The Prince's Gift

Chapter 31.

Ana's POV

Zane pulled back slightly with a sigh, his arms still loosely wrapped around my waist as his hand gently cupped my cheek. I felt myself instinctively lean into it as I let out my own deep breath. His piercing blue eyes bore down into mine, filled with sadness as he stared back at me.

"I promise you Ana. I will be sure no one finds you here, but you have to promise to get somewhere safe soon. I will do everything I can to hold them off, but eventually they will try to find you. If that happens, I will send someone to help you." His voice was low and hoarse as he spoke, and he leaned his forehead down against mine. The memory of his being tortured flashed across my mind and I shuddered at the vision of his flayed open back. His breath suddenly staggered and his spine straightened. "Oh my god." He whispered.

My eyes widened and I pulled away suddenly. "What? What is it?" I asked quickly.

He shook his head and pulled me closer, his hand stroking my hair. "I saw it. I saw your vision."

I pushed away from him and stared up intently as a gasp left my lips. "You absorbed some of my gift, just like they said."

He nodded as his brow furrowed in concentration. "Because I marked you. I'm the only one who can."

My jaw dropped slightly before I remembered to close it, my mind beginning to race. "Do you feel different? What else can you do, do you think?"

Without waiting for his answer, I walked over and picked up the same jagged rock from before and sliced through the palm of my hand, deep enough for the blood to seep from the wound and drip down my hand into the ground below. "Heal me." I said suddenly, holding my hand out for him.

He stood frozen for a moment before flashing to stand in front of me, taking my hand in his as he closed his eyes in concentration, but nothing happened.

"I think it helps if you visualize the wound. See yourself actually healing it. That's how I did it before." I said quietly, urging him to try again.

He sighed and closed his eyes once more, his brows furrowing in thought. Suddenly, I felt the familiar tingling of my body beginning to heal and I gasped as i watched the wound begin to close.

"It worked. You healed me Zane!" I said in surprise.

His eyes flew open and he stared down at my hand beneath his own. "I can't believe it's true. I've never seen anything like this before." He said quietly.

"Is there anything that says how long it lasts in your history?"

He shook his head and stepped away, pinching between his eyes as he let out a breath. "This is exactly why you have to learn your strengths Ana. And even more so how to protect them. You said once that this place was calling to you. Do you feel it now? Do you think there was a reason?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but I instantly stopped, my body freezing as a shadow moved slowly behind Zane, from the back of the cave. The figure began to make its way around the water, coming closer to the two of us. Zane snapped around, his arm wrapping protectively around my waist as he pushed me slightly behind him. A low warning growl came from deep inside his chest as he watched the shadow get closer to us, now standing only a few feet away.

A dark feminine chuckle sounded from the shadows before a black hooded figure stepped out of the darkness. "You need not protect her from me young prince." Her voice was somewhat shrill and seemed almost distant as she spoke.

"Who are you?" He barked out firmly.

"I am the reason she's here. I'm the one who called for her." She said as a a pair of thin bony hands came out and pulled the hood away from her face.