Chapter Twenty-Eight
ADAM
The morning felt slow and for once Adam felt well rested as he sat up in an unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar room. He felt as slow as the morning and actually wanted to sleep longer. It was the first night he hadn't encountered nightmares. A yawn escaped him and he rubbed his eyes to try to wake himself up and tried to figure out where he was. As his brain started up for the day, the events from last night played through his head. He broke another mirror. He groaned and flopped back on his pillow and clutched it to him. His patchwork pillow smelled just like Snow White and made him wish he could sleep longer; he even found himself liking the idea of sleeping beside her. His eyes snapped open and completely sat up and ran his hand through his hair. Had he really just thought that?
He needed to get up. He slipped out of the bed and began to make the bed. He needed to be productive, he needed to be resourceful, he did not need to be caught daydreaming about the impossible. As he arranged the sheets on the bed, he made sure that the pillow that she had made him was fluffed up and sitting on top of the sheets. Now that he was more awake he was able to see just how truly a rough pillow it was with its varying blue fabrics of different sizes and shapes. It was oddly rectangular shaped, but he loved it all the same.
It was as he was making the bed and the sheets flurred a piece of paper in the air. He looked over the side of the bed to the nightstand to see that there was a neat pair of clothes, his boots, his gloves, his hat, and his coat. The piece of paper that had fluttered to the floor had a note in Snow White's handwriting. He bent and picked up the note immediately.
Adam,
I got you a clean pair of clothes and have the mirror taken care of.
I'll be in the library reading for the next lesson.
~ Snow White
His chest fluttered at the note and he could not hide the smile that was there as well. Her already beautiful handwriting had only improved as she learned how to write words and sentences. He was so proud of her; she had come such a long way. He carefully folded the note up and tucked it inside the breast pocket of his coat before he undressed and dawned on the new pair of clothes that she had provided him. It wasn't much out of his ordinary button downs and black pants; the only difference now was that she had managed to get him a pair of blue pants. He easily slipped into them then tucked the ends into his boots. He had just slid into his shirt when a knock came at his door.
He quickly buttoned up his buttons before opening the door to see Frederick, looking panicked, pacing outside the door. "Frederick?"
"Thank God, you're actually in here." He barreled into the room and shut the door behind him.
"What's going on?" Adam continued to dress before walking over to the nightstand and slipped his coat on.
"Grimhilde and Florian is what's going on!" He flared. Adam had to blink at the growing temper of Fredericks.
Adam crossed his arms and raised his eyebrow at him, "Do you care to elaborate on that?"
"The two of them are getting together." Frederick snapped as he paced.
"That's disgusting." Adam turned his nose up at the thought. "I never truly thought that she would –"
"Not like that!" Frederick glared. "No, the two of them are plotting!"
"What do you mean?" Adam snapped back. "You're not making much sense, Frederick."
"The two of them are working together to create a body for the Mirror." Frederick ran a hand through his hair and finally stood still.
"What?" Adam blinked and felt his blood go cold. There's no way she could be creating a body, not this early! If that were the case then she really fell into the darkest pits of darkness very early in her life.
"They are gathering ingredients to create a body for that damn Mirror!" Frederick explained in a hushed voice.
"Bloody hell." Adam found faltered two steps away from Frederick. "Do you know what this means?"
"That both you and Snow White are in terrible danger."
"Not me." Adam shook his head. "I know how to handle that old hag. No, Snow White is in terrible danger. If they successfully create this body, I could have a twin walking around framing me and causing trouble. . ."
"'Your twin'?" Frederick blinked and all of the dots were connecting. "You mean you're supposed to be the body of the Mirror?"
"I was, yes." Adam heaved a heavy sigh. His brain was running and dancing with ideas of what to do: Escape to the Anti-Realm? No, he would never be considered a coward.
Kill them all before they could finish it? Despite the idea being very tempting it would cause more harm than good and there was only so much land where he could hide the bodies.
