Chapter Twenty One - Bloody Hands

Hey hey hey! Look who's back again for the next update! I'm super excited to see what you guys think of this update. It's a little less happy and sweet than the past two chapters have been (that might be an understatement), but that's sort of an aspect of this story. It was more like we were taking a temporary sort-of-break from the curse and torture aspect of this story. However, it's gonna be okay. You know why? Because we're getting closer to the end of this story! We're not quite there yet, however I'm totally pumped for the end. And yes, there will be a sequel, so if you know me then you will understand what that might entail. However, let's stop focusing on the end (and not encourage Dagger to just pound out these updates till the story is finished and then update her other stories) of the story. xD We're not even there yet!

Evx : Teehee, I know I don't! Why would I ever do that? :D I just kill hearts. And I'm glad it was a really cute chapter! I was aiming for that. I'm glad you appreciated kitty Mina and Teague's teasing, and that you love this story! I love it too. cx

Mikkey234 : Ah, I'm glad it is! And I'm glad you like the pet name. cx I was so happy to implement another name for him to call Mina. And I hopefully will! Thank you!

Life as a Siren : I'm glad it was cute! I'm also glad you loved the nicknames and morphing. That seems to be what everyone's verdict was on the chapter, and as that was what I was aiming for with last chapter, I'm pleased!

Now, let's get on to the next chapter! I've been trying to make chapters longer recently, which I hope you guys are liking! And don't worry about the ominous title. c; It's not like it's important or anything.

We walk in uncomfortable silence for a few moments before Teague says, "Can I call you Kitty Princess now?"

The mere thought horrifies me. "What? No!"

"What about Princess Kitty?" His eyes are completely innocent, not giving away his mischievous intent that I can sense.

"Changing the order of the words doesn't count." I respond, rolling my eyes, although my voice still expresses how horrified I am by the idea of that nickname.

"How about Scaredy Cat then?" The moment he suggest it, I gasp.

I'm even more horrified by that one. It's the worst one he's suggested yet! "No!"

He chuckles. Gosh, he's amused by this. He's teasing me, and my cheeks go red from embarrassment. This isn't funny to me. I was actually scared! Although I sourly consider the fact that it could be considered funny from his perspective, I don't agree that he has any right to tease me like this.

"How about Kitty? No strings attached?" Now his grin has become more of a teasing smirk.

I decide to change the subject, since saying no doesn't seem to work at all. "Shouldn't we be, I dunno, running, Teague?"

He rolls his eyes when I look up at him to see his response. "Cool your jests. I know what I'm doing, Kitty." He winks down at me when he calls me 'Kitty,' and I groan. Crap. He's given me another nickname. I should've just said no again.

Better than Scaredy Cat, I guess.

Mina's Perspective

(I really do promise that we'll get a chapter that isn't from her perspective xD I have it planned)

After getting past the spikes that had apparently been installed for security purposes around the centaur tree civilization - never thought I'd find myself saying that - things were going well for Teague and me. He's still a jerk, but he's a bit better than how my original picture of him had him painted. He even finally healed my legs, so I can walk again. We actually got rather far away from the centaurs, and while I say nothing to let him know, the necklaces have begun to tighten and heat up again during this little escape. Savannah's works faster than Templestiltskin's; it's much tighter and hurts to touch for too long, yet I think Temple is further away. Maybe Savannah just has better Fae magic, which is awful to consider. Of course, besides that, everything is fine.

Until it isn't.

Teague visibly stiffens beside me, and I stop maybe a step in front of him, turning around to find out what is wrong. "Uh, Teague, are you okay?"

"Dang it." He hisses under his breath, glancing around. "Dang it!"

I reach a hand out to try and get his attention. "Teague? What's up? Why are you freaking out?"

"Ugh, I've been here far too long." He's really upset. I don't know what's up with him.

"W-What do you mean?" I still don't get any response. "Teague, what are you talking about? Why won't you answer me?"

