The hallways, however, remain dark, cold, foggy.
Dangerous.
I shudder and creep back into the room. "Anyone wanna turn on the lights for a lowly battle-witch?" I call softly into the scary hall.
Torches spring to life to my right. I frown. It's not like I gave them directions on where to take me. Does that mean . . . what? I'm about to be dropped into a maze? Wandering blind? Trusting the curse - the one about to kill everyone - to guide me, since Atreyu made it clear he isn't in charge of the magic that brought me to him?
"I don't have a choice," I whisper. "I need to find him. Don't let it end like this, LF."
Nothing changes. I instinctively check my hand only to find my palm blank.
'Tis because no woman has ever touched my heart the way you have.
I groan as I recall the fiercely whispered words. I'm panicking for a different reason - one tied to the idea I may have somehow lost him already. It's a nauseating thought, one that spurs me to blast full force into becoming the woman I need to be.
No doubt, no hesitation, no holding back. Fiction or reality - this is my life, and I want him in it.
I sprint. "Take me to him!" I cry, not caring who or what is in charge of the maze at this point. I run through the hallways, one step behind the next torch that lights up. They lead me up and down stairs, through hallways with no doors and hallways with doors that reach the forty-foot ceilings, past windows I don't stop to look out of and on and on.
Too soon, it's difficult for me to breathe and even harder to lift my heavy legs.
I swear to god - after this adventure, I'm taking up some cardio. This is ridiculous. I was never meant to be in a land with no elevators or cars.
Assuming there is an after. At this point, I don't need a happily-ever-after. I'll settle for the sun rising tomorrow, no matter what kind of mess I have to clean up, so long as he's alive.
Shit. I'm forced to slow, unable to breathe fast enough. Pausing in a hallway, I watch torches down the hall flare to life and rest my hand against the wall. I suck down deep breaths until I'm ready enough, and then take off again, chasing the torches, driven by the thought that the one man in any world who makes me want to live is in danger.
I don't make it nearly as far before stopping again to breathe. "Holy . . . Hell!" I gasp and rest my forehead against the cool stone. "How big . . . is this . . . place!" Pushing away, I stumble, catch myself, and go as fast as I can.