The Wonderland Rift

Lord Lordshire (Knave of Hearts)

I walked through the castle's garden. There were more Heart soldiers out than there were before. Maybe the Queen was more scared of this war than I thought.

"Hey you! Stop!" A voice called from behind me.
I took a step to the side and tilted my head as I watched as two Heart soldiers walking towards me.

"Who are you?" The first one asked.

I smirked, "Hm? You mean you don't know me?"

"If we knew, would we be askin'? Now tell us your name." The second one responded.

I feigned shock, "I'm genuinely hurt. I spent all my life building up my reputation only to be shot down by a couple of lowly boys on guard duty."

The first guard began to reach for my shoulder, "Listen here, si-"
I kicked him in the shin and he fell to his knees. Using my stick as a baseball bat, I struck his helmet and he fell without a sound.
I twirled my stick between my fingers and looked at the second guard, daring him to do anything.

"It's been years since I've had to get violent with anyone. Now take me to the Queen. Tell her Lord Lordshire's here." I said.

With that, he stumbled away from his friend and lead me into the castle.

***

She wasn't here. Just great. Now what was I supposed to do?
I guess I still had my room, and my few servants. No, I didn't care for that right now.
I wanted to do something fun.
I wanted to explore.
So I headed of to the dungeon.

***

If there was one place the Queen showed her true colors in this castle, the dungeon was definitely it.
I heard the sound of clinging metal, and made my way toward it. It wasn't long before I found myself staring into the face of... Jubiah. He was trying to cut himself free, but froze when he saw me.

Suppressing my smile and putting on a serious expression, I told him, "Don't worry. I'm here to help you."

Miranda Marble, The White Queen
I had just finished brushing my hair when I heard some soldiers outside. I decided to ignore them until I had finished dressing. The dress had a lot of ribbons that needed to be tied, and it would take a few more minutes. After a while I heard Alex's voice as well. Finally that drunkard was up. How was it even possible to sleep that long?!

I sighed when I looked in the mirror. If I kept frowning like this I would get wrinkles. I took a deep breath, tried to relax and then exited my room. Alex was indeed talking with two rebel soldiers. It looked like they had been in a fight. One of them was dead drunk, big surprise, the other one didn't seem quite as affected. Maybe there was hope for us after all.

"Alex, have you seen Minerva? I sent her a message last night and she still hasn't answered."

He looked up at me. "Nope. Haven't seen her in weeks."

I was going to curse, but caught myself. "I was given a rather interesting request yesterday, and I'd like to discuss it with you." I turned to look at the soldiers. The younger one seemed so familiar. I gave him a scrutinizing look from head to toe. No, I probably just seen him around. "Alone." They seemed to get the message and started walking away, but then I remembered the plan that I had worked out yesterday. "Wait!" The younger one froze, while the other one just lazily turned. How odd. "I need you to gather some rebels for me. I'm going to set up a trap for a very special heart."

Minerva

So, I didn't hurry to get the the rebel HQ. I was tired. My head was starting to hurt again. I didn't even attempt to shift though it would have probably been safer that way, and whatever Miranda needed me for, I was sure it could wait for a little while. Anything could wait a little while.

I got there without incident though I heard a few nasty scraps going on a few alleys away. It seemed the Heart soldiers were busy with other things tonight.

Eventually I got to look up at the grand skyscraper and smiled. It was practically a castle.

Sighing, I walked in, feeling a bit like a traitor for reasons I refused to acknowledge. As I came through the doors, a tall boy hurried out, bumping into me. I grabbed his wrist, giving him a crooked leer. "Didn't your mother teach you manners?" I asked, looking up at him, and stopped my teasing suddenly. I felt my jaw go slack as my grip tightened. I searched his face. "I..." I smiled confusedly, shaking my head. "You look remarkably similar to someone I know," I murmured.

He stared at me mutely, his eyes too big for his face.

My smiled sharpened. "What're you doin' here?" I asked, falling into the casual dialect I had assumed years ago again. Thank goodness.

He shook his head, still silent, still looking scared out of his wits.

I shrugged. "Alright. I'm sure you're helpin' out Miranda." I released him suddenly, having to force my fingers to relax, and wiggled my eyebrows at him suggestively, assuming the easy role of witless, local harlot. "Hope I'll be seein' you around." I whirled around as he dashed away, my jaw knotting as I stormed away.

