Chapter 18

**Merianna**


*It’s hot…*

*I can’t breathe…*

*I opened my eyes and saw nothing but red and black. The blackness was choking me, I hacked and coughed. I tried wiping at my stinging eyes with the back of my hand, but noticed that my hands were tied behind my back with something stiff and solid pressing in against my back, another rope was tied around my waist, the rope glowing a purple hue and imbued with words of power. I had on my boots, my traveling clothes and my bag was hanging around my neck to the side through one of my arms. A sharp tangy smell wafted up from the rope around my middle…*

*The rope was laced with petrified witch bane! Panic shot through my body at once and I came to myself in a rush.*

*Sounds were roaring through my ears, I heard voices shouting and I heard screaming. The long terrifying note stretching on and on and on…*

*Pain exploded along the skin on my legs, I looked down and saw flames licking at my flesh, my skin was a maddening red, blisters bubbling and popping along the flame’s path, my raw skin and patches of muscle were peeking through in several places. I tried to get away, to get away from my body, to travel the spirit plane where I didn’t need to feel this pain. To be an astral form in this madness, but nothing happened, I couldn’t leave my body.*

*I yanked at the ropes only to feel my skin easily tearing off on the bindings, I smelled burning flesh and hair, terrified knowing that it was me that was giving off that smell, because I was burning… I was suffocating… I was screaming.*

*I tried with everything in me to get away, no spell would heed my words, and I could not escape my body no matter how much I tried, no matter how much I wished for it. So I continued to scream…*

“Wake up! It’s just a dream! You’re okay!” A voice boomed next to my ear.

My eyes popped open and the shrill screaming stopped immediately when I had to draw in a breath, I battled the urge to let out all the air again in another scream. I looked around me with wild eyes, not stopping to look at any one particular thing. I was waiting for the Hunters to jump up from behind something, to come and burn me again. When they didn’t I finally calmed down enough to see the soft black hair pushed up against the side of my face, and finally felt strong arms holding me tightly but gently against a solid chest.

Next I didn’t smell the choking scent of smoke, I smelled woods, and deep spices, and shampoo. A big hand was cupping the back of my head protectively. When he pulled away I studied him with my still wide eyes. His black brows were pulled together in worry, his dark brown , almost black eyes were wide. His skin was tanned but he looked a little pale.

I blinked for a second. “Thyrion?” I croaked out.

He gave a big sigh of relief and put his head back down next to mine on the pillow and groaned into it. “Don’t scare me like that again.” He said, his voice muffled by the fabric.

Forgetting my dream for a second I smiled, he sounded so much like I remembered. I reached up to hug him to me but found out that my arms were held captive by the sheets. I snaked out my left arm and wrapped it around him since he was lying half on top of my right arm. I noticed that my hair was plastered to my face and I felt sweat on my back and down the front of my chest.

He pulled his head out from the pillows and gave me a relieved smile, propping himself up on his elbow and looking down at me. I didn’t feel nervous, I didn’t feel shy or embarrassed. This was Thyrion, this was my love, this was the man I had always dreamed of, this was my husband…

“I’ve missed you.” I said, suddenly feeling choked up.

His eyes glazed over with a sheen of moisture and he bent down closer to me. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.”

My heart squeezed and he closed the distance between us. His lips were so soft and sweet that I gave a sigh of contentment just at the contact. He deepened the kiss and stole my breath away in an instant. He parted my lips in a way that feels like he was claiming me as his all over again from the start. His hand moved from the back of my neck to the side of my jaw tilting me slightly more for better access.

My hand found the little bit of exposed skin between his pants and his shirt and I slipped my hand in underneath his shirt to feel the smooth and warm muscled expanse of his back. He growled into my mouth and the sound itself drove me nuts, if I were standing I would have hit the floor ages ago.

Suddenly a door banged open and two arguing flurries of hair and fabric suddenly came hurtling into the room.

“What happened?!” They both asked at the same time looking at me with mixed expressions of fear, and protectiveness. Thyrion rolled away from me with an annoyed groan and looked at the two frazzled women at the doorway.

Brilliantly I said, “Huh?”

“We heard you screaming bloody murder in here!” Nelia said, waving frantically at the space we were in.

“Oh…” I said stretching out the word, finally understanding. And a flash of the memory came crashing back at me. My hands tied, my flesh burning and bursting.

I gulped. Thyrion frowned at Nelia and Ara as if he were mad that they made me remember it again. “It was just a dream.” He told them laying a hand over mine and engulfing my palm in his. Instantly I felt less afraid, less drawn into the past.

Nelia and Ara both gave a sigh and looked like they were going to sink to the ground in relief. Nelia looked up at me with a happy but exasperated expression. “Don’t scare me like that.” She sighed.

“Scare you? I was nearly ready to burst through the walls!” Ara said, plopping down into a chair at my desk, picking up a piece of stiff paper and proceeded to fan herself.

