Disclaimer: I don't own anything, blah blah blah. Juliana and the troblins
are the only thing I own, I already said all this, skip this coz it's
boring.
Author's Note: I am trying to update more, and keep this story going. I am currently writing my next fanfic; also I am writing an original fic on my account on fiction press. I'll let you know when they are up, but sorry if this is delayed, I can only type so fast (one word a minute probably) lol so I probably should take typing lessons.
Thank you very much for the reviews!!
Paige van den Heever - Thanks so much! That's very kind of you, and I'd like to see what you think of the rest of the story if you want to read on!
Liz - I saved my last chapter on disk because my comp was broken, and that's why I got the strange letters in it, unfortunately. I have gone back and uploaded the chapter again to replace the chapter content, so it should be ok now.
If anyone else has those problems, you know what to do now!
Shadow - Obviously the most devoted reviewer on the planet!! * gives a giant purple troblin to you * Thanks very much for reviewing again =D Would you like to read the sequel(s) to this, too?
For all the reviewers and all you sneaky non-reviewers, here's the next chapter!
* * * * *
Chapter 7 - Action and Adventures
Jenny moved silently through the apparently deserted house towards the tower room, nothing more than a silhouette in the shadowy alcoves. She was barefoot; maybe not so good an idea, thought Jenny ruefully as her toe came into contact with the skirting boards. Biting her lip against the sudden pain, she continued onwards. This house is getting to be more familiar than my own she thought bitterly to herself, and she smiled a grim smile devoid of mirth.
If anyone saw Jenny stalking down the hall, they would have seen a very pretty girl who instead of walking upright and proud, was stealing down the hall with the air of a predator; her honey coloured hair framing her face, making her look like a beautiful warrior princess, almost Amazonian in origin.
Her stealth was rewarded as she reached the tower in relative safety, as no one stopped her and nobody saw her. She opened the tower door carefully, and looked inside the room. Instead of the More Games store she was expecting, the room contained a four-poster bed draped in pastel pink gauze. Relaxing music was drifting around the room lazily from an unseen source, filling Jenny with an inner peace. The whole room was decorated in peachy colours, but as she watched with open-mouthed surprise, the whole room gradually changed colour, to pale turquoise gauze hangings and striking sea green upholstery on the chairs, and deep blue sheets on the bed. As she looked around the room, Jenny was taken aback at how elegant and feminine it was.
She saw a pair of sneakers in the open wardrobe, snug in between boots and high heels. She slipped them on over her bare feet, and looked around the splendour again. There were exquisite tapestries decorating the walls depicting animals in the sea and birds in the sky. Peering closer, Jenny saw the animals were actually swimming, and the birds actually flying. Again, as she stared, the whole room changed colour like a chameleon to warm colours, bright reds and burning oranges. A candle near to Jenny's arm burst into flame, and danced sensually to the soft music. Jenny shook herself out of the daze she had been in, and walked towards the door next to the old grandfather clock. On the door was a familiar poem, and Jenny gasped to see it.
I, slipping on the slime-edged stones
To that dark place by the rusty foxfire lit,
Where they lie watching, fingering old bones,
Go with my question. Deep into the pit
Of the Black Forest, where the Erlking rules
And truth is told but always at a cost
I take my puzzle. Like all the other fools
Who've slipped on these same stones and played and lost
I come because I must. I have no choice
The Game is timeless and.
I leave them waiting down below.
I hear them laughing as I go.
It was the poem that her grandfather had kept in his study, a poem about the Shadow Men. A lump formed in Jenny's throat, and she swallowed, tears forming in her eyes. Wiping them away impatiently, she reached for the doorknob, and pushed. Closing her eyes, Jenny took a deep breath and jumped out of the doorway, hoping this lead home.
* * * * *
Julian kept his face an impassive mask, hoping Juliana would mistake his hesitation for thoughtfulness. She watched him impatiently; her perfect nails drumming against the wall.
