Malevolent

Chapter 49

Amra felt the hairs on her body rise unexpectedly. The darkness moved around her like wings and in between it all, she could hear a voice— faint but familiar.

She focused on it, trying to ignore the sound of wings flapping and fluttering all around her.

            "You don't fear death?"

            "Your culture knows me best as d~ ...but you can call me—"

            "....Mine!.... killing me a thousand times than being without you a thousand li~"

            "Who are you?" She cried out, trying to hold onto his voice, but the flap of feathers grew louder and louder until they became unbearable and Amra jolted at the feel of a hand on her shoulder. 

She gasped, blinking back until she realized she was awake.

            "You were having a nightmare." Lily stood over her, concern etched in her eyes.

Amra nodded, sitting up a little too quickly.  She had forgotten about her burgeoning pregnant belly, that was starting to make sleep and moving around increasingly uncomfortable. 

She thought back to her dream.

It had been anything but a nightmare. In fact, she wished Lily hadn't woken her up.

            "Anything new?" Lily inquired.

            "No," Amra chose to keep this dream to herself, it felt oddly personal.  "Lily?"

            "Yeah," Lily sat at the edge of her own twin bed, opposite Amra. 

They had all reached the Inn late last night. Exhausted, they decided it was best to get rest before looking around for clues.

            "Do you also dream of the red eyed man?" Amra asked.

            "Sometimes," Lily sighed, her gaze drifting. "But mostly, I dream of... you... and a green-eyed man. I feel like he calls to me sometimes."

            "Calls you where?"

            "I don't know. It's always so hard to hear him, or to remember what he tells me after I wake up, but I know he needs me." Lily admitted. A hint of sadness in her tone.

Amra nodded her head, knowing all too well what that felt like. Whoever it was that whispered to her in her dreams, she felt an inexplicable connection to him. The only difference was that unlike Lily, she didn't sense this man calling out to her.

            "What do you think all this is?" Amra asked.

            "I don't know. It's odd and scary, but also... exciting?"

            "Exciting?" Amra arched her brow.

            "Yeah, no" Lily hesitated, before adding,  "I mean, I feel like for the past couple of weeks or months, we've been in some dream, and this somehow brings us closer to waking up. Does that make sense?" She looked at Amra for reassurance that she wasn't crazy.

            "It's funny, I've felt that same way." Amra said. She looked around, realizing Alexie wasn't in the room. 

            "He went to go get us breakfast," Lily explained, noticing Amra's worried gaze. "I'm gonna go shower. You should get ready too. Alexie said we could look around the Inn for clues after we eat."

Amra nodded, falling back against the headboard as she relaxed. She knew if she closed her eyes, sleep would've come easily—had she not been pregnant. All she seemed to be able to focus on now was how hungry she felt, and how full her bladder suddenly was.