Take Snow White with him somehow? Although he believed he could take her with him depending on her loyalty to Apfel and even her horrid step mother she could not come along without having a guilty conscience; not to mention how much it would throw this Realm into imbalance.
"I was supposed to be a brainless puppet for the Mirror to use." He glared at the floor. "However, I had both a brain and a heart and became unusable for the Queen and have had to endure quite the living hell from both the old hag as well as the Mirror."
"So then there's a chance it'll fail?" Frederick asked, mild encouragement coming from him.
"Oh, there's a high chance that she'll fail." Adam sighed. "But if the Mirror has actually been guiding her through this process, then it could actually be successful."
"How would we ensure that it fails?"
"She can't have all of the correct ingredients." Adam supplied and crossed his arms. "It's actually very easy to mess the recipe up, it has to have the purest value of all ingredients for it to work."
"Then you have to get Snow White out of here." Frederick stood in front of him and looked him dead in the eye. "The Queen told Florian that she wanted Snow White's heart and Florian happily agreed to acquire it for her."
"The little bastard." Adam snarled and his hands balled into a fist. "I'll come up with something. Has she started the spell yet?"
"She has allegedly started it and is already halfway done with it." Frederick nodded. "It had the worst smell imaginable."
"Shit, that gives me less time." He ran his hand through his hair and his heart pounded in his chest. He was stuck in a corner and he had to figure a way out without the Queen noticing. "I need to figure out a way to get her out of here by tonight . . ."
"How are you going to do that?" His green eyes searched Adam's black ones, desperate to hear his plan.
"I don't know yet." His heart pounded faster in his chest. "I'll think of something . . ."
"Let me know if there is anything that I can help you with." Frederick scratched the back of his neck.
"I'll let you know." Adam nodded. His brain was already in the works of trying to plan.
With nothing else to say Adam merely left his borrowed room and made his way to the library. He didn't want to keep Snow White waiting any longer than was necessary; especially if Florian was now working with the old hag. The fool already had proved to Adam that he was not to be trusted and he refused to allow Snow White to be put in danger. Although she was far too nice for her own good and wouldn't actually tell Florian to go away Adam had no problem doing it for her. If he had to be the villain that kept everyone else away, so be it; so long as she was safe that was all that mattered now.
His mind, though trying to formulate a plan to escape and save snow White, drifted off to what his original purpose was. His whole mission was to dispose of Snow White, yet as he stood in front of the library he was thinking of every plausible plan that could save her. The ever growing confliction in him made him hesitate from entering the library. If he truly wanted to he could walk away from all of this and just let Florian and the old hag have their way. As he thought of that, the thought didn't sit well with him. He almost wished he had never had the chance to know Snow White; but he had and it was the best thing ever.
She had shown him what it was like to live, to laugh, to smile, to actually look forward to a new day instead of wishing it would never come; though she would have denied having any part of that. She showed him that there were few true honest souls in the world, even if in a different Realm. Despite him knowing that he more than likely scared her once or twice she never actually ran from him, she bravely and unabashedly took him head on and even treated him like he was her friend. She gave him the hope that he could actually have a second chance; which absolutely terrified him.
If she knew how he felt about her . . .
If she knew what he had done . . .
If she knew what he was . . .
If she knew why he was here . . .
Would she still see him the same way?
Would she still want his help?
Would she still see him as a friend?
Would she still be able to look him in the eye without fear?
Would she even look at him again with those doe eyes that had a way of drawing him in and wanting to save her for himself?
His hand clenched into fists at either side of him. He found that he had been holding his breath and when he released it felt a little lightheaded. He had to take a few breaths to calm down and cool his head before entering the library.
The scent of old glue and ancient pages greeted his mind with such familiarity that all anxieties dissipated. However, there was also another unusual scent of ash and salted earth that wafted in the air as well. As he made his way to their usual table, however, those anxieties very quickly returned. Florian had one hand on the table and the other on his hip while looming over Snow White. She had a smile on her face and had her hands on her book almost protectively. Her knuckles were white, as if she were holding on to the book for dear life.
