Barrier

Aurelia

I did not have the words to describe the feelings I had swirling inside. Pure bliss at the feeling left between my legs. Relaxed as Galorian washed my flesh with a soft towel. Happiness that we were together again. And mixed into all of that was sadness and anger. So many had died. So much more were going to die. I had come her to save them all, and I was failing.

“There has to be another way.” I said to him as we picked at a small plate of cheese and bread.

“For what?”

“Their army is bigger than ours. We can't stand against them head on.” I sounded depressed.

He didn’t say anything, only ate and drank while he watched me. I couldn't stop thinking about how we were going to lose. Saira’s brother had made his army to great. There was no way to tell how many people had been taken against their will. And the range of the powers that they had been given.

“Aurelia. You need to rest. Your exhausted. No good is going to come from you thinking this way.” He stood up and walked to me. “Come now, I will lay with you.” He held out a hand for me to take. It was so warm, gave me such comfort.

“I should be out there, helping them.” There had to be something more that I could do to help them.

“There is nothing you can do for them right now. Please just get some rest.” I couldn’t say no to his pleas.

I wanted to lay in bed and sleep, I still felt so weak. I had no more energy to protest or complain and let him put me to bed. Sleep found me quickly. The battle flashed before my eyes, each and every horrid detail. I was there but I could do nothing, no one could hear my orders. When I tried to fight, my hands went through them. All I could do was stand there and watch my men die.

“Have you had enough yet?” A dark voice whispered across the field of death.

He was back. He was in my mind again. Don’t panic.

“Show yourself.” My voice was a growl, something that was more animal than human. Fury burned in it.

The scene changed to a library; one I had never seen before. Walls and walls covered in books were in every direction that I looked. There were no tables or chairs to sit at and no windows or doors. Candles and small balls of light floated around the room. There was an odd smell to the room, something like flowers and death.

“A pleasure as always to see you.” His voice was close, when I turned, he was behind me. His hands were folded behind his back as he stood there staring at me.

I noticed the way his eyes ran over my body and couldn’t help but look down and see what I was wearing. The day that Kairios had clothing made for me out of grass and flowers came rushing back. The first time I had taken a life. So much of my flesh was showing to him. Again, I would not show an ounce of my discomfort. I squared my shoulders and walked up to him.

“What do you want?” I was standing right in front of him, could feel his breath on my face. He smiled down at me. I had never noticed how tall he was, my head was at his chest level.

His chuckle brought fire to my belly. “I wanted to see you of course. Wanted to see how you faired after the battle. I did not expect you to survive.” He shrugged his shoulders.

“I am glad to disappoint.”

“I would not say that I am disappointed to see you alive. I have the thought now that life would be very uninteresting without you in it.”

The look in his eyes had me taking a step backwards. “I will kill you. I promise it.”

“A death promise?” His smile grew. “What token will you give me?”

“What?” Why would I give him anything?

“In the old days a promise like this was sealed with a token. A black rose, a medallion or even a kiss.”

“The only thing you will get from me is my sword through your heart!”

“Vicious, raw, powerful. How have I not seen it before?”

I had to put more distance between us, the look in his eye was dangerous.

“Free me from this nightmare!”

“I don’t think I will, not yet.” He followed me around the room. For every three steps away I took, he closed the distance with one towards me.

“Why are you doing this? Just stop it all! Please! No more lives have to end!” My hands were balled into fists at my sides. Why was I saying this?

“Will you beg me?” His eyes had a hunger in them, one that I had seen before in Galorian’s eyes.

If I did, would he stop and leave my lands in peace? Would that be the price of saving the rest of their lives? My life for theirs? He was evil. There was no way that I could trust any promise he would give me.

“Even if I did, you would not stop. Your evil will continue to spread.”

“My evil? What about the evil acts of your ancestors?”

What? There were no evil acts as far as I knew. Then again no one had been around to teach me it all. What I knew, what I had been told was that the Warlocks always fought for more power. They killed entire villages to gain whatever control they had.

“What do you mean?”

