Death's Dance

Chapter 18: To New Beginnings

It was nearly the next solstice when we began practicing for the upcoming wedding.

The things we had ordered arrived and alterations were scheduled. Flowers filled the ballroom. Verena selected an apartment for Kallistê and had it cleaned out.

The wedding was less than a week away. It's hard to believe. It feels like I have known some of these people all my life and yet I have not even known them a whole year yet.

All the great families would be arriving for Kallistê and Drazhan's wedding soon.

I was on my way to alterations when my head began spinning and my ears started ringing.

"Little bear, little bear, won't you please come join our fair."

The girl's voice calls out to me. Before I know it I am at the door.

I turned the knob of the door. It appears to be an old nursery apartment. Very little light entered the room and even less left it. It was hard to see, but I could just make out three figures sitting around a miniature table. Two taller one short. I inch closer. The small one seemed unable to keep still.

"Hello?"

"Ah! Sweet bear nice of you to join our fair."

"It was you, you were the one who was singing in my head."

"Yes, that was me, I cannot be free, as you can see."

"You're a prisoner?"

"Of sorts, we are all a prisoner of the courts."

"Do you always speak in rhymes?"

"I love to rhyme, it helps me to pass the time."

"You called me 'sweet bear'. Were you the one talking to Ximena?"

"Ximena, Ximena, never happened to meet ya."

"Why did you keep calling me 'bear' then?"

"A bear is what you are, it is written in the stars."

I draw up an empty chair to the table and lean in.

Whoever this child is she knows things.

"Tell me more."

The girl leaned across the table, looked me straight in the eyes, and taunted in her sing-songy voice whispered,"one, two, three, four, guess who's blood will stain the floor."

I shot up out of my seat and stumbled backwards. Bumping into one of the taller figures at the table.

He fell over revealing a dropped jaw and eyes glossed over. I nearly screamed. With my stomach all knotted up I looked to the other figure to find her in a similar state.

What?! How?! What?! When?! How?! What?! Wait. Huh?

"Five, six, seven, eight, can't stop it now you're too late."

I turned on my heels so fast I nearly fell over. I was out the door, down the hall, and out the doors so fast I ran into Kallistê.

She grabbed me by the shoulders and looked me over while I tried to catch my breath.

"There...do you...the...I...—"

"—Whoa, wait, breathe."

"Okay, okay, I'm better now."

"Now, what were you trying to say?"

"I think someone is going to die. I have to do something."

"What?"

"I know it sounds crazy—"

"—it doesn't sound crazy. Who did you overhear plotting?"

"I didn't overhear anything. The girl, she told me."

"Who told you they were going to kill someone?"

"She didn't tell me she was going to kill someone. And she didn't exactly tell me someone was going to die."

"Who? Told you? What? Did she say?"

"I don't know who she is. Her apartment is on the ground floor, the west side, end of the side hall—"

Kallistê's face changed from concerned to terrified in a split second.

"—What? What's wrong?"

"Did you tell anyone else about this?"

"Nooo"

"What did she say? Exactly."

"She kind of sang. Like it was a skipping rhyme. 'One, two, three, four, guess who's blood will stain the floor.'"

"Is that all she said?"

"No, she also said 'five, six, seven, eight, can't stop it now you're too late.'"

"Is that it is that all she said?"

"I...I think so. I ran out of there before she could say anymore."

"Okay. Go to your room. Lock the door. Don't come out."

"But—"

"Go!"

"I can't just—"

"Now!"

I turn to head back but I can't just let someone die.

I was at the main hall trying to think of what to do when the girls voice rang in my head again.

"Blood has stained these halls before, beware of the knock at your door, or you too will become lore."

I sprinted straight through the throne room, up the stairs, and into the library. Laurent wasn't there.

The glass house perhaps.

My heart was in my throat.

Beating. Beating. Beating.

I flew down the stairs. The darkness surrounded me. I had no time to grab a candle before entering the hidden corridors.

Step. Step. Step.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

I would have ran until my heart gave out.

I made it.

Using the rest of my strength I pushed the door open.

The cold air filled my lungs and brought back some of my strength.

Before I could catch my breath I realized I couldn't breathe properly.

I grabbed my side.

Blood.

I was bleeding.

Where did I get cut.

I can't...remember...where.

My legs went. My vision got cloudy. Then, everything went black.