"Well?" she asked eagerly.
Julian thought hard of the best way he could give Juliana a game that was cruel enough for her, and not impossible for Jenny's friends to escape from. He shuddered inwardly as he imagined what Juliana would have done to Summer if she failed her nightmare. Julian sighed. Better Summer than Jenny, a nagging voice in his head said. Shocked at himself, but admitting the truth in the comment, Julian put a cruel, taunting expression on his face, turned fully to Juliana and explained the Game.
* * * * *
Dee squinted into the misty darkness surrounding the group. The mist, swirling innocently around them, abruptly began to have a menacing feeling about it, like it was trying to wrap cold silken hands around her neck, to choke out the warmth of life. Dee started. It was unlike her to imagine things like that. She frowned introspectively, her long brown fingers twisting and flexing against the chill. Summer was sleeping uneasily on Zach's shoulder, her petit childlike face marred by a hunted expression. As she writhed and twisted, Zach knew what was causing her trouble, and vowed to protect her against the evils of the Shadow World. Drawing her closer to him, he looked into the fog, thinking of what a good picture it would have made with neon lights shining through it.
Audrey, her cherry lipstick perfect on her mouth, was snuggled into the depths of her extortionately priced fake fur jacket. Her eyes were glazed over, as though she were somewhere else than the Shadow World. Michael's eyes were worried as he looked at Audrey, and he put his rumpled black coat around her, shivering as he did so. The virtually glacial atmosphere was unnatural; it oozed into every particle, exchanging the warmth with cold using malevolent efficiency. He shivered again and looked down at the wet concrete floor.
Tom was not cold at all. The chill, which so affected the others, did not touch him, as his anger kept him warm inside. "At least she's got Julian," he remembered Dee saying so clearly. Julian. Not Tom. He knew he probably couldn't do anything against the Shadow People, but he was willing to try.
They're probably free right now, whispered a cruel voice on his head. Right now, Julian's probably kissing Jenny in the Shadow House, snug and warm with not a care in the world.
Tom remembered how willingly Jenny had kissed Julian in the binding ceremony, freely and without doubt. She responded to him in a way she had never done to Tom. Dee was right; she did have Julian. He was going to make sure that Julian didn't have Jenny. He slanted a look sideways at Dee, looking like an Egyptian princess frosted with ice. What she had said had hurt; although everybody knew he was jealous of Julian, there was no need to rub it in by stating basically that Julian was helping Jenny whilst Tom sat on his arse not doing anything. This didn't make him hate her though; in fact, Tom felt a quiet respect for the honesty Dee had shown. The others wouldn't have dreamed to say anything like this to Tom, they feared him too much. Dee, however, feared nobody, and this was refreshing. Just looking at her made his heart beat a little faster, and he imagined what her perfectly sculpted lips would feel like.
WHAT??
He shouldn't be feeling things like that for Dee! Jenny was his girlfriend; he loved her. They had been together for ages. Dee is like a kindred spirit though, said the little voice in his head. She fights; she's athletic; she enjoys the same things that you do, and you can't deny the physical attraction. Anyway, Jenny has Julian. Tom ignored the voice, and looked around for any monsters, but there was nothing at all around them, only the mist, which itself was like a wraith. From the darkness in front of them, they heard a thud, like something landing on the floor, and Tom's stiff muscles ached as he pulled himself to a fighting stance. Dee, her eyes flashing with excitement and nervousness, did the same. A weak cough sounded, and a profanity. Out of the eddying mist walked a pale, angry figure.
Jenny.
* * * * *
Oh SHIT!!!
Jenny was furious as she fell onto the hard tarmac, the wet cigarette butts and toffee wrappers sticking to her jeans and hands. She coughed in the cold air and swore angrily, looking around the familiar scene of Joyland Park; The Shadow World. She sighed, thinking about how clever she had thought she was being. Juliana obviously had all options covered. As she peered into the dense fog, her heart skipped a beat as a shadowy figure prowled closer to her, and she automatically fell into one of the training positions Dee had taught her to defend herself. As the figure came nearer, she saw to her amazement it was Tom.