It's like he's forgotten all about me being here. "Crap! Have I messed everything up?"

"Teague!" I practically shout his name. "Tell me what the heck is up!"

That seems to finally snap him out of it. He turns to look at me, and in that moment I am absolutely, positively terrified. He looks like a murder. he looks merciless. He looks exactly like the Dark Prince I was told about that I should've feared all along. I cower, stepping back. What do I do? Do I run away? Do I try and hide? Is he just trying to scare me? All these things bounce around in my head, and while I try and justify his reason for doing this somehow without having him actually be mad at me be the answer, I can't. His blue eyes are ice cold and filled with fury. Oh gosh, is he going to kill me?

"You." He hisses the words. "This is your doing."

I'm panicking as my mind scrambles to comprehend this. That's when it hits me. My dream. My dream that I've been relying on - or that I should have been relying on more since everything it's said has come true one way or another for the most part - to tell me what's going to happen next in here. There was a part with Teague-Jared, wasn't there? I force myself to drag it back. What happened in it again?

I force myself to stand up, but I'm quickly shoved back by someone. A boy, by the looks of it.

"Jared?" I don't scream this time. Instead, I ask it, almost nervous after everything I've been through. Did he come when I called for once?

The boy has black hair that I can barely make out in the light. He's dressed in a mixture of gray and black; he has a black t-shirt, gray pants, and black shoes. But I can't see his eyes, which confuses me. It's got to be Jared, hasn't it?

"I'm here." His voices echoes in the dark room I'm in.

"Oh, Jared, thank goodness!" I whisper in relief, but then I peer at him closer as light appears in his hands.

His eyes are certainly gray. But his hands are covered in flames, which are the source of the light, and I suddenly feel that Jared is not a safe person to rely on anymore. He steps closer, and when he does, I see his eyes shift in color. They become icy blue, causing me to try and scramble backwards. However, I'm frozen in my spot.

"Please go away." I whisper.

He just smirks in response. "I'm not going anywhere, Princess."

And then he lights me on fire. I let out a horrendous scream which is wordless at first and filled with pain. But, it slowly morphs into me screaming at him. "Prince Teague! Prince Teague, please! Stop!" I find that I can move, but I only manage to writhe in pain. "Prince Teague!"

Oh gosh, am I already at this part of my dream? I never screamed Jared's name in order to try and get help, but maybe that was what I was doing unconsciously? He did show up and appear to be saving me, after all. And he did drop me in a hole. That could be symbolic of him shoving me. I stumble backwards, afraid. Is he going to try and burn me alive? Can I somehow avoid it, like I avoided Templestiltskin turning me to gold?

"No response?" He steps forward, and I take another step back.

When I don't respond again, he says, "Let me ask you another question. Are you afraid of me, Princess?"

I still don't respond. That's safer. Much safer than responding and stirring the obviously dangerous pot even more. I don't understand what's going on with him. We were fine like what, five minutes ago? Now it seems like my dream is coming true. Are his hands going to light on fire? Is he going to try and burn me alive? I have a feeling that if that's the case, this time he won't wake me up and reveal that everything that's occurred so far has been an awful nightmare.

He scoffs. "Your silence is all the answer I need." Isn't that what people always say? "Is that why you used your Lure on me?"

This honestly catches me off guard. "W-What?" What on earth is he talking about?

"Did you really think I was that stupid that I wouldn't realize you were using it on me?" He accuses, pointing a finger at me. I flinch in response. "I should've known! It's the only explanation for why I've been here so long with you. I should've left you here to fend yourself a while ago!"

I want to start crying. "Why are you saying this? I'm not doing anything to you?"

"You're a siren! Of course you're using your stupid Lure on me. I can't believe I didn't realize it sooner. After all, you did a Siren Call back at the centaur civilization, and then you managed to morph. You're able to use your magic, and that means you've been bewitching me this whole time!" He jabs his pointed finger at me, and I nearly lose it and break down like I so desperately want to.

