by Jen Wylie
His nearness, the touch of his hand, distracted her. She pushed thoughts of him aside and tried to figure out what he was talking about. What do I do?
Your mind is within your body already, simply step out from here. Not to the outside world, but further within. He dropped his hand. Close your eyes and push. I will be with you.
She did as he asked, but nothing happened. Trying again, she cursed in frustration. Nothing is happening!
Try harder. Imagine yourself moving through a wall, from your mind into your body. It is not a thick wall, not hard to pass through. You can do it. Glide through. Push.
His litany of instruction lulled her into a calm state. Her breath slowed, her body relaxed. She spread herself out, searching for the wall he spoke of. Finally, after what seemed like forever, she hit something. Her eyes snapped open and she smiled. I think I found the wall!
A relieved breath sighed out of him and he rubbed at his forehead. Well, that is progress. Now try to get through it. Hurry, Arowyn. We do not have much time. Kei has found the Fey, they are all returning now.
How long had passed? She had no idea. Hope fluttered within her chest. Perhaps she would survive. Closing her eyes once more, she quickly found the wall and tried to push through again and again…and failed. It’s not working!
Again.
Her attempts continued. Prince believed in her. Though weariness began to descend on her from all of her efforts, she kept trying.
You can do this, Aro.
Eyes still closed, she shook her head in defeat. I’m tired. I can’t–
Again.
Chapter 32:
Inside Out
Bo and Garen have returned. They want you to know they are here.
Aro opened her eyes and struggled to focus on Prince. Trying to break down the wall stole all of her strength away. Weariness dragged her down and her shoulders slumped as she shook her head in defeat. She’d failed. She couldn’t do it.
Prince took her face in his hands. Do not give up. You can do this.
I can’t get through, she cried.
Yes, you can. His hands gripped her face tightly. You are one of the strongest women I know. Everything you have been through and you still stand tall and fight. You keep going. Do not give up now, he said fiercely. Never give up!
His words lifted her heart and she smiled wryly that he’d finally called her a woman. Not that it mattered really. Yet, his belief in her meant something. It gave her something to hold onto.
Pulling from his grasp, she flung herself at the wall again and again. How strong could it possibly be? Certainly it would break eventually? Stepping back, she spun toward it, intending to give it a swift side-kick.
Instead, she spun right through.
The shock froze her for a moment, and then panic set in. Her body had disappeared, sound, sight, everything vanished. Prince!
I am here. Well done, Arowyn.
She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t feel. What do I do?
For now, orient yourself. Feel where you are. Sense your body. Kei and the other Fey have arrived. I am still with you, but I must speak with them.
Don’t leave me here!
His faint laughter echoed around her…in her? The relief in it chased away much of her panic.
I am always with you.
Comforting words. Words she wished she could read more into. Instead, she did as asked and tried to sort out where she had ended up. Normal sight had gone, yet a strange wash of color surrounded her.
Everything felt inside-out and upside-down. After a few moments, she began to make sense of the colors around her. She could feel her blood pumping through veins and saw them as multitudes of thin strings of light around her.
Discomfort tugged at her. Something felt wrong…hot.
Power is coming to you now.
I feel wrong.
He took a moment to respond. The allorum is wearing off. Your fever is returning. We must act quickly. Move toward your wound.
Move? She didn’t know how to move, or which direction to go. Frustration pulsed through her. She felt her heart rate speed up. How much time did she have?
Picking a string of colors, she focused on them and pictured herself moving closer. Actually moving startled her for a moment and then a sense of relief and pride washed through her.
The other way.
Of course, she muttered back to Prince and then made herself turn and head in the opposite direction.
The colors washed out for a moment as power suddenly coursed through her like a lightning strike. It hummed around her. The fury erupted from it, red flames blazing in every direction. She didn’t know what to do. Prince!
Ignore it for now. We will contain and guide it soon enough.
The strange colors around her continued to catch her attention and threatened to distract her. She followed veins and arteries, slipped down her throat and past heaving lungs.
Almost there.
The heat within intensified. Ahead, the normal rainbows of colors changed to sickly greens and black. Drawing closer the simple feeling of wrongness overcame her.
Very well done. Pause here. Now imagine gathering the power to you. Collect it and send it forth to the wound. Direct it to heal, to make things as they once were.
You expect too much from me, she grumbled. Everything he told her turned out to be easier said than done.
And yet you always manage to accomplish what I ask. You can do this.
Doing as instructed, she called the power to her, surprised when it actually came, if somewhat sluggishly. With a great shove, she pushed it toward the sickness within… and screamed.
* * *
Eyes snapping open, she heaved up in bed. Had the pain not been so excruciating, she would have wondered about now being able to move.
Her boys surrounded her, and now held her down. Bo had her feet, while Kei and Prince each held a shoulder and arm. The pain lessened for a moment and she didn’t fight them as they pushed her back down.
"You didn’t mention to go slowly," Kei snapped angrily, his eyes glowing red. "That healing quickly hurts?"
"No," Prince admitted. "But we do not have time…"
Kei growled his frustration.
"You should have made time," Rhee-En snarled.
