Abigail pov

“Say goodbye to Isabella, Abigail” came the voice again and a mocking smile filled my lips.

“What would it change? I am tired too. Let me just close my eyes and rest. I have finally given up.” With that thought I closed my eyes.

My soul roamed in darkness. It felt safe, burden free. I was trying to gain the impossible. Now that I had let it go, that suffocating feeling has gone too. I would sleep here for eternity. 

I heard the sound of chuckling from afar.. I tried to avoid it, but the sound continued to come closer. 

“I have never thought that you would be a coward to give up when you face defeat easily. Now i felt like i had wasted my energy that i consumed in bringing you back!” the voice! I could recognize the voice even in my dreams. 

I snapped my eyes open, only to see the same young girl standing there. She was still in that bloody red dress from that day. But her eyes were still ethereal and her expression was still frowning like an old lady. She was looking at me with disdain.

She walked close to me and crouched down so that our faces could be closer and her eyes could look deep into my eyes. I felt cold sweat all over my body. My body felt frozen, no matter how I tried to move, even my fingers did not show any movement.

“For all those who have sacrificed their life for you in the past, I felt pity and gave you another chance. Their unconditional love forced me to find you and return you to them. Yet here you are.. Lying defeated like a pathetic woman!

Ha! You did not realize it, did you?” I could feel her anger, disappointment and fury but even when I opened my mouth. No one would come out. I sat there like a mute person, when she held me with my chin and forced me to look deep into her eyes.

Her orbs turned like black hole, sucking my soul in. they started to swirl and I fell deeper and deeper. I felt dizzy with all the movement and then fell on the floor with a thud.

It felt like all the bones of my body got broken with the fall. I winced as the floor touched my skin. And it took all my efforts to open my eyes. But when I did, I was once again in the palace with the fire all around.

“Go and find Isabella, and run away from here with her.” those words! I tried to look at the scene. It was my father who was pushing me away. I had seen these many times and now it had engraved in my heart, then why? Why was I here again? I saw myself running out with all my might, like always it did not end with my father’s death.

I heard the shrieks from the other side. I stood up, bewildered. I was not sure if I should follow the sound, but my feet started moving there unconsciously.

Surprisingly the flames did not affect me at all. I passed through them easily without even feeling an ounce of heat coming from them. The screams brought me back from my stupor and I looked at the distance only to see the voice coming from the duchess chamber.

“You need to go out. I am sure your father and brother will help you, Isabella.“ I walked in only to see that the entrance was completely blocked by flames that were reaching up to my waist now.

The Duchess was on the balcony with Isabella who was crying incessantly. 

“No, I will not go without you.” Isabella was shaking her head frivolously as her mother did not change her decision.

“Alright, you go first and check if it is feasible. Then I will follow you.” she caressed Isabella’s cheek with so much emotion. Tears were flowing from her eyes like a broken dam when I heard the sound of the door falling. The fire had burnt most of it and now it was taking big steps towards the curtain and furniture in the room. Big roars and smoke were coming to the balcony too.

“Now we do not have time for argument, Bella. Start descending and I will follow you when you reach the ground.” the young girl was scared, she held her mother tightly when the door fell, yet the strict voice of her mother brought her back to reality, and the girl nodded.

She moved towards the rope made from blankets but when she looked at the height, she gulped. Her feet turned frozen. She did not have the courage to descend this way.

The Duchess felt heartbroken and miserable at the condition of her daughter. But she did not have any choice. She clenched her hands and took Bella in her arms.

“We do not have time, you have to go.” with that she held the bedsheet from one hand and pushed bella from other hands.

Feeling the push, Bella held the blanket unconsciously. 

“See, it is not that difficult. Now go, love. I will see you down there soon.” Bella nodded and tried her best to not panic further. She had to do it with speed so that her mother could use it too.

The thought filled determination in her. And slowly she started to descend. The Duchess took a sigh or relief when she saw that Bella was finally doing it properly. She wiped her tears and gave a last smile to her daughter.

“I apologize for lying to you, but I love you the most.” she whispered, though Bella was not able to listen to it, I heard it clearly. I was standing nearby miserable just like hers. The fire had already engulfed rooms, and soon it started moving towards its prey. Bella was just about to touch the ground when she jumped so that she would not waste more time. But when she looked above, her mother was not there anymore.

The whole balcony was covered with the flames of fire and she could see her mother’s figure but her body had already caught fire.

“Mother.” she shrieked with all her might. She held the blanket tightly. I didn’t know whether it was an involuntary action or she was thinking of coming up again. I looked at the lady who was burnt completely. She did not even try to move or run away from it. As if she had accepted her death with open arms, yet she continued to look at the safety of her daughter till last. Her eyes were still on Isabella, until she turned into ashes and fell on the ground. 

But just then, Isabella shouted again and again which attracted the knights of Gerard and they soon came running towards her. They held her both arms and dragged her like captives. She did not even struggle. Her eyes had lost focus and her face had turned white. I jumped in a false silver hope to save her somehow. When I saw Nick running towards them and fighting bravely, he had gone berserk and was killing everyone who came in his way. 

His aim was precise and fatal, killing every light in a single blow. Yet he was badly outnumbered. Soon they covered him from all sides and cut all his body parts at once. All his limbs fell in different directions yet the man did not even flinch. I closed my eyes as I did not have the courage to see further. I was feeling like I was passing through the gates of hell. Looking at my own death was much easier, much acceptable. 

I have never thought that they died so gruesomely. But as if fate could not even accept that. No matter how much i tried, my eyes did not even blink, let alone close them. As if someone has used a clip to hold them open all the time. I continued to see how the last breath left his body yet there was no pain on his face, only vulnerability that he was not able to save her.

“Run, Isabella.” was all he said, even when taking his last breath. But the girl has lost her will to live a long time ago. Or maybe she knew that she did not have anywhere she could go to. She was alone among so many knights, miserable and helpless.

“So, do you want to run with my sister in law?” all the hair of my body stood up and the fury burned me more than the flames engulfing the palace. I ran towards him and tried to slap him but I could not touch him. The hand passed through him while he did not feel a thing. He continued to move towards Bella who finally tried to struggle and run away.  But the grip was too tight and she was still young to get rid of them.

“Where is Abigail?”