The word 'Siren Call' bounces around in my head. I know about Grimm magic. I also know that as a siren, I have some Fae magic, and that technically I should have at least some skill that only sirens are supposed to have. I thought that would be my gills and tail that I attempted to use to escape Charybdis. But as 'Call' and then 'Lure' bounce around in my head, something triggers in my head, and I realize I knew about both of things. I was just made to be forget by someone, and I have a feeling I know who.

"Why would I want to use my lure that you made me forget on a jerk like you?" I hurl the words at him as my sadness fades and is replaced by anger. "What purpose would that serve? Why would I want you to stick around?"

"You probably thought that if I was sticking around, you would be safe from the horrors of this book prison." He's wrong. I know he is, but he doesn't. It's such a lame reason for me to use my Lure though. I mean seriously, why would I do that? Has it saved me from any horrors so far? Not that I know of.

"You certainly didn't save me from Scylla, now did you?" I grab the first stinging thing I can think of - I'm not even sure it will sting - and hurl it at him.

He snarls in response. "That was your own idiotic fault!"

"You know what?" I'm practically screaming, and my hands have balled up into fists. "I don't need you! I don't know why I ever thought we were actually getting along. The mere idea of us being friends is absolutely pathetic! You're an idiotic, pigheaded, jerk for a prince who is fake and too stupid to see what's going on around him. I hope I never see your face again. In fact, I hope I stay in this book and never find the way out so I don't have to deal with seeing you once I'm out. Or, better yet, I hope I die in here so that I'll never have to see you again!" I don't really hope I die. I can't die, because then my dad's death will be on me. But I'm just so infuriated by this dumb prince! "I'm sick of you, this book, and this stupid curse. I wish I wasn't a Grimm. I wish I'd never come into existence! Then my dad would be alive, my mom would have her 'perfect little family,' and my brother would actually be the perfect son because he wouldn't be mute." I keep raving, and I think I might've actually stopped his anger, because he stares at me as I say the words. "So leave already, like you want to. I'm done."

On that note, I stalk away. I don't even run, like I want to. Hot, angry tears run down my cheeks. How dare he accuse me like that? How dare he act like that? He chose to stay around. He actually acted like he liked me! Then he had to go and be a huge jerk, and act as if he never would've done any of that if I hadn't made him.

He really is a Dark Prince.

I don't know how far I walk for, but I do know that the prince hasn't followed me. I'm alone in these woods. That hits me like a sack of bricks. While I was with Teague, I wasn't afraid. I wasn't really afraid when I was with Nix either. When I was with someone I trusted - or at least thought I could trust - I felt safe. Now? I don't feel safe at all. No, it's worse than that. I just can't put a finger on what exactly is wrong and making this worse than just me not feeling safe, but I know something is making me feel this way. But what?

"Hey you!" I look up, confused. Who said that? "Ya, you over there! You look lost. Do you need help?"

I blink, turning around. I don't see anyone though. "Um, ya, I guess you could say I'm lost."

The voice - definitely feminine, although it's more of an alto than a soprano if I'm guessing and remembering the terms correctly - giggles a little. "Trust me, you are. Anyone a hundred miles away could see that." Geez, does she have to be so blunt about it? She seems to find it entertaining. "If you come this way, I can offer you some help though. Just follow my voice!"

"Uh, okay."The rational part of my voice screams a little at me as I walk in the direction of the voice. I have a bad feeling about this. But what other choice do I have? It's not like there's much else I can do. My dream didn't say anything else after the Teague encounter.

"So where exactly are you trying to go? I've been here for a long time, so I know my way around. I'm sure I can direct you wherever you need to go." She sounds very cheerful.

A little too cheerful, in my opinion. "Um, I'm trying to find the way out. Could you maybe let me see you?"

"A way out? That's kind of silly. There is no way out." She gives no response to my request though.