"I really just don't understand." Florian snorted. "Why would a princess need to read? She should just listen to whatever her husband or king says to do."
"What if something happens to the king, or her husband?" She countered, almost with a challenging tone, and Adam felt both proud and very attracted to her for this. "How is she supposed to rule the country? How is she supposed to take care of her people?"
"She should just remarry." Florian sneered down at her. "There's no need for a woman to have to worry about her pretty little head over the affairs of the castle. She would need to find someone who is capable of being a leader, of ruling the country."
"Would you really be telling my step mother that she should need to remarry?" She stared at him head on. "She's been ruling Apfel without a husband for over ten years. Are you really suggesting she marry?"
"Of course not." He laughed dryly. "She's far too old to get married at her point in life."
"You obviously don't know anything about King Henry VIII, do you?" Adam spoke up as he approached the table.
"And why exactly is he important to me?" Florian threw on a smile on his own face, but Adam could see the feral look in his eyes. He wanted a fight, and he wanted blood.
"King Henry VIII is already fifty-three and is on his sixth wife." Adam stood right beside Snow White and placed his hand on the back of her chair. "He has already divorced two, beheaded two, and lost the third wife during childbirth. He's been desperate to have an heir and he hasn't been much of a good ruler and has caused chaos to his people ever since his riding accident."
"Your point being?"
"Age is just a number." Adam stood tall and looked down at Florian. "It is the experience and how one uses it that makes them useful as a leader and to society. The Queen of Apfel has both the experience and age to make her a more qualified ruler without a husband than she would be with one. She has the knowledge and the experience because she took her lessons seriously and read because she, like many widows, still have to go on even after their husbands have passed."
"You surely jest." Florian tried to laugh it off.
"Oh, are you telling me that you haven't received an invitation to any of the weddings? To any of his parties with the court?" Not that Adam had never once been invited to anything in his own life, but he was not as ignorant of the world as Florian. At one point in time the old hag thought she would extend her own hand of marriage to Henry VIII, however after the rejection of Anne of Cleves as well as the other stories of what had happened to his previous wives she reconsidered her options. Possibly one of the wisest decisions she ever made.
"You obviously are not aware of the strained relations between Franca and Angles," Florian chuckled awkwardly and pulled at the collar of his shirt.
"Oh, I'm aware of the little stunts that your country and Angles have pulled." Adam waved his hand to dismiss. "It is a constant game of power between you two, and it would not surprise me if trying to get a foot in the door here was to improve relations to somehow get a stronger army. Am I wrong?"
Florian looked as though something inside of him had snapped. There was a tick in his eye and his eyebrow twitched as he removed his hand from the table and stood straighter. He walked a hair too close to Snow White and Adam stood between them to keep him from touching her.
"No. You're not wrong." He said through a gritted smile. "But it is better that one keeps his opinion to himself, no?"
"If that is so, then you should keep your opinions of how Apfel should be run and how Snow White chooses to advance in her education." Adam puffed up his chest, almost daring Florian to make the first move. Florian almost had to stand on his toes to even try to reach up to Adam to stare him in the eyes. Adam was ready for the feral side of Florian to escape, but he was even more ready to fight whatever darkness laid beneath his surface. Standing this close to Florian, Adam was able to detect the ashen and salted earth from Florian. Whatever had happened overnight Florian had a heavy aura of darkness resting on his shoulders like a demon.
In an odd instant Florian backed away, though he never took his eyes from Adam's, and simply left the library. Adam stayed by Snow White's side, ready to defend her if Florian decided to lash out, as he watched Florian leave the library in a huff. Both Snow White and Adam stared after Florian until the doors slammed shut.
"Well, that could have gone better." She heaved a sigh and her shoulders drooped.
"Oh, how could it have gone better?" He took the seat beside her and glanced over the book she was reading. It was one of her homework books that she needed to practice her reading in.
