Cinderella: A Fractured Fairytale

Twenty-Four

Ana's POV

Chapter 24

THIS IS THE MOMENT

PHILLIP

AND ELLA

***

I was kind of tired of Jovette's angry glare. It had been following us ever since she'd realized Eric was here - along with the rest of her.

Finally, Eric leaned over to whisper to me as Jovette turned away from us. "Watch this."

His heartstone glowed briefly, but otherwise nothing happened. I tilted my head expectantly. "What?"

Jovette turned around and then did a double take. "Where did Eric go?"

"You're looking right at him." I replied, puzzled.

Eric grinned. "She can't see me."

Jovette didn't seem to hear.

"In fact," he continued, "I could go right up to her and touch her and she'd still be completely unaware of my presence."

"Anastasia!" Jovette shrilled. "Stop teasing me. Where is he?"

"Why do you want to know?" I asked coyly. Then is hissed sideways to Eric. "Why can't she see or hear you?"

"Because I want to know!" Jovette growled at the same time as Eric's response.

"I'm under a... a sort of camouflage spell. You saw me do the spell, so it doesn't affect you. But for anyone else, they won't notice me, even if I'm standing right in front of them. I'm not invisible... but their minds don't process the fact that I'm there. The things I say won't be transmitted to their minds and processed. If I touch them. their nerves won't send any sort of signal to their brain, so they won't even realize they've been touched."

"That's brilliant!" I exclaimed, and he blushed slightly.

Jovette didn't seem to notice that I was talking to nothing and no one (at least, from her perspective). She just sighed loudly and left the room.

Moments later, I heard her shriek as a trumpeter sounded from outside.

"THE ROYAL COACH IS HERE!"

I jumped up. "IT IS?!?"

Eric stayed where he was, looking wounded. "Ana... why are you so eager to meet the prince?"

I realized my mistake and blushed. "Oh, Eric. I'm sorry..."

He sighed and looked away. I could tell he was hurt. "I just... if you don't feel the same way, just tell me, Ana."

"Eric, no." I protested, grabbing his hand. He stood, looking torn, and I stepped forward and hugged him, burying my head in his shoulder. His arms went around me.

"How can I keep my peace of mind when you keep saying such things?" He asked softly, swaying me gently back and forth. "I'm afraid to lose you."

An answer failed me, and for a moment I groped for words, trying to think of what to say.

Finally, I lifted my head and looked directly up into his eyes. "You don't have to be afraid."

He watched me wordlessly.

"I love you." I said after a moment.

Eric met my eyes, stroking a strand of my hair away from my face. "I love you, too."

"I'm not going to leave you for any prince." I promised. Which, the prince likes Ella, anyway, so, it would be pointless.

He covered his doubt, either hiding it or letting it dissipate. Then he smiled. "That's good to hear. Now, we should probably join the others. Ella has a prince to catch."