Sapphire Spells

Chapter 28 - The Sun

My mind is a real cruel bitch.

I roll over and reach for the phone on the bedside table. The screen lights up, letting me know the time. It's 2:12 am and not a wink of sleep. I desire nothing but rest, yet my body feels charged. It's as if the worries of my mind pump caffeine into every cell to where I feel like I am vibrating without even moving.

Stifling a sigh, I glance to my side. Ally is sound asleep in bed beside me. Her chest rises and falls in a soft rhythm, and I can't help but feel incredibly jealous.

I lay on my back and close my eyes taking a deep breath.

My mind is clear. I am not thinking of anything. I am void of thoughts. My brain is a desert. It is blank.

Yet, even without thinking of the horrors which may head our way, I physically feel the impact of those fears. My pulse rises and with it, so does my suspicion.

Are those patrolling in the night actually awake? What if they are attacked and killed before they can send out an alert? What if someone I love gets hurt?

My breath catches in my throat at that last thought, chest constricting, making it difficult to breathe.

There is an ominous presence in my mind that I can not shake. It haunts me. A feeling that represents some sort of doom, yet it remains concealed so I can not make out what it is.

I can't take it anymore. Throwing the covers off of me, I get out of bed. My steps are silent on the cool wooden floor as I move through the room. Luna's head pops up as she lays at the foot of the bed. I bring a finger to my lips, signaling for her to keep quiet before I exit, gently shutting the door. In my absence, Luna will keep an eye on Ally.

Making my way down the hall towards the kitchen and livingroom, I take in the house's darkness and the silhouettes of furniture from the dim light of the moon seeping in through the windows. My eyes fall to the couch, which is empty. There is only a single pillow with a blanket tossed over it. The room is so still that I nearly miss the figure standing by one of the windows, peering into the darkness beyond.

"Trouble sleeping?" Alaric asks without turning, though I catch sight of those honey-brown eyes peering at me through the glass's reflection. Instantly there is a strange tension that moves through me like a bolt, shocking my senses as all my focus lands on him.

"Seems I am not the only one." I wander over till standing at his side, joining him in viewing the world outside. The woods beyond the house look so dark, as if they suck in all the light into an oblivion never to be seen again. "How much can you see out there?"

A smirk curls his lips and he turns to me. Brown eyes briefly flicker silver before returning to normal. "I can see plenty." He tilts his head, observing me. "Does anything in particular trouble you?"

Suddenly, that ominous feeling creeps in and my stomach turns.

I grit my teeth, not knowing how to answer such a question when everything seems to trouble me. So instead, I ignore it. "I was going to make myself some peppermint tea. Care to join me?" It's the perfect excuse to turn from him and that heavy stare in order to place some distance as I head for the kitchen.

"Sure." The response comes from close behind, letting me know he is following me with silent agile steps.

Grabbing the electric kettle off the counter, I fill it with water and pop it on for it to heat. In the cabinet, I find two mugs. After setting them on the counter, I rummage for the tea, slightly disappointed that I find it so fast. It's nice having something to physically do so that my mind is briefly pre-occupied with a task.