The Truth Over The Wall

Chapter 17

Dominic ran to the lake and dropped to his knees when he saw that it really was Amara; doubled over with her hands pressed to her ears.

She was rocking herself back and forth while she murmured, "Just close your ears, you don't really hear it. Just close your ears, you don't really hear it. Just close your eyes...

Her voice cracked as she whispered, "But I can still see it."

"Amara?" Dominic called to her gently as he placed his hands on her shoulders, "Amara, what's wrong? Speak to me, please! I'm right here, Amara, please open your eyes?"

He managed to break through to her, somehow. It took a little longer than necessary but she finally noticed the hands on her shoulders and a familiar voice speaking to her, calling her name.

"Amara?"

Hesitantly she raised her head and opened her eyes one at a time. The moonlight hit Dominic right in the face, highlighting his dark hair and worried eyes.

"Oh, Dom," Amara released the words on a relieved sigh, "It really is you."

She dropped her head on her knees and began running her hands through her hair as she admitted, "I wasn't sure for a while."

"Amara," Dominic's tone was angry, "You scared the life out of me! What was that? What happened?"

"The voices, Dom," she told him without meeting his eyes, "The ones that are looking for me? They are worse at night."

His voice became more sympathetic even as he pulled back his hands, "Why did you leave your tent? Why are you out here all by yourself?"

"They just leapt out at me," Amara said quietly and drew in a shaky breath, "And I didn't know what to do. I woke up shaking with fear, escaping one nightmare only to face another one."

Dominic continued to look at her expectantly when she gave in and admitted in a small voice,

"I'm afraid of the dark. It's so embarrassing to say it out loud," she told him lowering her head; "I've never liked it. I always sleep with a light on but when I woke up it was pitch black, I panicked. It was too loud in my head, so, I just ran out to somewhere quieter."

Saying thus, Amara looked down at her feet curiously. Only now realizing she was bare-footed.

And freezing, Dominic thought as he removed his cloak and draped it around his shoulders. "Somewhere quieter? How about somewhere a little less cold? You could've caught your death!"

"I was the one being chased, Your Highness," Amara said wryly, "Not the other way around."

When he offered her his hand to help her up she surveyed it cautiously; before melting further into the cloak and shaking her head.

"I'm fine, thank you," she told him, "I don't want to go back there just yet. I think I'd like to stay out here for a bit."

Dominic rolled his eyes and sighed, "If you insist."

He walked away and she buried herself more carefully in the warmth of his cloak, so she would not have to think about the dark that surrounded her.

She heard approaching footsteps and her head bobbed up alarmed before it bobbed back down when she realized it was only Dominic.

"What are you doing?" she asked him curiously as he started to build a fire.

"You won't leave," Dominic said, as he scattered the kindling, "And I can't leave you out here. So, we're going to wait out your nightmare. Take as long as you like, I woke up Emery to take the night watch."