Masquerade

Chapter Sixteen

I sprint through the woods, blood pounding in my ears. That strange feeling still inhabits me, consuming my body and making me feel unhuman. I don't feel like myself; it's as if I'm a different person completely.

The wolves are still here. I thought I made good distance from them, but I was wrong. Their howls continue to fill the still air, keeping me from feeling peace.

I stumble across a boy laying on the ground. A large injury in his side stains the grass with blood, and he is clearly unconscious. My heart is filled with great sorrow when I recognize the boy's maskless face. I know him from somewhere, I know him well. I love this boy, and seeing him this way is incredibly saddening.

I spring into action, placing my hands gently on his chest. I close my eyes and focus, concentrating my energy into his small body. A lovely, pale green glow swirls around his wound, sealing it and washing up the blood. Within seconds, I know that the boy is healed. His eyes flutter open, and he looks up at me with a loving smile.

Our tender moment is interrupted by the harsh sound of galloping horses. Soldiers' yells fill the air, and I am forced to hide in the undergrowth, leaving the poor boy on his own.

A woman's voice appears out of nowhere, full of anguish. My mouth follows her words, as if I am lip syncing. "He wanted the boy dead. Now he wants me dead too." Before I can even process what she means, a wolf lunges toward me and closes its jaws on my face.

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I can't breathe. My body is covered in sweat, and the crisp night air does nothing to cool me off. I start to hyperventilate, tears pooling in my eyes.

A pair of sturdy arms wrap themselves around me, steadying my shaking.

"Fawn, Fawn. It's okay. You're okay," Jac reassures me, repeating that statement again and again until I feel as if my breath is back. "We made it to the mountain. We did it."

At the moment, I am uninterested in the mountain. I shoot a look at my shoulder, expecting to see the blood that caused me to faint so quickly. I relax a little upon seeing that it is neatly wrapped up in fabric, and that there is no blood to be seen.

"Kendry wrapped it. Him and Wren are out looking for healing herbs now," He explains.

That causes me to come to the realization that him and I are very much alone. I scoot away from him, putting some comfortable distance between us. I decide that sitting across from him rather than by his side is at least a little more appropriate.

He drops his arms awkwardly but doesn't mention anything. "Look up."

I do. And I'm instantly amazed. The dark backdrop of the sky is speckled with glittering stars, much more magnificent out here in the wilderness. In the artificial glow of the village, it is much harder to see them at night. But out here, it's almost as if someone keeps taking a white paintbrush and dotting them on every minute or so. Anytime the stars become dim, there is a fresh coat of sparkling paint waiting for them.

"It's lovely," I breathe.

Jac nods in agreement, but his gentle expression slowly changes to one of concern as he studies me. "What happened after you fainted? Why did you wake up so panicked?"

I hesitate, unsure of what to think of that bizarre dream I had. It definitely wasn't a memory of mine, it's almost as if it was...someone else's.

"I had an odd dream," I start, finally deciding to share. "It was so vivid and...awful."

"What was it about?"