Page 8 of Unkindness of Crimson Ravens

The stars were protecting the girl from dark charms.”

Any attempts at speaking fell short as Mories’ soft voice reached my ears: an old lullaby that put my mind to rest.

“Once, a little girl befriended the moon,

The moon sang her songs in a beautiful tune.

The moon sent the girl a beautiful pearl,

The pearl was so precious, as was the girl.”

My lungs finally expanded, allowing the air in.

“That’s right, dear. Breathe.” Mories whispered, rubbing my back.

For a while we just sat on the floor, surrounded by my own blood. Silent tears fell on my gown, but my mind was empty of any thoughts, and I treasured that moment while it lasted.

This is a dream! Wake up, Cordelia.

I tried to move my muscles, but my body failed me. I tried to force my eyes open, tried to scream: all in vain.

Wake up!

Jumping from the bed with such force, I knocked my violin from its stand, making the room thunder in a dull ring of my instrument.

Just a dream.I kept repeating my mantra, hugging myself tightly, trying to force the images of the nightmare out of my head.

I woke up from Timothy forcefully kissing me in a hallway, trying to rip my gown to shreds.

Stop being so prude, Cordelia.He had told me before making himself the main character of my nightmares. I woke up from his disgusting words that had haunted me for the last month. The words that were still loud and clear in my head.

I woke up from the knife in his hand.

I woke up from the blood on my gown.

I woke up from his hands, holding me by my hair.

It was a dream. Just a dream.

Just a dream for now. Soon enough my nightmare would become my reality once again. After the wedding there would be no salvation, no rescue. My life would be over the moment the vows were said at the altar.

No one could save me, no one could change the Queen’s decision. Brian was not here to protect me, Father was not here to put this nonsense to a stop.

You stole them from me.I told the Moon.You didn’t even let me say my goodbyes.

The walls of my bedchamber were narrowing, trapping me in, crashing my body.

My hands stretched out toward the dagger underneath my bed as I put my cloak on. My mind was deprived of any thought, the instincts in me took control over my body when my legs carried me across my room.

The wardrobe door creaked when I sneaked through it, straight to the secret passage hidden within. My secret passage that led just outside the garden, just outside the perimeter of our land, right to the cemetery.