Cinderella: A Fractured Fairytale

Two

Jovette's POV

Chapter Two

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Great.

I just loved being stuck in a musty, cold jail cell with my two most favorite people in the world.

Sarcasm intended.

Ella had it lucky. She wasn't rotting away in some dungeon millions and billions and trillions of miles beneath the ground.

At least I could sit with my back to the others and sulk in peace.

"Jovette," came from my mother.

Apparently not.

"What?" I groaned in annoyed exasperation, turning to face her and my annoying sister.

"You need to-" my mother began. Her face was tearstained, but she'd finally stopped crying.

I never heard what she was going to say (not that I cared in the least). she interrupted herself with a startled shriek of terror and surprise as a figure materialized out of nowhere.

Right into the middle of our cell.

My own startled shriek was slightly delayed; it had nothing to do with the fact that a young man had just randomly appeared in our damp, musty jail cell.

It was the young man himself that interested me.

Shrouded in a black cloak, he had large, piercing green eyes. His hair was a blond color, and would have been attractive even without the amazing dark streaks in it that stood out and made it look spiky and appealing. He had a chiseled jaw, and flecks of snow in his hair and on his cloak. I saw a single snowflake resting perfectly on his dark left eyelashes, and was tempted to go touch it.

My excitement faded when I realized he wasn't looking at me at all. His gaze was on Anastasia. I felt a disappointed pout growing on my face, and I turned away. "Hmph."

Then I glanced back, unable to take my eyes off him.

He shook the snow off his cloak and ran a hand through his hair to get the snowflakes out. It stayed slightly spiked after his hand left it, and I stared at the perfectly disheveled waves in spellbound fascination. For a moment, I forgot I was locked up in a dungeon and would probably die soon.

Then he spoke, breaking the spell. "I'm sorry I took so long, Anastasia. My father sent an assassin to kill Ella, and I had to dispatch him without my father knowing."

My gaze swiveled to Anastasia. "You know him?!?!?"

She shrank back in slight fear; I can be intimidating sometimes. Especially if you're my little sister.

"Y-yes. This is Eric. He's... he's Black Charcoal's son."

Mother drew up sharply. "What?"

Eric winced.

"It's not like that." Anastasia hastened to say. "He's working against his dad. He's helping us."

"If you'll let me." Eric added meekly. He was humble, too!!! "I'm here to help you escape. I know a safe place."

For a moment, everything was silent. Then Mother sighed. "I suppose we have nothing to lose. Let's go." She stood up as she spoke.

He glanced at Anastasia, who took the hint and spoke again. "Eric is a - a sorcerer."

"But a sorcerer hasn't been born in..." My mother trailed off.

"Nineteen years." Eric finished quietly. "I'm the last."

He's my age! Glee pumped through me, and I shoved it away forcibly. "What's the big deal?" I grumped. "Sometimes people are born with the ability to perform magic. Who cares?" I was trying to convince myself as well as the others.

Mother sighed and shook her head at me. I'm kind of used to that from her.

Eric glanced around. "I can only take one person at a time. I think I'll take you two to my safe place, and then..." He bit his lip. "Anastasia, can I take you somewhere else with me? I have a plan, and I need your help."

Jealousy flared inside me. I quashed it down.

Anastasia nodded, blushing slightly.

"Thank you." His voice was quiet as he turned to me. "Can I take you first?"

"No, you can not." I grumbled moodily. "Take Mother first. I don't want to go yet; I was only just starting to enjoy the comforts of this lovely cell."

Eric laughed, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "I see. All right, then."

I turned my back on him sulkily, feeling grumpier than ever. What right did he have to laugh at me?

Anastasia was laughing, too.

"Oh, shut up!" I yelled, in a temper. "Be quiet, Anastasia!"

She stopped immediately.

For a few moments, I stared at the wall, sulking. After Eric had had time to disappear with Mother, I spoke grumpily. "How do you know him?"

I heard a blush in her voice. "I was probably only ten or eleven when I met him. I was out in the forest gathering firewood before that became Ella's task. He found me struggling with the wood and helped me carry it back, but stayed in the forest when we came to the clearing that surrounds our house. The next time I saw him, he admitted to me who he was, and I was afraid of him. I didn't see him for a long time after that, but he came back some time later. Do you remember when grandmother became sick a few months before she died?"

I nodded slowly.

"Mother sent me to bring her some food in a basket, and Eric saved me from a wolf that had been tracking me. After that, I trusted him. He would always come and tell me all he could find out about his father's plans, and I would find a way to keep us safe. If it weren't for him... we would all be dead many times over."

"You mean, if it weren't for you," came his voice from behind.

I jumped, and so did she. We both turned and saw that Eric was standing there quietly. Who knew how long he'd been listening?

Anastasia blushed. "Oh. Hi."

He smiled at her. "You were the one who figured out how to stop him every time, Anastasia. You can't give me all the credit." Then he looked at me. "Are you ready?"

"Oh, I suppose," I muttered, letting him help me to my feet. He was smiling rather broadly, as if I amused him, and I glared in return.

"Bye, Jov-" Anastasia began.

"Don't talk to me!" I snapped, turning away from her.

"I'll be back in a minute," Eric told her softly. Then he took my hand.

Waves of dizziness washed over me and a flash of blackness that felt both short and terribly long overcame me. When I opened my eyes, we were no longer in a jail cell. I glanced around and saw that we were in a clearing in a glade of trees.

"You're not very nice to your sister." Eric told me reprovingly.

"I'm not nice to anyone," was my snappish reply.

"Why not?"

For a moment, I was stumped. Then I glared at him. Because no one likes me anyway. "Why do you care?"

Eric only smiled. "Never mind. On the other side of this clearing, you'll find your mother. You'll be safe here, but don't leave the clearing. All right?" He turned away, not waiting for a reply.

"Wait!" I tried to stop him from leaving, but it was too late.

He was already gone.