"Hey... Gwynevere."
The elf's voice was disparaging and sullen.
The Chosen One stiffened, but not because she thought she would be punched—now she feared her mind was being manipulated.
"I don't know if I should be talking to you."
"I..."
"Hey!" Teddy waddled up to Elise. "What do you think you're doing with our friend?" Elise adjusted her gaze to glance down at the halfling-sized elf. "Holy. Shit." Teddy shouted in awe. He immediately prostrated himself before her. "Bloody Princess! I had no idea it was you. Please! Whip me for my transgression and harsh tones against your royal lineage!"
"Knock it off, Teddy." Myria grabbed his ear and dragged him away. "This is clearly personal."
"Wait!" Teddy said as he was dragged away. "She definitely wants my link! I haven't apologized properly! She hasn't even hit me once!"
His agonized voice faded as Myria dragged him away.
"Speaking of link!"
Astrin quickly pranced up to Gwyn. The elf nearly slammed her forehead into Gwyn's. Now Gwynevere understood this gesture was to establish a link, thanks to Artero.
The Chosen One thought of a door opening, just as she had learned before. Then Astrin's voice was clear in her head.
~Can you hear me?~ Astrin said through the link.
"Yes, thanks, Astrin."
"Perfect! Talk to you later, Chosen One."
Astrin waved as she rejoined her friends and brother. Gwyn returned her attention to Elise.
"I see you've made some friends."
"Yeah, friends who don't try to…"
Gwyn thought of accusing Elise of manipulating her mind, but thought better of it.
Elise perfectly understood her meaning, though.
The hallways were empty. The two stood wordlessly, Gwyn barely acknowledging the person before her.
"So I'm going to go, if that's alright."
"No..." Elise grabbed onto Gwyn's arm. "Wait… please."
Gwyn sighed and stopped.
"What is it, Elise? How do I know you're not fucking with my head right now?"
Elise was tight-lipped.
"Can you trust me?"
Can I trust her?
She thought of the day they met, waking up from lying on her lap. The elf's eyes looked into the distance, and she hummed that sweet lullaby. Gwyn shook her head.
"Stop that."
Elise looked confused.
"Stop what?"
"That... messing with my brain, you are making me think of you."
"I promise Gwynevere, I am not messing with your head right now."
Impossible. How could I think of her after what she did?
"But you have."
"…Regrettably."
"When? When have you mind-controlled me?"
Gwyn had to stop herself from shouting. Her chest ached, but she couldn't be sure of her own feelings anymore.
Elise's appearance was disheveled, to say the least. Her hair was a mess. It looked like she hadn't slept since the confession.
"When we first met, I wanted you to trust me, so I coaxed you into sitting beside me on the bed."
"No, you didn't. I did that myself."
Elise shook her head.
"Only partially."
Gwyn exhaled.
"Right... Any other times?"
"When Artero and I were fighting outside the café."
Gwyn shook her head.
"I wanted to go with you, I knew you more. It didn't make sense for me to go with Artero, even though he just saved my life."
This is all a lie. I can't let her manipulate me.
Elise shook her head.
"No one knows how my power works. Not even my father."
"How does it work then?"
"I can't tell you here."
"Well, I'm not going anywhere with you."
A deafening silence filled the halls.
"I understand." Elise held out the red box she had been holding. "I got these for you."
Gwyn cautiously took it, wondering if Elise was making her take the box from her.
"It's not poisoned, I promise."
"Right..."
Elise turned from Gwyn, not wanting to face this situation any longer. She had made a mistake, and this was her punishment. She knew that. Elise had finally found someone who didn't look down upon her. Who saw her as her own woman. She had to go along and ruin it, all because of her insecurities and fear.
Gwyn frowned as she stared at the tiny red box. She cautiously opened it. Multicolored snacks resembling tiny sandwiches were arranged in a rainbow pattern.
Macarones.
Gwyn remembered bringing them up to Elise once, among hundreds of other things.
How did she remember? How were these so perfect?
Gwyn raised one and took a bite.
It was... delightful. Its outer shell crumbled beneath her teeth. The soft, pillow-like insides and fruit-flavored jam coated her mouth.
It was good. Really good. It reminded Gwyn of home.
"God dammit." Elise must have had someone make them for her. A pit formed in the bottom of Gwyn's stomach. She couldn't let her leave. Not now. She turned to face her. "Elise, wait—"
Her voice was cut short. The King of Terror was an eclipsing presence. He towered over her. He stepped closer, reaching a hand out.
Gwyn was suddenly choking. Air would not come to her. She saw dead bodies fall from the sky. They were all her siblings. Their mutilated corpses stared directly at her as they fell. They crumbled to the ground as soon as they reached it. Blood painted the walls of the Academy.
Gwyn couldn't take another moment; she fell backwards as the King of Terror's hands clasped her face. Blackening her vision.
The scream that erupted from Gwynevere Grim sent a shock through the Sylvian Princess. The terror that possessed Elise was the same when she saw Gwyn fall on the day they'd met. She turned and ran at the woman who was frantically backing away from nothing.
"Gwynevere! Gwynevere! What's wrong?"
Gwyn was hyperventilating. It was like dread itself had inhabited her mind. The feeling of death was looming over her shoulder like the cloak she wore.
Can I tell her? Can I tell her I see the King of Terror?
"It was nothing..."
"Nothing?!" Elise stumbled over the next few words before saying one that could be understood. "You just yelled out for nothing?"
Gwyn weakly nodded. She buried her head in her hands, not wanting to see him again. Yet, when she did, his visage only became clearer.
"Gwynevere..." Elise trailed off as she helped Gwyn from the ground. She picked up the macarons that fell to the floor and dusted them off.
"Sorry, I ruined your gift."
Gwyn opened her eyes. The King of Terror was nowhere to be seen.
"Let's go to the Gilded Towers. The Head Whisperer must know what's wrong."