Chapter 32: The Duel

“Of course,” Gillian nodded. They’d known this was coming. They had a plan.

But before she knew it, someone was thrusting a large silver tipped sword into her hand. It was heavier than she’d expected; cumbersome. She lifted it in awkwardly in the stance she’d seen her father’s guards take when she had watched them as a child.

Twenty paces away, Andre stood, a matching blade in his hands held at the ready. He was in his natural state— as the head of the castle’s guard, Andre had taken part in dozens of duels in his lifetime. He was prepared.

Gillian spared a glance at Jack, but he was standing motionless, staring at her vacantly. One of the vampires had compelled him. This hadn’t been part of their plan.

“Begin!” came a loud voice to her right.

The blade came so quickly. Andre had hundreds and hundreds of years of practice, after all. Gillian barely had time to raise her hand in defense before she felt the sharp metal slice into her.

The silver slid effortlessly through her sternum and straight into her beating heart. She looked down, confused, where she found the hilt of Andre’s blade sticking out of her chest, then watched as he slid it back out and walked away without a second glance.

The pain was unbearable. She could feel in intricate detail where the chambers of her heart had been sliced apart, the white hot silver burns cauterizing the wounds open as her warm blood spilled out and over her body.

Gillian watched, as if in slow motion, as her body began to disintegrate before her eyes. She lifted her hands and saw her fingers dissolve into billions of ashes, drifting in the nonexistent breeze. This was it. Her existence was over. Lifting her eyes one last time, she met Jack’s horrified gaze.

“I love you,” she tried to say. But it was too late.

Gillian was gone.

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You can thank Tamsin G. for this ending 💚

Also…..

JUST KIDDING! You can read the real chapter 32 here.