"You didn't have to goad him like that." She looked him in the eyes with a soft smirk. "We already know that he talks too much."
"I will not have him disrespect you, Snow White." He spoke seriously as he looked down into her eyes.
"If he chooses to live his backward ideals of life in Franca, so be it. However, I will not stand for him to force his ideals on you and try to make you believe in them. You do not deserve to be treated like that."
"I thank you for defending me, Adam." She smiled at him and he saw a soft dimple in her left cheek.
"Though I really wish you weren't so aggressive when it came to Prince Florian." She began to twist her fingers in her lap. "He will be leaving at the end of the week and we will not have to see him again, unless King Henry VIII invites us to some sort of event."
"You don't plan to go back to Franca with him?" His heart skipped a beat. It wasn't that he would have simply let Florian whisk her away, but if truly wanted to go then Adam would not have stopped her. The kindness she had continuously shown him this week, though, was just enough to concern Adam . . .
"No, I don't believe that I will." She shook her head and sat momentarily still. "I don't think that I could be happy with him . . ." She pursed her lips and her brow furrowed as she thought deeply on the matter. "Despite the fact that I think my step mother really wants me to marry him to unify the kingdoms, I just can't seem to make myself do it."
"Why would you force yourself into a listless marriage?" He probed, truly wanting to know how she thought about the situation. Ever since they started these lessons, she has simply bloomed. Though she was quiet, she was very observant, almost too observant. But he liked to watch her think, to watch her read, whatever she put her attention to she was entirely engrossed in it.
"I would do it if the Queen told me I had to." She spoke slowly as she sorted out both her feelings and her thoughts. "However, from what Florian has shown to me I know that I would not be happy . . . He would be livid if he married me then found out that I couldn't have children . . ."
She bit her lip and looked as though she were trying to hold back years of tears. Her nose flared as she breathed and she shut her eyes tightly, as if trying to suck all the tears back somehow. Hard as she tried there were still a few trickles that escaped and her chin quivered.
"Snow White –" He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, burying her face in his chest so that he would not have to see her crying face and so he could shield her from anyone who could possibly see them. She all too easily melted into him and as her sniffles began his heart ached.
"He's a lot like them." She sniffled and took slow breaths. "Like Mr. Joe-Joel and Mr. Jack-Jackson . . ."
"Has he touched you?" He froze and held her tighter. He would drag him back to Franca and kill him like the dog he was in his own country if he had.
"No." She shook her head. "He's been rough with me when he's escorted me and left a bruise or two, but other than that he hasn't touched me."
"When did this happen?" He pulled her back and looked into her eyes. Her face was a soft pink with her eyes and nose an even pinker shade.
"Y-Yesterday." Despite having tears trailing down her face she looked at him with clear eyes. "It happened when I pushed him . . ."
She twisted her arm up and pushed up her sleeve to show him the fading bruise on her bicep. His jaw tightened and he had to be careful not to grit his teeth too tightly.
"Is that all?" He searched her face and glanced at her other places of exposed skin.
"Y-Yes." She nodded, still keeping eye contact with him.
"Has he done anything else to you?" He held her at arms-length still worried that she could potentially be hiding something from him.
"Other than be rude and not listening to me and telling me I shouldn't be taking lessons, no." She shook her head. Adam released a deep breath through his nose, only slightly relieved.
"If something ever happens, or even if you don't feel comfortable, call for me." He slowly released her and let his hands return to his own lap. "I will protect you."
There was a glisten in her eyes that threatened more tears to come, but also something deeper lying underneath that he couldn't quite place. Despite the fact that she looked happy to hear that, there was something that she wanted to ask him that took that happiness away from the moment.
"Thank you, Adam." She smiled and placed her hand on his. "I will, I promise."