"Getting paranoid," I muttered to myself, shaking my head. I swore that boy looked just like-

I pasted on an alluring smile as I made my way into the main room and nodded coolly at Miranda. "I've been requested?"

Adonis Blue

I sighed, smoking in a corner. I was surrounded by butts of cigarettes, but I was already rolling another. I was horribly, terribly bored. It seemed that I had been wrong when I had assumed this conflict would be exciting. No one had even gotten injured enough for me to tend to.

I glanced at the new comers and flashed.

A cat with mouse ears drank tea with a table of mice.

I pushed myself up slowly, keeping my eyes on the boy, ignoring Alex and the drunkard. Making my way towards them, I glanced at the boy again. He looked terrified.

"I need you to gather some rebels for me. I'm going to set up a trap for a very special heart," Miranda was saying to the boy.

"I have something you want to know," I announced, keeping my eyes on her.

She looked at me, distracted for a moment. "Give me a second."

She ran through a plan. I honestly wasn't listening. It had something to do trapping the Queen of Hearts. I knew it had nothing to do with me. I tried interrupting her a few times.

I watched the boy go, smirking. How interesting...

I looked back at Miranda. "I'll tell you now."

She frowned at me, irritated.

I gave her a half-grin and tried to come up with a butterfly metaphor. Alas, I ended up with, "What does a cat do when the mice run too fast for him to catch?"

She stared at me in confused wrath for a moment before her head jerked around at a confident, "I've been requested?"

Miranda Marble, The White Queen
"I've been requested?"

"Could you hold on for just a second?" I muttered to the old man. I had completely forgotten about him. He'd said he was psychic. That might come in handy later. "Hello to you too, dear cousin," I said with a fake smile. If I ever managed to take back the throne I would have to watch out for her, but for the moment we were on the same side. "I have need of your spies within the castle. I want Jubiah to be freed from the dungeons and then brought to me. Then I'm going to let Lordshire put him back there."

She seemed surprised. "You trust Lordshire?"

I sighed. People seemed to underestimate me a lot these days. I'd have to do something about that. "Of course I don't, I'm not an idiot. As soon as Lordshire has taken his position as the leader of the heart soldiers I want Jubiah to be freed again. I can't leave a fellow heart-hater in the dungeons, that would make me just as bad as her." The old man suddenly put his hand on my shoulder and shook me slightly. "What!?" I yelled at the top of my lungs. The bastard didn't even seem startled.

Spoiler

Yey, Adonis is back. I wondered where he had gone

Haigha March, The March Hare
I had slept longer than I usually did. It was the middle of the day already. I got up with a loud groan. My ribs hurt as hell, and I felt like staying in bed for the rest of the day, but I couldn't. I had swore to find the rebel headquarters, unless the Queen gave me another mission, and since she hadn't I might as well get started.

I climbed out of the window just like I had done last night and retraced my steps to the bar until I was looking down the same street that Miranda had taken earlier. It probably wouldn't take to long to find their hq. The rebels around here were ridiculously careless. Maybe I could sneak into the hq too, and get some important information. I decided to try and headed down the street, looking for rebels.

Adonis
Then I had to listen to the White Queen talk to the Duchess which was an obnoxious game of fake smiles and diplomacy.

Perhaps... I could use a moth in a metaphor? What is a moth in a monarch's cocoon?

I studied Miranda for a moment, listened to her.

"Of course I don't. I'm not an idiot."

I shook my head, tuning her out again. No. She would never unravel that. I would just have to suffice with cats and mice today.

I became aware of the real world at a second of silence and shook Miranda's shoulder, deciding she would like to know this information as soon as possible.

She turned toward me and roared, "What!?"

I blinked and cleared my throat, waiting to see if she was completely finished. When I was sure she was, I asked softly, "What does a cat do when the mice run too fast for him to catch?" I watched her open and close her mouth for a second in rage, I assumed, for she seemed to have a complete lack of most other emotions that I had seen. I then turned on my heel and walked away.

Spoiler

Just waiting for the appropriate time to stir up some trouble.

Minerva
"Could you hold on for just a second?" Miranda muttered at an old man. She said sweetly with a smile, "Hello to you too, dear cousin." She glared at the old man again. He opened his mouth to say something, but she turned away again to face me. "I have need of your spies within the castle. I want Jubiah to be freed from the dungeons and then brought to me. Then I'm going to let Lordshire put him back there."

