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She ran as fast as she could, but she could still feel theto overtake her When its icy, invisible fingers brushed against her back, she kneas inevitable, but still she ran, her breath lodged in her throat—-

Ice encased her

She screa her face to ward off any attack, but nothing happened, and the sound of her screa was commanded by the wraiths, even the very way her body functioned

Soleil screamed and screamed, but still not a sound went past her lips

Everything was so very silent

Too, too silent

Slowly, she lowered her hands, and Soleil gulped when she safelt darker, laring down at her seemed endlessly tall, their claw-like branches innumerable as they reached for her—-

Soleil pinched herself hard

No, this wasn’t real

But even so, she couldn’t stop fro away fro towards her

A feeling of abandon the air

Another infant, throay by a parent because it was imperfect—-

Her throat tightened—-

No

Soleil’sto reality

This wasn’t happening

This wasn’t real

This was an illusion

But even so, long-buried feelings of abandon into ropes of despair that wrapped itself around her neck, tightening, choking her—-

Soleil began to panic Illusion or not, this felt too real She was going to die—-

Snap out of it!

The voice ca it was concern and fear – for her

Her heart leapt in recognition

It was the Marquis of Lunare

The hose heart she was fated to keep

“I-Ilie?”

Who else?

She searched her surroundings for any sign of his presence, but all she could see wasto break her bones and tear her apart

“I c-can’t see you,” Soleil choked out “I can’t breathe, I’…”

And then she realized what this was