"Tommy," she cried, throwing her arms around him. After standing stiffly for a moment, Tom hugged her back gingerly, as if afraid she would break. The others, alerted to her presence by Dee, called out to her happily and she walked over to them, brushing the remaining toffee wrappers off her black jeans. Her wrinkled green top actually looked like she'd slept in it, and her hair drifted over it, a windswept mass of gold falling in ruffled waves around her flushed face. They all got up off the bench, huddling around the new arrival to their group. Jenny was more pleased than ever to find that they had come in the Shadow House to rescue her, and Juliana had transported them back to the feeding ground of the Shadow People. Clustering around her, talking loudly, they did not notice Julian and Juliana suddenly appear from the fog. Looking wild and dangerous, they looked like they were advertising a new, intoxicating and exotic perfume or something, Jenny thought as she caught sight of them over Summer's tiny head. Pulling away, she stared at them mutely, and the conversation in the group stopped as if a switch had been flicked off. Everyone stared at Julian and Juliana; Summer with her head on Zach's shoulder showed open fear; Audrey and Michael subdued nervousness; Tom and Dee looked reckless and ready to fight and Jenny exuded quiet determination.
Juliana grinned at them all through dark lashes, oozing seduction and temptation. Jenny watched her angrily, trying to overcome the impulse to rip out Juliana's hair and feel her fist connect with that god awful cruel grin. Julian lounged near the vacated bench, his hair moving slightly in the small breeze, wafting over his electric eyes and trademark predatorial smirk. He looked just the same as when he has been a Shadow Man, and when he had put them all through the Games, Jenny thought to herself, a little scared. The rest of the group was thinking the same by the looks on their faces. "What do you want, Juliana?" asked Dee boldly, her face wearing an expression that showed she wanted to attack her almost as much as Jenny did. Jenny grinned wryly to herself.
"Want?" asked Juliana, her voice like a sibilant whisper on silk. "I want power, but that isn't the point here. I want.entertainment.right NOW." She smiled evilly at Summer, and she moved a step back and clung harder to Zach's arm, her eyes wide with fear. Zach stepped in front of her, his body shielding her.
"Ah isn't that sweet," said Juliana in a sarcastic, mocking voice. "Quite the knight in shining armour aren't we, Zach?" Zach remained silent, the only sign of anger being the flashes in his narrowed grey eyes.
"I have a Game for you all," she said clearly, her voice drifting off into the thinning mist. "Thanks to Julian," she said slyly, looking at Julian then back at the gang for a reaction. Jenny didn't believe her. Sure, she had seen them kissing, but it wasn't enough to make Julian go over to the Bitch Queen, she knew it. She looked over at Julian and was shocked to see him staring deeply back at her, the hunger back in his eyes.
* * * * *
Julian stared at Jenny, willing her to try and understand in her mind what they were going to have to do. It was a basically a game of Lambs and Monsters, but there were real monsters chasing them. He had simplified the Games he had done, and repeated them to Juliana, hoping she would think that they were exciting enough to do, but she had wanted there to be no way for the poor little lambs to win. He had inserted a loophole, and he tried to make Jenny understand; there would be a way out for them, because Jenny's friend's fates and eventually Jenny's rested on it. When the lambs were captured, they were taken to the Tower Room and locked in. When they were all there, he knew Juliana would be getting more powerful due to the knowledge he was being forced to give her, and she would kill Jenny's friends unless she wanted to keep any of them around to torture, she would definitely torture Jenny until she had every drop of knowledge and power from him and then she would make him watch as she died.
After that, well.
