Adele’s lips quivered in amusement. “That’s one way of putting it, I suppose.” She chuckled. “It would take more than a single conversation to explain what Merek and I are, dear. Suffice it to say that we are involved.”
“Okay, so this Merek doesn’t want you to tell me everything, is that it?”
“Bingo,” Adele said, her eyes twinkling. She looked up. “I told you she was a quick study.”
Elle realized then that Adele had done it again. She’d sidetracked her from the important questions. She had to get the conversation back on track. “When that shadow crawler assaulted us, I had a vision of some sort. In that vision, I saw a castle. It looked familiar, and I had the distinct impression that I had been there before.” Her eyes met Adele’s as she leveled her next question. “Have I been there before?”
Adele nodded slowly.
A chill ran through Elle. Could it be true? Had she really been there, or did Adele have her under some sort of sophisticated delusion? As if in answer to her question, Adele motioned, causing a roaring fire to appear in the fireplace. “It’s no delusion, dear, I can assure you of that.” She puckered her lips. “Even I am not that good.” She rolled her eyes. “Good … but not that good.”
Elle jumped back, clutching the arms of the chair. The fire was burning hot. She could feel it. There was no way Adele could create a delusion that she could feel. This had to be real. Blood drained from her face.
Adele gave her a concerned look. “Are you okay, dear?”
“Yes,” Elle croaked. “I’m okay.” Her mind was reeling, trying to take it all in.
“Taking deep breaths helps.” She paused thoughtfully, smoothing her curly hair that was shooting corkscrews in every direction, refusing to be tamed. “Oh, and you might want to take a look at some of Jack’s pictures and compare notes.”
“What does Jack have to do with all of this?” She made a face.
Rather than answering, Adele began peppering her with questions. “When you had this vision, what did you allow the shadow crawler to see?”
The bright flames, eating hungrily at the large sticks of firewood caught her attention. The fact that Adele could start a fire with the flick of a finger was truly extraordinary. She fleetingly wondered what other abilities she had. This was like something out of a sci-fi or fantasy movie, and yet, it was happening here and now! It was real! A part of her was super impressed with her renegade aunt and her quirky ways and the other part … she wrinkled her nose … the other part was scared, she admitted.
“Elle!” A hint of frustration coated Adele’s voice.
She jerked her eyes away from the fire. “What?”
“I know this is a lot to take in, but you need to focus. I’m not trying to alarm you, but you need to know that the shadow crawler was sent to discover your greatest fears and weaknesses. What did you show it?”
Her stomach churned, and she suddenly felt nauseous as the fear returned with a vengeance.
“What did you show it?” Adele prompted.
Elle’s eyes met Adele’s. “Rush,” she whispered, “I showed it Rush.” She clutched the neck of her shirt. “This is bad, isn’t it?” She shook her head, a frantic expression forming on her face. “The fear took hold, and there was nothing I could do.”
Adele put a hand over hers. “Listen to me. The shadow crawlers only have as much power over you as you give them.”
Elle shook her head. “No, there was nothing I could do,” she said sorrowfully. “The power was too great.” She shrank back in the protectiveness of the chair, remembering that cold, hopeless feeling. Realizing that the thing was probing her to discover her fears took the horror to a new level.
“Calm down,” Adele said evenly. She put a comforting hand over Elle’s. “I know things seem daunting, but it is my firm belief that the light will always dispel the darkness. Good will eventually triumph over evil, but you need to stay the course if you want to be the beneficiary of that good. You are stronger than you think. I have seen evidence of your courage many times. You made the decision after your accident to cast off that wicked part of yourself and become a better person. You are trying to make the right choices and are seeking to be honest about your feelings for Rush and Edward. That takes courage, and I’m very pleased with the progress you’re making.”
Had she done all of those things? Was Adele right? The truth of Adele’s words settled over her, and she felt that same peace that she’d felt after the shadow crawler left. “You saved me, didn’t you?” Her eyes went moist. “When I was at my lowest point and afraid that the shadow crawler would destroy me, you came to my rescue and spoke words of encouragement, just as you’re doing now.” Gratitude welled in her breast. “Thank you.”
