The Last Unicorn Warrior

XXIV

I look at her in shock. Her piercing green eyes glare at me. Her blonde hair is all over the place. She looks almost like me. As if we could have been sisters. She lunges towards me and strangles me. I fall to the ground with her on top of me. Anger is evident in her eyes. I try to peel her hands off of my neck. "I'll kill you!" She shouts in my face. "Why do you think I wear a mask? Because I like it?" She questions me. Her eyes look maniacal. "It's all because I look like you! He wanted me to resemble you for his stupid experiment." She presses harder. Tears fall down my face. Except they aren't mine. "I know he doesn't love me. He uses me, and I allow that. And you want to know why?" She asks me.

I honestly don't want to know why. I just want to be able to breathe. "Why?" I manage to croak out. She relieves some of the pressure, enough for me to grasp some air.

"That means I actually mean something to him. But when you came along, he cast me away. You were what he wanted. He wanted someone that had a unicorn. Someone that can help him finish that job his father couldn't finish." She cries harder. "I can't be that woman. He says he loves me, but I know it's because he feels sorry for me. I was a failed attempt to clone you. I resemble you, but I'm not you." She admits. I look at her as anger and sadness pass through her glossy green eyes. Through the corner of my eyes, I see my sword is near me. If I kick her off of me, I can reach it.

"No one can be me." With that, I shove her off of me. She wasn't expecting that, so it was easy. I get on all fours and rush towards my sword.

"I'm going to kill you so that he can finally truly love me. I will be the only one for him." I grasp my sword.

"You're crazy for loving a man like that," I tell her.

"He made me the woman I am today. I owe him my life." She claims. I can hear her walking close to me. I hide my sword behind me. I look at her in the eyes.

"You only love him because he's your creator," I say. She shakes her head, frantically.

"No, I love him because he's broken. And I—only I can fix him. Do you hear me!" She shouts. She stands close enough for me to hurt her. I quickly swing my sword at her. I hear her scream in pain. I see her arm bleeding. I stand up and look at her.

"He's broken for a reason. He will never want to piece together the broken pieces." I kick her in the face. She falls on her butt. Her nose bleeds stain her green dress. I raise my sword. "Your love for him is your undoing," I tell her as I stab her dead. She lies on the ground in her pool of blood. I stare at her for a moment. "A friend of my enemy is my enemy." I quietly state.

I wipe the sweat off of my forehead. Different blood stains my armor. I open the doors of the throne room, and exit. I climb up the stairs in search of Jace. The palace is empty. No guards or maids. Only the eerie feeling and paintings that stare at you. Each step I take it echoes in the empty palace. I stop at the beginning of a long hallway and look around. I've never been here—or at least seen it.

Only sad paintings hang in the empty hallway. Small narrow tables hold expensive-looking jars and vases. A thick curtain is wide open, allowing the moonlight to light up the hall. I look out the window, and I can see the battlefield. I can see the small figures of Hazel, Harper, and Ulla. Masses of dead bodies lay on the now pink snow. I touch the cold glass window hoping that they are alright. "I'll help you out once I get Hades back to you," I vow to Hazel. I remove my now cold hand from the glass and continue the search for Jace. "Jace!" I shout out.

I kick doors open to reveal they are empty. I climb up another flight of stairs, and my eyes automatically look to my left—the door to that dark room. I grab the cold black doorknob and open the door. The ugly orange rug is still there. Everything is as I left it. "Jace, where are you!" I shout once more. I grip my sword nervously. I exit the room and resume my search. "Come out and fight!" I kick a door open only to see its empty.