Heart [ON HOLD]

Chapter 6: Ace of Hearts

We are only as blind as we want to be.
- Marie Angelou

The Queen swept through the forest like a phantom, a nightmare on black velvet wings. Her steps carried her so quickly that she seemed to glide across the path. The moonlight turned the track silver and cast shadows that flowed over the cloak like shifting tiger stripes. Countless oak trees soared overhead, flanking her path like ancient sentries. The path trailed into the forest until it opened into a clearing of rippling, silver grass. Spotlighted in the moon was a shrine, a wishing well with a white statue on its roof. The statue was small - only about two hands tall. It was made in the figure of a woman in a flowing dress and outstretched palms. Delicately carved wings sprouted from her back while a cascade of pale curls spilled around her delicate fairy features. The well's water had turned to ink in the dead of night, but at its bottom were thousands of coins, charms, jewelry and other precious objects, given in hopes that the famed fairy would grant their wishes.

But the fairy wasn't the one the Queen was wishing for.

Her eyes combed through the ranks of trees burned black by the darkness. The forest wilted under her glare. Nothing stirred. Silence reigned for a thousand moments, the spine chilling kind of quiet that even the birds dare not break. But one voice was bold enough.

"Lilith."

The Queen froze. Her jaw clenched and her fingernails left burning cresent moons in her palms.

"Lilith Belladonna of the House of Tark."

Her cloak hid her shudder. That name...that name stripped her heart bare. The memories- seven dwarves and a Queen who'd wanted her heart. Sword lessons. Tark. The circle of stones. The breath of magic, the forging of the sword-

The Queen's jaw tightened, slamming up walls against the flood of memories.

"But they don't call you that anymore," said the voice, the voice that scraped and ground against its owner's throat like old rocks.

"Veo."

"You forgot us, Lilith. Do you know what kind of state you left Tark's heart in? He won't let Corazon anywhere near him. And what you've done to your own heart-,"

"I didn't come here to be chastised, Veo," the Queen snapped. "I need answers."

The voice fell to silence.

"I- I've had these visions," she continued. "In a mirror I saw a girl who cut my throat and ate my heart. The next Queen. But it seemed... I was hardly in my right mind. I need you to tell me if what I saw was right. I need you tell me who will kill me."

The voice didn't answer for a moment longer. Then it said,

"Lilith, look at me."

"I want an answer not-,"

"Lilith."

The Queen's tongue halted.

"You know I can't do this without looking at you."

The Queen took a deep breath. Then, slowly, she turned.

The man she saw wasn't a man at all. The dwarf only measured a few inches higher than her hip. His beard and tangled hair were dirty white, with a few brown streaks still remaining, draped around his broad head. Centuries worth of wrinkles lined his tanned face. He wore a heavy cloak, whose hood draped over his shoulders, made of an old manticore skin, the fur of which was the color of dried grass. Scars raked up and down his thick, wrinkled arms. Several heavy rings encircled his fingers. In his belt was an old ax, scored with notches. But when the Queen met the dwarf's eyes her skin went paler than fresh snowfall. They were milky white marbles that seemed full of tumbling mist. The dwarf stretched out his marred arms, palms up.

"Lilith."

The Queen gritted her teeth, then tentatively stretched out a slender hand. Veo caught it in his own and beckoned for her to give him the other. She obeyed, but she kept her eyes away from his.

"Lilith, you must look at me."

"I-,"

"When I saw that I would meet you, I told none of the others. I thought you would appreciate that. But Tark and Valkryn suspect something. Stalling longer will only bring them here."

Lilith took a deep breath to steel herself.

I can't face Tark.

She locked eyes with the Seer.

Instantly her heart convulsed and she gasped for air. Agony lit up her chest like a firebrand, lightning spiking through her heart like it was ripping in half.

"Veo-," she gasped. "Veo, stop! It hur- Ah!"

Lilith tried to wrench her hands away but the dwarf's grip was iron. Some magic held her eyes. It was impossible to even blink. She couldn't tear herself away.

"Veo-,"

"The Ace of Hearts."

"Ah!"

"The one who has never eaten a heart-,"

Lilith was screaming.

"-will take yours."

Veo let go and Lilith collapsed to the ground, chest heaving. She clutched at her thrashing heart.

The dwarf rubbed his wrinkled forehead, breathing a little heavier. When he seemed to have recovered, Veo's blind eyes went to Lilith's prostrate figure. He twisted one of the rings on his left hand, thinking while Lilith struggled to regain her breath.

"They call you the Queen of Hearts now," he said. "You base your ranks off a card deck. Twos have their own heart, plus another they've eaten. With every heart you consume, you gain the strength of your enemies. But an Ace has only their own heart. And yet it can beat them all."

Lilith was still shivering on the ground, curled up in a ball.

"The one who takes your heart will be an Ace. But- what did you see in your vision?"

Lilith sucked in a deep breath.

"One of my maids. A girl with black hair and white skin."

Veo was quiet for a moment.

Then he nodded.

"I could see her clearly. More clearly than I could see you. Her eyes were purple."

"That's her," the Queen said.

Veo seemed to be watching her out of the corners of his blind eyes.

"Lilith, you know the future is volatile. There are many paths. Harder paths, but better ones. It depends on your-,"

"That was all I needed to know, Veo," she said. The Queen rose to her feet and brushed off her dress.

"Snow, please-,"

The Queen jerked erect, blue fire in her eyes.

"That name is dead," the Queen spat. "You should know better than to try to reawaken the past, Veo. It's all a fantasy. A fairy's tale that will never come true again. "

"I still believe in it," Veo said. "It could happen again. I've seen it. And I still believe Snow is inside you somewhere."

The Queen looked away from the dwarf.

The ice in her eyes thinned for a moment. Somewhere in her heart she felt something aching, a yawning chasm daring her to jump. The rest of her heart burned in protest, a roaring lion. Lilith's hands quivered. Then her eyes froze over again. The shaking stopped. Her heart silenced.

"Well I don't."

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So, some old history resurfaces. Any thoughts? This was an exciting chapter to write. I'm interested to hear what you guys think of Lilith. Hate her? Like her? Is she interesting at least? Let me know please. Next chapter things get deeper into the plot.