Adele gave her an encouraging smile. “You are most welcome, dear.” She reached for the silver tray. “I suppose it wasn’t necessary for you to eat a white chocolate truffle tonight, but would you like a milk chocolate one?”
Elle’s mouth watered, but then she remembered the thing about the truffles she was trying to recall—a distinct feeling telling her not to eat another milk chocolate truffle. Something about making her forget. “No, I wouldn’t care for a truffle,” she forced herself to say, even though her taste buds were screaming otherwise.
A look of surprise washed over Adele’s features. “Are you sure, dear? I know how much you love them.”
She nodded, giving Adele a firm look. “I’m sure.” Then it came to her as she looked at Adele through new eyes. Her mind was still trying to process it as she spoke. “The white chocolate truffles help me to remember and the milk chocolate ones make me forget.”
Adele smiled as a look of admiration came over her face. “Good girl.” She winked. “You’re going to be just fine.” She looked at the ceiling. “I tell you, this one is on her way to greatness. It’s only a matter of time.”
* * *
The low voices were a distant murmur that skirted the edge of her consciousness and then disappeared. Cinderella’s eyelids fluttered, and she tried to open them, but they were too heavy. She sank back into the blessed darkness, going down, down, down. Then a sharp pain shot across her temple, causing her to moan and clutch her head.
She heard the rustle of fabric from a gown. “Mi’ lady?” A hand touched her shoulder. “She is coming to.”
That voice. It sounded so familiar. Where had she heard it before?
“Princess?”
Cinderella turned toward the voice.
“She is awake, go and summon The Lady Seraphina. She wanted to be notified the moment Cinderella awoke.”
“Where am I?” She became aware of the soft sheets and plush pillow beneath her head. Her head was pounding, and she couldn’t push through the haze that was clouding over her. “What happened to me?” She struggled to sit up.
“Ye must rest, mi’ lady.”
She looked up at the woman standing over her, Millicent. Of course, she was in her bedchamber … in the palace. “What happened to me?”
Rather than answering, Millicent started adjusting the bedcovers. “No need to worry. The Lady Seraphina is on her way.”
“My stepmother is here?”
“Aye, mi’ lady, she arrived earlier this morning. She is going to stay until things settle down … er, um, until ye get to feeling better.”
“But I am not ill,” Cinderella protested, although her aching head was proving otherwise.
“Here madam, drink this tea. It will help thee to relax.”
“But I am not thirsty.”
“It will help thee. Please.” Millicent’s voice was kind, yet pleading.
“As you wish. I will drink it,” she huffed. She took the cup and began sipping on the tea that had a faint taste of rosemary, lemon, and an aftertaste of something she didn’t recognize. It had a calming affect, allowing her to search her mind for answers. She was lifting the cup to her lips and stopped mid-stream when she saw the angry whelps on her wrists. It was at that moment that it all c
ame rushing back. She dropped the cup, spilling the hot liquid on her nightgown.
“Oh, no,” Millicent exclaimed, rushing to clean up the mess.
She looked down, confused. Where were her traveling clothes? Had Millicent undressed her? She clutched her chest. Where was the letter? She jumped out of bed. Her knees buckled when her feet hit the floor, and she held onto the bed for support. “Rushton!” She looked wildly around the bedchamber and at Millicent who suddenly became keenly interested in picking up the broken pieces of the teacup off of the floor.
“Where is he?”
Millicent shook her head and stood. Before she could walk away, Cinderella grabbed her arm. “I asked thee a question! Where is he?” She was yelling, but she was beyond caring what anyone thought.
“Princess, please. Thou art hurting my arm.”
Cinderella got up in her face. “I will hurt more than thine arm if ye do not tell me where he is!”
Millicent’s eyes darted back and forth like she was trying to find a way to escape. Cinderella dug her fingernails into Millicent’s arm. “Tell me!”
“In the dungeon.”
