Worlds Collide: Chapter 22 Rude Awakening

I bolt upright, unaware of how long I have been asleep, but suddenly overwhelmed with fear. I look beside me, but Juan is no longer there. I small pang of betrayal shoots through me as I feel stupid for letting him in. As I look around, I realise that it is night and the forest feels far from welcoming. I stand to go and retrieve my dress, and as I do, I am encircled by a group of people dressed in black. Between the colour, the sudden materialisation and the strange symbols adorning them, I can only assume that these are the witches.
“Woah guys, I heard that witches like nudity and sexual freedom and all, but I’m just trying to get dressed.” I say casually.
“Bring her” an older looking woman commands.
“I was actually looking to speak with Esme, the high priestess. I will come willingly if you can arrange for me to speak with her” I offer
“And who are you to demand a meeting with the high priestess? Although I should have expected such insolence from a spy like you. Bring her” The woman commands again and the 2 men break from the circle to advance on me.
So Malifa is just as welcoming as Loria was, its like they have never heard of tourism. I resist the men pulling at my arms and break free enough to smack their heads together. I start to summon my dragon form, but before the words leave my mouth, I’m asleep.
I wake in a prison cell, chained to the wall. This one is nicer that the last one I was in, but its still dark and miserable. The whole of the wall I’m facing is a large mirror. Before my brain wakes up enough to warn me about the danger of the mirror, I’m sucked into watching one of my worst memories.
The vision before me is me, but as a very small child. I should have been too young to remember this, but it haunted my nightmares for years. My mothers body lies on the floor in front of me, emptied of all her blood and life. I’m helpless, chained up so I can’t go to her, but I know there is no way anyone could survive the injuries they inflicted. I’m distraught at her loss, but I’m too petrified to cry. The large masked men say that i’m here as bait for my father, so they need me alive, but alive does not mean unharmed. They started off small, just little paper cuts and scratches, testing me. The sick bastards enjoy seeing my pain and I realise that even if my father comes, I was not going to live, a hopelessness overcomes me. As a become numb to the world, they start going further to hurt me, eventually slicing my skin with a sword that burns like my body is on fire. My farther comes bursting in, I watch as he rips the mens throats out, looking more like a monster than a man, but I lost too much blood to see the whole fight.
When I woke up, I was in the orphanage and Mr Elm was explaining that my father had died and his last act was to save me. I was numb and confused for so long after that.
“Please stop, I’m just a child” I plead as tears roll down my cheeks.
Watching it all play out like a movie in the mirror, I feel it all like I’m reliving that moment. I can feel every cut and all the pain, but that is not the worst part, the worst part is the vulnerability. I feel like I’m drowning in a wave of negative emotions, watching the nightmare on a loop.
“Rain, you are not a child. You are a grown woman. A strong capable one too. I’m here for you, I can get you out, but you don’t need me, you can do it yourself.” A soothing voice whispers in my ear.
The voice doesn’t fit with the scene I’m experiencing, I can’t see who it is or where it came from. I move my head to try to find its source that I feel so drawn to. As I do, my eyes break away from the mirror and I feel like I can breath again. I feel drained emotionally, but relieved. Without looking, I shoot an icicle made from my tears at the mirror, shattering it. I look around for the voice, but I still seem to be alone. I waste no more time, shifting into my dragon to break free from my chains. There is a small barred window at the top of the cell, I bend the bars, but I’m too big as a dragon so I shift back. Using every ounce of my upper body strength, I pull myself up through the window and wiggle through. I run to the forest for cover, clutching my chest and cursing that I lost my dress.
Once i’m a safe distance, I sit to rest and think about a plan of attack. I could flee, but the witches in there are the best way for me to find the high priestess and get out of here. I feel a hand on my shoulder and quickly twist it behind my assailants back.
“it’s ok princess, its just me” Juan says and I reluctantly release him.
“Where the hell have you been?” I demand.
“I don’t sleep well, but I didn’t want to wake you. I went to get firewood and when I came back you were gone. This was left behind, which helped me track your scent here.” He explains holding my dress.
“It was your voice I heard?” I ask
“Yes, I couldn’t stand seeing you like that. Emotionally I mean, I would very much like to see you tied up naked again. I figured it was easier for you to break out than for me to break in.” He says.
“I think I needed to do it myself, it helped me process. Thank you, can I have my dress please, these make running much more difficult” I say gesturing to my chest.
“I don’t think such beauty should be concealed. What are you willing to give me in return?” He asks, holding my dress out of reach with a mischievous look.
“How about I don’t give you a black eye? Sound fair?” I reply.
“I don’t think that is how to repay your rescuer” He says
“Oh sorry, let me swoon for you” I say and fake a dramatic swoon.
To my surprise, he sweeps me up in his arms and spins me around. “That is more like it” He says and kisses me before he places me back on my feet. My head spinning slightly, but not from the spin.