Chapter 17

For a full minute, Raoul forgot how to breathe. He heard nothing but the enchanter's words echoing through his soul: your life, your life, yourlifeyourlifeyourlifeyourlife. Her life. Piper's. No.

He opened his mouth to oppose but no words came out.

"My life?" Piper whispered and her face was white. Raoul desperately wanted to hold her, to hide her from the cruelties the enchanter was inflicting with each poison-tipped word. But he could not move.

"Yes, my dear. Your life."

Piper turned slowly to look at Raoul. There was a look in her grey eyes as if she was seeing him for the first time, as if she were truly understanding his pain. His heart ached unlike it had ever before; it consumed him entirely until he lay shivering and exposed before the hopeless grey eyes.

"What is your decision, Piper Harris? I grow tired of waiting."

There was an edge in the enchanter's voice; the lavendar eyes were flinty and cold against his lined face.

"No," Raoul whispered. Her eyes were so close, so pained, so beautiful in their exquisite agony. As he watched, unconsciously memorizing every inch of her face, a tear trailed down her cheek.

"I must," and her voice was small, not his Piper's.

"You cannot!" he insisted, gripping her hands tighter, as if desperation could keep her there beside him forever.

"I am tired of waiting!"

The enchanter was suddenly between them, his fingers prying Raoul's hands from Piper's with violent gestures. Pain tore through Raoul's fingers; from their limp shape, he knew they were broken.

"I'll kill you," he hissed between his teeth at the enchanter, fury rising in his eyes, unquenched. The enchanter merely smiled and waved his hand.

A small basin appeared, plain and golden. A single rose carving was the only ornamentation.

"Tovu! The knife!"

As Raoul watched in horror, a small middle-aged man entered the room, holding a cushion on which rested a thin silver dagger. He moved quickly across the room, then knelt before the enchanter, the cushion raised.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Piper saw Raoul's heart breaking. In his eyes she saw mirrored what she felt.

"Tovu?" Raoul whispered.

The man turned only a little. There was no compassion in his eyes, Piper saw, only true hatred.

"You are no longer my master," he said mechanically.

The enchanter smiled.

"Good for you, Tovu! Severing the connections. I am proud of you."

Piper wanted to run to Raoul. To kiss him. To love him. But she could not. Because she had to die. She closed her eyes against the agony that welled within her.

The enchanter murmured something and seconds later, she fell limply into his arms. He set her down gently on the floor, positioning the basin under her throat. She felt nothing anymore; her body felt strangely detached. Was this death? Piper wondered hazily. Did it come this easily?

In the distance she heard Raoul's helpless pleas. She dragged herself back to reality, to a world where reality hurt her. Hurt Raoul. She wanted to hold him next to her. At least then his face would be her last memory.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Curses, thou must hither come."

Piper's face was white.

Frozen.

Frightened.

"From thy lands of nightswept hell."

Her eyes did not move from Raoul's. She held his eyes as if they were her only lifeline.

He saw her crying.

"With thy master's hand do not shun …"

He loved her. Oh merciful heaven, he loved her more than his life!

"The blood taken from the body's willing well."

The cold silver blade flashed in the moonlight.

Knife raised.

Raoul leapt.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Oooooo … another cliffie! Although by now you'll probably have guessed what happens.

I don't really like this chapter—probably because I'm afraid it's getting to be one of those romances where everything possibly bad under the sun happens to two characters and by the end you're just sick of it! .: insert anger:. And possibly because I cranked it out really fast and didn't really develop/think of what's going to happen next. Tell me honestly what you think of it.

Well, to make you feel better, I'm almost done. Just a few more chapters, I think. Stick with me, guys! And maybe we'll get to the big 1-0-0 reviews! Woot!

To my loverly reviewers (some big juicy replies)—

Galasriniel (whoo! Tough time spelling that one! ;P): I like cliffhangers … except when they're other people's really really good stories and then I hate them. Sorry that it's beyond you—I think it's beyond me, too. But I can try to explain. If you want me to. .:smiles:.

BelleEve: At least your sister didn't have to watch you freak out. Scary thought … I think my family thinks I'm rather bizarre when I suddenly break into laughter after reading some FF. Must keep it down, I suppose …

Villainous villain! Woot! And I'm glad you like Raoul. Hopefully you'll still like him during this chapter. 

Are you happy I updated twice in two days? This is amazing for me. Be happy!

TrudiRose, Abby, Ash: Yay! Updates! Cliffies! I hope I don't make you too angry with this one too. :-O

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