Blood & Cinders- Choose your Own Adventure Story

Chapter 26

"Please open the door!" Isabelle pounded on the kitchen door with frigid fists. Please.

She kept pounding till the door swung outward abruptly, smacking her in the forehead. She landed ass first on to the dirt, hand coming to her forehead where a welt seemed to already be forming.

"What in the devil-" Anna poked her head out, eyes rounding as she took in the mud covered mess. "Oh, goddess above! Is that you, child?" Anna lifted her skirts, trotting over, "thank the gods you're alive." She grabbed her by the elbow, hosting her up. Her hands were so warm, almost burning her skin. Anna gasped. "Dear, you're frozen!" She guided Isabelle inside.

The warm fire crackled in its hearth to the right and Isabelle wasted no time, plopping herself in front of the fire on a pile of blankets- her old bed. It seems they had left her space untouched in the time she had been gone.

"Isabelle?" there was clatter as something metal dropped to the floor. She turned from the fire, John's face perhaps more shocked than Anna's, a pale of spilt vegetables on the floor. John ran over kneeling in front of her and wrapped her in a warm-almost suffocating-hug. "You're alive. Thank God." he whispered.

"We didn't know if you got our messages, I was so worried."

"I got them." Isabelle spoke through chattering teeth. John picked up one of the floor blankets, wrapping it snuggly round her slender frame and rubbing her shoulders to bring back heat into her body.

"Did you not get the map? We were to meet by the gate. It's almost time." John got up, picking up the other pile of vegetables and Isabelle could see a few more crates and buckets packed with supplies. "We are leaving now, are you ready?"

"Pardon?" She looked at John's expectant gaze, the screams of the dead still ringing in her ears.

"Leave the poor thing, can't you see she's just crawled out of the devil's mouth!" Anna snapped, bringing a cup of warm water to her lips.

"But I-" John's protest clamped shut by another stern glare from the old witch. Instead, he picked up a few crates in his arms and headed out the back door.

"You poor thing," Anna picked some of the dirt out of her hair as Isabelle greedily drank the warm liquid, warming her insides. Feeling crept back into her feet with a painful prickle.

"Rosie and Adam?" Isabelle questioned through sips and the witches lips thinned to a frown.

"Rosie is with the King. He caged her right after he imprisoned you, smart bastard." She made a clicking noise of displeasure with her tongue. "Adam should be at the ball, getting Rosie. That is if they released him from house arrest.

This place is not safe Isabelle. At midnight they are locking the doors and setting it on fire."

"I heard them talking in the stable. It's Gaston right? The king's aid he's planning treason?"

Anna stood on creaky knees. "Yes, he wants to be the new king. Fool. King of what? He thinks the fire will only set in the ballroom, killing the nobles, what he doesn't know is that we have spread oil trails all over the castle while he was off at the hunt, this whole place will burn!" The witches face twisted to a malicious smile, a spark of magic behind her crinkled eyes.

"No!" Isabelle got up on shaky legs. "I heard that woman talking. The hole will only be big enough for humans. Adam. What if Adam doesn't make it out on time with Rosie before the doors close? We have to warn them!"

"I'm sure he will be fine. We need to go now." Anna offered her hand and Isabelle went for the kitchen door leading to the castle hall. "Isabelle! Isabelle!" Anna trotted after her grasping one of her thin wrists, causing her to pause and turn.