Juliana would either keep him for her own pleasure or entertainment, and then he would probably be given to the other Shadow People for his death or inevitable torture. Julian sighed. He had to tell Jenny somehow that there was a way for them to get away. All they had to do was to find the rune of movement/traveling. (RAIDHO, shaped like a pointy R.) The runes were scattered around the park, and there were only six of Raidho. There were also other runes scattered around, runes like Gebo (for sacrifice), Thurisaz (the thorn) Kenaz (primal fire) etc. The other runes could kill, maim or trap the person touching it, so they had to be very careful. If any of them touched Dagaz (the catalyst) it was irony on his part that they would be transported back to the Tower Room, as it sped up the process of them being caught. Juliana had been so delighted with this wittiness that she had failed to notice the rune Isa (primal ice) which meant that whenever they touched it, he would sense it and would go to help them. That was the theory though.
Julian sighed, and looked across at Jenny, idly fingering the gold band around his finger. This would be a shock to Juliana, but he was getting his powers back the longer he stayed in the Shadow World, and he tried to think of something that he could give Jenny that could help her. That was it!!! The ring! He could write something inside the ring and give it to Jenny on the pretence that it was something to do with the game. He smiled to himself and subtly removed the ring.
* * * * *
Jenny looked into Julian's eyes, and knew he was trying to tell her something important. He was toying with something in his fingers whilst Juliana taunted and mocked their group in between telling them the rules of the new game. She tried to make out what he was holding and realised it with a start that it was her ring; the one he had given to her before. He winked at her, and beckoned her over. Juliana stopped talking and stared. He assumed a coldly arrogant expression and grabbed hold of Jenny's arm, not roughly though. He slid the cool band of metal onto her finger and let go her arm. Juliana and Jenny both stared at him.
"You are now wearing a tracking device," he said quietly, so that only she and Juliana could hear. Juliana clapped her hands and went and put her arms around Julian. He looked very uncomfortable and annoyed to Jenny, but when Juliana looked up at him, his face was a perfectly blank mask. "You're so clever," said Juliana loudly, her arms circling his neck. Jenny turned away. Even though it was obvious Julian wasn't enjoying this, Jenny could still see them kissing in the ballroom and the new scenes were painful to watch. Juliana spun to face Jenny in a lightning-quick movement.
"Yes, yes," she muttered malevolently. "We wouldn't want you to get lost now, would we?"
Jenny smiled back at Juliana in a sarcastic manner, her head held high and her shoulders back.
"I don't think I'll ever get lost here," she said clearly, for everyone to hear. "I've been here way longer than you have, honey."
Juliana looked stunned at this, and then anger began creeping over her face like a storm cloud.
"Fine," she said in a tight voice. "I think that if you know your way around here so well then the Game should begin."
With the last three words, Juliana vanished, and with a fleeting expression of sorrow, so did Julian. Jenny looked around, a little ashamed at plunging the group into the Game so quickly, but open support was on all her friends' faces.
"You stand up to her, girl," said Dee beaming. " I want to kick that Shadow Dudettes...."
A loud crash interrupted Dee in mid-speech, and Michael jumped, his usually happy face worried and drawn. A low, rumbling growl cut through the air, and a ripple of unease surged through them. A low, wrongly pitched voice echoed through the last dregs of the mist. Like in a horror movie, Jenny turned around to find Leo the Paper Eating Lion sat only metres away from where they all stood.
"Heh heh heh," it growled. "Don't feed me paper, feed me flesh. I'm always hungry."
* * * * *
After this extra long chapter, there is only one more chapter to go and then part one of the Forbidden Dance will be complete!!! I am currently drafting out part two, there are going to be three parts as in the books. If you people don't think I should do another part, that this should just be a one-off story, please say, I'm writing other stories as well at the moment, a spoof Forbidden Game and another story on Fiction Press, so if no one is going to want to read the next bit then I'll conserve my time to writing the others. I'm not threatening, I just want to see if the story is good enough for a sequel. If you don't care, still please review, even if you only want to talk about...umm...I dunno, purple troblins or something lol.