I widened my eyes to look surprised, so I wouldn't wince. This wasn't going to end well for me if I helped steal Jobiah back from Yamani even if he was going right back. But, I reminded myself firmly, I was truly a rebel. "You trust Lordshire?" I asked instead, lifting a brow. Surely she knew he was working for Yamani and whatever our dealing with him wouldn't end in our favor.

She sighed heavily. "Of course I don't, I'm not an idiot. As soon as Lordshire has taken his position as the leader of the heart soldiers I want Jubiah to be freed again. I can't leave a fellow heart-hater in the dungeons, that would make me just as bad as her."

I bit my cheek, so I would remain impassive. I had put a fellow heart-hater in the dungeons to begin with.

The old man suddenly put his hand on her shoulder and shook her.

"What!?" she yelled at the top of my lungs.

The man wasn't even startled. He merely asked, "What does a cat do when the mice run too fast for him to catch?" And after a moment of watching Miranda practically shake with anger, he left, just walked away.

My mouth quirked up into a smile. I would have to get to know that man.

I studied her. "What's that mean?" I asked quietly, wondering if it was code. It was weird code if I had ever heard any.

Her expression suddenly turned from wrathful to thoughtful, and she gasped, eyes widening.

Cat

I strolled through the front entrance to the Rebels' headquarters, invisibly, of course. I had just arrived back in the city after - oh, you almost had me there! No, if I don't want anyone to know what I'm up to, that includes you, too, and don't you forget it. Anyway, I had been out on...how about we call it business? I'd been out on business, and it had taken a lot longer than I thought it would. That's been happening a lot lately. I'm getting kinda sick of it. So, I figured I might as well check in with the rebels, see what sort of naughty tricks everyone's been playing on each other while I was away. The place hadn't changed much while I was gone, not that I'd expected it to, but hey, I can hope. There weren't too many new faces either, which disappointed me a bit more. I really like messing with the new recruits, what can I say?

At least there was one interesting recruit. He looked and talked like a guy, but I could tell he was actually a girl. She was just a teensy bit too curvy to actually be a guy, but she disguised it pretty well, so I figured no one else would notice. Hey, all there is to it is I'm really observant. Well, okay, that and I can sorta tell things I shouldn't be able to, but I can turn invisible, so that little talent doesn't bother you, now does it? Oh, back to the disguised recruit! I figured that she had a very good reason for pretending to be a guy, so I followed her a bit. I know, I know, I'd gone there to catch up, and new recruits aren't exactly told all the secrets, but I got interested!

It took a while for me to catch her alone, but everyone's alone at some point, so all it really needed was patience. That was the first chance I got to look at her face, which makes sense when you think about it, because I was following her the whole time, and you don't follow from in front of the person. My first thought was, "Wow, that's really got to hurt! What happened to her?" Then I looked just a little bit closer, and under the blood and cuts and stuff, I recognized her. I just had to smile. I couldn't believe she had actually come here herself!

I moved back around behind her, because it's always more fun when you surprise them from behind, and as I stopped being invisible, I hugged her arm.

"Hi, Yamani! Boy, am I surprised to see you here!"

Spoiler

I figured being a fourth-wall observer would fit her.

Miranda Marble, The White Queen
The sudden realization hit me like a fist and I gasped. "No.." I mumbled and looked after the soldiers who had left a few minutes ago. "NO!" I ran outside, completely ignoring Minerva. They were already gone. I grabbed on to one of the guards outside and pulled him close. "Where did they go!?"

"I-I don't know." He was afraid. Well, he should be.

"What is the matter, dear cousin?" Minerva was mimicking my tone, no doubt amused by my tantrum.

"You knew didn't you!?" I shoved my gun up in her face, and her eyes widened. The guard had already gotten out of sight. Coward. "You knew that it was her and you didn't tell me!"

Her guilty face proved to be the tipping point for me. My head went blank, as it usually does when I'm angry enough. Next thing I knew Minerva was holding ha hand at her forehead, which was bleeding, and I was holding my shotgun by the barrel like a club. Served her right. "Just do what I asked," I muttered before entering the hq again. The sight of her in pain had washed away the anger, but it didn't just bring me joy, I felt a bit guilty too. No matter how much I tried to deny it we were still family.

I quickly shoved the feelings into a nice little corner in the back of my mind and started making the preparations necessary for the trap that I was setting up for Haigha.

