Sorcerer's hill

24

Her body was aching. She tried to move her hand but even the thought of such a large movement made her quickly find it impossible.
Keira didn't know where she was. It was as if she was caught between two worlds - she wasn't in either of them completely. She felt the drifting and yet she felt pain. But, at least she felt something. It could only be a good thing.
Suddenly, she heard voices. They came from the back of her mind, but she heard them, soft and clear. She knew that voice. It was Thane.
She tried to open her eyes so badly but her body didn't seem to listen. Trying became so frustrating she simply gave up and turned her attention to the sound of his voice.
At first, it was as if he talked in another language. She could sense the tone and the emotion, but the words were impossible to decipher. As soon as they hit her ear, it became a blur.
As her senses slowly came back, she opened her eyes. She wasn't in any room. It was all black around her.
The pain was still there, but she realized she didn't have a body that could feel it. She wasn't able to decide whether she was lying or standing. When she looked at her feet, instinctively in the direction below her, she saw nothing but empty space.
She knew that feeling. She was truly caught in between.
"You did well," a voice said behind her.
She turned around to see the person but no one was around. She didn't even get the chance to say her thoughts aloud and yet, they resonated in the space around her. "Who is it?"
"You know who I am," a soft, female voice purred.
Keira was disoriented for a few seconds, thinking it could be Melania. But this sounded different. It wasn't arrogant or greedy. It was soft, nurturing, caring. It was Layla.
"Mother," her mind echoed through the room.
"It must've been so hard," Layla noted. "You've been so brave."
That wasn't at all what Keira felt. She didn't feel brave. She felt like she lost. "What happened?"
"You learned the powers," her mother stated the obvious. "Or we couldn't talk like that."
"So I'm not dead?"
"I don't think you are," Layla whispered softly. Keira could hear her smile - if it would be possible in that state.
"They died," she fought the urge to sound like a baby.
"I know," her mother confirmed. "They're alright now."
"Are they?" Keira asked doubtfully.
"They didn't do anything wrong in the end, did they?"
Keira wondered if that was true. Kayden overlooked some things that might've been crucial to his journey and yet, in the end, he managed to sort out where he stood.
Seth? She didn't know. Destroying a magical source of power sounded bad enough - but he was punished. Does that make it even?
"Can I see them?"
Layla didn't answer at first. "If they'll want."
Keira fell silent. She had so many questions she wanted to ask earlier - but now they all seemed pointless. As if the words lost their meaning.
Even her mother's encouragement didn't hit her ears as it should. The words were empty and only she could decide whether they held any depth. And she couldn't bring herself to do it.
"Do I have to go back?" Her mind echoed. She wanted to state the obvious. It wasn't like she could probably choose - but what could be worse? Spending her time in here - without a body, with slight pain and her mother? It wasn't such a bad idea.
"I think you will."
"Why?"
"You're not done, yet."
She heard Thane again. It was soft and pleading. She still couldn't fully understand what he was saying, but she caught the urgency of his voice.
She tried to move. But she wasn't even able to say where her body started and where it ended. She felt something soft under her but that was all. If someone told her she was a pile of blocks, she would probably believe him.
Her eyes were desperately trying to open but all she saw was the back of her eyelids, dark and without structure.
Wait a little longer, she thought.

