CORRUPTED FILE [Lumina Chronicles Past Drafts]

Level Thirty-Four: A Lesson In Betrayal

I woke the next morning feeling rested and just all around happy. I was so excited to tell Kindle about my decision to stay in the Shadow Realm, but he wasn't in the room when I woke up so I had to wait. I ran the brush through my knotted hair until I was happy with it, and then I returned to the bed, hopping in place slightly as i watched the door. I felt like a little kid on a sugar-high.

However, my mood shifted as soon as Kindle entered the room and I saw the expression on his face. Something was definitely wrong. "Good morning," I said hesitantly.

Kindle just nodded in my direction, his eyes unreadable. 

With fear creeping through my veins I asked, "So what's wrong? What did Seraphim say?" 

Kindle was silent for a moment. "He said the plan doesn't need you after all," he said, his voice hard. 

"No way, really?" I had no idea why Kindle was acting so strange, this was great news! He should have been smiling! "So... I'm free then?" 

"Yes," Kindle said.

I smiled brightly, jumping off the bed and throwing my arms around his neck in a hug. "I can't believe I'm free, I have something really important to tell you!" I began. "I've given it some thought and I've come to the conclusion that--"

"We'll be heading back to the door in an hour, so gather whatever you want to take with you," Kindle interrupted, his voice unusually cold. I realized then that he wasn't hugging me back. "It's time for you to go back where you belong."

I stepped away from him as if I'd been burned, my eyes widening. "What? You're not serious, Kindle," I searched his face for any twitch of humor-- or any sign of emotion at all-- there was nothing. "I-I belong here," I insisted. "With you, and Faye, and Carlyle..."

"No, Maggie, you don't." His tone was harsh, his words were harsher. This was only the third time he'd ever called me by my real name. And suddenly I hated it. 

"I can, though. I can and I want to! I decided... I decided I want to stay here..." I trailed off, my voice growing thick with tears. 

"You are not meant for this world. You never were, and you never will be," Kindle snapped. 

"Why are you..." my voice quavered with pain and confusion. "I thought you... we... us?" My head spun and my heart pounded in my ears. I wasn't sure if I was going to faint, or simply break down sobbing. 

Kindle laughed, shaking his head, "Didn't Carlyle tell you to make the most of it while you were here?" How did he know that? "Did it ever occur to you that maybe that's what I was doing?"

I couldn't move, couldn't speak. I just stood there, numb, his words spiraling around in my brain. Kindle was only using me? He was stringing me along for the time that I was here, and then he was just going to toss me to the side like he was doing now? "Y-your lying to me," I said weakly, shaking my head. "There's more to this. Something you're not telling me, something Seraphim said and--" 

"Oh get over yourself," Kindle sighed. "What could you possibly do to hold me? I have a queen who's literally throwing herself at me. Do you honestly think you were ever competition to that?" I could hardly believe those words were actually coming from Kindle's mouth.

"I-I...I..." I had nothing to say. Nothing. I was lifeless, drained. An empty shell of of a girl, and empty shell of a heart.

"There was a reason Seraphim wanted your friend over you, so just stop the pretending." There was nothing but cruelty in his eyes. Those eyes like warm burning coals that I'd learned to associate with comfort and security... now their gaze was tearing me apart bit by bit. "You're just a sad little girl playing dress up, but it's time for you to grow up and stop hiding in the illusion of a perfect fairytale!" His words were knives. "They don't exist."