His voice shocked her and she turned her head to find him next to Kei. She hadn’t expected him to be there.
Listening to them argue, she panted past the pain and overwhelming heat flooding her body. The four Fey stood near the end of the bed, watching her with wide, glowing eyes.
"Thank you," she choked out. "For coming."
Cano nodded to her, his hand snaking around his mate’s waist and pulling her closer. "Of course. We will aid you as we can."
"Who is next?" Prince looked over his shoulder at the Fey.
"I will," Aron said quietly, the glow in his eyes rising to red as he stepped closer. He hesitantly touched her leg.
Her breath hissed out at the surge of power and fury. "Prince, I’m not inside!"
"Try from here. You understand how it works now. You have seen the wound."
Squeezing her eyes closed, she fought to control her erratic breathing so she could concentrate.
Prince squeezed her shoulder. "We are here. The Fey will keep the power coming. You just have to keep pushing it at your wound and healing. You can do this."
Kei slipped a hand into hers, the other remaining on her shoulder. "It will hurt. Hold tight."
Somehow she managed to gather more power like Prince had shown her. Pushing it once more, she couldn’t prevent another scream of pain. She’d never felt such agony. Voices faded around her as it rolled over her, attacking from every side. No matter how much she screamed or thrashed about she couldn’t get away from it.
"Too much is escaping," Rhee-En said.
"I am amazed she has the control she does. It will have to do."
"Her eyes are glowing."
"They do that," Kei answered quietly.
> The pain faded again and she stopped fighting, collapsing back onto the bed. Her heart thundered in her chest, her breaths came in frantic, pain filled gasps. "Wither me," she whispered.
Prince stroked her forehead, pushing hair from her face. "Well done. It is almost over. Stay strong, little one."
The fury within roiled, urging her to get up and fight. Her eyes darted about the room. Lissana reached forward, sending her power. Garen paced along the wall. Rhee-En stood slightly back, watching her with wide, fascinated eyes. Did he think her some kind of monster?
Power and more fury surged through her and she gritted her teeth. Lissana had given her much more than the younger Fey had.
"Again," Prince commanded.
She didn’t want the pain. How much more could she take? Her entire body trembled already.
Gathering the power, she shoved it down. Pain blinded her, white pulsing lights filling her vision. A searing pressure bore down at her side. Arching her back, her heels scrambled to dig into the bed as she screamed.
Kei’s hand tightened around hers but it didn’t help. The agony would destroy her.
Fury swelled and broke as she fought the hands holding her down. Their strength overpowered her. The pain lessened slightly, but not enough. She needed her hands free to rip herself apart and relieve the still growing pressure.
"Help me," she gasped, writhing on the bed and staring up at the broken faces of her boys. Tears streaked down Kei’s face. Prince had paled, his face hard and set as he fought his emotions. "I’m tearing…apart…I want…" She screamed again.
Prince cursed and scrambled to remove the sheet now twisted around her. "Kei, hold her." Cano reached for her, but Prince held up a hand. "Wait!"
He tore the bandaging from her side and cursed again. "The wound has closed. I need a knife!"
Kei shifted over her, taking her wrists in his hands and holding them to her chest, pinning her down.
A knife… Squeezing her eyes closed, she shook her head frantically. A choked gasp rattled from her as Prince cut into her side. Warmth followed, sliding down her side and then something cool, wiping, wiping along her wound and side over and over again. The scent of rot overpowered her. Someone gagged. The door creaked open, letting in more fresh air.
"Now, Cano."
"No!" She wailed and fought against Kei. "P-please, no!" More fury exploded through her but she couldn’t overpower the weight of him on her chest.
"Fight, Arowyn. Heal yourself."
She wanted to rip Prince’s throat out. He didn’t understand. The pain controlled everything, now a living thing destroying her from the inside.
"How long can she withstand this? A human heart is not meant for such stress."
Rhee-En’s words caused a shudder to run through her. Would she die in agony then?
Aro, please, Kei begged her. Don’t leave us. Keep trying.
Kei… A sob shook her. Sweat ran down her face and stung her eyes. It soaked the sheet under her. The new power overflowed within her and she struggled to control it. Finally she managed to grasp some of it and forced it to move, to heal.
Pain…pain…pain…
"Kei!"
"I’m here."
Her eyes fluttered open as he put more weight on her, trying to control her frantic flailing. She would never escape the pain. Her breath hitched into short, desperate gasps. The fight left her, her body going still except for a constant, jerking tremble.
"Once more," Prince said quietly. "Kei."
Tears flooded her eyes. She couldn’t do it again, she just couldn’t.
Kei released her wrists, his hands slipping up to cup her cheeks. "Look at me."
Blinking rapidly, she cleared the tears and met his flaming red eyes. Certainly her own matched his now. His face lowered and he pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"You can do this," he told her firmly, his eyes holding hers once more.
Fury swirled within her, wanting something to fight. She pushed it away. She wouldn’t fight Kei. Nodding to him slightly, she waited for his power.
It came swiftly, the power and fury crashing through her.
I love you, he whispered fiercely through her mind, his eyes still locked on hers.
She shuddered, not from his words, but the power raging within. His power was so much stronger than the other Fey.