Author's Note: I am trying to update more, and keep this story going. I am currently writing my next fanfic; also I am writing an original fic on my account on fiction press. I'll let you know when they are up, but sorry if this is delayed, I can only type so fast (one word a minute probably) lol so I probably should take typing lessons.
Thank you very much for the reviews!!
Paige van den Heever - Thanks so much! That's very kind of you, and I'd like to see what you think of the rest of the story if you want to read on!
Liz - I saved my last chapter on disk because my comp was broken, and that's why I got the strange letters in it, unfortunately. I have gone back and uploaded the chapter again to replace the chapter content, so it should be ok now.
If anyone else has those problems, you know what to do now!
Shadow - Obviously the most devoted reviewer on the planet!! * gives a giant purple troblin to you * Thanks very much for reviewing again =D Would you like to read the sequel(s) to this, too?
For all the reviewers and all you sneaky non-reviewers, here's the next chapter!
* * * * *
Chapter 7 - Action and Adventures
Jenny moved silently through the apparently deserted house towards the tower room, nothing more than a silhouette in the shadowy alcoves. She was barefoot; maybe not so good an idea, thought Jenny ruefully as her toe came into contact with the skirting boards. Biting her lip against the sudden pain, she continued onwards. This house is getting to be more familiar than my own she thought bitterly to herself, and she smiled a grim smile devoid of mirth.
If anyone saw Jenny stalking down the hall, they would have seen a very pretty girl who instead of walking upright and proud, was stealing down the hall with the air of a predator; her honey coloured hair framing her face, making her look like a beautiful warrior princess, almost Amazonian in origin.
Her stealth was rewarded as she reached the tower in relative safety, as no one stopped her and nobody saw her. She opened the tower door carefully, and looked inside the room. Instead of the More Games store she was expecting, the room contained a four-poster bed draped in pastel pink gauze. Relaxing music was drifting around the room lazily from an unseen source, filling Jenny with an inner peace. The whole room was decorated in peachy colours, but as she watched with open-mouthed surprise, the whole room gradually changed colour, to pale turquoise gauze hangings and striking sea green upholstery on the chairs, and deep blue sheets on the bed. As she looked around the room, Jenny was taken aback at how elegant and feminine it was.
She saw a pair of sneakers in the open wardrobe, snug in between boots and high heels. She slipped them on over her bare feet, and looked around the splendour again. There were exquisite tapestries decorating the walls depicting animals in the sea and birds in the sky. Peering closer, Jenny saw the animals were actually swimming, and the birds actually flying. Again, as she stared, the whole room changed colour like a chameleon to warm colours, bright reds and burning oranges. A candle near to Jenny's arm burst into flame, and danced sensually to the soft music. Jenny shook herself out of the daze she had been in, and walked towards the door next to the old grandfather clock. On the door was a familiar poem, and Jenny gasped to see it.
I, slipping on the slime-edged stones
To that dark place by the rusty foxfire lit,
Where they lie watching, fingering old bones,
Go with my question. Deep into the pit
Of the Black Forest, where the Erlking rules
And truth is told but always at a cost
I take my puzzle. Like all the other fools
Who've slipped on these same stones and played and lost
I come because I must. I have no choice
The Game is timeless and.
I leave them waiting down below.
I hear them laughing as I go.
It was the poem that her grandfather had kept in his study, a poem about the Shadow Men. A lump formed in Jenny's throat, and she swallowed, tears forming in her eyes. Wiping them away impatiently, she reached for the doorknob, and pushed. Closing her eyes, Jenny took a deep breath and jumped out of the doorway, hoping this lead home.
* * * * *
Julian kept his face an impassive mask, hoping Juliana would mistake his hesitation for thoughtfulness. She watched him impatiently; her perfect nails drumming against the wall.
"Well?" she asked eagerly.
