ONEIRAL: The Witch, The Book and The Mirror

Chapter 13: Stay

"Okay, hand me six petals,"

"Forget-me-not?"

"Well, duh,"

"Right. Don't you think we need the other flower? The guy said Ilio always uses them together," Korem suggested, as he carefully poured the blue petals on the vial that was floating between them.

"Those flowers have a sealer effect, which would be useful if we were trying to take your memory, not bring it back," she replied, lighting a ball of fire in her hand and placing it under the vial.

"And you know this...how?"

"Ran some experiments earlier," she shrugged.

"That explains the burn marks," he snorted, signaling over at different black patches on the grass, and she glared at him.

"I can still poison you, you know?"

"Promises, promises," he said smiling, and saw how she also smiled for an instant before frowning again. "Anything missing?"

"Just...this," she said, taking a strand from her hair and carefully putting it on the vial. The liquid inside began to swirl, going through several colors until it gave a bright flash of light and settled on a pearly, sparkling substance. Sel reached put for the vial, holding it closer for inspection, while Korem scooted closer as well.

"Did- did it work?" he asked quietly, watching as the sun reflected created patches of blues, pinks and yellow on the potion as it moved.

"It looks like," she confirmed, hands shaking slightly. "I guess this is it," she said, shoving the vial into his hands and pointedly looking away.

"Sel?"

"Go ahead, get you memory back," she added, turning to leave, only to be stopped by his hand closing over hers.

"Please, could you-?"

"Please, don't ask me to stay," she cut him off, slivers of fear and vulnerability in her voice.

"What?"

"You know I'll stay if you ask me, and I just can't,"

"Why?" he asked, stepping closer to her.

"I don't want to be present the moment you remember and then your eyes...the moment you stop looking at me the way you do now," she whispered, and he moved his hand to her chin, gently lifting her eyes and forcing them to meet his.

"I won't," he said softly.

"You don't know that," she replied, laughing sadly.

"I thought we already covered this, Sel,"

"I know, but-"

"Sel," he interrupted "Would you stay?" he asked, and she looked up at him, eyes wide with fear.

"Of course," she replied defeatedly, and he squeezed her hand reassuringly, not letting go.

"Here goes nothing..." he said, holding the bottle to his lips and taking one big swig.

At first nothing happened, and a scared Selenya stared at a confused Korem, until he let out a groan and doubled over in pain, crashing on his knees to the ground.

"Korem!" she said alarmed, dropping to his side, cradling his face "Can you hear me? Are you okay? Oh no, no no no, I'm so sorry, it's all my fault-"

"Sel," he mumbled, reaching with a hand to cover hers "I'm okay," he groaned.

"Are you sure?" she asked worriedly, helping him stand up.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he assured her, pressing his temple with his free hand.