Narcissus

Chapter Thirty-Eight

A/N

New chapter! I apologise for the month-long hiatus; I have suffered a great deal of personal losses recently and have taken a break from everything to clear my head. I hope you're all staying safe during these troubling times and enjoy this chapter. Don't be afraid to comment - it's those comments that remind me I need to write more of this! 

Cover is Elise.

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Resentment hung in the air like a bad smell. Whether it was directed at myself or the Elderflower siblings, I was unsure. It took over an hour for me to leave the room; I held out for a while, secretly hoping Elise would come and see me again. I didn't go to her because I knew I would get lost in the tunnels if I tried, but she never came. I was all alone, and the desolation that swept through me was devastating.

Elise and I would be reunited soon. I had to keep reminding myself - I did what was necessary, I had secured a key that would release us from our prison. We would soon be out of here and Josephine was none the wiser.

The corridor was lit with flickering torches. I didn't stop for one moment to admire the ornate wooden walls nor the painted, arched ceilings as my bare feet pattered on the cold floor, fear trickling throughout my body like a river of warm blood. My breathing, erratic as it was, kept me grounded. It was a gentle reminder that despite this, despite everything, I was still alive.

At the end of the hallway, I found myself standing upon a balcony overlooking a vast, majestic ballroom. It was the type of place that you needed to stay in for at least a few hours to truly admire its beauty, but I allowed myself no more than a few seconds of awe before sprinting down the steps, my feet colliding with the thin red carpet.

Blindly, I ran across the ballroom, my hair flowing behind me in the wind I created with each frantic step. Oddly, it was the freest I had felt in a long time and for a moment, I wasn't afraid anymore. My fear was replaced with determination and I knew then that no matter what, I was going to get out of here. 

If I was going to die, it sure as hell wouldn't be at the hands of an Elderflower.

Panic began to surge through me as I entered room after room, a never-ending maze of wooden panelling and oil paintings and chandeliers and musty books. My heart was pounding and I was scared again. It almost felt like I was running in circles but each room was different and there were no windows and I could hardly breathe.

Then, a door was pushed open. My hands were trembling as it slowly creaked, revealing a large, spacious office. Bookshelves lined the walls, and my toes curled around a rich, red carpet. Golden leaves flaked around the border of the ceiling and above my head swung a magnificent, glass chandelier. The excessive displays of exorbitant wealth passed by me as my eyes centred on one thing atop the grand old desk.

A telephone. My breath hitched as I sprinted forward, clutching the old fashioned machine. For a moment, I thought I heard the creaking of a floorboard and my heart seemed to thud out of my chest as I checked behind me. No one had entered. The door was still closed.

The rotary phone dial sat impassively, staring up at me with rusty eyes. It was green and engraved with small, golden daffodils.

Nothing else entered my mind at that moment except an overwhelming feeling of relief. Picking up the phone, I closed my eyes. Minutes passed like seconds and a tear escaped my eye. This was it. I was finally getting out of this horrible place.

Then, the door swung open.

Turning around in shock, my eyes bulged as Arthur appeared, menacing and crooked and horrific in his appearance. Dressed in a white suit, he was positively deranged, with blood-red eyes and wicked black eyebrows.