Julian thought hard of the best way he could give Juliana a game that was cruel enough for her, and not impossible for Jenny's friends to escape from. He shuddered inwardly as he imagined what Juliana would have done to Summer if she failed her nightmare. Julian sighed. Better Summer than Jenny, a nagging voice in his head said. Shocked at himself, but admitting the truth in the comment, Julian put a cruel, taunting expression on his face, turned fully to Juliana and explained the Game.
* * * * *
Dee squinted into the misty darkness surrounding the group. The mist, swirling innocently around them, abruptly began to have a menacing feeling about it, like it was trying to wrap cold silken hands around her neck, to choke out the warmth of life. Dee started. It was unlike her to imagine things like that. She frowned introspectively, her long brown fingers twisting and flexing against the chill. Summer was sleeping uneasily on Zach's shoulder, her petit childlike face marred by a hunted expression. As she writhed and twisted, Zach knew what was causing her trouble, and vowed to protect her against the evils of the Shadow World. Drawing her closer to him, he looked into the fog, thinking of what a good picture it would have made with neon lights shining through it.
Audrey, her cherry lipstick perfect on her mouth, was snuggled into the depths of her extortionately priced fake fur jacket. Her eyes were glazed over, as though she were somewhere else than the Shadow World. Michael's eyes were worried as he looked at Audrey, and he put his rumpled black coat around her, shivering as he did so. The virtually glacial atmosphere was unnatural; it oozed into every particle, exchanging the warmth with cold using malevolent efficiency. He shivered again and looked down at the wet concrete floor.
Tom was not cold at all. The chill, which so affected the others, did not touch him, as his anger kept him warm inside. "At least she's got Julian," he remembered Dee saying so clearly. Julian. Not Tom. He knew he probably couldn't do anything against the Shadow People, but he was willing to try.
They're probably free right now, whispered a cruel voice on his head. Right now, Julian's probably kissing Jenny in the Shadow House, snug and warm with not a care in the world.
Tom remembered how willingly Jenny had kissed Julian in the binding ceremony, freely and without doubt. She responded to him in a way she had never done to Tom. Dee was right; she did have Julian. He was going to make sure that Julian didn't have Jenny. He slanted a look sideways at Dee, looking like an Egyptian princess frosted with ice. What she had said had hurt; although everybody knew he was jealous of Julian, there was no need to rub it in by stating basically that Julian was helping Jenny whilst Tom sat on his arse not doing anything. This didn't make him hate her though; in fact, Tom felt a quiet respect for the honesty Dee had shown. The others wouldn't have dreamed to say anything like this to Tom, they feared him too much. Dee, however, feared nobody, and this was refreshing. Just looking at her made his heart beat a little faster, and he imagined what her perfectly sculpted lips would feel like.
WHAT??
He shouldn't be feeling things like that for Dee! Jenny was his girlfriend; he loved her. They had been together for ages. Dee is like a kindred spirit though, said the little voice in his head. She fights; she's athletic; she enjoys the same things that you do, and you can't deny the physical attraction. Anyway, Jenny has Julian. Tom ignored the voice, and looked around for any monsters, but there was nothing at all around them, only the mist, which itself was like a wraith. From the darkness in front of them, they heard a thud, like something landing on the floor, and Tom's stiff muscles ached as he pulled himself to a fighting stance. Dee, her eyes flashing with excitement and nervousness, did the same. A weak cough sounded, and a profanity. Out of the eddying mist walked a pale, angry figure.
Jenny.
* * * * *
Oh SHIT!!!
Jenny was furious as she fell onto the hard tarmac, the wet cigarette butts and toffee wrappers sticking to her jeans and hands. She coughed in the cold air and swore angrily, looking around the familiar scene of Joyland Park; The Shadow World. She sighed, thinking about how clever she had thought she was being. Juliana obviously had all options covered. As she peered into the dense fog, her heart skipped a beat as a shadowy figure prowled closer to her, and she automatically fell into one of the training positions Dee had taught her to defend herself. As the figure came nearer, she saw to her amazement it was Tom.