Though she smiled and he held his eyes with her own, her smile did not meet her eyes and there was a growing worry within them that seemed to be holding her back. Though he was happy to see the smile, he could tell that something else was bothering her. He wanted to ask her about it, or simply ask her what it was that she wanted to say, but he found himself holding back. Perhaps his biggest fear was coming to light. . .
"Before Florian interrupted me, I was reading this sentence here." She sniffled and turned back to her book, but kept her hand on his. His own hand felt warm and he wanted to hold that little hand in his own, but he did not want to be too forward and would simply follow her lead. He wanted to remove his glove to feel her hand against his own; it just felt too natural yet so unfamiliar to him.
"Which one?" He leaned closer and dared to intertwine their fingers. She did not stop him and simply intertwined her own with his. There was an ever growing thudding that pulsed in his ears.
"H-Here." She cleared her throat and pointed to the sentence in the book. She had been very persistent in reading books with difficult vocabulary in them as of late, like she wanted to make up for the lost time over the years. One way or another Adam had slipped Jane Austen's Persuasion into her reading book list. It wasn't quite the book she was looking for, but he found that Snow White was very similar to Anne Elliot in how she is easily persuaded to do things for others. They shared many similarities in their meekness, their kindness, and letting others walk over them, however their differences were in Snow White's socialness with everyone she met, her willingness to make others happy, and her quiet strengths of observations.
"'I can listen no longer in silence'." She read aloud. "'I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone forever'." She looked at him with her brow furrowed. "I think it is the wording, but this particular language has been confusing to read nonetheless."
"You've made good progress in it." He blinked as she was so close to the end of the book.
"What is Captain Wentworth trying to say?" Her brow stayed furrowed as her eyes skimmed over the words again. "It doesn't quite make sense to me. . ."
"In the letter he writes to Anne." Adam had to clear his throat as it had suddenly gone dry. "H-He is confessing his feelings for her."
"And he is in agony for that?" She tilted her head as she continued to read.
"It is because of where things had left off for them, and where their story took them." He stared at the words on the page. "They both have such strong feelings for one another, but they are both terrified of moving one way or another without throwing everything into the imbalance."
"If he loves her, then why is he in agony?" She looked up into his eyes with the most sincere of questions. Adam felt a lump forming in his throat that had become hard to swallow.
"Because he loves her so deeply, but he knows he is undeserving of her." He explained in a hushed voice. "H-He knows that he has made mistakes and that there are some things in life that he can't go back and repair. He wants to tell her that he loves her, but he has no idea if she reciprocates his feelings or entirely rejects them because of the past. . . He is terrified that it could be too late for him to confess if she has found someone else."
"But she loves him." She argued with a quick shake of her head. "If he only paid attention to the looks they gave to one another, he could see that!"
"It is easy to assume that you see something that does not exist, though, my dear, Snow White." Oh how he lamented the relation to Wentworth at the moment. "You can only know so much about a person. You only know as much as they allow you to know; even in regards to their feelings."
"But why doesn't he just tell her?" Those doe brown eyes almost seemed to be pleading for him to answer that question for himself.
"Because if she has found happiness in another, he would not want to hinder her from it." He answered and a deep sadness came over her face. "He is willing, though he does not entirely want to, to put his feelings aside for her and her happiness."
She stuck her bookmark in the book and closed it. She frowned as she stared at the book.
"I don't know if I like this book . . ." She commented.
"It has a happy ending." He encouraged and earned a small smile.
"It is a little bit too much work for this early in the morning." She pouted slightly, but Adam couldn't help but wonder if there was something else on her mind.
"Well, perhaps things will get better after breakfast." He stood and offered his hand down to her. "We
can always pick up our lessons after."
"That sounds like a good idea." She smiled weakly up at him before dropping her gaze. She did not move her hand to take his.
"Is there something the matter?" He was aware that there was but she had decided not to voice it.
"Adam . . ." She meekly looked up at him. "Will you make me a promise?"
Her voice was soft, but her tone was very serious. It was the doe eyes, though, that drew him in.
"What is it?"
