Eric's POV
Chapter 50
*****
A sudden crackling of twigs and brush made me snap upright out of restless sleep. I sat up quickly and scanned the clearing. Squinting, I made out three figures.
Ethan, Jovette, and...
I sprang to my feet. "Ana!"
She was motionless and unmoving in Ethan's arms.
"Don't touch her," I commanded, advancing quickly and pulling her away from him, into my arms. To my surprise, he let me.
I stared down at her beautiful face, trailing my fingertips across her cheek. "What's wrong with her?"
Ethan spoke. "She's under an enchantment." His voice was assertive.
I looked up to stare at him, pure hot fury pouring through me and evaporating the joy I might have felt at seeing my brother again. "What have you done?"
He didn't react to my tone. "A kiss will wake her. A kiss from anyone who loves her."
I narrowed my eyes.
"However..." he continued with a glint in his eye, "there is a catch. If she truly loves the person who wakes her, nothing bad will happen. But if not... she will have no memories of him when she wakes. It will be as if she never met him."
A terrible fear pierced my soul and chilled my whole body. "What?"
"I believe you heard what I said." Ethan replied levelly. "Now, I'm going to depart with my hostage, if you don't mind."
"Hostage?" I shot him a puzzled look, but then Jovette gave me a sad smile and I knew what had happened. "Jovette. You exchanged yourself for...?"
She nodded softly. "It's better this way. You deserve to be happy, Eric."
All my protests died away, leaving a single pulsing fear. "But what if..."
"She'll remember you," Jovette said quietly. "She does love you, Eric."
And then Ethan grabbed her hand and she was gone.
YOU ARE READING
Cinderella: A Fractured Fairytale
FanfictionSure, you've seen the Disney movie. You know how cruel and evil her stepmother and sisters were. ...But what if there were another side to the story? What if there were secrets about this tale that couldn't be revealed just from Ella's perspective...