"Tommy," she cried, throwing her arms around him. After standing stiffly for a moment, Tom hugged her back gingerly, as if afraid she would break. The others, alerted to her presence by Dee, called out to her happily and she walked over to them, brushing the remaining toffee wrappers off her black jeans. Her wrinkled green top actually looked like she'd slept in it, and her hair drifted over it, a windswept mass of gold falling in ruffled waves around her flushed face. They all got up off the bench, huddling around the new arrival to their group. Jenny was more pleased than ever to find that they had come in the Shadow House to rescue her, and Juliana had transported them back to the feeding ground of the Shadow People. Clustering around her, talking loudly, they did not notice Julian and Juliana suddenly appear from the fog. Looking wild and dangerous, they looked like they were advertising a new, intoxicating and exotic perfume or something, Jenny thought as she caught sight of them over Summer's tiny head. Pulling away, she stared at them mutely, and the conversation in the group stopped as if a switch had been flicked off. Everyone stared at Julian and Juliana; Summer with her head on Zach's shoulder showed open fear; Audrey and Michael subdued nervousness; Tom and Dee looked reckless and ready to fight and Jenny exuded quiet determination.
Juliana grinned at them all through dark lashes, oozing seduction and temptation. Jenny watched her angrily, trying to overcome the impulse to rip out Juliana's hair and feel her fist connect with that god awful cruel grin. Julian lounged near the vacated bench, his hair moving slightly in the small breeze, wafting over his electric eyes and trademark predatorial smirk. He looked just the same as when he has been a Shadow Man, and when he had put them all through the Games, Jenny thought to herself, a little scared. The rest of the group was thinking the same by the looks on their faces. "What do you want, Juliana?" asked Dee boldly, her face wearing an expression that showed she wanted to attack her almost as much as Jenny did. Jenny grinned wryly to herself.
"Want?" asked Juliana, her voice like a sibilant whisper on silk. "I want power, but that isn't the point here. I want.entertainment.right NOW." She smiled evilly at Summer, and she moved a step back and clung harder to Zach's arm, her eyes wide with fear. Zach stepped in front of her, his body shielding her.
"Ah isn't that sweet," said Juliana in a sarcastic, mocking voice. "Quite the knight in shining armour aren't we, Zach?" Zach remained silent, the only sign of anger being the flashes in his narrowed grey eyes.
"I have a Game for you all," she said clearly, her voice drifting off into the thinning mist. "Thanks to Julian," she said slyly, looking at Julian then back at the gang for a reaction. Jenny didn't believe her. Sure, she had seen them kissing, but it wasn't enough to make Julian go over to the Bitch Queen, she knew it. She looked over at Julian and was shocked to see him staring deeply back at her, the hunger back in his eyes.
* * * * *
Julian stared at Jenny, willing her to try and understand in her mind what they were going to have to do. It was a basically a game of Lambs and Monsters, but there were real monsters chasing them. He had simplified the Games he had done, and repeated them to Juliana, hoping she would think that they were exciting enough to do, but she had wanted there to be no way for the poor little lambs to win. He had inserted a loophole, and he tried to make Jenny understand; there would be a way out for them, because Jenny's friend's fates and eventually Jenny's rested on it. When the lambs were captured, they were taken to the Tower Room and locked in. When they were all there, he knew Juliana would be getting more powerful due to the knowledge he was being forced to give her, and she would kill Jenny's friends unless she wanted to keep any of them around to torture, she would definitely torture Jenny until she had every drop of knowledge and power from him and then she would make him watch as she died.
After that, well.
