Rune Stealer

Hysteria

"Let me in, Zyn!" I heard an angry voice yell from across the room. It was muffled and loud at the same time as I slowly came back to consciousness. Bright sunlight pierced through my thin eyelids, and I squeezed them tightly shut. I moaned and rolled my head to where the voice had come from; my neck was stiff and sore, but it felt good to move it. My head pounded, and I wheezed in air that cut my dry throat.

I haven't felt like this in a long time, I thought as a weak smile stretched on my face.

"No," responded an assertive, monotone voice that made my heart flutter with happiness.

"I am the prince," hissed the angry voice. It took me a while to realize that the voice was none other than Prince Cress. The happy flutter quickly went sour, and I prayed to the Saints that Zyn wouldn't let him come near me.

"When the King assigned me as her personal guard, he said to use my better judgement," retorted Zyn. I smiled as I pictured his mouth twitching slightly in a way that no one would recognized as a smile. My eyes were getting used to the light, and I pried them open slowly. My vision was blurry; all I could see was two dark shapes standing not too far away from my bed.

"And I'm against your better judgement?"

"You almost killed her," said Zyn. Although his voice was very emotionless, there was a spark of anger in it.

"You let Kian in to see her!"

"He was the one who stopped you heathens." I was shocked when I heard that. I had known who had beaten me, but I blacked out and woke up later after they had all left. Kian was the one who had stopped them. Why had he?

"Let me in," hissed Cress once again. My vision was clearer by then, and I could see Cress had his fingers balled into shaking fists. The corner of my mouth turned up; Cress actually thought he could intimidate Zyn.

"Goodbye, Your Highness." There was a creak of a heavy metal door and Cress protested as Zyn closed the door. Cress's yelling was silenced with a slam and I heard a lock slide home.

Zyn turned around to face me, but he leaned up against the door with a sigh. He brought his hands up to his face and dug his palms into the sockets of this eyes. With another sigh, he dropped his hands and stared at the ground for a bit before he shook his head and stood up. I could tell he was exhausted.

"Zyn," I said quietly. His head shot up and he looked at me.

"You're awake," he said as he quickly made his way to me. He kneeled next to the bed and for a second looked like he was moving to touch me, but he stopped and sat back on his heels. "How are you feeling?"

"Like spring and baby birds," I joked, rewarding me with a twitch of Zyn's lip. "How long have I been here?" I asked looking around at my surrounding.

"You've been in the medical ward for close to a month now," informed Zyn. "Mostly because of the crack you have in your skull. It and your wrist are healing nicely, though." I picked up my heavy arm and observed the split it was in. The swelling had gone, and I couldn't see if I had stitches from where my bone had ripped through, but I assumed I would soon have a nice new scar.

"I was told to make you get up next time you woke up," said Zyn, putting his hand underneath my shoulder to help me sit up.

"Oh, but it's so nice just lying here," I moaned, not wanting to move.

"You can do it," said Zyn with a reassuring twitch. With great effort and lots of groaning, I was able to sit up. Zyn held me up as I panted and waited for the pounding in my head to subside. Next, we managed to get me to swing my feet off the bed. I grasped the end of the bed as the inside of my skull burned, and I caught my breath.

"This is as far as I go right?" I wheezed, looking at Zyn pleadingly.

"You can do it," he said again, but this time, instead of a twitch of his mouth he stretched his mouth into a small smile. I smiled warmly back, and I could feel my cheeks turning red. Zyn grasped me underneath my armpits.

"1... 2... 3!"

With all my might, I pushed my body up with my legs, trying as hard as I could to not just let Zyn pick me up. Finally, I was standing, but my head pulsed painfully again, and my vision went blurry as blood rushed to my head. I teetered and fell against Zyn, breathing heavily. Zyn held me against him, wrapping his arms around me so I didn't fall to the side. My head was against his chest, and I could hear his heart beating. It was slow and peaceful. A sigh released from my lungs as I melted into his chest, letting his strong arms support my weak body.

He smelled of trees and the outside air. His chest rose up and down slowly as he breathed, and for a few seconds, my father flashed into the mind. My father's arms held me, and I smiled at the smell of him. Even though I couldn't see him, I knew that his mouth was stretched in a caring smile. I could hear his voice, and he told me stories of lady warriors who raced across the lands of Kainor, saving the wounded and killing the evil. I could hear the crackle of the fire in the corner of the room and the smell of my mother's maple candles.

I closed my eyes as I smiled and brought my arms up and hugged my father close. I buried my nose into his chest my heart aching. "Dad," I said softly, "I missed you so much."

"Laika?" My eyes shot open, for that voice wasn't of my father's. It was Zyn's. I came crashing down to reality, the impact shattering my heart. I yanked my head back and saw the confused face of Zyn. My throat filled with grief as I slammed my palms against Zyn's chest. I flew backwards, but Zyn caught me at the shoulder's before I hit my head against the stone wall.

"No!" I screeched as I weakly swung my arms at Zyn. My head was filled with images of my father, my body shaking with despair. "Let me go!" I sob twisted my lungs as Zyn pulled me upright.

"Laika calm down," pleaded Zyn, but hysteria had already taken control.

I screamed and wailed and adrenaline had filled my body and I punched and kicked at Zyn, trying to break free of his grasp. "Let me go! I want my dad! I want to see him! Let me die!"

"Nurse!" I heard Zyn yell as his grip tightened. He pulled me tight against his chest, locking my arms to my side. I thrashed furiously, continuing to scream, wanting to leave this hell of a life that I had been given, wanting nothing more than to see my family again.

"I want to die! Let me die!" Tears cascaded down my face as I continued to sob. I heard a creak of a door and the voices of women. Soon more hands were gripping my body and this only made the fury in me grow. I whipped around, trying to escape. I felt my fists and feet collide with bodies as a panic erupted in the room.

"Get the serum," shouted one voice.

"I can't find the needle," shouted another.

"I want to see my family again!" I screeched pleadingly, begging them to kill me, to put me down like a diseased dog. Soon I felt a sharp pain in my arm, and within a few seconds my body began to feel heavy. My thrashing ceased, and my tongue was silenced. The thoughts in my head became fuzzy, and I could feel the tight arms around me loosen.

"There you go, Laika," said a calm male voice. "I'm so sorry, Laika. I'm so so sorry." I felt a hand caress my face and I was laid down on the bed. "You'll feel better when you wake up," said the same voice. "I'll be here when you wake up."