Embers in the Ashes

Chapter 7

For the first time since her arrival, Cahira found herself alone. Her smile disappeared when she left her room. She walked slowly, her movements stilted. The guards didn't give her so much as a passing glance. The prince had made it clear she was welcome to wander the castle at her leisure. In later years she would admit that she wasn't in a good place to be left with her thoughts, but in that moment she didn't wish to burden anyone again.

Every hall was pitched in shadows and they tortured her. Each gave life to her demons, all she loved and all she lost. They slithered across the stone, coiling over her body. They were cold. It was like touching a cloud, they left a damp chill in their wake, but there was nothing solid. They slipped right through her fingers. 

How does it feel? Do you feel responsible? You weren't there. You did nothing. YOU WATCHED US BURN! YOU KILLED US! Their touch burned her. her entire body was an inferno, but her screams died in her throat. Their blood slid down her skin. She gripped Her hair and pulled. her back collided with the wall. She sat roughly. "Ten seconds, Cahira. You get ten seconds." Murder! One. Coward! Two. Weak! Three. Pathetic! Four. Useless! Five. She stood, stumbling down the hall. Six. Murderer! Seven. She didn't look up and sprinted. Eight. Heartless! Nine. She took a deep breath. Ten.

The illusions faded into the background, not gone, never gone, but ignorable. Her hands had curled into fists, her knuckles were white. She unconsciously strayed to the center of the halls unwilling to get too close to the torches. Her feet unknowingly brought her to the base of Dayman's staircase. From what she saw that shadow did come from somewhere near his tower. Maybe he knew something?

It was a long way up and her legs ached when she reached his door. She knocked lightly. "Prince Dayman?" Nothing. There was an absolute silence on the other side, but she couldn't just barge in. She looked back at the dark passage. She knocked a little harder, "Prince Dayman?" Crickets. Her legs shook underneath her. There were so many steps. She sat for a moment, resting her head against his door. She planned to go in a minuet. Jayr wouldn't have been happy had he ever discovered she had fallen asleep, right there, on the icy stone. Her cloak wrapped tightly around her. It was an abyss of black and utterly freezing, but comforting. There was no hauntingly familiar heat on her skin.

She was startled awake to the sound of splintering wood. Her heart rate doubled, "Dayman?!" The pained groan erased all sense of propriety. She rammed into the door and it opened with a resounding, bang!

She froze. No sound escaped her lips. Monster! For in his weakened state Dayman had reverted to his true form. Her eyes honed in on the Abigorian features. His gold eye was in stark contrast to the onyx scales and his slightly too sharp nails and teeth glinted in the moonlight. His hand reached for her. "Ca...hira." He coughed roughly, "P-Please." Crimson dripped down his chin. Only then did she take in the rest of him. The mangled arm, matted hair, bruised face and countless lacerations. 

She looked at him, truly looked and his eyes even in pain were soft when he looked at her. She grabbed his hand carefully. There would be time for explanations later. "Okay, okay. We can handle this." Her hands shook. She tore her cloak to wrap the worst of the wounds. She looked back at the stairs. there was no way she could get him help without him bleeding out first. She saw the skylight. it was open. The East tower had the smallest guard and they would be changing shift soon, distracted.

"Do you trust me?" He grabbed her hand, "You need to get up." She settled his good side against her and lifted. He was nearly all dead weight and she was barely holding him up. Sweat broke out over her skin, but she couldn't stop. She shouldn't have been partaking in such strenuous activity yet. What could she do though? Nothing and he would have died that very night, the moon his only witness. She managed to brace him against her back. "Can you hold onto me?" His breathing was too fast against her collarbone. Still, his arm curled around her throat. It wouldn't be comfortable, but it was functional. He gasped, choking slightly when her arms wrapped around his legs, but she didn't trust that he had enough grip to hold himself alone. With one final breath her wings sprouted from her back.