The Marked

Chapter Six

Things passed by in a blur. I couldn't grasp anything that was going on around me. If I tried to pick up on something I was only ripped my down by the intense burning. It was unlike any pain I had ever felt. It came from within me. It burned me from the inside out.

I was moving, I wasn't walking but somehow I was moving. Muffled voices shouted all around me. More burning, I arched my back with the pain and let loose another piercing scream. How long was this going to last? How much more could I take?

More incoherent shouting surrounded me and then I was back on the ground, screaming, rolling, and burning with every flame that licked beneath my flesh. Hands were on me now, holding me down. No I needed to move, I fought against my restraints. I could no longer feel my throat and no longer could I even hear the muffled shouting, but I felt everything.

I wanted it to go away. I felt pressure on my forehead, and hot breath against my ear. I thought at one point I could hear someone talking. I tried desparately to grasp onto the voice. To hear something than my own muffled screams.

"Violet!.....Can you hear me?" there it was I heard it, although I had no idea who it was. I groan, my struggle was unbareable.

"Violet just concentrate on my voice," the voice continued to try and soothe me. I reached out blindly, I needed to feel something, anything, anything but the pain. My hand landed on something solid. My hand shook as I moved it along the smooth surface. A stuttered breath hit my neck and for a moment I forgot about the pain. My hand wandered, and soon my fingers traced a sharp jawline.

By now delirium had taken over my actions. I wasn't fully aware of what I was doing but I just went along with anything at this point. "Do you need anything?" the voice asked. I could hear it a little more clearly now, but I was still to delirious to know who it was.

"Just stay," I mumble, but I was sure it was practically incoherent. I was fading further into the haze and I welcomed the darkness that promised to lull me to a slumber. I traced my fingers across the jawline once again and traveled down the neck and over a broad shoulder, down a muscled arm and to a sweaty hand. Our fingers fumbled one another with no intention of actually tangling together.

Sleep dragged me down further and further and my fingers became lazier and lazier until they finally fell still in the stranger's hand.

---------------------

I woke up in a daze. I didn't know how long I'd been asleep or where I was exactly but I did know that I felt absolutely disgusting and sore. I sat up slowly and groaned. My head was spinning as I proped myself on my elbow.

I glanced down at myself and I gasped. I sat up quickly and stared at my arm. Black marks lined the right side of my body. I removed the covers that had somehow been put on me and lifted my dress slightly so I could see my bare leg. As I thought the marks continued all the way down to my ankle.

My mind wandered and it was then that I remembered everything. The terrible burning and me screaming til my throat was raw. Everything after that was a blur. I stood up quickly and immediately regretted my quickness. Everything went blurry for a moment and I soon was stumbling sideways. Before I fell I was caught and steadied back to my feet.

"Easy there," I hear Thane say.

"Ugh, thanks. It looks like I still haven't completely recovered," I say.

"Well you seem much better than before," he comments looking me over. I rub my face tiredly.

"What happened?" I ask. I wanted to see if anything happened while I was temporarily disabled. He clears his throat.

"When you went off to go retreieve your marks you started screaming and we had to go get you and bring you back here while you went through the process," he says. I nod, rememebering most of it too well.

"Anything else?" I question.

"Umm, no that was pretty much it," he says, I sensed a hint of discomfort in his voice but I just let it go, but I could've swore something else happened. There was an action that was hazed by my disoriented memory.

"Hmm, must've been a dream then," I say.

"Perhaps," he mumbles. I study him some more,

"Are you okay?" I question him. He snorts as if I was asking a ridiculous question,

"Of course. Never better, why do you ask?"

"You just seem...tense?"

"Well I appreciate your concern but I assure you I'm fine," He flashes me a quick smile,

"Well okay then. Umm, could you help me find Maev. I need to talk to her," I place my hand on his shoulder to help steady myself and I feel him tense suddenly. I glance up at him with a look of concern on my face,

"Are you sure you're okay?" He glances at my hand,

"Yeah. Let's go find Maev," he says. I sigh and start to walk slowly out. I pushed the pelt door out of my way and squinted as the afternoon sun blinded me momentarily. It felt good to be out in the fresh air, but I instantly felt self consious as I watched people stop and stare. I rubbed my shoulder awkwardly and kept my eyes averted from theirs.

"Violet?" Maev walks towards us and embraces me. "I was so worried," she whispers.

"I'm fine now," I tell her. She pulls away and looks me over. I bite the inside of my lip as she looks over my marks. I looked them over myself. They wrapped around my wrist and up my forearm. They crawled over my shoulder and climbed up my neck. They were dark and mysterious and beautiful.

"They look goregeous on you," she says. I blush slightly,

"Thank you," I glance over my shoulder and realize that Thane is no longer standing with us.

"What is it?" She asks.

"Nothing I just could have sworn Thane was right here,"

"No he wandered off when I came over,"

"Oh....Did anything strange happen while I was sleep?" I wanted to know what was troubling him.

"No. Why do you ask?" she gives me a curious look.

"Thane was just acting a bit strange is all," I say.

"Hmm...Well I know nothing about that. Perhaps he's tired he was up a lot while you were asleep,"

"Really?" I didn't understand why it surprised me but it did.

"Yes, he was the first one to reach you when you were in the woods too. I don't think I've ever seen someone look so concerened," Anise jumps into the conversation. I looked at her and was surprised to find her in much better emotional condition then I planned to find her in.

"Wow that's shocking," I mumble. "How are you?" I ask her. She sighs and gives me a tired smile.

"I'm better than I was. I've slowly been coming to terms with things," she says. I smile, I was so grateful that she was dealing with her loss so well.

"I'll leave you two to talk for awhile, but Violet," I look at her already knowing what she's going to say. "Time," she warns me. I nod. She was right. Tonight would be my last night in Imperium Magia.