Jubiah

Chink-chink, chink-chink goes the knife as it slowly cuts away the chains that bind me. I have been working on this for hours, but I can finally tell that I am at least makig some headway. I am so tired. I have blocked everything out except for the monotnous motion of my arm that holds the blade. I do not hear the water dripping i the cell nex to me, nor the moans of the oter prisoners. I do not feel the pain inmy stomach from not eating, nor the pain in my wrists as the cuffs cut into them. I do not smell the mold and rot of the dungeon, nor the metallic stench of blood. All I pay attention to is the sound of metal on metal. I am too exhausted to pay attention to anything else.

Slowly, as I am sawing the blade back and forth, I realize that there is a man standing outside my cell. I quickly try to hide the blade, panicking. I am even more panicked when I see who it is- none other than Lord Lordshire. I can't believe I didn't hear him coming. I know that he saw me with the blade. I know that he will most likely kill me now. Or maybe he'll ask the Bandersnatch to toture me first. I would't put it past him. Looking at him, imagining what he has in store for me, I am terrified. He can tell.

Before can say anything coherent, he says, completely serious,"Don't worry. I'm here to help you."

I know he isn't though. I just know it. Why would he help me? He was the one that was first to try to capture me. He's loyal t the Queen, right? Laughing humorlessly- well, honestly, more like a dry wheeze now- I say, "Yeah, right. This is just a ploy to torment me, isn't it? Pull me out of the dungeon only to be put here again, right?"

"Look," Lordshire says, a little annoyed. "I am on your side, really. And, yes, you will have to return to the dungeon eventually, but only until I'm in control of the Heart army. Then you're a free man Jubiah." He says with a grin.

"I still don''t trust you." I say, still suspicious, skeptical.

"So does that mean you won't take up my offer?" Lordshire asks, bemused and confused.

"Not at all." I say, grinning. "Anywhere's better than this hellhole."

Lord Lordshire (Knave of Hearts)

"Not at all." He says, grinning. "Anywhere's better than this hellhole."

It was really too easy for me. Oh how I loved toying with people. Tell them what they want, and they'll do anything.

"Good." I said,

I picked up my stick and put it between the wall and the last bar of the cell. Pushing it down like it was a lever, I was able to make a gap just big enough for us to squeeze through.
Once I got through the cage, I grabbed his hand and held it up against the wall.

"Now don't move." I said to him, leaving his hand against the wall.

Taking aim with my stick, I struck the chain with the end and watched it snap apart. I then repeated the process with his other hand.

As he stood up, scratching at the cuffs still on his wrist, I said "You'll have to get those off on your own."

"So what now?" He asked.

"Run." I told him.

He looked surprised. "Run? You mean-"

"Get out of here. I've done what I can. I can't be seen with you..." I said, then added, "And don't worry. I won't pull any tricks. I won't tell anyone you've escaped, and I won't look for you myself. Now go."

He seemed to nod, just slightly, then left.

There. There rest is up to you, Miranda. Don't disappoint me now.

After giving him a few minutes to get away, I made my way back upstairs, making sure to leave the knife he dropped right where it was.

Minerva

"No..." she mumbled looking around.

I raised my eyebrow.

"NO!" she cried and ran out, passing me.

Of course, I followed, my mind racing. Cat, mice... We were the ones hiding in holes, so we were the mice... which made Yamani the cat... How would a cat trick a mouse... The boy's strangely familiar face flashed, and I swore, hurrying my stride to catch up with Miranda.

I had let her go. I had known, hadn't I? I had seen it in his- her- eyes. Damn it, damn it, damn it. Yeah, we had had a good time in the castle, but this was my, well... Miranda's, turf. I didn't get tricked on my own ground. I was the master spy, me. I didn't get the wool pulled over my eyes in my own game.

Under my anger was the nagging current of worry. What had happened to her?

Miranda had a guy by his shirt. He looked terrified... I would be too. The entire Heart family had the tendency to be a bit... unhinged when things didn't go their way.

"What is the matter, dear cousin?" I asked softly, calming my frantic mind to sneer in my normal mocking tone.

"You knew didn't you!?" she spat, catching me off guard.

I began to stutter an answer, but she was continuing, "You knew that it was her and you didn't tell me!"

I hadn't known. I had known for a moment, but I had thought Yamani had been saner. I had second guessed-

My head flew to the side at Miranda's blow, and a curse flew from my mouth. Her eyes were blank with rage which made me nervous. Miranda was known for doing crazy things when she was angry.