"Will you promise me not to get into any more quarrels or fights with Prince Florian?" She looked so serious as she looked into his eyes. There was something that was bothering her, and though Adam was not sure what or how, he knew that it had something to do with him.
"That is a rather difficult promise to keep, Snow White." He sighed. He wanted to promise her, he sincerely and truly wanted to promise her that he would, however Florian just made him too angry.
"I-I know. . ." She nodded her head in acknowledgement. "I know, and I'm sorry for asking that of you. However, you only have to tolerate him for a few more days before he returns to Franca."
"I will try my best to keep that promise, but Snow White." He grimaced at the idea of just putting up with the fool for three more days. "That is a really big promise."
"I know." She wouldn't look away from him. "But will you still promise me?"
Those doe brown eyes pleaded with him, begged him to agree. It was both the easiest and hardest thing to do for her. He would say yes because she knew how much it meant to her, but he wanted to tell her no because if Florian did anything to inflict the tiniest damage to her again he would have little self-control.
"I will. . ." He nodded his head slowly, almost forcing himself to do so.
"Thank you." She managed a smile, but she looked as though she regretted asking him to make the promise. "I don't know about you, but I'm a little hungry." She forced a smile on her face and it hurt Adam to see that she had to force a smile because of him. "I think I'll go see what I can do about getting us some breakfast."
She pushed herself to a stand and walked past Adam without looking back at him and left the library. Adam stood planted to the spot, teeth gritted and hands in fists. This was going to be the longest three days of his life; and if he were being honest with himself he wasn't sure he was going to make it. . .
With repairs needing to be done within town Snow White and Adam were able to get plenty of studying done and Snow White was even able to advance to another book. After she came back with breakfast they immediately jumped into her studying and lessons. There was something odd about her after breakfast during the morning lessons. She wouldn't look him in the eye, not directly anyways. She would look at his face, but would just look past him, or stare at a spot on his forehead instead of looking him in the eye. He wasn't sure if he said something to upset her, but she continued to smile and laugh as if nothing had happened. He found that her little act was seriously driving him crazy to the point that when she went to go get their lunch he went and roamed the book shelves.
"Are you looking for anything in particular, Adam?" The Queen purred at the end of the bookshelves. He turned to see her smirking at him, those green eyes swirling with devious ideas.
"Not in particular." He watched her carefully. "Though I feel as though I should ask if you are."
"Of course not." She smiled a white smile and Adam swore he could see the smallest traces of blood on her teeth. "I came here looking for you."
"Whatever for?" He kept his voice even though he did not see this conversation going anywhere good.
"I heard you weren't particularly nice to Florian this morning." She noted and slowly walked towards her.
"I never have been." He raised an eyebrow at her, almost challenging her. "Your point is?"
"I don't remember you having such an attitude with me." His smile faded into a frown. "I don't like those who defy me, Adam."
"Out of everyone in this entire kingdom, I know of this very well." He glared down at her. "You've left more than enough scars on me to let it stay as a reminder."
"How delicious." She chuckled. "I'm glad to see that I'm still tyrannical in the future."
"What is it that you want?" He kept his back straight, his muscles tensed just in case she had something up her sleeve.
"Simple." She slid her hands into her robes as she approached. "I want you to give me Snow White's heart."
"What the hell are you going on about?" He was prepared for many things, but for some odd reason he was not prepared for that.
"I am creating a body for the Magic Mirror." There was a crazed look in her eyes. It was a look he was all too familiar with. It was whenever she seeped deeper into the darkness and allowed it to rule her mind and reasoning. He found himself growing intensely ready for a fight. "But you should already be aware of this."
"Why do you need her heart?" Adam kept his face as still as stone. He would not give away any signs that her words were greatly affecting him.
"One of the ingredients requires the Heart of a Pure Lover." The grin became almost snake-like.