When she says 'there is no way out,' I break a little inside. Have I been given an impossible quest? Has Teague sent every single firstborn, Grimm girl in here before me on this same quest that can't ever wield any results? Is that why no one has survived this curse yet?

I reach a small drop downwards, and I stand there for a moment rather nervously. What do I do now? I don't think I can jump across, and if I dropped down, I won't be able to pull myself back up. Is there a bridge somewhere?

"Just drop on down and keep following my voice." The girl says again.

I bite my lip, and then say, "Uh, okay. If you say so."

I drop down, landing somewhat awkwardly. I let out a small grunt of pain, reaching down to rub my right ankle. Geez, I only had my legs healed a little while ago. Are they really going to be damaged again so soon? This is so stupid. If this curse is impossible to beat, maybe I should just give up now. It's not like I'm even managing to survive that well as it is. The way it's been going, I seem to be getting injured left and right. If that's the way it's going to be the entire rest of the time I'm here, maybe it's better to get it over with now.

I shake those thoughts away, and as I approach a left turn in this trench-like thing, I see something written on the stone wall to my right. Something that seems to have been written in something red. I choose to believe that it's paint. The words on the wall are slightly faded, but I can still read them. 'The only thing this place contains is death!' It's a real great message to see while you're traveling along.

I decide to ignore it, and keep going. "Um, where are you?"

"You're getting closer!" Her voice is louder now.

Then I make another turn and end up in a circular clearing, and that's when I meet the girl who's been shouting me directions. Over to the left is another turn to go who knows where, but at this moment I don't care about that, although I suppose I should in case I need to plot an escape. No, I'm more focused on this girl. She's a smaller girl, that's for sure. Her hair is a golden blonde, and her hazel eyes are filled with a sort of messed up looking happiness. The smile on her face compliments the way her eyes appear. She looks deranged. Not to mention her dress, which is red, has darker crimson spots on it. That doesn't bode well at all. She waves, and at least the hand she waves is red. I force myself not to flinch at it. I'm probably overreacting. It's probably nothing. I shouldn't judge this girl. I shouldn't just assume the darker spots and the stuff on her hands is blood. It's all fine. I'm fine.

It probably doesn't help that there's a dead body dangling right beside her from a noose.

The girl hanging there must've only died recently, because I can still see how beautiful she was. She probably was even prettier when she was alive. I think she's an elf, based off her pointed ears, and she has slightly curly red hair. Not only was she hanged - from what the rope hangs from, I don't know, but I'm guessing an overhanging root or something - but it appears as if she was stabbed as well. There's still a dagger sticking out of her. The stabbing might explain those dark spots, and the red stuff on her hand. I don't think I like that explanation very much though.

The girl chuckles, following my gaze to the body beside her. "Ah, yes, her. Ferah. She and I were buddies for a long time. We were brought in here pretty close together too, although I don't think the prince knows that. I wanted to find her for a long time. I finally did just a little bit ago. As everyone always says, good things come to those who wait. That means you have to have patience, and as you might've guessed, I'm a very patient person."

I'm startled by how insanely happy this girl is after murdering someone. It sickens me. "Um..."

"Oh yes, I should probably introduce myself." She extends a hand, and I nervously step closer. In this situation, it's probably better to comply. I don't want to make this crazy, psycho, murderous girl unhappy. "I'm Princess Annalora Goldmine of the gnomes." She's a gnome? She looks nothing like I thought a gnome would look like. How is she a gnome? "Well, aren't you going to shake my hand?"

There's a bit of a threatening edge to her voice. I quickly do. "Oh, uh, ya. I'm sorry."

As I pull my hand away, some of it is hot and sticky. Ew. Ew ew ew. That is blood. That is most definitely blood. How disgusting is that? How did she get it all over her? Is this the first person she killed? I have a feeling this 'Ferah' is not.

"I was friends with one of your great great ancestors, Mina." The moment she says my name, I freeze.

