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I'm trembling.
My mind plays the scene on repeat - the swinging crystals, the terror on the man's face, the trail of blood - until everything inside me numbs. The chandelier closest to me shivers and a crystal falls onto the marbled tiles.
It shatters.
I take a step back into safety. "We should find him. Help him."
"How?" Nikita's voice is hoarse. "We have no clue where he went."
"He's behind the door," I point to the one he left through a few moments ago. "With his injured legs, he couldn't have gotten far."
"He's probably dead by now. They both are."
I look at the other injured man, lying on the floor beneath the chandelier. Neither of us move.
Dead?
Just like that?
Another shiver of terror rips through my spine. Before the fear was like a sword hanging over my head, giving no indication of its threat besides the vague glint of silver. Now it's like a blade pressed against my throat, clear and sharp. Drawing blood.
I press my hand against my neck, feeling the muscles shift as I swallow.
"We should leave," Nikita says.
The door he left through is cracked open. There's no making out what's on the other side besides a blurred hallway.
"We should find him," I say. My voice is quiet, but firm.
The chandeliers continue to sway from left to right, in perfect harmony, quiet and taunting. I swallow again. Crossing the ballroom with those monsters dangling over my head is a dangerous, life-threatening feat that chills me to the bones.
Even scarier, however, is thought of leaving him behind.
And knowing that I'm the type of person to put my own safety above somebody's life.
"I'm going to walk over to the door," I declare, straightening my robe. "And I'm going to check to see if he's alright."
"You're basically sentencing yourself to death -"
"I'm not asking you to come with me, Nikita." My tone is almost gentle.
Both of us are silent for another moment. Another chandelier, this one at the opposite end, shudders, dropping crystallized raindrops to the floor. Each of them shatter as they hit the tiles, making me cringe.
"Just watch me," I tell Nikita, walking down step by step. "Let me know if one of them looks like they're going to drop."
"If you're injured, I won't risk my life to help you."