"You can't really think that she, Snow White, would be in love with . . . Me. . ." He scoffed and soon another battle raged within him. Excitement for even remotely thinking the girl liked or potentially loved him; Fear that this was somehow a ruse to get rid of him and would ultimately put her life in danger; and as much as he hated it there was even a tinge of Regret, regret that he had let things come this far knowing that he could never have anything more than what they already shared.
"Oh, of course she does." The old hag rolled her eyes. "You must be blind if you haven't seen it by now."
"No." He shut his eyes and put his hands over his ears. "No, I refuse to believe you!"
"Oh, I have no reason in lying to you at the moment, nephew." She chuckled. "The only reason why I am telling you is to give you another chance to prove your loyalty to me."
"You can't be serious." He shook his head in more anger than disbelief.
"Oh quite serious." She tilted her head as if assessing what he could possibly do other than swear loyalty to her. "Now, you can either kill your sweet precious princess by your own hand, or I will et Florian to do it,"
"That fool?" His hands balled into fists.
"Oh yes," Her laugh was too airy. "You've built up quite a lot of grudges with the boy, and I would be a fool not to take the advantage of using that raw jealous anger for my own purposes. Besides, it's easier to absorb that much negative energy whenever I need to regain my youth."
"Oh, so you've finally stopped with the whole blood sucking thing?" He crossed his arms at her.
"No, it's just easier to absorb the negativity from Florian." She waved her hand dismissively. "Besides, we're already low on staff and if I keep up what I'm doing there's too big a chance someone will catch on."
"You can't be serious." He pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.
"So what have you decided?"
"I refuse." He stood tall, he stood straight.
"Pardon me?" Her head snapped as it tilted to the side.
"I refuse to do it." He boldly took a step towards her and looked down at her. "From the moment I have arrived in Apfel she has done nothing. Nothing to you, you've hidden her away from the public so hardly anyone knows who she is; you've stripped her of her title and only recently given it to her for the face of Florian; she is the purest soul I have ever met and I refuse to spill her blood for you to create a body for that damn Mirror!" he pointed a finger in her face as all the years and scars finally fought back. "I have killed far worse, and far too few innocent souls for you by your command in my life. I am tired of doing the dirty work for you because you can't do it all by yourself. In my time it is due to your old decrepit age; here it is just because you don't want to get your pretty hands dirty; at least not anymore than you have already. I refuse to be a part of your schemes anymore."
It felt good to finally tell her no, it was as if a mountain had been knocked off his shoulders; however the moment did not last. Her face was still with no emotion attached except in her eyes. Her eyes had a green storm of fury waiting behind them. The boiling plot she had already brewing now overflowed.
"If that is how it is going to be." Something feral flashed in her eyes. "Then so be it. The Mirror, for once, was wrong. You have betrayed me. You will suffer the consequences."
Turning on her heel her skirts and robes flurried about her and her heels clicked against the floors as she exited the library. Even after the doors to the library Adam could only stare after her as he mentally replayed their conversation. He openly rejected and refused the Evil Queen, his tormentor for so long. He was finally able to tell her no but his freedom from her terrible grasp came at a terribly expensive cost. Keeping Snow White safe was going to be a lot harder than he thought.
Author's Note:
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you're enjoying it so far!
Hello readers! I just wanted to say thank you to all of you who have messaged me telling me your thoughts on the story as well as asking requests for which character you would like to read about. Trust me when I say that it is so hard to just choose one. I currently have a few outlines that I'm in the process of typing up and writing a few drafts here and there; however, I will not be posting anything new until I finish the three stories that I do have published. As much as I hate to play favorites the Muse has been just as obstinate as I have about which story to write at the moment. I don't know if this story will be completed before the 'Another Chance for Disney Villain Recruiters', but I am in the works of getting the ball rolling with that one.
Please continue to leave reviews and give me your thoughts, whether they are positive, negative, or corrective criticism. I do try to take them with a grain of salt because they do help me see the stories in another way when it's necessary.
Thank you for coming along the journey with me, stay tuned for more!
Ko-fi/SarahtheWriter
