Starlight (Book 1)

32: It's Not Like I Missed You, or Anything

I almost didn't recognize the figure at first.

In front of me was the cloaked outline of a person—the same shadow I saw a few days prior. Standing in front of a glass window, the figure lowered its arms and offered a false sounding laugh.

"We meet again," the shadow spoke, the mask over its mouth making the voice sound distant and hauntingly low. It stepped forward, propping a hand on its hips. Wearing a black suit that glittered dully like a deadly, nebulous galaxy, and black gloves, I could deduce nothing about the person underneath. "Three against one is a little unfair, wouldn't you say? Don't you think it would be nicer—"

As it spoke, my body seized. I couldn't move. My body was transfixed in place. The figure snapped its fingers—though it made no sound—as my headache pounded. I watched, gaping—as Halley and Riley both halted. Their eyes were blank, their expressions emotionless. Without saying a word, their bodies pivoted in the direction we'd come and abandoned me. "—If I could even the score?"

My blood ran cold. The figure took a step to the side, lifting its chin, allowing me to see what was through the glass. I let out an audible gasp at the sight of Jax—he was strapped to a chair in the middle of the room—asleep, or knocked out, I couldn't tell.

I took a shaky step back; the air knocked from my lungs. It's not him, my mind was chanting. Leaving me dazed, I had only one question left: "Who are you?"

The figure cackled. It was a chilling sound. Hollow, almost robotic. "Me? That's a fun question! You can call me the Midnight Enchantress, and I hope you're ready to learn a little lesson on barging in where you don't belong."

Midnight lifted her hands and clapped them together. "Don't you think—" she stressed her final word, and my legs began to tingle. "It would be better if you followed me?"

I looked down. For a blissful second, nothing changed. But then my feet began to move, and I was walking like a toy soldier, incapable of controlling my movements.

"It's rather bold of you to try to come back here, isn't it?" Midnight asked as she waved her hand about, forcing me to nod. "I know, you really shouldn't have!"

She forced me to walk next to the glass wall, until I was directly facing Jax. His hair was disheveled, his head propped at an odd angle. My heart clenched. My lips felt stuck together, and my thoughts were running amok. What did you do him, what did you do to him—"What... did... you do..."

Midnight let out a peal of pulsating laughter that resounded inside my head like an alarm bell. "Look at you! I'm impressed. I didn't think you'd be able to speak so easily... but that's no matter. Don't you think you should be a good girl and shut up now?"

My mouth closed instantly, the thought of trying to speak again fleeing from my mind.

"Come on, this way," said Midnight, leading me deeper into the compound. "So, what are you up to, Starlight? Fighting crime and baddies? Saving people from demise?"

She stared at me expectantly and cackled when I gave no response. "Looks like you can follow directions! What a surprise."

Still trapped under Midnight's influence, I had little choice but to follow diligently behind her as we traced our way around Jax. "Wouldn't it just be so sad if he never woke up? If he never knew you'd come all this way to save him? I can't imagine what a tragedy that would be!"

I continued staring through the frosted glass. It was the only thing I could do. It seemed helpless. I'm sorry.

Midnight sashayed away, holding her gloved hands behind her back as she walked. The cloak covered every inch of her. I tried to move my legs, but the feeling of pinpricks flooded my senses. Glancing occasionally towards me, Midnight flicked another switch. In the distance, out of the corner of my eye, I could see floodlights shedding light on another blank hallway.