Juliana would either keep him for her own pleasure or entertainment, and then he would probably be given to the other Shadow People for his death or inevitable torture. Julian sighed. He had to tell Jenny somehow that there was a way for them to get away. All they had to do was to find the rune of movement/traveling. (RAIDHO, shaped like a pointy R.) The runes were scattered around the park, and there were only six of Raidho. There were also other runes scattered around, runes like Gebo (for sacrifice), Thurisaz (the thorn) Kenaz (primal fire) etc. The other runes could kill, maim or trap the person touching it, so they had to be very careful. If any of them touched Dagaz (the catalyst) it was irony on his part that they would be transported back to the Tower Room, as it sped up the process of them being caught. Juliana had been so delighted with this wittiness that she had failed to notice the rune Isa (primal ice) which meant that whenever they touched it, he would sense it and would go to help them. That was the theory though.
Julian sighed, and looked across at Jenny, idly fingering the gold band around his finger. This would be a shock to Juliana, but he was getting his powers back the longer he stayed in the Shadow World, and he tried to think of something that he could give Jenny that could help her. That was it!!! The ring! He could write something inside the ring and give it to Jenny on the pretence that it was something to do with the game. He smiled to himself and subtly removed the ring.
* * * * *
Jenny looked into Julian's eyes, and knew he was trying to tell her something important. He was toying with something in his fingers whilst Juliana taunted and mocked their group in between telling them the rules of the new game. She tried to make out what he was holding and realised it with a start that it was her ring; the one he had given to her before. He winked at her, and beckoned her over. Juliana stopped talking and stared. He assumed a coldly arrogant expression and grabbed hold of Jenny's arm, not roughly though. He slid the cool band of metal onto her finger and let go her arm. Juliana and Jenny both stared at him.
"You are now wearing a tracking device," he said quietly, so that only she and Juliana could hear. Juliana clapped her hands and went and put her arms around Julian. He looked very uncomfortable and annoyed to Jenny, but when Juliana looked up at him, his face was a perfectly blank mask. "You're so clever," said Juliana loudly, her arms circling his neck. Jenny turned away. Even though it was obvious Julian wasn't enjoying this, Jenny could still see them kissing in the ballroom and the new scenes were painful to watch. Juliana spun to face Jenny in a lightning-quick movement.
"Yes, yes," she muttered malevolently. "We wouldn't want you to get lost now, would we?"
Jenny smiled back at Juliana in a sarcastic manner, her head held high and her shoulders back.
"I don't think I'll ever get lost here," she said clearly, for everyone to hear. "I've been here way longer than you have, honey."
Juliana looked stunned at this, and then anger began creeping over her face like a storm cloud.
"Fine," she said in a tight voice. "I think that if you know your way around here so well then the Game should begin."
With the last three words, Juliana vanished, and with a fleeting expression of sorrow, so did Julian. Jenny looked around, a little ashamed at plunging the group into the Game so quickly, but open support was on all her friends' faces.
"You stand up to her, girl," said Dee beaming. " I want to kick that Shadow Dudettes...."
A loud crash interrupted Dee in mid-speech, and Michael jumped, his usually happy face worried and drawn. A low, rumbling growl cut through the air, and a ripple of unease surged through them. A low, wrongly pitched voice echoed through the last dregs of the mist. Like in a horror movie, Jenny turned around to find Leo the Paper Eating Lion sat only metres away from where they all stood.
"Heh heh heh," it growled. "Don't feed me paper, feed me flesh. I'm always hungry."
* * * * *
After this extra long chapter, there is only one more chapter to go and then part one of the Forbidden Dance will be complete!!! I am currently drafting out part two, there are going to be three parts as in the books. If you people don't think I should do another part, that this should just be a one-off story, please say, I'm writing other stories as well at the moment, a spoof Forbidden Game and another story on Fiction Press, so if no one is going to want to read the next bit then I'll conserve my time to writing the others. I'm not threatening, I just want to see if the story is good enough for a sequel. If you don't care, still please review, even if you only want to talk about...umm...I dunno, purple troblins or something lol.