Halfling (editing in process)

Chapter Thirty

They appeared back at the beginning of the crypt where Javen and Aria had originally fallen. The floor had since fixed itself, the false relic back on its pedestal. They were cleaned from the filth that had resulted from the month they had been in the labyrinth and their final fight. They all walked up the stairs together, silent now that the horror was over. Aria looked up as they finally reached the outside world, the moon, beautiful and full, there to greet them. Javen's face lit up as he moved forward, the plants practically reaching out to him. Marcus took off into the trees, barking and howling excitedly. They went to the clearing they had used the night before they had found the crypt and Payne helped them set up a fire.

"I'll let you two have some alone time. We're going back to that village and I'm going to see Maven." Javen commented, and was off as well.

Aria looked to Payne, searching her eyes for a few long moments. Payne looked at her and was saddened by her appearance. She hadn't noticed while they were underground, but Aria had grown much thinner than the last time she had seen her. She looked her over and froze when she saw her mark carved into her arm, reaching out and gently tracing it.

"I did it for you." Aria whispered. "It helped get you here... My magic was blocked down there, and I remembered that you told me that blood was a big part of demonic spells. Javen helped bring you here too... Don't you dare think of leaving me tonight Payne."

Payne looked away and Aria reached out, gripping her arm tightly.

"Do not leave me Payne." She whispered. "Not again... Lucien was going to kill you, did you know that?"

A bitter laugh left her when Payne shook her head.

"He came to me while I was sleeping. He told me that tomorrow night he was going to give you to the incubi. He told me that they were going to take you, drain you, until you were nothing but a shell, and they would still continue to torture you after you were gone. And he told me that as long as I lived, that I would have to watch, that I would see you die every single night! I couldn't let him do it Payne! I couldn't live with the thought that you were dead, that you died because of me." A choked sob escaped her as she stepped forward, her hand moving up as if she would slap the demoness. "Being away from you was hard enough, I may have hated you when I first met you, but you took care of me when you rescued me from my father, you were my first lover, and then you left when I needed you the most! You left me right after Lucien -"

She was cut off as Payne cupped her chin, her other hand moving to intertwine their fingers and brought their lips together. Aria's lips slipped shut, tears slowly trailing down her cheeks. She wrapped her arms around her tightly, a soft sob escaping from her as Payne drew away.

"I want to hear your voice again." Aria whispered. "C...Can we go to sleep? You can talk in your sleep. I don't want any more nightmares... I don't' want you to have any more nightmares. I want you to hold me, and when we wake up tomorrow, we are going with Javen to see his woman, because I want to meet the woman crazy enough to fall in love with my brother."

Payne reached out and gently traced the tears from her cheeks. She slowly lay down and drew Aria down to the ground with her. She gently kissed the top of her head, wrapping her arms tightly around her. Aria snuggled up close to her, feeling safe for the first time in over a month. She sniffled softly and slowly drifted off into slumber, praying that Payne would be there when she woke.

"Get up you two, we are burning daylight. And I know that the both of you want to see sunlight." Javen called.