Heal, Aro. Finish it. Stay with me.
His mind voice vibrated with such power she couldn’t refuse his command. Power gathered once more, a massive swirling ball. With a last, final burst of strength, she pushed.
Despite Kei’s weight across her chest, her back flung into an arch of agony. Every limb trembled. She couldn’t even breathe. His fingers tightened further around her face, his now golden eyes never leaving hers. Her scream strangled into a gasp as the pain suddenly spiked and then abruptly vanished. Wilting, exhausted, her eyes fluttered closed. The sound of her raging heart pounded loudly in the sudden silence of the room.
Wet, coolness swiped along her side once more.
"It is done," Prince whispered. His hand rested briefly over her closed skin, trembling slightly. "You did it, child."
Her eyes snapped open, blazing in red fury.
Chapter 33:
Fury of Five
"How could you do that to me!" Kei barely stopped her as she tried to fling herself off the bed. His hands caught her shoulders as he twisted and shoved, pushing her back onto the bed.
She spit curses, snarling and fighting beneath him. The fury of the Fey reared up within her, demanding battle, death.
"Arowyn," Prince began, his voice slightly strangled.
"Out!" Kei struggled to hold her down as she fought furiously against him. His head turned slightly and he jerked it toward the open door. "I can handle this. Out!"
A screech of frustration and anger sprang out of her, drowning out whatever the others said. They left though, and quickly, the door banging closed behind them.
"Let me go!"
"Easy, Aro," Kei whispered, his voice frighteningly calm.
With a surge of strength, she bucked and pushed, throwing him off of her. As he stumbled back against the wall she sprang to her feet on the bed and crouched, one hand out to steady her on the soft surface.
Kei raised his hands defensively. "You have the fury of five Fey in you."
"I know," she snapped. She did know. She knew this wasn’t her, but she couldn’t control it. The knowledge further fed the fury within her.
The desire to fight trembled through her. She shifted, ready to spring even though she knew it wasn’t Kei she wanted to fight. Her enemy was the Vor, yet there were none here.
Kei gestured to her. "Come."
With such an invitation she couldn’t resist. Her muscles bunched and then propelled her forward, off the bed and onto him. Her wild launch sent his back crashing into the wall.
The breath whooshed out of him and he…chuckled.
The strange reaction froze her for a moment as her eyes shot to his face in confusion.
He took advantage of her surprise to wrap his arms around her, pinning her upper arms and holding her tightly to his chest. A hand cupped the back of her head, pushing it down into the curve of his neck.
His strength amazed her, yet she fought against it, kicking and twisting, striking him as she could with the limited use of her hands.
"My vicious one," he murmured into her hair.
She lifted her head, and found herself face to face with him. His nose brushed hers, but she could only stare at the lips a mere breath away from her own. Their ragged breathes mingled. For a moment they both became perfectly still.
Her eyes flicked up to his and she sucked in a sharp breath to find them no longer golden, but glowing faintly yellow.
A low, sultry growl rumbled from his chest.
Red eyes narrowing, she growled in return.
His growing fury swirled with hers, pulling her tighter to him, joining them together. Something else abruptly pulled at her.
For a moment she sensed it and understood the forces wrapping tighter and tighter around them. Their bindings.
With a heart wrenching cry she turned her head away, struggling against his hold. When her head nearly collided with his, he once again pressed it to his shoulder.
Fighting harder produced only a few growls now and then from him. He continued to hold her, firmly, as if he’d never let her go. She found it hard to breath, both from his tight embrace and her face being pressed into his neck.
Slowly, the fight bled out of her. The fury retreated, giving her back control.
Trembling against him, she relaxed into his arms, letting out a tired and relieved sigh. How did he have the power to calm her madness? She didn’t know, didn’t care really. Perhaps it was their bindings. Perhaps it was just him.
Turning his head slightly, he pressed a kiss to her hair and relaxed his hold. His hands stroked down her hair and back.
"Let it go."
Keeping her eyes closed, she concentrated on being calm, on being safe. She didn’t need to fight. The fury could go. Slowly, the red and black swirls of furious flame dissipated within her.
"We need to work on that," she said quietly. "I can’t keep losing control of it."
He nodded against her hair. "I know. We will. Together."
"Together," she whispered back. A breath shuddered out of her. "What was…I felt…" Her voice trailed off. She didn’t know how to describe the strange feelings or the even stranger magical pulls she’d just experienced.
He took a moment to reply. "Us."
She didn’t understand, but didn’t have the energy to question him further.
His hold on her shifted. "Come, you should rest now."
Leaning back, she looked up at his tired face. "Thank you, Kei."
His sudden smile brightened the entire room. "You’re still with me. Thank you."
The door opened and she turned, smiling to see it full of her boys. Seeing her no longer in a fury, they piled into the room. It wasn’t until Bo held out an oversized shirt she realized she stood around in her underclothes. Slipping it on quickly, she paused only a moment to look at the scar on her side. The part curving up by her ribs was fairly thin. However the strip from her side to almost her belly button was thick and mangled. It reminded her of Prince’s back. No, it looked worse.
