Forgetting

Chapter 13-My Memory Fades

I barely ate any dinner before excusing myself from the table and returning to my room. I'm pretty sure my mother was worried sick about my strange behavior these last couple of weeks, but I didn't reassure her that I was fine.

Because, honestly, I wasn't sure I was.

After settling down comfortably in bed, I opened my book and began the final chapter.

A dull pain had started to throb in Naomi's temple, and she watched in fear as the Queen opened the door, letting Evan move outside.

" You've said your goodbyes," She said, and there was an oddly humane note in her voice," Now return to the Borders, Protector Gold. There is nothing even you can do to save her."

" No," He replied calmly, and Naomi fell in love with him all over again. He sounded so strong, so reassuring, she almost believed she could be saved once more from the brink of death. " But you can."

The Queen raised her eyebrows," And why would I do such a thing?"

Naomi realized what he was about to do a split second later.

" No!" She screamed, leaping towards the bars and pummeling them with her fists," No, Evan, you can't !"

He barely glanced at her, instead focusing his dark gaze on the Queen. " I will give myself up to you. I will become your husband and rule this kingdom alongside you. You never have to doubt about me leaving your side."

Naomi slipped to her knees, the tears she had held back for so long streaming down her cheeks.

Evan's voice shook as he finished," All you have to do, Your Majesty, is spare her life."

The Queen's eyes glowed, and she glanced at the crying girl in her cell. " That is an interesting proposition." She stepped forward and slid a hand up his arm, which he promptly knocked off.

" Not until you save her," He said vehemently.

" Very well then," The Queen's face broke into a humorless smile," It's a deal. However, there is no cure strong enough to counter the poison. It has been created from magic and ,therefore, the only thing that can save her is to send her to a land without magic. Over there the poison will spread through her body, yes, but it will be considerably slower and have no effect on her."

" No!" Naomi screamed," I'll die before I agree to one of your twisted deals!"

She open her mouth in horror as the Queen lifted her hand and conjured a staff from thin air, watching helplessly as once again the course of her life was being decided by someone else. Except this time it hadn't been the tyrant.

It had been the person she trusted most.

Evan's eyes were full of heartbreak as they looked into hers.

" Don't do this," She begged," I'd rather die."

" I can't," He replied," I was selfish when I met you, and I've been selfish every day since. I'm being selfish right now. I can't lose you, and wherever you are, at least I'll know you're alive."

" If you do this, then you'll lose me for good," Naomi spat back, trying desperately to keep the emotion out of her voice in front of the Queen. She was trying to be strong, but anyone who looked into her eyes would know she was breaking inside.

The Queen raised her staff as magic crackled through the air, dark and unforgiving. There was a blinding flash before Naomi found a miniature model of a town in her arms, built on a slab of rock. It was complete with tiny moving cars and even tinier people roaming the streets.