Eva's POV
People. Pures. They're everywhere. I'm not even in the ballroom yet and I'm trembling at the thought of it, at the noise they all make. And I'm trembling at the idea that I'll spend the whole night by his side.
"If you run off without my permission," he told me earlier as he grabbed the shackle around my right wrist, "You know what will happen, correct?"
Of course I know what will happen. So despite the fact I'm almost shaking, I take his arm glancing up to meet his cold eyes. Then, together, we walk into the ballroom, thousands of eyes on us, on me. The lost princess has returned, and now she's here, for all Pure eyes to see.
Cas lingers at my side, rubbing his head against my hand in an attempt to calm my nerves. It works a little, but not as much as I would wish.
"You will be okay."
A speech from the queen, then my father too - just for good measure - then the actual ball begins.
"May I have the first dance?" Sebastian asks, putting on a polite persona.
"Of course," I answer, nervously taking his hand.
The music begins playing, it's a song I don't know but it has an easy enough rhythm to dance to. I surprisingly manage to go without stepping on his foot, and Cas quietly circles around us throughout the whole song.
After the dance, I reluctantly follow him around, talking to whoever chooses to talk to me, and unable to get my off of the bodyguard who I encountered yesterday. The (I assume) Impure girl who's connected to my mother, Cassie and Hunter in some way.
She's in a dress today, clearly trying to blend in with all the Pures. She even wears makeup too pale for her own skin and her hair is neatly tied into a black bun.
After a while, I finally encounter her.
"Your highness," she grins when she spots me. "It's a pleasure to meet you at last. It seems so busy here, do you mind finding somewhere less crowded to talk?"
I glance up at Sebastian, who (despite his glare) nods, and I lead the girl to my room, the most private place that I can think of.
After closing and locking the door, I ask:
"How do you know who I am?"
"Through your friends, your mother too. Cassie, Hunter and... Flynn was it?"
"How did you encounter them? I mean, what were they doing all the way up here?"
"Searching for you dummy. I knew Cassie and Hunter when I was younger, so - as one of the leaders of a rebel group, I invited them to our base. They did offer information about you, something none of us could receive. Anyhow, my name is Ada Sanos, though you don't need to introduce yourselves, Eva and Cas."
"So how is everyone? No, I can ask that later, what are you here to do?"
"Save you."
"But what about the Silence, how are you going to get it off?"
"Don't worry about that, we have to get going right now. Come on."
Cas unlocks the door as she grabs onto my hand, and soon I'm running through the corridor with them, and I'm relieved that I didn't choose to wear heels today. And that's when she halts to a stop.
"Get away from the princess!"
Sebastian. I should've expected this. For him to act like he cares for me and my safety just as I'm about to get away from this place.
Guards surround us and Cas flies to my arms, burying his face in my shoulder.
What do we do? We can't run, but I can't let them take Ada, they might torture or kill her.
"Let her go, and we won't shoot."
Her grip on my hand tightens and I watch as her fiery eyes widen, almost like she doesn't know what to do. Was she not expecting this?
And then her hand begins to move away, and she gestures for me to walk back to Sebastian. Suddenly, she grabs my wrist and whispers:
"They're going to have to kill me but they won't have to kill you. Stay safe, both of you. Get out of here. And for my sake tell Cassie I-"
Bang!
Her blood - red blood, Impure blood - splatters onto my face and her body begins to go limp.
Slowly, I sink to the floor, tears falling down my face as I stare with wide eyes. Cas glances up at me and I see a hint of terror in his golden eyes.
"Are you okay?" The cold voice is strange, warmer than usual, even though it's not by much.
"I-" My lip wobbles as I try to speak and I turn back to Cas and pull him into a tighter hug.
I despise death. The idea of it for anyone usually terrifies me. But this girl put her life on the line for me, she died for me even though she didn't have to. Though they likely would've killed her after getting any desired information.
"Guards, clean up the body. Eva, come with me," despite how much I hate him, I take his hand and use it to stand up. Then I follow him back to my room, where I go to wash the blood off of me, Cas coming into the bathroom with me.
"This is real," I mutter, staring as the blood washes off my hands. "Someone died, right in front of us. Cas what do we do?"
"I don't know... I don't... no. I do know. We have to get out of here. Get the silence off of you and run."
"Well how do we do that?" I say before splashing my face with water.
"I have a plan, you'll have to be willing to fight for your freedom."
"Our freedom," I correct, "And of course I'm willing. We will get out of here. No one can stop us."
Except maybe him.
We can't discuss a plan until he leaves, and I know he won't for a while. He's the reason that girl is dead, that's what I'm trying to tell myself at least.
Because if she didn't come here to save us, Ada would be alive and well right now.
Nova Note:
Rip Ada Sanos
Y'know if you take the o out of her surname it becomes Sans
YOU ARE READING
Cursed
Fantasy"I'm glad you were able to break the curse. But now you'll have another one. One only I can break. You won't ever disobey me again Eva Kim. Now you are dead to me, and dead to the world and maybe one day, you will finally be truly dead. But for now...
