All the Queen's Angels

Chapter 11: Oblivion

Within the shadowed confines of my mind, the dark presses in on me like tar, sucking me in, suffocating me. Unearthly howls roar in my ears, echoing into infinity. I open my mouth to scream for help but the darkness spills down my throat, choking me. As I feel my body begin to unravel I peer into that hollow oblivion one last time—

A pair of piercing amber eyes stares back.

Thoughtlessly I reach out to them and lips curl into a slow, wicked grin.

Please, I want to say. Help me.

But I can't. I am drowning.

Shadows curl around me, cold as night yet terrifyingly gentle. As they cradle me a thumb caresses my lower lip and the darkness presses closer. I hang onto my last threads of consciousness.

"Not yet," a voice whispers softly. There is sadness there, I think.

I dissolve into oblivion.

...

I jerk awake with a gasp, squinting into the bright candlelit ballroom. My head throbs as I struggle to sit up but I'm overcome by another bout of dizziness, falling back into someone's strong embrace.

"W-what—?".

"Shhh I got you, Vlahos," Leander mutters, cradling me in his arms. I hate how calm his warmth makes me, how helpless I am against his chest. He sets me down on a chaise lounge nestled in a sitting area by the windows, followed by a very frantic Daphne and several other guests who hover nearby.

"Nothing to see here, people. Give her some damn space," Leander snaps at the crowd. One by one they reluctantly disperse to mingle quietly on the dance floor, but instead of leaving with them Leander crouches down in front of me and stares deep into my eyes for a long while. I watch his jaw work as he no doubt ponders how he'll chew me out for embarrassing him.

He silently reaches out to brush my hair away from my brow, his eyes then roving the rest of my face. His hand moves to my jaw, and when he presses his thumb down on the tender skin I wince and close my eyes. There must be a bruise. He drops his hand and I open my eyes to find him scanning the rest of my body for any other signs of injury. Satisfied with what he finds, he looks back up at me and cups my jaw, squeezing my cheeks a little too hard.

"Repeat after me: I am an idiot," he says. I try to frown but I only manage to furrow my brow because he's trapped my lips in a permanent pucker.

"I was dammit," I pout, pushing his hand away to glare at his smug face.

A serious, ethereal girl in a dazzling green gown suddenly approaches us. Some servants trail behind her toting medical equipment. She's tall and wears her dark silky hair in a long, intricate braid. Her tawny, golden skin practically glows in the candlelight.

"Move aside, Vincenzio," she tells Leander. He doesn't budge, still smirking at me.

"She's fine," he says. What's his problem? I'm not about to fall off the couch. I watch as General Amaryllis walks over.

"I'll be the judge of that." The radiant woman crosses her arms, not budging.

"You're not on the battlefield anymore, Penthia. She's fine." Penthia flinches. I groan internally. Can Leander not bully people for one night?

"Leander," the General warns, fury glittering in her bronze eyes. Oh great, and now the other guests are watching us again.

"Don't be rude, Vincenzio, and let the lady work," I huff, waving Penthia over. Leander sighs heavily, shooting me a glare of his own, and stands.