"How do you know who I am?" I ask suspiciously, taking a small step back. This girl is seeming crazier and crazier the more and more I talk to her. Why am I still talking to her?

"Everyone knows who the current Grimm girl is." Annalora giggles again. I don't like it. "And I guess we weren't exactly friends, Willa and I." Willa? Jared...Er, Teague told me about her. She was the one who got the curse started, working with the Godmothers and getting exposed after she'd given up the idea of assassinating Teague. She saved his life and got herself killed in the process. "We were more like rivals. I tried to kill her. She got away. Of course, it doesn't matter. She died in the end." How sick is this girl? Not only that, how old is she? "However, I think maybe I can get closer to fixing the fact that I didn't get to murder her now."

I cringe, taking a few more steps back. "I really ought to go..."

"Go where?" Once again, she's giggling, and it's really starting to get on my nerves. "Don't tell me you're leaving so soon?"

"Bye!" I spin around, starting to rush for the way I came.

That's when a shrill whistle hits my ears. I wince, stopping cold in my tracks. I don't know why though. I didn't tell myself to stop. What the heck is going on? I don't even know anymore. Slowly, I turn around, still not in control.

Annalora doesn't look quite so cheerful anymore. If anything, she looks kind of smug as she strolls up to me. "Works like a charm every time." In her hands, I see a whistle that looks like it's made of bone. Oh gosh, how did she make that? Mockingly, she says, "Hold still, alright, sweetie? Not that you have much of a choice."

Chuckling to herself, she circles me and looks me over. "Hm, yes, I see the similarities. You'd have thought one of the other girls would've looked as close to her in resemblance as you do. Then again, maybe some did. They probably died before they got to me though, or perhaps I've forgotten some of the ones I murdered myself."

I wish I could tell her that's sick as she chuckles to herself. She continues to circle me, pausing every now and then to examine me. She stops to examine my face first, using her hand to tilt my chin up and pull at my cheeks. She then loops around to fiddle with my hair, feeling it and seeing just how long it is. At one point she checks out the necklaces around my necks, seeming intrigued by them, although she quickly moves on. She also squeeze my arms to see how much muscle there is - I think - and just scans me over a few times as well. What exactly she's checking in particular, I don't know. All I know is that I'm creeped out, and I want to get away from this girl. Yet, no matter how hard I try, I can't. I can't move my lips, I can't move my arms, I can't even blink. The only thing I can do is breathe. Once she's finished circling me like some predator checking out a juicy piece of meat, she puts two fingers against my wrist in order to check my pulse.

She nods, seeming pleased. "It's racing, I can see." Then, she puts the whistle up to her lips and blows again. I can feel my jaw slacken, and find that I can move that now. I can't move anything else though. "I can see that you've met Templestiltskin. Who's the other necklace from?" When I don't respond, she lifts the whistle up in a slightly threatening manner. "I have a lot of power over you right now, Gimp. I suggest you do this of your own free will."

Gimp. Where have I heard someone call me that before? Oh, that's right. Ever did, and she was trying to kill me. Does Annalora work for the Godmothers too? Or is it just a coincidence? I know she would've at least known Ever if she knew Willa.

"Savannah White." I finally answer.

Annalora nods her head. "Ah, someone specifically added to this cursed book because they'll torture you specifically. I should've known."

She begins to circle me again, and seeing as I'm just tired of it at this point, I decide to ask, "Why don't you do it already?"

She pauses. "Do what?"

"Kill me. You're obviously going to." I mean, honestly, the only way she could've been clearer with her intentions is if she said bluntly 'I am going to kill you.' "So why don't you just go on ahead with it?"

The gnome girl giggles, and I cringe inwardly. I probably would've outwardly too, had I been able to. "Oh no. Perhaps the others have planned to just do it pretty quickly, but I like to do things a little differently. You see, I don't just want to simply kill you. No, that's not fun enough and it's too easy. I want to break you till you are mentally broken and begging me to kill you. Then, and only then, will I arrange for your death. You see, I have many ways that I like to psychologically and emotionally break you Grimms. Let's figure out which one to do first, shall we?

