Chapter 18

It was just my luck that I never really lost consciousness, though I was far from coherent I was vaguely aware of things going on around me. I still didn't know where we were, the smell of sulfur got stronger as we flew down tunnels and through caves. Kieran was talking to me, but his voice didn't quite reach my ears, they were distant, obscured; And when I tried to open my eyes to look around my vision was blurred, my lids heavy, it was like trying to see through a fogged window at close range.

Sounds were muffled and hollow, like my ears were filled with water; Then there was an occasional pop when everything was clear and I caught snippets of conversation before the water came rushing back and left me near deaf.

"Stay awake," I heard Kieran growl before his voice became muffled again.

I think I tried to ask him why but I am not sure anything came out. Distantly I felt my lips move, but my motivation left me before I could actually say anything. My head, god my head hurt, it was throbbing viciously, feeling as if my brain was trying to pound its way out of my skull. My back felt like it was on fire, my skin being pierced with a thousand burning needles. The cold sweat was back, making me feel hot and cold at the same time, I was shaking uncontrollably in Kierans arms.

There was an earthquake, or at least that's what it felt like as Kieran and Emrys lead the way to safety, I think a wall caved in, but I was not sure. Then we were no longer on solid ground, but flying straight into midnight sky, the air was chilly but fresh, the smell of sulfur no longer present. Emrys was shouting now, I think maybe calling out someones name, for help? Then there was a bright light enveloping us, I had thought I had gone blind. Then the light faded away, and I had a strange sense of Deja Vu, though my blurred vision I was able to tell that we were no longer flying but in a room somewhere.

Nisorca was there, at least I assumed she was there, I could not see her but I could hear her voice just barley. Kieran moved to set me down on a couch, kneeling beside me and brushing my hair away from my face. Again I caught bits and pieces of their conversation.

" - A lot of blood," Emrys's voice echoed in my ears before sounds faded away.

Then, "Nisorca," Kieran pleaded, when his voice faded away then came back again for me to catch the end of his sentence, "Heal,"

I wanted desperately to rub the blur from my eyes, but I couldn't get my hands to move the right way. Nisorca was looming over me now, concern etched in the lines of her beautiful face, despite my pain and tiredness I couldn't stop myself from smiling at her. She placed her hands on either side of my face and a soft light began to glow where she touched, my head stopped pounding but I still felt dizzy and tired.

" - Cant heal...don't...enough power," Her words faded in and out, leaving me to fill in the blanks.

Then I was blessed with the chance to a handful of moments of clarity, there was no fog in my thoughts. Nothing masked my vision, and sounds were so clear at first I had thought I was dreaming.

Kieran stood up with his fists clenched at his side, his body tense as he turned his dark, stormy to Nisorca. "When you have rested and gained back the power you have used, I want you to take the map from Valery's body, and place it on mine,"

"And mine as well," Emrys stood tall and strong on the other side of the room, mirroring Kieran, "This is the first attack she has suffered and she lives now only by luck,"

"The demon blade Maulice used breached her healing powers, she might look human, but if he had not used an enchanted knife she would be healing now," Kieran spoke with a hint of pain in his voice.

Emrys' voice was the last I heard before my senses became distorted once again, "Valery will live this time, but I fear she will not make it through another attack. We will take the map from her body, and split it between us. We will protect her," Sounds began fading off again as they continued to speak.

"No matter the cost," I faintly herd Kieran say.

"I love her," They spoke in unison, or at least I think they did. I was not sure I had heard them correctly, love me? Why? I wanted to ask, but I didn't have to because as those last words echoed through my head I fought to reply back.

'I love you, too.' I wanted to say, but nothing came out as I lost my hold on consciousness.

I began slipping into a tunnel of darkness, no matter how hard I tried to claw my way out I only sank deeper. I had to get out though, I had to tell them I loved them; I didn't know how it came to be that way, but that didn't matter, I couldn't change the way I felt. That was why I had rushed out of the house when they had called me beautiful, why my heart was pounding when I had first taken pictures together with them; Because I loved them.

The darkness would not release me though, and I fell with their name on my lips. The world faded out of my reach, and then vanished altogether, leaving me sighing as sleep finally came. Blissful, caring sleep, making all the pain go away, making me whole again. I was dreaming before I even closed my eyes.

Billy Joel was singing American Pie in the background as I walked through total darkness. I had the strange feeling that I was not alone, besides Billy Joel that is. I sped up my pace, searching frantically, I had to find whoever else was here, I didn't know why, but it felt important. Just when I was about to give up and stop looking an image of my mother and father loomed before me, hesitant smiles on their faces. I tried to run to them, but I gained no distance, no matter how many steps I took they remained about thirty feet away.

