to stand next to Katarzyna. The two of them together is a frightening sight. I have bitten off far more than I can chew, and it is hitting me full-force.
"Felicity, Ann," I say, moving towards them. "I need your help. Now. I need you to summon every ounce of magic you can. Fee, your bow and arrow?"
"I can summon them," she says, holding her head high.
"They are going to use all that they can. We are on our own; I never accounted for this. I need you to forget your fear, your worries, your negativity…it's her-their-fuel. Can you do it?"
"Yes," they say.
"I'm sorry, Pip," Felicity whispers, turning and focusing an arrow on Pip's heart.
AN: I'm so sorry this took so long! And that it sucks. And that it REALLY sucks. But if any of you cared to stay with this story..reviews are sososo welcome. Thank you!