As she looks at me and grins with that deranged smile at her, I sudden realize that I've quite possibly made the worst decision I've made this entire time I've been in here. I never should've followed her. I should've known. I missed something so important. That interaction with Teague wasn't the one at the end of my dream, and the reason I know that is because there was another part to it with this messed up girl.

"Hello up there!" I look down to find a small looking girl standing there. I can't make out the details though, and so I squat down to try and look better. Another, taller girl stands beside her, but she doesn't speak. Instead, the first girl calls up again, "Do you need help?"

"I-I'm not sure!" I call back.

After everything that's happened so far, I'm hesitant to approach anyone.

"Jump down!" The same girl calls. "I've done it myself! I promise, you'll be fine!"

So, far some reason unknown to me, I decide to believe her. I come flying downwards at a breathtaking speed, but when I land my legs crumble beneath me. The pain that crackles through them makes me aware that it's possible that I broke them. Not good.

Forcing myself to stand up, I turn around and scream. Again. The second girl is dangling from a noose in front of me, very much dead. Her pointed ears suggest that she's an elf, but I can't make out anymore details. Except for the dagger in her hands, which promptly disappears.

"Was that fun?" I turn around to find the first girl in front of me, and she's speaking. Up close, she doesn't look quite as pleasant. She's small, and I think she might be a dwarf. Or a gnome. "This will be just as fun."

She raise the dagger I saw just moments ago, and I scream. "Jared!"

Oh gosh, I've made a horrible error. I just want out. I just want to make it out of here alive. I just want to be free of this stupid curse. I just want Teague. I thought, after our argument, I would never think that again. As it turns out, I was wrong, but it seems I've been wrong about a lot of things recently.

"Are you ready to have fun?" From the look on her face and the feeling I have in my stomach, I think not.

I told you guys that our happy moments with Teague and Mina were over. o.o As I was writing this chapter, I decided I wanted to step up this stuff with Annalora, so this story is going to be slightly longer - not too much longer, maybe a chapter or two - more, as I would like to expand more upon one of the villains Mina faces instead of having them get handled super easily. So, we will be getting to see more of whats going on with Annalora here and her very messed up personality. That was an interesting chapter to write. It took me longer than I expected, that's for sure, but to be fair I kept getting distracted. What did you guys think overall? Was it good? Bad? What did you guys think of the argument with Mina and Teague? What's up with that? Do you think Mina was actually using her lure, or is Teague falsely accusing her? What do you think of Mina's forgetting about that part of her dream? Did you remember the part with Annalora and Ferah, and see it coming as Mina followed the voice? Or did you forget as well? And what about actually meeting Annalora? Did Ferah being dead freak you guys out? What do you guys think Annalora intends to do in order to "break" Mina? Do you think she'll be saved? Do you think she'll escape? And what did you guys think of me implementing the bone whistle, but differently than in the books? Please let me know the answer to any of these questions (if you want to) in a review, or at least let me know your reactions!

That was actually a rather exhausting chapter, but I enjoyed writing it. It was a bit more dark, and maybe that was unexpected after the kind of happy and cutesy chapters we'd had, but I figured we might as well jump back in. Warning that in one of the upcoming chapters, they will be around this level of dark or a bit less so. I'm just warning you guys, as this is supposed to be a bit of a darker story. Hopefully this is okay with you guys. Seeing as the dreams are coming in to play still, I would suggest maybe going back and looking at the dreams (more like parts of dreams) Mina has had that haven't shown up yet, as they will give hints to what's coming. I promise the end of the story won't be as dark as this.

As I said, please let me know what you thought in a review! If it was too dark, please let me know and I will attempt to tone it down (as I'm not aiming for it to be too dark). I'll see you at my next update!

~ Dagger