Solstice sisters

Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Summers POV

My feet thudded against the frozen ground. Panting heavily I pushed myself to run faster. My arms and legs pumped as I ran through the frozen forest. I sneaked a glance behind me to see if they were still following me. The pathway I had trampled through the undergrowth remained empty, I relaxed slightly but didn't cease my running. They could be anywhere. I caught my foot on a root and was sent flying. I rolled across the cold, hard ground for a few seconds before I slowed to a stop. Immediately I was back on my feet running again. That fall had cost me precious time, time I didn't have if I was going to survive. Branches scratched my face and neck but I didn't slow. I chanced a second glance back at the pathway I'd left behind me. Just like last time the path remained empty, as did the field I had just run from. I understood that the pathway and noise I was creating probably made it really I easy for them to track me. But I was so scared I stopped thinking logically. I turned back to focus on where I was going when something caused me to skid to a halt. There in the clearing was the figure with white hair. I thought it was a girl at first but when I saw how viciously they fought in battle I began to doubt my judgement. The figure didn't raise their head to look at me but somehow I knew that they knew where I was and where I was planning to go. A thick hood obscured my view of the figures face, and heavy silver armour covered any features I could use to identify the figure. So for the time being the figure remained gender less. Abruptly I turned on my heel and began to run in the other direction, away from the clearing. But before I'd made the half turn the figure was in the middle of the path in front of me blocking my way once again. Frantically I looked behind me and found the clearing empty. I turned back to face the figure and found they were gone. Then someone gave me a hefty kick in the back which forced me to my knees winded badly. As I lay on the frosty forest floor, gasping for breath the figure circled me as if they were sizing me up.
'Who are you?' I panted. The figure seemed to contemplate whether or not they should reveal their identity to me.
'Who are you?' I asked louder this time, I'd managed to get my breath back.
'Wow Summer I thought you would've recognised me' the figure said. A sliver of fear slide down my spine like ice.
'What are you doing?' I asked suddenly more scared.
'What I have to' the figure simply said and unsheathed their sword.
'This isn't you!' I tried as I scrambled away from the armed figure.
'Maybe not the person you know, but the person I am deep down, the person I'm supposed to be'
'No it's not, I know you!' I cried
'Do you though?' The figure advanced on me 'do you really l know me Summer? Deep down?'
I scrambled back further to get away from the sword that was now being aimed expertly at my chest.
'I'm sorry I have to do this' up close I could see droplets of scarlet blood marring the stark white hair that donned the figures head. The hair, not just the blood, looked wrong.
'You don't have to do anything!' I tried again 'no ones forcing you!'
'Exactly which is why I've chosen to do this'
Then with a jerk the figure had drawn back their sword and in slow motion plunged in into my chest. I expected to feel pain but I felt nothing. Paralysed I fell backwards, one final word dying on my lips.
'Ivy'

I landed with a crash on the marble floor. My duvet was dragged off the bed with me as I fell and was now smothering me. My breathing was ragged. With a grunt of pain I kicked the duvet off myself and lay on the cool marble floor. I watched as my chest rose and fell rhythmically as my breathing returned to normal. I squeezed my eyes shut and groaned. This entire time it had been Ivy. Ivy was the figure with white hair. When had she become so deadly with a sword? I had a sneaking suspicion that I wasn't the only one having these nightmares. Yesterday morning I heard Ivy cry out in her sleep a few times. She must've screamed pretty loudly for it to travel through the thick walls of the palace into my room. She'd been acting strange recently, fair enough both her parents had died, one of them in her arms. But the way all the blood drained from her face when she saw the picture of Blight Kane told me something was wrong. I pulled myself up of the floor and freshened up before going to confront Ivy about the dreams.