The Assassin

Chapter 5

My green eyes snap open and right away I wriggle my fingers and toes and let out a soft, relieved sigh. I could move and I am guessing I could speak but I didn't try because I had no idea what was going on, or where I was.

My mind replays the fire and the ball, reminding me of the most wonderful night I had with Michael. I strain my mind as I try to remember what happened after I jumped out the window since everything was fuzzy after that. I massage my temples but my hand slips and smacks my nose as I go over a bump.

Wait what?

I glance around me, squinting against the empty black night, the only light from a except lantern that hangs in front. I crawl up to sitting position, realizing I am in the back of a carriage. I scoot towards the driver's seat and a smile lights up my face as I see Michael casually flicking the reins. His hair is still a tangled mess and the side of his sculpted face is coated in a thin, scattered layer of ash. His black suit slashed and ripped in a few places but no visible injuries show.

I fall back against the back seat and my eyes dart down to my own clothing. I roll my eyes and sigh as I see that my beautiful red dress is torn to shreds from the bottom of it all the way up to my knees. The front of the dress is smothered is ash and dirt and the band of lace hangs limply off me. My hand suddenly flies to my dagger and all my tense muscles relax as I realize it is still securely strapped around my thigh. I did not feel like explaining to Michael why I had a four inch dagger with me. I could probably muster up an excuse but I did not enjoy lying to Michael.

I position myself to face out the window behind me as I try to find the burning city of Chicago but it is nowhere in sight. I do see the light of another carriage quite a distance away from us and I think to myself, I guess others wanted to leave to or just not get killed by the fire... I highly doubted that they wanted to leave for the same reason as me but it didn't really matter.

I twist my body around and sink down in the seat, crossing my arms. I let my head roll limply forward as my eyes begin to flutter shut as a wave of tiredness rolls over me. I was just sleeping but it couldn't have been for that long since I am guessing it is still the same night as the fire.

My thoughts suddenly flee my head as once again I am cast into a sea of absolute nothingness.

A dream manages to sneak its way into my mind. I am running down the halls of the town hall with a terrified look on my face. Behind me a hoard of people are raising their fists at me as they charge towards me with angry looks plastered on their faces. My long, sapphire blue dress gets snagged under my heel and sends me tumbling down the hallway and into a wall. My head throbs and my vision becomes blurry but I see the crowd advancing towards me. Large sticks have appeared in their hands and they are jabbing at me, yelling, "Magician!" and "Evil scum!" I cower away in fear and try to protect myself by using my magic but it isn't working. Suddenly the people stop striking me and they part as someone makes their way through the crowd.

A man with dark black hair and a handsome face strolls towards me and as he lifts his head a pair of silver eyes bore into me.

"Michael," I say gasping, "Please help." I lift up a hand, hoping he will reach down and assist me in getting up but instead he knocks my hand away and laughs evilly.

"Do not touch me," He orders and I tilt my head to the side. His voice sounds different much deeper and more confident as if he believed everyone adored him. "I should have killed you when I had the chance but curse my soft heart." Each word is a slap across my face and I recoil away from him.

My eyes search his, looking for the Michael I know but he is gone and I feel tears stinging my eyes. "Michael, I-I thought you loved me." I whisper weakly but he just chuckles.