Burned

Chapter 35

I discreetly leave my house and find myself in the heart of my peaceful little village. It's night and all the villagers are fast asleep. I look around to make sure no one is following me. What would people say if they saw an innocent girl walking the streets alone at night? I walk along the dusty path that leads to the village exit. I don't have very far to go, but I must at all costs avoid the guards who patrol to watch over the village.

My dress prevents me from running as fast as I would like and I even have to lift it to free my legs from these tons of bulky fabric. I press myself against the blacksmith's workshop wall to avoid being seen by the guard. I follow him with my gaze and once he has passed, I rush towards the small bridge which overlooks the river where I love to go fishing with Knox.

My breathing quickens and my cheeks redden with effort. I'm almost at my destination. I just have to go deeper into the forest where Asher must be waiting for me. Every night, since the last moon, he has helped me master my gift of fire. I know I shouldn't be here with him, but Knox is too protective to help me defend myself and control my powers. He always sees me as a fragile little thing that he must watch over and protect at all costs. All I want is to be able to fend for myself without relying on anyone else.

I look around to make sure no one is following me. It's imperative to hide, because no one must know what we're and what we do. We could even be burned at the stake for witchcraft if anyone saw us. Even Knox doesn't know that I see his enemy in secret. He wouldn't understand my reasoning and would tell me that only time will help me master them. I have a completely different idea about this subject, and so far it has been working well for me.

I arrive at the edge of the forest and I see Asher waiting for me. As soon as he sees me, he smiles and leads me behind him to our training site. Once I arrive, instead of settling in as usual, I see him walking back and forth while speaking quietly to himself. He seems very nervous and can't sit still. He's acting strangely and unusually, as if something is bothering him inside.

"Asher, is something wrong?" I ask suddenly worried about him.

He looks at me for a moment, then continues his pace while muttering to himself. I approach him so that he stops and talks to me. As I approach him, he stops in front of me while looking at me with his pleading eyes. I don't understand his reaction and I try to decipher what is happening to him.

Before I can register his discomfort, he grabs me by the waist and presses his lips to mine. I try to push him away with all my strength, because I don't feel any feelings other than friendship for him. I love Knox and no one can change that fact. He holds me against my will and I can't fight back because his strength surprises me. His mouth forces mine open and I feel something disgusting and malicious creep inside me.

I tried to use my fire powers, but they didn't work. I'm paralyzed by this thing that wants to take possession of me. I start to choke as my eyes beg Asher to release me. He doesn't let me go and I see his dilemma in his eyes. He's determined to complete the task that brought him here tonight. But guilt and regret colour his eyes and the features of his face. The pain spreads throughout my body and I lose consciousness.

***

"Ahhh!"" I woke up suddenly from the nightmare I just had. I breathe quickly and a dampness from my forehead. My heart is beating wildly. Images from my dream resurface in my alert subconscious. I believe these aren't nightmares, but memories of a past life as Asher explained to me. If this actually happened, then I understand better why my brain is trying to protect me from these images.

After this dream and a glimpse of his personality in the woods, these facts confirm my doubts: Asher isn't who I had imagined. He has no kindness or goodness in him, but on the contrary, he's nothing but lies and manipulation. Everything is calculated and has a purpose in his quest for power. I shouldn't have trusted him, much less fallen into his trap again. Based on what I just saw in this dream, this isn't the first time he has used and manipulated me.

A visceral fear washes over me as I remember him attacking me. But for what purpose? Do I have something evil in me? Is this for the plan he mentioned earlier in the woods? I feel like a panic attack is about to overwhelm me as all these questions race through my mind.

I get out of bed in the guest room and decide to go find Knox. I don't understand why I'm still in this room. I fell asleep yesterday in his arms and he must have thought it was the best solution to drop me off here. We couldn't discuss the return of all my memories of him and our bond. I guess that's why I'm not in bed with him.

I walk along the corridor that leads to the room we shared the first time. I open the door quietly and look inside. I can see Knox's silhouette in the darkness of the room. He's lying on his back and his eyes are closed. His breathing is calm and regular, which tells me that he's sleeping deeply. I feel a little bad about sneaking into his bed like this, but I need to feel his warmth and his protective body close to mine.

This need and this feeling of desire to be near him becomes more and more present as the hours go by. I don't think he'll be angry with me when he wakes up and finds me in his bed in the morning. I hope so. I walk on tiptoe to avoid any creaking of the floor that might wake him. I pull the covers back slightly and crawl into bed. Its scent fills my nostrils and I inhale deeply. I love its masculine scent. I look at him for a moment and I don't think I woke him up.

Just feeling him near me instantly calms me down. I curl up into a little ball on my side, trying not to touch his burning skin. I don't have time to get comfortable when I feel his muscular arms pulling me towards him. He places me comfortably on his chest and wraps his arms around me protectively. If I were a cat, I would have started purring with pleasure. Instead, I start crying out of fear, out of the anguish of guilt. I feel Knox rub my back to reassure me.

"Baby...hey...what's wrong with you?", he said to me in his sleepy voice.

"I...I just had a terrible dream, I tell him between sobs. In this dream, Asher attacked me, and an evil thing entered me." Finally, I told him after the tears had stopped.

When I tell him this, Knox sits up abruptly in bed.

"What did you just say?" he asks me with an angry look.

I describe the details of my nightmare to him. Knox's face changes from anger to worry as my story progresses.

"I'll have to talk to Neven about it first thing tomorrow morning, but for now you need to rest. Don't forget baby that I'm here to protect you," he told me while placing me comfortably against him.

"Knox, I'm so sorry about everything..." I was about to start crying again, but he stopped me immediately.

"Nova, you don't have to apologize," he sighs. I should be the one to do it. I wasn't honest with you all the way and I should have explained everything to you from the beginning. And I will as soon as you're ready and you've slept," he finished before kissing the top of my head.

With these words, my heart filled with joy and love for him. I don't fear saying the word "love" as much as I used to. I know now that Knox, compared to Ben, will never give up on me and will always look out for me. I slip my arm around him and snuggle into his heart. The drumming of its loud and calm. A pure heart I said to myself before falling asleep.