I smiled at the scene, feeling like this was so nostalgic, that I had missed them so, so much. Then Nelia frowned at Thyrion who was lying on his back, my hand in his and his shirt riding up halfway to his head with his long black hair all mussed.

Nelia blushed for a second. “You were supposed to let me know when she woke up!” She scolded him while her cheeks were still flaming red.

He blinked at her. “Oh yeah.” He said distractedly and gave me a devilish smile. I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“You’re still getting into trouble aren’t you?” I said, poking his chest.

He grinned and leaned forward. “Always for you.” He said and gave me a soft kiss on the lips.

Ooooooh it was official. I was melted.

Nelia scoffed at the door but she was smiling all the same. “Now shoo Thyrion. Go and get something for her to eat while I examine her.”

*Food?* I thought. And at that thought my stomach gave a rumble of anticipation.

Thyrion laughed and then jumped off of the bed. “I’ll be right back.” He said, giving me a wink.

*How much more can I melt?! Haven’t I reached my melting quota for the day yet?!*

Thyrion disappeared out of the door and Nelia advanced, sitting on the side of my bed and giving me a hug. “I’m so glad that you are back!” She exclaimed and looked me over, raking me over with her healer’s eyes.

“I’m glad to be back.” I smiled then looked over at Ara who was glaring daggers into Nelia’s head. “I’ve missed you too Nana Ara.”

She instantly lost the scowl and melted in front of my eyes. “Oh…” She crooned “I’ve been missing you something fierce Merianna.”

A fizzle of nerves shot through my body. There it was, my name. The first time that I heard it now since I started remembering. I relaxed back onto the bed feeling a flush run through my body. “That in the infirmary was so not fun. Could we please never do it again?”

Nelia and Ara chuckled. “You’ve got it kid.” Ara said, grinning delightedly.

Nelia looked at me and frowned. She reached over and placed a hand over my forehead. “You have a fever.” She announced.

I shrugged at her. “Ag it’s not so bad. Better than being dead. Maybe my immune system is broken down?” I threw off the covers and sat up. Nelia nearly freaked.
“Lay back down!” She commanded. I gave my best pout. I was feeling restless, I wanted to be on my feet, even if I was just standing in one spot.

“I need to stand on my feet, Nelia, just for a little bit. The bed is stifling, and I’m sweaty.” I said holding up one of my arms for her to see the sheen of sweat on it. But instead I was the one staring at it. A few patches of skin were highlighted by marks that looked like I had sunburn. I blinked at it. “What the-?”

“Yeah, when we finally got that spell off of you your energy escaped and ran around in random circles and coursed through your body violently, hence it literally burned you a bit. It’ll take a while for it to completely settle though, I think your fever is also thanks to the violent surge of energy.” She was looking at me gravely, like she thought I was the luckiest person alive to have survived.

“Well,” I said, turning my arm this way and that, “at least I am still alive. If I have to have a few flashbacks and surges, then I wouldn’t mind it as long as it means that I am here to stay this time.” I smiled at her and Ara who had gotten up out of her chair and was joining us on the bed.

They smiled back at me looking so happy that I was back. And I felt happy, I didn’t realize how much of that empty hole I had in me, was right here in the Order. Now I felt like the hole I’d been feeling was finally gone.

“I’m still going to try to stand though. So, if I keel over just make sure to catch me.” I said stubbornly.

Nelia gave a heavy sigh and nodded her head in defeat. Nana Ara on the other hand cackled. I laughed with her and before we knew it Nelia was also laughing. I finally felt like I was really home!

I swung one of my legs over the side of the bed, and when nothing seemed wrong I slipped the other one over. Then I noticed that I wasn’t really wearing a shirt. I was wearing a night dress… and a white strappy silk one at that. My eyebrows lifted and then I heard a plate being set down on my desk.

“You took the liberties I presume?” I asked and looked over my shoulder at where Thyrion was walking closer.

“Of course I did. It’s not like you can hide anything from me anyway.” He said grinning like an evil schoolboy.

I couldn’t find any emotion inside of me that would be offended at the knowledge. So I just smiled and shook my head. “Well, thank you.” I said, smiling at him.

He grinned. “Oh trust me, it was my pleasure.”

I laughed outright at that and then went back to concentrating on standing up. My body wasn’t feeling bad but it was tender and weak, like a bunch of nerves were running right underneath the surface of my skin. I swung my legs up and down, feeling the muscles bunch and relax. It felt a little sore but not terrible. Then I scooted a bit forward and let my toes touch the floor. Slowly I put more and more pressure on my legs until I was finally standing. I straightened out and looked at Nana, Nelia and Thyrion. All three of them looked worried and ready to catch me at any given minute.

“Well,” I said, “this isn’t that bad really.” I lifted my right foot to take a good normal step forwards and that was when heat surged through my whole body and lit those nerves under my skin on fire.