The Fire Within (The Fire of The Soul Series) Read Online Free Page B

The stranger says, and I begin to
walk back the way I came in. I cannot feel the stranger behind me, and I turn
to look behind me and I can no longer see the stranger behind me either. I
wonder where he's gone to but it doesn't really concern me so I think no
further upon the matter.
    When I exit the Labyrinth I can see that it has
gotten dark. The only light to identify my location dances across the sky, it
must have been radiating from out of the castle because none of the light
entered into the stone walls. I could hear music and soft laughter emanating
from the castle. The ball must have already begun and I was clearly missing it.
I wanted to dance underneath the shimmering lights, I wanted the music to sweep
me away whilst I danced endlessly for the night, yet with all of these longings
for love, life and happiness there is an undercurrent of fear and misery. I
make my way towards the castle, covering a lot of the ground quickly. I enter
into the castle through the servant doors near the stables. I know Meg will be
down here if my mother is entertaining guests. I find her quicker than I expect
too.
    "Where have you been Anna? Everyone has been
looking for you," She asks, wide eyed and out of breath. I realize that
she has been worried about me, her concern evident in her wide-eyes. The words
wouldn't come out and before I know it she is pulling me along to my bedroom.
    "Meg wait, I can't do this. I can't go through
with this." I whisper, and I can hear the desperation in my own voice and
I think that is what makes her stop - after she had pulled me into my bedroom.
I sit down on my bed and I try my hardest not to cry.
    "Anna look at me," Meg says sitting beside
me on the bed. I look at her, my vision blurring up from the tears threatening
to fall. "If anyone can do this it's you Anna, you're strong, smart and
cunning. No matter whom your fiancé will be you'll pull through, you will
overcome it and you'll be happy because even if he's abusive you will always
have me." She says, quelling all my fears and helping me to be strong,
being my strength in my weakness. She smiles at me and gives me a small hug
before she runs off towards my wardrobe searching for something extravagant for
the ball. She emerges quickly with something that is indeed extravagant.
    It is a red dress that blazes like wild fire in the
candlelight. There is nothing added to it besides the corset, it is just a
simple red dress that flows like water but is as bright as fire. My parents
would not have approved and that alone makes me take the dress from Meg. A
sudden thought pops into my mind; I wonder what people would this of their
princess showing up in this? Would they consider me daring or just plain
reckless to attempt to anger my parents?
    "What do you think Anna?" Meg asks me,
waiting for my comments, my approval. I almost start jumping in my excitement.
    "What do I think? Meg, it's perfect! How did
you get something so beautiful on such short notice?" I ask rushing in
front of the mirror, desperately wanting to get the dress on.
    "It was no big deal," She says with a hint
of a smile before she helps me get out of my dress from before. Once that is
off, Meg helps me with getting the red dress on. It slips on so easily, without
any trouble from Meg or me. It hugs me in all the right places, and it shows a
fair amount of my cleavage which makes me feel uncomfortable, but Meg reassures
me that the dress looks perfect on me. She helps me to rearrange my hair, and
then all that is left is to slip on a pair of black heels to go with it, and a
single silver necklace that has a silver half mask pendant hanging off of the
thin chain.
    "They're all in masks down there, so I think
this one in particular would suit you perfectly." Meg says as she
delicately hands me a mask. It is black but it is adorned with silver swirls
and spirals, twists and turns and thus is as extravagant as the dress. I slip
it on carefully, gently and then once it too is in place