Chapter Fourteen

In which everything falls apart

"You're such a loyal friend, aren't you?" Envy's voice mocked me from within the otherwise empty room. Chapter Fourteen

A shadow swept through the room and Pitch joined me.

"You lay one hand on her and-"

"Oh, I don't have to." Envy finally shimmered into view, holding Ashley in front of her. NO!

My best friend looked terrified, disheveled and unable to move because of Envy. But she couldn't see or hear any of us.

"Let her go, she has nothing to do with this!"

"Wrong. You had nothing to do with the Guardians, but you got involved anyways. So Ashley here is getting involved too."

Ashley began to cry, the tears streaking down her face. I took a step forward and Envy reacted instantly.

"Uh-uh. I wouldn't do that." That's when I noticed something flat and shiny in her hand. Something with a sharp tip.

"Recognize it?" Envy held it to Ashley's throat.

"Of course you do. You gave it to her, didn't you? Such a pretty little letter opener, and you even had it engraved. Cute."

"Please, Envy. Let her go."

"Hmm… No. You have interfered too much already, and I'm not going to risk you doing anything stupid."

Pitch put a hand on my shoulder and pulled me away from Envy before I could attack her.

"Just let the girl go, Envy. She has done nothing to harm you, and she can't do anything to stop you."

"But Rona might be able to. This is just insurance that she won't try. Don't worry; she'll go free and completely unharmed. All you have to do is go back to that little cave with Pitch and do nothing. I'll return Ashley as soon as the last light goes out. Deal?"

"No deal! You let her go right now!" I focused as hard as I could, solidifying the air into walls around her. She grinned darkly at me in response, pressing the letter opener against Ashley's throat. My best friend gave a frightened squeak, and I could see her trembling.

"If you keep me in here, you keep her here with me. And I KNOW you wouldn't even consider that little stunt you pulled the last time we bumped into each other. Anything you do to me you'll do to her too. Now, drop the walls."

I glared at her, my hands clenched into fists. I felt so helpless and I hated it. I couldn't save the Guardians, now I couldn't even protect Ashley. Pitch spoke up before I could decide to concede or tell Envy to fuck herself and see if I could punch her in her stupid face before she could cut Ashley.

"I want your word that Ashley will not be harmed, and that she will be returned to her home safely." I turned to him, feeling a bit betrayed, but Envy replied to him before I could say anything.

"The instant the last light goes out."

There was a moment of silence, then I dropped the walls. Envy laughed in victory and disappeared, taking Ashley with her.

Pitch put him arms around me, and a shadow began to open beneath us, but I pushed him away violently.

"You had no right to agree to that!"

"It was the only way. Envy would have killed your friend if you had tried to stop her."

"You don't know that, she might have been bluffing."

"For your sake, I could not take that chance."

"But now I can't do anything! I can't stop Envy, or save the Guardians and the children…"

"You couldn't do anything anyways. But now you can save Ashley. Please, come with me. We'll be safe in my caves, and Ashley will be fine."

"And the Guardians will fall. Children won't believe anymore."

"But we will be together." Is that what's really important, though?

"It doesn't work like that, Pitch. I couldn't live with myself if I just gave up."

"Please, little witch. I cannot let you risk your life. I cannot let you go through losing your best friend because I didn't stop you."

"I have to go." I turned away from him and launched myself into the sky. Pitch followed me on his NightMares. I heard him whisper.

"I hope you will forgive me for this."

His NightMares swarmed me in an instant, the sand filling my vision. I felt Pitch catch me as I fell into my own nightmares, screaming.

All around me was darkness and blood. I was alone. So alone. I screamed and screamed but no one answered. I ran but I never seemed to get anywhere. I was running from something. Something I couldn't see. I could hear it, though. It laughed at me and I ran even faster.

I knew that I could fly, but every time I tried to I fell to the ground, and it laughed at me even harder. I needed to get somewhere, but I couldn't remember. I was so scared, and helpless.

In a moment, everything changed. I was at the Pole. The Guardians watched me, and I was in chains of dream sand.

"You betrayed us all!" North was yelling at me. I was hurt, confused and scared.

"You chose Pitch over us, you left us to be destroyed!" I had never seen Jack so angry before, not even while under Envy's influence.

"No, I didn't-"

"You're a traitor!" Even Tooth chimed in, and I began to cry.

"I tried to save you, but-"

"What a pathetic, little witch." Pitch stepped into my view now, his mouth turned into a sneer.

"You're nothing but a liar and a traitor, and you know it. Did you honestly think I cared for you?"

Envy showed up next to him and put her arms around him. She grinned at me victoriously.

"He was working with me the whole time."

"No… No, you were controlling him."

"I wasn't doing anything. You, however, did exactly what you weren't supposed to do. Oh well, I warned you…" She gestured over to the globe, and I caught first sight of the bloodied body that laid at its base.

"ASHLEY!"

Pitch watched Rona thrashing about in his bed, crying out in fear and pain. But he couldn't release her from her nightmares. If he did she would go after Envy. She would lose her best friend, and quite possibly her life. He needed to protect her at all costs. Even if she wouldn't forgive him for it.

"I am sorry, Rona. But this is for the best."

Yeah, this chapter is a lot shorter than the others. Don't complain, I felt that there was nothing to add to this chapter that would contribute to the story and I didn't want to continue on to the events you will see in the next chapter just yet. But feel free to favorite, follow and review!