This time, she managed to open her eyes - and was struck by the bright light she immediately closed them again.
She tried once again, very slowly. It was so good to have one task she could fully concentrate on.
She knew that room. It was the master bedroom of the mansion.
She was looking at the ceiling and noticed the complex structure of it as if it was the first time she saw it. The colours seemed brighter and everything was suddenly perfect - every crumble, every part that seemed to fall off. Only now, she could truly appreciate the work.
When she was done admiring the ceiling, she looked around. Her neck disagreed. Alright, she thought. She could also give it a full go.
She took a breath, clenched her teeth and in one impulsive moment, raised her body into a sitting position. Right after, she moaned in pain.
Bad decision, very bad decision, she thought right after she colourfully cursed at herself inside of her head.
She caught her head in her hands and tried to steady the spinning. If she woke up in Oxford, she would be able to believe this was the worst hangover ever and the dream she had was the craziest one she ever had.
But she wasn't in Oxford. She was in Rosehold. A minute later, the door opened.
"Hello, there."
This brought a slight smile to her lips. "Hey," she tried to get out but her voice was nowhere to be found, only a quiet seeping sound came out.
"It's okay," Thane walked over and sat beside her on the bed. "You'll be fine."
She gave him her best I better look. As her eyes laid on him, her heart ached.
He looked horrible. His hair was dishevelled, the beard has grown even more visible, as were his cheekbones.
Still, the most prominent part of his features were his eyes. They had the same colour of the night, the same shape - but the depth in them was different. They looked at her, softly, but she could almost feel the pain they held.
"I'm sorry," her voice was so quiet it came out barely as a whisper. She coughed to make herself sound clearer and her neck protested immediately.
Thane didn't answer at first but slowly shook his head. "It's not your fault."
"I start to think it is," she gulped. "I'm supposed to be the hero. The Protector."
He smiled, sadly. "I don't think there are any heroes. Or villains, for that matter."
She shot him a questioning look. "Melanie?"
"It's complicated." He sighed, taking her hand in his. "I don't think we have the right to judge."
She didn't understand at all. "Well, I judge her. She killed-"
She stopped in the middle of her sentence. Keira wasn't sure if she ought to continue. But Thane answered it for her.
"Seth, Kayden and many, many others - as we could see."
"Exactly."
"So did I."
The sentence was flying above them like a cloud from which it could rain at any moment.
"Then it's a good thing you said there aren't any villains," she joked. "Because neither of us is a hero."
He shook his head. "You're so easy to accept any of my wrongdoings."
"I'm not-"
"You just said you judge Melanie. Why don't you judge me?"
She couldn't immediately answer him. He was right. She wasn't entirely objective on that matter. She didn't think she ever was. But why? That was a question she never thought about.
"Because you're mine," she rolled the words on her tongue. "And how could I judge something that's mine?"
Thane looked at her. "You're blind. You're thinking with your emotions, not with logic."
"Yes," she agreed and smiled. "I know it's illogical. But that's how I feel. I don't care about your past. You protected me. You tried to protect everyone. In my eyes, you've never been a villain."
She hoped she made the message clear. Perhaps she did because he brushed his thumb slightly against hers and didn't continue with the subject.
She didn't know if she wanted to bring back the memories of that night, but she had to know what happened.
"You mean you raising an army of spirits?"
"Yep," she sighed. "I can't seem to remember..."
"Of course not, your energy must've been used to its maximum."
"Oh."
"Actually," he pondered upon the memory, "I don't remember it well, either. I remember her being surrounded with the spirits... but then it all went black."
"The same thing happened to me," she gasped.
"When I woke up," he continued, "I was lying on the ground with Domeon staring at me."
Keira chuckled. "What a nightmare."
Thane smiled. "He brought Lelia and Ethan. I took you inside. Mrs Rivers and Joe also paid a visit."
"Right," she wondered. "How is Joe?"
Thane shrugged. "He was shaken, of course. But it seems he knew his wife wasn't a saint as she was portrayed."
"And what about the villagers?"
"I think they already know. Lelia told them everything she knew - and given how things played out, I'd be surprised to find out they didn't believe us."
"It can still happen."
"It can," he agreed, "but I don't think it will." He paused for a minute. "There's only one thing that bothers me."
"Only one? I could give you a list."
He ignored her comment. "I can't understand it. It wasn't a good plan - what she tried to do. It was messy, undecided. Not at all like her. She was either desperate - or just too impatient to think it through."
"Maybe both," Keira mumbled.
She realized none of them talked about the deaths that happened. She didn't want it to be brought up, either. If she could enjoy the sweet oblivion, pretending not to know, then everything was easier. It wasn't that hard to think about Seth's death. But when Kayden came to her mind, she felt her heart break a little more than it already was. And she was sure it was the same for Thane - thinking about his brother was way harder than about Kayden.
So they didn't talk about it. Maybe they would, in the future, when they were ready. But not now.
"How long was I out?" She asked to push the grief deep inside.
"Just over the day. It'll be evening, soon."
"So it's over," she whispered. "The Fires, they're over."
"For another year, yes."
"It means it's Monday, right?"
"I dare to say so," he shot her a look as if he knew what she was thinking.
"So I should be gone by now." It came out of her mouth so easily.
"Only if you want to." Thane squeezed her hand.
She sighed, not replying. When she looked into his eyes, she saw he was waiting for an answer. "What about you?"
He chuckled. "Nothing holds me here, anymore," he let go of her hand and brushed the hair out of his face. "I wouldn't mind leaving for a while."
"So are you?" She pushed. "Going to leave?"
"Not as in forever," he sighed. "But yes, I think I am."
She nodded. "Where?"
"I don't have a destination," he smiled. "Even though I'd prefer speaking in English."