I put a hand to my forehead as I felt hot liquid drip down my forehead and swore again. I glanced up to see sanity return to Miranda's eyes.

"Just do what I asked," she muttered before entering the hq again, turning her back on me. I gripped the dagger in my pocket hard, squeezing the hilt spasmodically.

We were on the same side and- as I was thinking more and more often now a days- we were family.

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger, and ignored the blood oozing from my wound, my fingertips already painted red. Fine. I would 'just do what she said' though it pained me to do so at the moment. I was no one's pawn, and Miranda was no exception. I would have to remind her soon.

A great wave of exhaustion crashed over me, making my shoulders sag. I would have to have some real sleep at some point, not caused by Yamani if I could help it. Slowly, I shifted into a soldier again, retaining my female form to preserve energy, just masking my features with different ones, morphing my clothing to a uniform.

And I was going back to the Heart Castle to release the boy I had put in the dungeons. I whistled for a carriage and muttered in a slightly disguised voice, "The castle, good man." As the wheels rocked, I closed my eyes, letting a fog of sleep overcome my mind for a moment.

It wasn't a deep sleep. I felt myself grow tenser and tenser. How could I feel like I was betraying both Miranda and Yamani at the same time? I had been betraying Miranda and the rebels all afternoon by not killing Yamani or letting her be killed. I was betraying Yamani at this very moment by reneging on our deal. My life for Jubiah.

"A'right. Time ta ge' out."

I paid the driver and got out, determined expression on my face. I walked right through the front doors of the Heart Castle, nodded at Heart soldiers, and made my way to the dungeon.

Miranda Marble, The White Queen
After consulting with Alex I had placed the rebels I had at hand in the most strategic places. I still couldn't believe that I had looked her in the eyes and not recognized her.. No, this wasn't the time to brood. I needed to gather some more rebels, and then hide out of sight. He'd probably take the back door, trying to be sneaky as always, so that's where I hid.

I didn't like waiting. My mind started to wander again. I thought about my sister, James, Minerva, my parents, everyone that had something to do with my past. I even remembered Haigha. He had been such a cute little boy. Terribly shy, wouldn't even look you in the eyes. His uncle had actually managed to raise him quite well and he soon became a full fledged soldier. I had thought that he was loyal to my parents, but apparently he was loyal to the crown. It didn't matter who sat on the throne, he would give his life for that person anyway. It discussed me, honestly.

"Drop your weapons or we'll shoot!" one of the rebels bellowed.

I got up from my hidingspot, giving the startled Haigha a beaming smile. Four rebels were circling him with their weapons pointed at him. He couldn't get away. Not from this. He did as he was told and dropped the sword he was holding.

"Sweet little Haigha.. But you're not so little anymore. I'm guessing you're here to spy for your bellowed queen?" He didn't nod, just stared intensely at me. With all his years in silence he had perfected the art of staring intensely. "Oh, that's right, you don't speak.." I walked over to him and took the gun that he had been trying to hide. "The real question is: Do you scream?"

He still didn't look scared, and it annoyed me. I signaled to one of the rebels and pointed at Haigha's leg, the shot went of and Haigha fell down, still not making a sound.

"You know.. I'm gonna be nice, just this once. Join our side and I'll let you live." He didn't answer, nor nod. Instead he glared at me, so I decided to step on his leg. Finally he let out a barely audible groan. "Okay then. At least no one can say that I didn't give you the option."

I pulled my knife and used it to slice open the front of his shirt. When I was about to start writing he raised his hand to hit me. A rebel was there immediately, the gunbarrel pointed at his head. "Now lie still, I want this to be readable." He stayed still. So much so that I started to wonder if he had fainted, a look on his face confirmed that that wasn't the case. DOWN WITH THE BLOODY RED QUEEN, I wrote across his chest with big letters.

"Any last words?" I said with a teasing smile. He didn't answer. "No, of course not." I raised my knife, taking my sweet time to aim properly. I wanted it to pierce his heart.

"I want to live."

I blinked. His voice was barely audible and still it managed to shake me to the core. I quickly snapped out of it. The odd sound of his voice had completely taken away the murderous intent that I had felt earlier. "It's to late for that now," I mumbled before stabbing him in the chest.

"Leave the knife where it is, she will recognize it." I got up, suddenly feeling nauseous. "Take his body and dump it by the castle gates.. Make sure you're not seen."

