Mage Chronicles: The Journey.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

A knock on the door jolts me awake and I turn at glare at the offending noise. It had been four days since I resumed my classes, and I constantly asked myself what had possessed me to want this.

The knock comes again followed by muffled sounds right outside my door. I sit at my desk debating whether or not to stand up and open it while I will whoever was to just give up and walk away.

"What are you doing?" Keon asks as I hear him walking from his room to my door, no doubt talking to whoever the intruder was.

"Keon, I ...I just wanted to talk to her before tomorrow's combat class." At that I perk up wiping the drool from my face as I listen intently. Why did Killian need to talk to me about class?

"Well, you could do that later, maybe during dinner?" Keon says and I fall for the man a little more. I lay my head back on my desk facing the bed where my little boy is seemingly peacefully asleep and I once again fight the urge to collapse into tears.

"Why not..." Killian persists before a new voice interrupts.

"Mahina's asleep," Rhys rumbles.

Oh he was back! He had left a couple of hours ago after I had come from class, siting a previous obligation he had to take care of. He had asked me to join him but I had declined stating I needed to catch up on my studies.

"I thought she was studying, the boys said she was."

"She is...or at least she was, but she's sleeping now." Keon says and I wonder at why he sounded so sure about it.

"Why are you so adamant to let her sleep?" Killian asks curiously and I hold my breath anticipating the answer.

"She hasn't been sleeping at all, all she does at night is hold Blue and sing at night or stare of into space looking empty, and that's when she is not silently crying," Rhys says sounding tortured.

I blink my eyes rapidly trying to fight the burn which is prerequisite to tears. Figures they'd both know about it. Keon was right across from me and I was sure he had supernatural hearing. And Rhys spends all his nights in my room, whether as a phantom or reclining on my love seat in his physical form.

I had been grateful none of them mentioned anything. It gave me the will to get up every morning and put on my façade, shoving every emotion deep inside. I sniffle the same feelings fighting to surface and silence reigns on the other side of the door, seconds before it gently opens and footsteps sound approaching my hunched form.

"Mahi..." Keon starts softly.

"Did we wake you?" Rhys asks moving to face me Killian beside him.

I glance up at them not answering as Keon runs his hands up and down my back soothingly, growling softly.

Rhys crouches down to my level looking at me intently, "What is it sweetheart? How can we help?"

"What happened pipsqueak?" Killian asks bending to look into my eyes.

I blink and my vision turns blurry as all the emotions I had been keeping at bay come bubbling up.

I hear Rhys curse before I'm scooped up into his arms. He walks to the love seat and sits while cradling me to him as he coos softly, and the dam breaks.

"I really tried," I sob clinging to him as Keon resumes his previous soothing actions.

"I tried to be strong...I really..." I break off sobbing heartily.

What was wrong with me? I had been doing so well and now I'm breaking. What kind of pathetic mage was I, how would I get everything done if I couldn't handle the heartache. The thought of my weaknesses brings a fresh wave of tears and I cry harder, not able to help it.