Ever After

☾Chapter Twenty Six☽

Ever crumpled over and grabbed her chest.

"Who knew you could feel pain?" She heard Hex laugh.

"You're a bastard! Why are you doing this!?" The sound of Ever's voice was like a faint echo in this black void she was trapped in.

"I need to make an example out of you."

"An example? For what?" Ever barely got the words out before another round of pain shot through her body. She let out a horrific scream.
"You... you think that I wouldn't be capable of pain," Ever paused trying to regain her breath, "but you're wrong about me, you always have been. You think that I'm built to be this horrible person." Ever tried to stand up but another wave of torment washed over, making her fall to her knees again. "You're wrong."

"You are tough. I will admit that."

"What's your plan?" Ever huffed.

"I'm not going to kill you. However, I am going to make you suffer." Hex mused.

"What will you gain from that? I'm the one that freed you, wasn't I? And you expect me to believe that this is my reward?"

"You can't honestly make me believe that you didn't see this coming?" Hex refuted.

Ever focused on the ground. She needed to get out of this limbo she was in. Hex wouldn't be able to affect her in the real world.

Ever concentrated, she tried to feel the stone floor that was beneath her. She imagined the confinement of the tower walls around her. The sound of the ocean washed over her, mixed with the rustle of tree branches in the wind.

"You won't be able to escape me so easily, I hope you know." Hex chuckled.

"Ever?!" It was the sound of Wyll's voice. "Ever!!?" It repeated itself. Ever wanted to collapse onto the ground; her whole body ached in pain.

"Are you now a damsel in need of saving?" Hex taunted.

Ever looked up. It was possible that Hex was blending into the blackness around her, or he could just be a voice in her head again.

She wanted more than anything to just go home. She squeezed her eyes shut.

"Ever?! Are you okay?!" When Ever opened her eyes again she found Wyll kneeled next to her.
Ever was hunched over and had been sobbing. She must have looked like a dying animal to him.

Wyll wrapped his arm around her and tried to lift her into a sitting position.
"What happened?" He asked.

Ever opened her mouth to speak but quickly closed it. She couldn't come up with an excuse quick enough. "Have you found anything?" Was all she said.

"No, but that's not important right now." Wyll breathed out a long sigh. He ran his thumb along Ever's cheek. "Are you okay?"

Ever noticed Haven was in the room.

"I'm fine." She snapped before lifting herself off the floor with a grunt. A wave of agony swept through her body but she fought the urge to crumble back onto the ground.

"We haven't found anything," Haven said sternly. She turned towards the doorway. "So be of use and keep looking." She added with a grumble before making her way back down the tower steps.

Wyll sighed. He grabbed Ever's hand in his and held it tight. "I know Haven originally said split up, but two heads are better than one, that's how the saying goes, right?"