The Awakening

Chapter Thirty

Avelon awoke with a disgruntled groan, sprawled across her bed with her feet dangling off the edge. A quick glance shot toward Brianne revealed her sleeping body. The steady rise of her chest confirmed her to be alive which sent a sliver of relief coursing through Avelon. The eerie darkness surrounding them on the other hand had made Avelon uneasy- it was still nighttime and very quiet, almost too quiet.

Avelon's brow creased in concentration as she tried to recall the exact moment that she had fallen asleep- her thoughts drew empty, skittering like forgotten dreams. One minute she was contemplating the evening, watching Brianne and the next she had awoken. Her extreme fatigue had made her completely blackout. Her face fell to the side to face the tome. It sat nestled next to her, exactly where she had dropped it. Heat radiated from its cover, a singsong voice calling her with a reminder of the riddle. She frowned deeply as she recalled the riddle. Her thoughts had spiralled and drawn up various conclusions on its meaning, but none seemed plausible enough.

She could not stop thinking about it.

Suddenly, rustling noises pricked her awareness, jolting her upright with a wince as pain shot through her weary body. The sudden appearance of the air affinity had taken a significant toll on her, physically and mentally. It was far greater than any exercise she had barrelled through before. Heart racing, she glanced at the tome and grabbed it with urgency. No burning or calling sensation radiated from it as before. Though, Avelon had no time to contemplate the reason the tome was not affecting her as much as it had within the library. Her eyes shot around the room in frantic glances as she searched for a safe haven to store the tome. She blew out a breath, shoving the tome underneath her bedspread like a novice. To Avelon's dismay, it was very noticeable.

It would have to do. She thought with a pout.

The noise coming from the outside of the room snapped Avelon's attention back to the present.

"Who's there?" she hissed, fists raised, scanning the shadows for any threat.

The darkness shifted, and her body tensed with anticipation.

"Relax." Jeera entered the room, hands raised in a gesture of peace as she stepped into the flickering torchlight, the shadows dancing across her dark frame. "It's just me."

Avelon cleared her throat as she met Jeera's gaze, her stomach bottoming out at the darkness she met within them. She took a deep breath as silently as she could. Jeera had dark eyes, it was only plausible that they were darker in nighttime or in darker rooms. The chill of unease crawled down her spine, an unwelcome shiver igniting her instincts.

"Where have you been?" Avelon demanded, assessing Jeera's confused glance toward Brianne. She lingered, bowing her head to inspect the damage, before continuing towards her bed.

Avelon's eyes darted to Brianne, only realizing then that her maroon tunic had slight rips at the shoulders and that her beige tights were likely never to be worn again- judging from the blotchy stains on them and mismatched tears. That would be hard to explain.

"I think I'd ask you the same question, but I'm not sure I want to know." Jeera's voice carried over the room as her eyes lingered on Brianne with concern.

Avelon's eyes narrowed as she felt the defensive urge within her rise. "I asked you first."

Jeera's arrival had been a mystery. She was a Fae neither she nor Brianne knew well enough to trust. Every word held potential danger. Revealing the slightest bit of information to her could prove to be lethal.

"I've seen both of you come back to this room, half-dead, so I think I might have the upper hand here. I need to know whether I'll be next." Jeera's steel gaze pierced through the dim light, her lips forming a hard line.