Cinderella's Tale

Chapter Eight

Screams erupt, and chaos starts. Everybody is screaming, trying to get out, but gunshots shoot them down. From the screams of pain, I know they are bleeding to death, and not instantly killed.

Matthew runs to his parents, and I lose sight of him in the panic. The scent of blood washes over me, and I gag.

Guns still shoot at random, and I know they aren’t caring about any innocent casualties. I look around, trying to find Helena and the twins, but I can’t find anyone.

I run towards the doors.

“Make me unseen,” I whisper, and I disappear. I run past the raiders, and look at the empty hallway. I look back at the panic and screams from behind me, and sigh. I know what I have to do. I run back into the room, and stay unseen. I take a deep breath, and block out all the screams, all the panic. I focus on a spot in front of the raiders, where my illusion can walk out of the chaos without seeming to pop into existence.

“No!” My eyes open wide as I look at the throne, where King Tristan is clutching his stomach, and another gunshot is fired. I open my mouth in a silent scream as Matthew is the target this time, and his shoulder is hit. Blood wells up from his shot, and yet another gunshot is fired. The Queen falls, her bullet aimed for her leg.

I close my eyes, and think as hard as I can on the spot by the thrones.

“Make another of me, exactly like me,” I whisper. I know it works when I feel my body pulled towards the thrones, and I open my eyes to see my illusion has walked up the thrones. Matthew is looking at my illusion, and I turn towards the raiders.

“Stop,” I whisper, using the magic while my illusion raises her arms and screams the words. The raiders all stop in their tracks, and everyone looks at me.

“Wind,” my illusion yells, and the wind rushes through, tossing all the raiders into the wall.

“Freeze them in place,” I say, and my illusion swipes her arm. All the raiders freeze. I look at all the injured party guests, and back at the royal  family.

“Heal,” I command, and everyone gasps as their injuries are healed, even the royal family. My illusion turns to face the royal family, and I make my voice echo throughout the quiet room.

“Not all magic is bad, King Tristan. When used correctly, it can do amazing things,” my illusion says. The King, now fully healed, stares at my illusion. Then, the witch hunters run towards it.

“Fog,” I whisper, and fog surrounds my illusion while I make it disappear, running out of the room. I know my unseen has worn off when I hear the yell of “illusion!” Followed by, “there she is!”

I keep running, and I exit the castle. I stop and turn around, where Matthew runs out of the castle, followed by the witch hunters. I look at them all.

“Stop right there, witch!” One of the witch hunters  yells. I smile slightly.

“Wind,” I say, loud enough for them to hear, and then the wind carries me off through the forest.

I fly towards my home, and on the way, I pass Helena and the twins in the carriage. I don’t know what they see, I just keep flying to the house. There, I take off the dress, the shoes, and the mask and quickly put back on my servant’s dress. I run upstairs, where I quickly clean the castle with my magic, even though I’m already exhausted. I’m ‘cleaning’ the hallway when Helena and the twins arrive.

“I swear I saw a person fly past the carriage on the way home!” Alexandra remarks. My breath catches in my throat, but I keep cleaning.

“And I told you, people can’t fly, you dimwit!” Cassandra yells. Then, she sees me.

“You! Why in God’s name would Prince Matthew be asking about you!” She yells at me. I try to look like I have no idea what she is talking about.

“I don’t know. It must have been a different person, Cassandra. I’ve never met the prince,” I lie. Cassandra glares at me, and over her shoulder, I see Helena looking at me.

“Remember what I told you, Briana,” Helena threatens. I glare at her, if she knew what I did this night, she wouldn’t think twice about threatening me.

“I’m telling the truth, Helena. I’ve never seen, nor met the prince,” I say firmly. I know that Cassandra and Helena don’t believe me.

“Why do you look so exhausted, Briana?” Helena asks. From using so much magic today, I want to say. But I can’t.

“I was up late last night, trying to get the house in shape for your return,” I lie again. Helena glares at me, but thankfully, says nothing. They walk away, and I sigh, fingering my bracelet.

But it’s not there.

I look around me, and retrace my steps, but my bracelet is not there.  

“No, no, no, no,” I repeat, thinking back to the last time I had it, which was at the ball. And I can’t very well go there right now, can I?

I might have given my identity away to Matthew, if he remembers my bracelet.