Illusion and Reality

Doing you a favor

It was a grand party, people wearing expensive ball gowns and suits were busy in their own world. Laughing and dancing without any worries of the world, the joy of being there was radiating through their eyes.

A woman in the purple gown stood out from everyone, she was dancing happily in the middle, face hidden under the mask. Everyone seemed to admire her, she was dancing without any care of the world. I smiled looking at her.

Then, she looked at the main door and ran towards it, I looked around to see the expressions of people but no one cared. I ran behind her to make sure if she was okay.

I started walking in an unknown direction, my feet started moving faster as I felt the harsh wind slapping my face coldly. With the guidance of moonlight, I continued walking through the forest.

“Hello?” I called loudly when I heard some rustling of the leaves. I tried my best to look from afar, but nothing was visible from where I was standing, the trees were blocking the path.

Unfortunately, there was no response.

“Do you need any help? Are you okay?” I asked, hoping the woman would say anything.

Again she did not reply, for a while I thought I was wrong maybe she went somewhere else.

Suddenly a dark laugh echoed through the forest making a chill ran down my spine. Unknowingly I started taking steps backward while keeping an eye on the spot from where I heard the rustling of the leaves. 

“Boo,” someone whispered in my ear from behind, making me scream in fear.

I turned around in a hurry only to find a man standing in a dark hoodie covering his whole face. He chuckled, “Scared already? I haven’t even started playing yet.”

“Who are you and what do you want?” I asked trying not to sound scared but the dark atmosphere and the maniac standing in front of me were making me scared.

“Well well well, would you look at that, the chicken grew a spine,” he taunted with a laugh, “I am someone you will meet soon when I will end your miserable life, even that Lucius and his witch won’t be able to save you.”

“Why are you doing this? I don’t even know you,” I screamed at him.

His laughter stopped suddenly and he took a threatening step towards my direction, “Do you always have to ask dumb questions? No wonder everyone leaves you.”

I turned in the opposite direction and started running without looking back, the wolves were howling in the distance.

I could hear his footsteps behind me, getting closer and closer. I ran with everything I had until I could not hear his footsteps behind me. 

“I have to wake up,” I said to myself.

I pinched my arm but it was useless, I picked a stick from the ground and tried to scratch my hand with it. It was not working.

“You remind me of someone,” he said, but I could not see him anywhere.

“A foolish girl she was and do you know what happened to her?”

I hid behind a large tree hoping he would not find me.

“I killed her,” he whispered from behind.

I screamed and tried to run away but he held my arm tightly.

My back was touching the tree and I had nowhere to run, I closed my eyes waiting for it to get over so that I could finally wake up.

“Shh. I am doing you a favor,” he said slowly and plunged a knife into my stomach.

I started screaming as loudly as I could to make the burning sensation stop.

“Wake up, you are okay, it was just a dream,” I heard a familiar voice.

I opened my eyes to find myself in Lucius’ arms, I looked around to find Lily and Astrid standing in my room.

Lily had worry laced all over her face while Astrid looked confused and sleepy.

Lucius passed me a glass of water, I felt a stinging pain when I lifted my hand to get the glass of water.

I winced and held my stomach.

“What is it?” he asked quickly.

I shook my head, “nothing, I am fine,” I said, which was barely audible due to the pain.

Lily wasted no time and was standing near my bed, she quickly lifted my top to reveal a huge black s***h scar on my stomach.

She gasped looking at it, and turned to Astrid, “Can you please bring something for this?”

Astrid ran out of the room and came back with a bowl in her hand, “Here, apply this.”

I flinched as I felt the cold slime touching my skin, the burning sensation finally stopped.

“How did it happen?” Lucius asked in a serious voice.

I stayed silent, looking at my hands in my lap.

“Tell them,” Lily said sternly.

“I bit my lip, “It happened in my nightmare,” I said, not looking at anyone, “they keep getting real.”

“This has happened before?” Lucius asked softly.

I nodded slowly, “These were just some weird nightmares before, nothing harmful. But now whenever he attacks me in my dreams, I get hurt in real life as well. He is going to kill me.”

“He?” Lucius asked instantly with a scowl on his face.

I inhaled a deep breath and started telling them everything, leaving the part about the woman in the purple cloak.

I told them about the nightmares I had before we got here and the nightmares I had after we got in the kingdom.

They all listened to everything with full attention. After I was done telling them everything a thick uncomfortable silence filled the room.

“Why didn’t you tell us about the nightmares earlier?” Lucius asked in disbelief.

“I thought once we got out of here the nightmares would stop. You had already too much to worry about, I didn’t want to increase your burden with these nightmares,” I answered without meeting his eyes.

“Unbelievable,” he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, “how could you think something like that? You can never bother me with anything. You are not a burden, if I had any doubt about you I would have never asked you to stay in my home. I meant every word I have ever said to you. What were you waiting for? Him to kill you in your nightmares while we all sleep peacefully.”

I felt a pang in my heart as I heard those words, “He said even you or Astrid can’t help me.”

Astrid frowned, “He mentioned us?”

“Yes. He knows about both of you which means he knows where we live.”

“How does he look like?” she asked again.

“I don’t know, his face is always hidden under his hood.”

Astrid stood silently thinking about something, playing with the bracelet on her wrist while Lucius sat next to me, without bothering to hide his anger.

Lily sat on my other side, holding my hand.

“Someone is using dark magic,” Astrid said standing up.

Everyone turned to look at her, “A very strong dark magic, it will not kill her in the nightmares yet but it can hurt her very badly.”

“But why would someone try to kill me? I don’t even know anyone here.”

“Because of your face, they think you have some connection with the queen,” Lily answered.

I stared at her in confusion, “It is merely a coincidence that I look like the queen. I don’t even belong to this place.”

“During the attack, they were here for you. They were asking me questions about your location. They know you look like the dead queen,” she replied with a sour face.

“Astrid, can you do something about the nightmares?” Lucius asked.

She pressed her lips in a thin line, “I do not have enough things to prepare a protection spell right now,” her voice showed no emotion.

He hummed while thinking about something, “Everyone, get some sleep, we will think about this tomorrow.”

“What if she gets a nightmare again?” Lily asked sharply.

“I am not going to sleep,” I replied before Lucius could say anything. Lily looked at me in disbelief.

“Neither am I. I will stay with her, I will wake her up in case she falls asleep,” Lucius said.

With a curt nod, Astrid went out of the room leaving me with Lucius and Lily.

“I should stay here with her as well.”

He shook his head in disapproval, “No. If anything happens I will tell you, you should go to sleep.”

Lily did not look convinced but went towards the door reluctantly, “Don’t let her sleep,” she warned him before closing the door.

Lucius got up from the bed and sat on the couch, I stared at him silently.

He grabbed a book from the table I was reading about the witches and started turning pages to avoid looking at me.

“I get it you are mad at me but you have to understand my point of view as well,” I tried to initiate the conversation but he did not respond.

With a sigh, I got up from the bed and took a seat next to him, “I am not going to apologize for hiding this from you. You were hardly here, how else was I supposed to tell you? By leaving letters in your room or by running after you. After the kiss you became distant and then you left after what happened before the attack. You are hiding stuff as well Lucius.”

“I am not mad at you I am mad at myself. You think I do not know what have I done, I know I was not here for you and I thought I was protecting you but I was wrong. I said I would help you to go back home but here you are almost getting murdered in your nightmares. No matter how much I try I keep losing you,” he slammed the book angrily on the table, which fell on the floor.

Instead of saying anything I hugged him tightly, “We will get through this, I promise.”