"Guh…"
"Ollie?" He groaned and Chloe breathed a sigh of relief. She continued to move gentle fingers on his temples. "Hey…"
His head rested on her lap so when he turned his nose burrowed into her stomach. His groan when he did tickled her through the light fabric of her cardigan. She failed to stop her giggle, or the sigh of pleasure that followed when Oliver tightened his grip on her hip in his -sleep.
Blushing, Chloe chanced a glimpse up, certain Zatanna was smirking at them. As a matter of fact, the giddy expression on the pretty magician said "Awwww" so loud Chloe's blush deepened. She shook Oliver's shoulder a little. "Come on, Hero, time to wake up."
Oliver jerked up suddenly and nearly collided with Chloe's bowed head. "What happened?" He looked just a little lost and vaguely confused, with his hair ruffled from her hands. Boyish, if such a term would ever apply to Oliver Queen.
His hand automatically curled around her neck. "You're okay? Why are we— the spell."
"I'm fine." She smiled as his deep gaze bore into hers, more alert by the minute. Really, she had to do something about the constant heat on her face. Chloe cleared her throat. "Zatanna's sleep spell put you under…"
Oliver chewed on the information. "But not you."
"No. All I felt was some kind of pinch in my lower back where the mark is."
Chloe's eyes brightened with excitement. She was immune to magic. And so was Oliver, as long as they touched. With what they faced on a nearly daily basis, this was fantastic news! Her enthusiasm doused quickly when she noticed the close-off expression on his face.
"You don't look so happy about it."
Oliver moved to stand with a word, helping her up out of habit. She wasn't too sure what to make of the calculating look he shot Zatanna.
"Ollie?"
He ignored her a second time to all but bark at the enchantress. "Again. The most powerful sortilege that you got."
Chloe tensed. Before she could open her mouth to tell them to wait, Zatanna
opened both arms and recited, "Noistubmoc eénatnops."
A lick of heat crept up her leg. Chloe jolted in surprise. Oliver stumbled, letting go of her hand and immediately cursed. She watched with wide eyes as he rolled off the mattress while it bubbled and curded inches from his feet. She jumped out of reach, her eyes tearing up against the nauseating stung from the vapors of burning leather.
Zee dropped her arms.
"You're both okay?"
Oliver grumbled. Chloe nodded, one eye on him while he shook his leg as if to ease the itch of a burn. "Yeah."
The pretty magician huffed in relief then contemplated the disaster on the floor. "Hum… Fire tends to be messy." She pointed a finger. "Rerapér."
The mat's surface undulated and smoothed until all was left was the tang of ashes in the air. Chloe tried not to gag when the smell scratched her throat raw.
"Thanks for that," Oliver quipped darkly.
Zatanna lifted a shoulder in return to the sarcasm. "You asked."
Her violet eyes looked horribly sad all a sudden and Chloe tensed again. "Whatever you're planning, you have to be careful, Oliver, Chloe. Being connected protects you, but not your surroundings, as you just saw. If I were to blast you directly like I did, you would be fine. But if I aimed at the ceiling…" She trailed off for effect. Chloe's stomach sunk, vivid images of crushed limbs flashing through her brain. She licked her lips
"I understand, Zatanna. We… Why are you looking at us like that?"
The brunette had cocked her head to the side, and was staring at both of them, enthralled. "Your auras are really bright. The energy you give off is incredible…" She sent a wink at Chloe. "You have your own brand of magic now."
Then she blew a kiss in their general direction, and disappeared in a purplish poof. Chloe released a breath, turning toward Oliver. Who was looking at the newly repaired mat. Then the clock on the wall. The rack housing his training equipment. The target set next to it. Anywhere but at her.
She did her best to keep her tone even, but his name echoed in the silent room like an accusation. "Oliver."
He glanced toward her, briefly. "Are you hurt?"
"No. Are you?"
She watched as he ran his palm on his leg, still avoiding her eyes. "I'm fine."
"You're fine," she parroted. He was lying to her. Or hiding something. Chloe swallowed past the sinking feeling of deja-vu while he moved to the small fridge to pick up some water. "What did you do?"
He was acting like Jimmy had right before he confessed everything… Guilty. Apologetic without really feeling it. Close enough to touch, and detached at the same time. Chloe closed her eyes, opening them immediately after and forcing herself to confront Oliver's dark eyes. "What did you do, Oliver?"
This time when she asked again he met her stare dead on. "I had Zatanna alter our connection."
And it'd worked. Magic affected him unless they touched skin to skin. He wasn't hers anymore.
Her throat seized up, so her voice was merely more than a broken whisper. "Why?"
It didn't hurt. If anything, she felt numb, and cold. So cold.
"I couldn't let it go on like this. I'm sorry."
Jimmy had said he was sorry, too. Her heart stopped. Eyes wide, Chloe fought to breathe. "I have to go."