The words knocked Cinderella back. Tears sprang to her eyes. “I have to go to him. I have to—” A wave of dizziness enveloped her, and she clutched the bed for support. The room started to spin and bright lights exploded around her.
Millicent started speaking, but the words sounded garbled to Cinderella, like they were coming out in slow motion. “The Tea!” She staggered. “Ye put something in the tea!” She fell into Millicent, clutching at her frock for support. Then she toppled backwards onto the bed and went unconscious.
Chapter Seven
Jealousy
Elle and Rae were in Elle’s room, listening to music and munching on Cheetos and drinking root beer. It was nice to be able to veg after school. Adele had given her the evening off, and she was planning on meeting Rush at 5:00 to work on the English essay. Afterwards, the band members were going to The Chocolate Fountain to practice for the upcoming gig at Wisteria’s nightclub. Rae was lying on her stomach across the bed, her legs going back and forth in the air as she thumbed through a People Magazine. Elle was sitting in the hot pink, overstuffed chair with black roses. She was angled so that her legs were propped up on the arm of the chair.
“I still don’t see what Rush sees in Lynessa,” Elle said sourly, picking up the topic she’d begun when she saw Rush and Lynessa sitting together at lunch. It was all she could do to sit there and watch Lynessa laughing and leaning into him when what she really wanted to do was to march over, grab her perfect hair, and drag her as far away from Rush as she could.
Rae rolled her eyes and blew out a breath. “Geez! Give it a rest, would ya? You’ve been talking about this for hours.”
Elle thrust out her lower lip in a pout. “Fine! I won’t mention it again.”
Rae glanced at her crestfallen expression, rose up off of her stomach, and sat Indian style on the bed. “Look, you obviously still have feelings for Rush, or you wouldn’t be so bent out of shape about him and Lynessa.”
“That’s Ridiculous!” she scoffed. “He’s an immature moron who thinks he’s God’s gift to women!” She crossed her arms tightly over her chest. “I detest him.”
Rae chuckled. “Case in point.”
Elle’s jaw dropped but then she clamped her lips shut. There was no sense pretending when Rae could see straight through her. She ran a hand through her hair. “I just don’t get Rush. One minute he’s hot and the next he’s cold.”
“You’re calling him hot and cold?” She arched an eyebrow. “Really?”
“What are you getting at?” Heat went up Elle’s neck as she started straightening her shirt.
“Anyone with eyes can see that Rush is crazy about you, but you keep waffling back and forth between him and Edward. I’m sure the poor guy got tired of waiting for you to make up your mind.”
A hot anger seared its way over Elle. “That’s not fair! I’ve had a lot to deal with! Under the circumstances, I think I’ve done pretty well. I’m only trying to be honest about my feelings,” she finished, remembering the compliment Adele had given her.
Rae shook her head. “I know you’ve been through a lot, and I’m not trying to get all preachy on you, I’m just saying that Rush is a guy—a guy that has a lot going for him. He’s not going to wait around forever.”
“Obviously,” Elle muttered darkly.
“What’s up with you and Edward?” Gingerly, she reached into the open bag of Cheetos and selected two before placing them in her mouth. “I can’t believe you went out with him!” She rolled her eyes. “I thought that ship had sailed.”
“Yeah …” Elle began chewing on the inside of her lip. Hearing Rae put it so bluntly made her feel like a heel. She hadn’t meant to keep waffling back and forth between Rush and Edward, but it was all a jumbled mess, and there seemed to be no easy solution. She pushed her hair behind her ear. “I’m not sure what to do about Edward.”
“If you’re as crazy about Rush as I think you are then the kind thing to do would be to turn Edward loose … put him out of his misery so he can move on. You know, a fresh start sort of thing.”
Elle made a face as irritation squelched over her. The last thing she needed was a lecture from Rae. “You make it sound so cut and dry, but it’s not!”
Rae looked doubtful. “I think you’re making it much more complicated than it has to be.”
