Crystal Magic

Chapter 10. The Sunken Pavilion

In one moment, Sorrel and Coppelius had been dancing outside in the night air, a simple box-step with her barefoot, and him nearly stumbling over her the entire time. Everything just perfect in its imperfection, the epitome of a lovely night.

The next, there was a bright light, and a rumble that shook the stone beneath her feet emanated from the ballroom. Before Sorrel could figure out what was happening, she was knocked to the ground.

In a few heartbeats, she realized Coppelius was crouched over her, holding her tight to his body. Shouts and screams filled the air, and glass surrounded them. Coppelius leapt to his feet, pulling Sorrel up with him.

She whirled around to see the ballroom, now looking like a bird's cage without the glass in it. People were running in all directions, the chaos taking on an entirely new, more frantic shape.

In the center of it all were two figures. One of which was her sister and none other than—

"Versailles!" Coppelius cried, before cursing under his breath. "I never thought they'd be so bold as to come here."

"What's he doing with Gwynn?" Sorrel's chest went tight, she felt as if she wasn't breathing at all. "GWYNN!"

In spite of everything, she screamed her name as she charged back in. Nothing mattered now besides getting to her, making sure she was safe. She leapt over people and darted between fleeing party-goers. She stumbled on the hem of her grown, leading to a large shredding noise. Segments of the black tulle underskirt came flying off in her frenzy to get to the center.

But Coppelius somehow was faster, having outpaced her and ran in-between a shaken-looking Gwynn and the figure proclaiming to be Versailles, wearing a sinister-looking wolf-mask.

Sorrel rushed to Gwynn's side, grabbing her shoulders to shield her from the champion of the Spider-Queen.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"I'm fine." Gwynn wasn't looking at her, but was glaring straight at Versailles with an intensity Sorrel had never seen before in her little sister.

"I knew you were still around." Versailles pulled the hilt of his polearm from a hidden pocket in his tunic. With a flick of his wrist, it extended into the polearm that Sorrel remembered from the forest. "And I knew she had to be with you. And that she would come to her aid."

With that, he pointed at Gwynn with his polearm.

"Leave her out of this," Coppelius snarled, as he began to weave his spells. "It's me you're after."

"Oh, so you're finally willing to fight instead of running?" Versailles spun his polearm, winding it up. "Well then, amuse me."

At once, Sorrel realized that she had been a fool. The crystal sword, the artifact that was supposed to be used by Coppelius's father, was left back in their hotel room.

She had no way to defend him, to help. There was no backup in sight. He was ultimately alone.

All she could do was scream as a ray of green light hit Coppelius in the chest. She could only watch as he crumpled to the ground.

Everything came back in a screaming blur when his eyes closed. Sorrel wasn't sure how, but she managed to dive to the floor, to take him into her arms and cradle him. She fumbled for a pulse—he was still alive, it was still beating steadily in his wrist.

But she had bigger problems coming.

Versailles was approaching. Slowly, like a wolf stalking his prey.

Get up, get up—it's not over yet!

Gritting her teeth, she slung Coppelius's arm around her shoulder and attempted to rise. But she couldn't get him off the ground. He was too heavy, too tall for her to carry on her own.