"Go where?"
She stared at Oliver's hand on her arm. Pulled away from his touch. He didn't want her. Where she went was none of his business.
"Chloe?"
The demand behind the question shook her from the cotton stifling her. He had no business ordering her about, either.
"I don't believe I owe you an explanation about my whereabouts, Oliver."
Not anymore. Not after this.
"What? What the hell does that mean, you don't owe me an explanation?"
She was angry now. Angry at the shock and outrage in his eyes. Angry at herself for falling into his trap, for believing that for once, someone would choose her without looking back.
"I don't know what brought this up—"
She snorted. Of course he didn't know. Oliver. Jimmy. Clark. They never knew what they did wrong until it slapped them hard in the face, Lois Lane's style. It was Lois' fault too, for pushing her into Oliver's arms in the first place. She should have trusted her instinct. Take a page out of Tess' book and keep him at a safe distance until he'd proven himself worth of her affections over and over.
Chloe moved like an automaton across the living room, unwilling to turn and give Oliver any more leverage than he already had on her. He was too good at reading her. She couldn't save her heart, at least she'd save her dignity.
"Chloe, wait. You can't…"
"Don't touch me."
His hand fell from her shoulder. She was in the elevator before he could try anything else.
She wandered aimlessly downtown. Dusk quickly darkened the sky. Chloe walked farther away from the Clock Tower, turning west onto Bloomsbury Street. Joggers became a sporadic occurrence as the night fell completely. Chloe kept walking in the general direction of the boating reservoir of the park, her cardigan pulled tight around her. Her workout clothing did little to ward off the night chill.
She would have to return to the penthouse at some point, she knew. At least to get her phone and her purse. She didn't want to. Where could she go? Everything in Metropolis was tied to Oliver, even Isis. She needed her car to go to Smallville, and the Talon apartment had Lois and her "go Chlollie" banderoles anyway. She could call Clark, she didn't need a phone for that, but she refused to deal with his commiserating stares and big-brother attitude. Not until she could explain what had happened without her insides tearing apart.
The reservoir was black and empty. She remembered how the Aegean sea reflected the stars only a week ago and fresh tears filled her eyes. One week. She'd fallen prey of the infamous Queen's charm in less than seven days. A smile or two, a bit of angst colored with the empty promise of a fairytale ending and she fall into his opened arms without a second thought.
"What an idiot…"
"Queen certainly is, for letting you slip out of his greedy hands."
Chloe spun on her heels. The shadow moved and the dread silhouette of Savage became clearer. "Mr. Savage."
"Why so much pain in those beautiful eyes, Annurefret?"
"That's not my name I'm… April… Clark."
Chloe hoped he banked her hesitation on weakness, or repressed memories fighting to come up. The man waved his hand, and the lamp post burned brighter.
"Has Khufu poison you against me yet? Or will you hear me out?"
Chloe trembled but stood her ground even as the man stepped forward. His eyes were black and heated. Devouring. "I don't know any Khufu. My name is April Clark! I'm an administrative assistant at the Isis Foundation."
"Your name is Annurefret, the beautiful light of the third house of Egypt. You were promised to me before you were even born."
She didn't dare looked away from the sorcerer to check if Clark had heard her. She hoped he had. She prayed he would just take her away rather than confront Savage and fall prey to his magic. Another idiotic move. If Savage subjugated Clark…
"You're lying…"
Darkness swirled around her, pushing, enticing, all at once seductive and repulsive. The mark etched on her skin burned, both hot and cold. The heat cajoled, teasing and tried to penetrate through the cold. The cold was heartening. The promise she was safe. That she was loved. She held onto the shivers to remain aware of her surroundings. Images overlapped before her eyes, torches in place of bulbs, luscious exotic plants instead of the burgeoning bushes of Metropolis central park.
"No… I am…" Chloe swayed on her feet.
"Get away from her!"
A blur almost sent her flying. Chloe blinked, searching for Clark, and only saw Oliver standing on the opposite side of the lawn. Savage's neck twist to sneer at him. "Return where you came from pretty boy… You had your chance. Now she's mine."
One hand gloved hand lifted, its fingers like crooked like claws. "Da the Albse—"
"No! Stop!"
The power crashed around her in waves. Energy pulsed, bounced on her and ebbed away thanks to her magic protection.
Oliver was too far from her to extend her… shield over him. Worse, he looked ready to strike. With his bare fists, because he didn't even have his Green Arrow gear. Fool! Ever the hero even after breaking her heart. No wonder she loved him so much… Chloe grabbed that lovesick feeling with both hands and pushed it down. Their… feelings toward each other didn't matter. He was still a friend, a good person, and she had to try and save him.
She planted both feet firmly on the ground to face Savage. "Stop."
The air crackled around them. "There's nothing he can do to harm you. Let him live."
"He can't, but I can."