“No one told you? Well, it was your ancestor that slew the first of mine. Your blood that started this war.”

“I won't listen to this, free me from this dream now!”

“No.”

I hated him. Hated every single part of him with every single part of me. I would keep my promise. I would kill him. Then Saira and I would end this. No more generations would be at war. I had to get away from him. How could I take my mind back?

“Your ancestors were the ones that sought all power, we were just another victim of it.”

“You lie.” Nothing he said could be believed.

“Why would I?”

That was a good point but it didn’t matter.

“Whatever happened in the past does not matter. You have taken my people and turned them into demons. You tried to kill your sister for the throne and you hold me here against my will. The only peace we can have, is with you dead.”

I knew what to do. I would give him the only token that I could in this place. I mustered all the sex appeal that I could and let my eyes smolder. My hips swaggered and my breasts bounced. I closed the distance between us and put my hand on his arm. He stood there with a slight look of shock on his face.

“I will kill you, no matter the cost.” He was so tall, I had to lift onto the tips of my toes to be able to press my lips against his. A death promise sealed with my lips, like he had said was done in the old days.

The kiss burned. The heat of it ran through me, the promise was sealed. His own hands grabbed onto my upper arms, his fingers were so tight that if this had been real, I would have bruises. His lips were hard on mine and he took control of the kiss. No one had ever kissed me like this before. I could feel his own promise, the promise of ownership. When his tongue grazed over my own, I put all my strength into pushing myself away from him.

I was out of breath, couldn’t catch my breath. He was breathing heavy as well but had a smile on his face.

“Delicious. I'll be eager to taste the real thing.” He raised his one hand and snapped his fingers. I woke up.

Saira had come looking for me, ready to give her report I assumed. She and Mana were at the entrance arguing. When I rolled over, I saw Galorian lying next to me with an amused look on his face.

“Get out of the way Mana! You are wasting every one's time by denying my entry.” She was very annoyed and tired. I wondered if she had the time to sleep yet. Again, I felt guilty for sleeping.

“My orders are not to let anyone disturb them.”

“Idiot! They already are disturbed!”

“Then you should lower your voice.”

I could listen to them argue all day but there was work to do. Saira had something important to tell me, that much was clear. I was naked still so I grabbed a long shirt that was next to me. I didn’t care when I realized it was his. I could see the marks on my arms left by his fingertips as they pressed in. I paused for a moment, shocked at what I was seeing. There was no time to worry about it now.

“Mana, let her in.” I said to him from my side of the entrance.

I could hear him move aside quietly and how Saira was the opposite. She stomped her feet through the mud and grumbled about wasting time.

“You haven't slept yet, have you?” I didn’t need to ask. I could tell just by looking at her.

“I have been too busy. The reports are grim. Many of our number are dead, I'm sure you already assumed as much. More are injured. We barely have enough hands to deal with all the bodies. Our medicines are going to run out with in a matter of days.”

“Who do we have available that can go out into the woods and collect some herbs?”

“Myself and a few of the healers, but they will be needed here, to stay and help the injured.”

“We have no choice but to find a way around it. Either we send two groups at a time or we run out and they all die. Anything that can be gathered will help.”

“I'll make arrangements after we are done here. The sooner someone goes, the better. It takes time to dry them and prepare them.”

“We can also send out riders to the near towns and villages and ask for aid.”

“I’ll send out my men to the towns.” Said Galorian.

“I have been thinking about what my brother has been doing, the magic he has to use. I tried it. I was able to reach the minds of a few people.”

“You were able to do that after the battle? I thought you magic was depleted?”

“It was. I don’t have to use as much as I would have thought. It's really simple actually.”

This was good news. If I didn't have to see her brother in my dreams again or to worry about him reading my plans; I would be able to focus.

“What do we need to do?”

“I need to sleep first. After that I will try to make a talisman, like your ring, and see if it works. If it can stop me from getting in, then it should stop him as well.”

This was the good news that I needed. “Go now. I will send word to get some healers to go collect herbs. Mana will make sure that no one disturbs you.”