Your Leash - A Cinderella Phenomenon Fanfiction

Where the Light Doesn't Penetrate

Lucette

I awoke with the distinct and overwhelming feeling that something was very wrong. Red hot rage coursed through my veins and I felt murderous and frustrated. I turned in the bed, finding myself alone and I began to panic. Where was Varg? I wasn't sure why, but somehow I knew his absence was a sign I could not ignore. My panic was met with a surge of contempt and I couldn't tell where it came from. I clutched my head between my hands, trying to squeeze the pounding out of my skull. My mind was frenzied and it felt as if an animal was slamming into the rounded bone, confusing my thoughts and destroying any hope of linear thought process. It was only through sheer willpower that I was able to quiet the disorder to think.

Stumbling from the bed, I almost fell down the stairs to the main area of the building. I needed to find Waltz or Delora, even Parfait. Maybe they could help me sort out what was happening, hopefully more so than my non-magical companions at the Marchen.

Annice was behind the bar and she quickly moved towards me as I reached the bottom, tutting softly in concern before settling me into a seat. Karma and Rumpel appeared through the door to the sitting room, exchanging a worried glance before they came and settled themselves on either side of me. I continued to rub my temples as Annice brought me a herbal tea. I took a long drink and then I turned to Rumpel.

"Where is everyone?" I asked him.

He and Karma shared another look and I began to grow suspicious.

"What is it you aren't telling me?" I demanded, my eyes narrowing. Rumpel's face flushed and he looked at the floor. Karma, however, gave a small laugh and nudged me with his elbow.

"We're not their keepers, you know," he said with a forced grin. "I'm not sure where they've gone off too."

Karma was a good liar, I knew that. Rumpel however...

I fixed my gaze to his red, averted face. "Rumpel... is that true?"

He looked up at me, eyes wide while he stuttered out a series of nonsense. I was about to demand he start making sense when Annice stepped in front of us, stomping her foot and scowling at the boys.

"Enough!" she said forcefully, with a confidence and ferociousness I had never seen her display before. "She has a right to know."

Turning to me, Annice leaned over and sat a hand on my shoulder. I tried not to flinch, still uncomfortable with most physical contact.

"They've gone to the palace, and they are planning to be rid of Hildyr once and for all," she told me quietly.

It was like instinct took over and I had no coherent thoughts nor intentions to open the portal like I did. It was the most natural thing in the world to step through it. My magic closed it automatically behind me. As I stepped into the throne room, the scene that greeted me almost threw me to my knees.

Parfait was lying on the floor, eyes closed with blood leaking from her nose. The stuttered rise and fall of her chest caused me to exhale loudly in relief that for the moment, she yet lived. Waltz stood guard over her, bleeding badly from a gash in his leg. His face was pale but determined as he held a shield that protected them both, hoping to ensure that Mother would not get the chance to finish her off.

Delora stood in front of Mother, sweat running down her pretty face, mingling with tear stains. She was standing her ground, but her whole body was strung tight with fatigue and I knew beyond a doubt that she did not have much more left in her. Mother stared at her, face white with fury, as she muttered curses and hexes, flinging them one after another at Delora, never giving her a moment to recover.