The Secret Muse (#1)

Chapter 24

Am I back home? I don't remember holding the stones and I don't remember trying to think of England. How is it that I appear to be back home? The cold wind feels like tiny needles on my skin. The cloudy sky darkens everything.

When I look down, I'm only wearing a camicia and bare feet as my hair frames my face. Wrapping my arms around my body for heat, I look around in search of clothes or anything to keep me warm.

Then I saw someone standing. I walk toward her and ask for help. "Help! Please!" When I got closer, I realized she was no ordinary person standing by the meadow with me.

She's wearing a brown dress that reaches the ground and a plaid cloak around her shoulders. When I look up at her face, it chills my bones. She looks like me.

I wanted to run away but my feet appeared to be stuck on the ground. I try my hardest to pull my feet away but to no avail. When I look back up at her, we're suddenly surrounded by stones. Some of them are carved with symbols I don't know.

Right between the two of us, another stone emerges. The woman in front of me seemed unfazed by what was happening as she stood calmly and unmoving.

Markings on the stone slowly came into view around it and out of many symbols, one of them appears to be familiar. The circular knot. A loud noise along with men fighting begins to ensue around us. People fighting and wailing but none of them appears to notice us.

Until I saw the woman all bloody and bruised. The stone was suddenly destroyed and its debris scattered on the grassy ground. She fell over to what appeared to be what was left of the stone between us, lying helpless and winded. I wanted to rush over to her and help her but my feet would not allow me.

An armored soldier stood over the woman. He then picks her up when someone, another armored soldier, yells at him in what appears an order. He threw her back down and kneeled over her.

He rips her clothes and then grabs her hair while she's too weak to move. I tried screaming, but no one could hear me. He did unspeakable deeds to her weak body that I had to look away as I was unable to stomach the cruelty he'd done to the poor woman.

When I opened my eyes, I saw her unconscious body over the stone that was now covered with her blood. In that horrific scene, I saw something glimmer around her neck. It's the necklace.

As if a mind of its own, my arm reaches out for her hand that's resting atop the stone. When I did, the stone suddenly heated up and flashed a bright light, blinding me.

When I open my eyes, I'm suddenly back in my room. I push myself up to sit upright and try to relax. Another odd dream. I felt a sudden weight on my neck. With creased brows, I reach for my neck only to realize I'm wearing something.

I stand up and rush over to the mirror, revealing a reflection of myself and my disheveled hair and camicia while wearing the necklace. How did I manage to wear this around me? I don't have any recollection of how I got myself wearing this odd and heavy necklace but taking it off proved itself to be quite an ordeal.

I try using both of my arms but to no avail. The loop is too strong to give way. Having exhausted my arms, I decided to leave it on. I'll perhaps ask Giuliano to help me take it off. He seems strong enough to do it. I just hope he won't destroy it.

Franzia came in to help me with my hair when she noticed the necklace. "What a lovely piece of jewelry you have there, Antonia." She said smiling as she arranged my hair.

"Yes, well it's rather heavy and I would love nothing more than to take it off my neck," I said as I reached up and touched the necklace.

"But it looks really beautiful. If you would wear that tomorrow you could fit right in the parade." She said, still busy with my hair.