Keira woke up from the drugged daze. The last thing she remembered was... a wedding? Why was she at a wedding? Wait... it was her wedding. And she had been a fool! Revealing herself like that! Now she remembered everything. The dagger that wouldn't go in, the King's malice grin as she looked to him with wild eyes, Luke's outstretched hands of peace, pleading with her to see reason. But the damn dagger didn't go in!
There had been a sharp pain in her neck, and then everything had gone dark. And now she was here. But... where was here?
Keira slowly lifted her heavy eyelids. That small movement was so incredibly difficult, she was tempted to just close them again. No. She had to figure out where she was.
But where was she? It was pitch black, and when she lifted her hand in front of her face... she couldn't lift her hand. Couldn't move anything, for that matter.
"Oh, great. Back to being strapped to the wall," she mumbled, her voice hoarse.
Muffled sounds from somewhere. Maybe nowhere. Maybe she was dead, this was death. Maybe whatever holy figures ruled the land decided that she hadn't suffered enough. Or maybe not.
A sliver of light, it grew bigger and bigger until it was one huge rectangle of glow. Keira looked down at herself, not yet ready to face whatever devils lay beyond the light. She was wearing a black jumpsuit, and she was in the same state as after she had tried to escape.
"Well well well, you cannot seem to stay away from these places, can you?"
Keira attempted to groan, but it came out a heavy breath.
"I will start by saying that you made things very difficult for us, considering that your spectacle was being broadcast across the country. But we have everything under control."
"If this is what death feels like, why does it have to be your voice in my head?" Keira could barely finish the sentence, her throat was so dry.
"This is not death. This is reality. Though death will soon be upon you." The King stepped out of the light, his crown glinting, making Keira squint. "And I promise that my voice will no longer be in your head after that, because you will no longer have the luxury of having one."
Then the light got smaller, smaller, smaller, until it disappeared.
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I was awake, but my eyes wouldn't open. I could feel the bright light shining on my face, but I didn't see it. I heard voices muttering things, so many voices, but I couldn't see their owners.
"She feels no pain," one voice said. This was true, I couldn't feel anything.
"Is his majesty sure this is a good idea?"
"This is his only choice." This was also true.
"Her memories are going away now, we should leave. It is not a pretty process to watch."
"Are you sure this will work? After all, she has been wiped before. This is the second time, it could result in damage to the brain."
"Would you like to explain your theory to the King?"
"No, sir. I apologize."
You should, I thought. You don't want to mess with me. But then I realized they weren't talking about me.
Footsteps receded, and they left me to my thoughts. But my thoughts stayed, and they didn't go away.
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Keira fell in and out of consciousness, never really knowing which was which. The light rarely came back, but when it did, it wasn't so bad. Usually the light brought water, and water brought life, but Keira didn't want to live this life.
YOU ARE READING
The Awakening
Action16 year old Clarissa is a Lady in the kingdom of Breteri. She lives in the palace amongst royalty, and soon she is given the opportunity any girl in her place would kill for. Soon, tensions rise, and Clarissa makes a grave mistake that will change h...