Blinding Light: A Sleeping Beauty and Snow Queen Remix

Chapter 10

A/N: Princess Isabelle Ricosta^ (I'll let you in on a secret: anytime there's an Isabelle picture, there's a dream scene.) Hehe

Viviana wondered what had happened to her familiar. One second, Preisha had been right with her, acting quite bored of all of them, and the next second, she was gone.

She can't have gone far, can she?

Viviana telepathically called out to her familiar, waiting for a response. She didn't receive one, and immediately, she bolted to her feet.

Santiago and Jeanette similarly jumped, noting her action.

"Viv?" Jeanette eyed her carefully. "What is it?"

"Where's Preisha?" Viviana demanded. "She was just here, wasn't she?"

"She probably just got bored and fell asleep. Give her a minute." Jeanette shrugged, and Viviana pulled her hands through her hair, a howl of frustration escaping her lips.

"No! You don't understand. She never left the room that I could see in any way, and she isn't responding. She's not sleeping or anything, because she's not even nearby. She's NOWHERE!"

Maroon magic shot out of her fingertips, burning holes into the carpet of the hotel room, and skittering to the walls, shifting them the way an earthquake rattled foundations. The room seemingly expanded and contracted as Viviana shook, desperately trying to hold the wave of magic back, her control lingering on the edge of a knife point. If she lost control, it was possible she'd topple part of the building. And then not only would the humans of Yaquir worry, but if there was enough news coverage, it might be enough to eventually bring the NHSIF down on her.

She definitely didn't want to be a target for Nazeen's national security.

Santiago set a hand on her shoulder and squeezed hard enough to bring her back to earth.

"Preisha is fine. I'm sure of it. Just call for her again. Breathe, Vivi, just breathe. It's ok."

Viviana took consecutive deep breaths, screaming telepathically for her familiar. There was a loud crack sound, and Preisha appeared on the comforter of one of the beds, her fur on end and tail extended like a scorpion.

"What's going on? What's wrong?"

"WHERE WERE YOU!"

Jeanette cringed backward, her hands flying to her ears as Viviana's voice went up several octaves with the scream. Santiago only gave a barely perceptible flinch. Preisha's ears flattened to her head and a hiss escaped her mouth, as she cowered beneath Viviana's fear and rage.

"I was in Erscicos. A familiar named Cael needed my help."

Viviana's deep breaths came closer to hyperventilation as the air in the room became a vacuum, brought on by extremely high magical tension.

Jeanette's face was paling, and Santiago was walking around her, moving behind her, but Viviana's vision was blurring. She'd worked herself up too far. She wasn't even really angry anymore. She was too concentrated on maintaining control. There was only room for fear, and a lot of it, which only fueled her powers. Viviana had practically stopped breathing altogether, the strain becoming too much, when something pinched the pressure point in between her neck and shoulder and she dropped into instant, dark unconsciousness.

***

Viviana opened her eyes to see the white room with the cream curtains and she knew she was in trouble.

            Mostly because a book hit her in the head... again.

            "Princess." She hissed venomously, clutching her head and glaring daggers at Isabelle, who was standing beside the window this time, her arm still extended from the throw.