Chapter 49: Darkness

Arienne’s arm dropped as she released the rapier’s handle, watching through her slowly darkening vision as Francine Gauthier’s body became rigid. She folded like paper, collapsing onto her side, and reaching out for the blonde’s hand before her body petrified.

She slowly turned to ash on the arena floor, and Arienne Villeneuve felt nothing but pity, and pain. She held one arm up to the crowd before slumping over, hearing the medics running toward her.

And once more, she was floating through the midnight sky. It was different this time, however. She sat up and looked around, noting that she could feel all her extremities again.

Her head had been lying on a statue’s lap, and she looked around to see that she was, once again, in the garden of her childhood. Fleur was running about chasing their father, and her mother was nowhere to be seen.

Until the glass door slid open, and her mother emerged, holding drinks for the three of them.