Once Upon A Switch

BOOK 2: PROLOGUE

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Uh... I know it has been 2 years(?) but I've been so busy with life. I decided to actually continue this. I will just do book two here because I don't really have time anymore to edit a book cover for the second book (I'm a busy college student). Anyway, my updates would be awfully slow because I have to re-watch the entire TTS again.

Anyway, as you can see. My writing style has changed but yeah, I hope y'all like it. I wrote this one quick because I still have a psychological analysis project to finish (need to get that degree lmao).

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PROLOGUE

The clinking of crystal, the soft hum of violins, and the laughter of the nobles could be heard from behind her. The ball was still in full swing but Cassandra couldn’t afford to think about it now. Her footsteps echoed through the marble corridors, her breath ragged as she darted past the gilded arches of the palace. She lifted the heavy skirt of her gown, the fabric dragging behind her as she ran, her heart pounding louder than the music.

“Cassandra, wait!”

Faster, Cassandra. Faster!

Her whole charade came crashing down on her today.

The halls seemed endless, twisting and bending as she pushed herself forward. He is still following her, his footsteps and shouts reaching her ears as she tries her best to go on. She couldn’t afford to falter, to turn around and look straight into his eyes. Not when her life is at stake. Her muscles burned as she forced her body to continue moving, her lungs desperate for air.

Just a little more…

She burst through the palace doors and into the night, the cool air biting against her flushed skin. Her escape isn’t too far now; just beyond the garden, past the hedges. There, she could disappear. She could run away, vanish into the dark, and let the night swallow her whole.

But Varian…

She paused for a moment. His face, his voice… she had hurt him. The look in his eyes will forever haunt her. The betrayal, the sudden understanding as if the entire night had shifted beneath his feet. She didn’t mean for things to go this far. She only wanted to protect Rapunzel. But now, everything has been absolute chaos.

She weaved through the garden, a few branches even catching at her gown, tugging at her like accusing hands. And then… there it was: her escape. She just needs to go cross the bridge of the cliff and then she’s out.

“Cassie, wait. Please!”

Hearing his voice made her panic once more.

RUN.

Cassandra reached the edge, just a few more steps and-

The ground gave way beneath her.

“CASSANDRA!”

Cassandra felt the world drop out from under her, a scream of terror escaping her lips as her body plunged into the empty air. The wind howled in her ears, a scream of its own as she plummeted towards the jagged rocks below.

Her stomach twisted in panic, the kind that made her limbs feel heavy and useless. She reached for anything but grasped nothing but empty air. All was at a loss and she was about to lose her life.

Her life — or what she had pretended it was — flashed before her, a series of stolen moments; Watching Varian smile at her, unaware of the lie he was in love with.

It was all a lie, all of it. And now, as the earth rushed up to meet her, all Cassandra could feel was the crushing, unbearable weight of regret. Not just for the fall, but for the deception that had led her here. The guilt twisted inside her, gnawing at her like a beast, ripping apart any shred of hope.

This is the end.