I went back to my room to take a shower. The sight of his blood made my head spin.

Jasper, Jabberwocky

I had been walking for quite a while before I got bored again and decided to head back to the castle. As I neared the castle gate, I heard footsteps in a nearby alley. Curious, I made my way toward them. Halfway through the alley I spot two men carrying and unconscious body.

Normally, I would just walk away in these situations, but I was bored and needed some entertainment. That last rebel didn’t put up much of a fight. “Hey!” I call out to them. “What do you two think you’re doing?”

“Huh? They look up and catch a glimpse of my face. “Hey, th…that’s the Jabberwocky, isn’t it?” one of them asks, his voice quivering in fear.

“Yeah, I…I really think we should get out of here.” The other replies as they drop the body and run away.

Once they were out of sight I kneeled beside the body, surprised at who the man turned out to be. Haigha was one of the best heart soldiers I knew; whoever did this must have been one hell of a fighter. I looked at his wounds; there were cuts all over his body, and a knife sticking out of his chest. It looked fatal. I wasn’t sure what to do with him so I decided to let the queen figure it out.
I threw him across my shoulder, stumbling from his weight. The castle gates seemed so far away with this much weight bearing against my shoulder. Sighing I begin walking towards the castle once more.

I had finally reached the castle gates and after a long argument with the guards they finally let me through. I didn’t know where the queen would be at this time of day so I decided to check the throne room first.

I opened the tall brass doors and stepped through, only to find that the queen was missing. I groaned and asked one of the nearby guards where she was. None of them knew, so I decided to just keep him here.

I laid him on the ground and decided to pull the knife out of his chest as a sign of respect. I heard someone walk in, but I was too busy reading the message the cuts on Haigha’s chest sent. It was no doubt the work of the rebels.

DOWN WITH THE BLOODY RED QUEEN

Lord Lordshire (Knave of Hearts)

I walked into the throne room and immediately the stench of blood hit me. But after I walked into the room, I was too surprised to even care.
Haigha was dead on the floor, bloody from head to toe. Miranda Marble. Wha... My goodness, this is shocking even for you. She had managed to get rid of one of the best warriors the Hearts had, no doubt a fatal blow to any Heart loyalists. But that fast? I hadn't even sent him too her, or even spoken to the Queen. How is it possible? Would he go looking for them himself? Or was this just a trick? Nope. That was definitely Haigha on the floor. After all I've seen, been through, experienced, people still managed to surprise me. I had a new respect for the White Queen now. I really do wonder why she wasn't chosen as the next Queen.

After shaking myself off from my shock, I looked towards the man with his back turned towards me.
I'd know those two blades anywhere.
"Mr. Jabberwocky. It's been a long time. I don't suppose you know what happened here?"

Tilting his head slightly just to acknowledge my presence, he said, "No. I found him being carried by two rebel soldiers."

An army of rebels couldn't have killed him, let alone a couple. It HAD to be Miranda. I tried my best to act sad, "Oh my. You weren't close were you? I'm so sorry."

He didn't say anything, just stared at the body.

Well you're definitely as vocal as he is... was. I made my way closer to the body to get a better look, but when I saw the words written across Haigha's body, I froze dead in my tracks.

That is, to stop myself from bursting out laughing.

Haigha March, The March Hare
The darkness suddenly lit up with a blinding light. I blinked and looked around. Was that Jasper, staring at me like he couldn't believe his eyes? Lordshire was standing behind him, with a smirk quickly fading from his face. What was I doing in the throne room?

My whole body screamed. A searing pain went from my chest to my head, to my arms, to my legs. Everything hurt. I wanted to scream and was going to do so, but when I opened my mouth I didn't. Instead of screaming I gasped desperately for air, and then I started coughing at the same time as I greedily sucked in more air.

Jasper had his hand on my back now. I must've sat up. In his other hand he held a knife with a spade on it. It was Miranda's knife. I recognized it. A sudden realization made me jerk the remaining pieces of my sweater away. There was no sign of me ever being stabbed. The writing was gone, and my leg was fine too.

"Are you okay?" Jasper asked. He sounded more confused than worried.

I turned to look at him, and to nod, but I suddenly started shaking uncontrollably. Once again I found myself gasping for breath. How could I possibly be alive? I was sure that she had killed me.. Then I realized it. I had said that I wanted to live, so now I was alive.

I looked down at my left arm, still covered in a huge scar. Maybe my powers weren't all bad.