"Its alright to love them," My mother told me, her voice sounding different than I remember.

"Its your destiny, Valery," My father smiled at me.

"Whats going on, how do you know about Kieran and Emrys?" I ask as I tried to move towards them again, and of course failing to get closer.

"But you can't let them take the map,"

"If they possess the map, it will kill them," Then they started speaking in unison, their voices blending together, ebbing through the darkness, void of emotional tone.

"Valerya Kerrianne-Elvira Renata-Peditra Wilhelmina-Cosima-Letha Semelia-Edny Beata-Mosera,"

I tried to talk to them, not only curious as to why they had used my full name, but also confused because of their mistake, My first name was Valery, not Valerya, and my last name was not Mosera, but Mosely. They did not listen though, but continued on with their strange toneless voices, rambling off more nonsense.

"Strong, dark-white woman born again, then lost. Protectress of world harmony-the sweet oblivion-and the single keeper of the secret of Eternal Youth. Divine one-bound to men."

I took a couple steps back, suddenly afraid of what they were saying, Nothing was making sense, my parents shouldn't know about Kieran or Emry, and why had they gotten my name wrong? When they continued on in a language I didn't understand I turned and ran, trying to escape their words; But no matter how far my feet carried my it seemed as if their voices were hanging in the air around me, trapping me.

Images started forming around me. Nisorca was there, her hands poised in the air as she chanted and my body began to burn, when I looked down at myself I saw clear, flawless skin. At first I was not alarmed, then I realized what was missing, my freckles. Another image came, Kieran and Emrys, standing tall and strong, but they were both frowning, and then grunting and moaning in pain. Nisorca was taking the map from my body and placing it on theirs, fear swelled up inside me as my mother repeated her earlier words.

"If they possess the map, it will kill them,"

I watched in horror as they took the pain, falling to their knees as they bit back shouts and screams. Their skin began to spot with blotches of gray and black, and when I looked closer I saw that the map was eating at their skin. Seconds ticked by and they began coughing up blood and I fell to my knees with them, unable to do anything but watch in horror at what was happening to them. The images began to fade away though, leaving me in silence, remembering the pain that had been in their eyes as they slowly died.

My head was hung low as I sat there, tears rolling from my eyes and down my cheeks, when something brushed my right arm. Looking up I saw a single white feather floating in the air, then another came, and another. There was another light touch on my left shoulder and I turned to see black and charcoal gray feathers falling. They floated and fell around me, softly caressing my skin as they passed by, light on my right, and dark on my left.

"Wake up, Valery," I heard my mother say, gently with love.

"Val, Honey, go on and open your eyes," My father told me, his voice soft and caring. I couldn't stop crying, catching random feathers as they fell and clutching them to my chest as I sobbed. I looked up at answer my parents but they were no where to be found, I was alone.

"Valery?"

"Valery, please, open your eyes," My eyes flew open as I heard their voices, two voices I thought I would never hear again.

"Kieran? Emrys!" I called frantically searching the darkness around me, but there was nothing in sight but feathers.

I stood up swiftly, sending feathers to swoop up from the ground and float about again, looking for the source of their voices. They continued to ask me to wake up, to just open my eyes, to smile for them even, they sounded so worried. I didn't understand though, I was awake, my eyes were open, and just the sound of their voice put a smile on my face.

"Where are you?" I shouted, more tears falling from my eyes.

I could hear them as if they were right next to me, but I couldn't find them. Their voices were taunting me, echoing around me and giving me no indication to where they might be hiding. They were asking, no, telling me to wake up now, but as they talked I felt myself grow tired. I held back a yawn, my steps grew sluggish and my eyes got heavy. Slowly I sank back to the ground, though I tried to remain standing, I was too tired.

Feathers skipping in the air around me as I fell to lay on my back, cushioned by the soft caresses of the feathers beneath me. Kieran and Emrys had stopped talking for the moment and I was blessed with silence. My eyes slid closed as sleep began to ease its way through my mind, soothing my fear, coaxing me away from the darkness.

"Valery! wake up!" Emrys shouted.

My eyes flew open and I sat up instantly, though still a bit sluggish. I sat on a couch, Kieran kneeling at my side and Emrys standing over me with his hands on my shoulders. The room was brightly lit though the moon could be seen shinning outside the window beside me. Nisorca was laying on the floor, a pillow under her head and a blanket draped over her body. She was sleeping peacefully, regaining her powers and energy as she did so.

Reviews

[RunsWithCats]

Wow...this book is so interesting. Once I starting reading it I couldn't put it down! Valery is such a normal person, and it's intriguing to see her life completely change because of her "freckles" and a fallen angel and risen demon...it kind of seems like a parallel to how life can be sometimes. Great job, and I can't wait to read more! God Bless :)