“It is complicated. There’s that whole mess about the letter!” She made a face. “And for your information, I thought I had made a choice, but then Rush threw it back in my face! It took him about two seconds to move on to Lynessa!” Her eyes flashed with anger.
A wise smile broke across Rae’s face. “He’s playing you good.”
A furrow appeared between Elle’s brows. “What do you mean? Are you saying this thing with Lynessa is some sort of twisted attempt to make me jealous?” An ember of hope kindled in her breast. If that were the case, then that meant she still had a chance of winning him back.
She spread her hands. “You are jealous, aren’t you?”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” she said defensively.
A sparkle of amusement lit Rae’s eyes. “Really?”
“Okay, smarty pants. Since you’re such an expert on me and Rush, why don’t we talk about you and Jack?” She paused and let the silence do its trick. It was fun to watch Rae’s face turn the shade of her hair.
Her mouth formed a large O. “There is no me and Jack,” she protested.
Elle laughed. “Obviously.”
“Jack is an imbecile! And he drives me crazy!” She fluffed her short hair.
A smile played on Elle’s lips. “Uh-huh, sounds about right. It’s those imbeciles you have to look out for. Believe me, I know,” she finished dryly.
Rae cut her eyes at Rush’s house. “Yep, that’s right.” They both laughed, breaking the tension.
“So,” Elle prompted. “You and Jack?”
“Don’t even go there,” Rae smirked. She waved a hand in the air. “Jack and I are just friends.”
Elle arched an eyebrow.
“We are … for now.” A crafty smile curved her lips. “Although he is rather cute when he does that thing with his head.”
“Yeah, when he tries to flip his hair back into place?” Elle started jerking her head erratically, causing her hair to go flying.
Rae laughed. “It looks a little better when Jack does it.” She sighed. “I dunno, Jack has his moments.” The corners of her lips turned down in a frown. “When he’s not annoying the heck out of me!”
“Yep, it’s those imbeciles that you have to look out for.”
Rae shook her head. “Exactly.” Then she looked thoughtful. “You mentioned a letter. What were you talking about?”
“Oh, that.” She blew out a breath. “Right after our performance at the Castle High Formal, Edward pulled me into the hall and showed me this letter I wrote him before the acciden
t.” She wrinkled her nose. “It was really something. I poured my heart out to him in a major way.” A shadow crossed her features. “I was obviously madly in love with him. He keeps hoping that some of those feelings will come back to me.”
Rae frowned. “Really? That’s not the vibe I got.”
A tug of apprehension clutched Elle. “What do you mean?”
She shrugged. “You and Edward were always the couple.” She made air quotes. “But I always got the feeling that you were only going through the motions—that there was someone else.”
“Rush.” It took her a moment to realize she’d spoken his name out loud.
Rae nodded.
“Then why did I write that letter to Edward?”
“Beats me. I guess you’ll have to figure that out on your own.” She shrugged. “You’re a very different person now than before the accident. Maybe …” She started fidgeting with her fingernails, something Rae often did when she was hedging.
“What?” Elle prompted.
Rae gave her a tentative look. “I don’t mean to open old wounds, but is it possible you were playing Edward? Maybe you wrote him things that he wanted to hear?”
A sick feeling came over Elle. Her first inclination was to vehemently deny it, but before the accident, she’d supposedly been a Class A Wench, so there was no telling what she’d done. “Do you really think I would’ve been that heartless?”
She saw the answer in Rae’s uncomfortable expression. What kind of monster had she been? No wonder Rush was frustrated with her. He probably thought she was playing him when she admitted her feelings for him. Her eyes met Rae’s—the one person that had stood by her through thick and thin. “If I was so terrible, then why did you keep being my friend?” She hated how small and vulnerable her voice sounded, but she had to know.
Rae’s eyes met hers. “You know, I’ve asked myself that same question a thousand times.”
Elle’s heart clutched, and she couldn’t stop the shocked expression from forming on her face. Even though she suspected as much, it was a blow to hear it out loud.
Love Spell: Book 2 of The Grimm Laws Page 9