Journey

Chapter Forty-Two~ Strength

Images of today's events still flashed behind my eyes. The warm bath water caused my muscles to relax. It wasn't as hot as I would have liked, considering Haley used all of the hot water earlier. It was scented once again, but this time it was different. Probably roses. I sighed and stared up at the ceiling. Haley hummed next to me. She brushed my hair out until it was silky smooth. I let her brush my hair to give her something to do.

Everytime I blinked the rotted souls haunted my thoughts. "Mary?" I pulled my hair away from Haley I called for Mary. Probably shouldn't let Mary see a floating brush.

"Yes, my lady?" her voice was muffled outside the door.

"Can you come in?"

"Yes, my lady."

Mary entered the bathroom. Softly closing the door behind her. She stopped just in front of it and looked down at the floor. I smiled and lowered my voice. "You don't have to be embarrassed. We are both girls here."

She looked up and concealed a little laugh behind her hand. "Yes, my lady."

"Please stop saying that, Mary. Just call me Annie, or Anne, or Annabelle. Anything rather than my lady."

"But Ms. Grace told me to call you that."

"You can call me by my name when you are around me. Understand?"

"Yes, my lady."

I threw some water her way. She dodged it just before it could soak her shirt. "Can you get these knots out of my neck?" Haley grunted. Her massage skills were not as good as Marys.

"I am quite skilled at doing that."

"Then please show me your skills."

"Yes," she hesitated, but not for long, "Annie."

I smiled slightly and looked back at the ceiling. Her hands unknotted the corded muscles expertly. I let out a sigh as they released the tension built up since the day I arrived here with Damion. I closed my eyes and watched as images replayed behind my eyes over and over again. "Mary?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think I can save those lost souls?"

"Lost souls?"

"From this morning. The souls that attacked me."

"I believe you can do anything my-- Annie."

"Thank you, but I don't deserve your trust. I don't deserve the trust that you all willingly gave to me."

"You may not think it, but you made us trust and believe you. This castle has been cold for years even when Soren still ruled. Your presence has changed that. Everyone seems to be the happiest they have ever been. They have a reason to be like that too, you know. It's all because of you!"

I watched the water lap around my legs lazily. I didn't answer her right away. I let her words flow through my mind. Let them sink in deeply so I would never forget. I let them give me courage for the coming event that I hoped would end in victory. "Thank you, Mary. You don't know how much that means to me."

"I think I do, Annie. I think I do."

"You may leave, thank you. I'll see you later."

Mary left quickly and quietly. She closed the door softly behind her and allowed me to think clearly. What if this doesn't end well? If I fail I will have doomed everyone who stands with me.

No. I cannot allow that to happen. No matter what I will win this.

I dressed and made my way across the hall. Mary was gone now. I opened my door and jumped when I saw Damion in my room. I clapped a hand over my beating heart, "What are you doing in here!?"

He stood up slowly and walked to the window. " Just waiting for you."

"Why?"

"Is it not okay for me to make sure my wife is okay. To make sure she is not attacked again?" Haley snorts and almost died laughing next to me. If she wasn't invisible I think I would have hit her.

"Well if you put it that way." I watched him eerily. If he felt my stare he was not showing it. The red of the horizon reflected off of his perfectly carved face. His sharp jaw and nose. I shook my head and cursed myself for thinking these things. Damion peeked at me from the corner of his eye and smirked as if he heard my thoughts. A blush made its way to my cheeks and I turned to hide it. I made a scene of grabbing a hair brush and unknotting my stubborn hair that was nearly as smooth as silk already..

"Have you practiced lately?"

I froze at his question. I couldn't tell him that I have and I learned new powers. I hesitated slightly and turned towards him, "Not lately, no." The lie feel from my lips effortlessly. His eyes widened a bit in surprise, but the emotion was snuffed out as fast as it came.

"You should have been at least trying to gain back your strength. Oh well, get on a practice suit."

I nodded and made my way out the door. I didn't bother to shut it and went to the closet next door. The space still astonished me. Dresses, pants, shirts, and shoes filled my line of sight. I went to the wall that contained the practice outfits and grabbed one without looking at them. I slid off my blue dress and kicked it to the wall. It would probably remain there until a maid picked it up. I tugged the tight, but stretchy practice outfit on. It felt like I couldn't breath until it formed perfectly into my curves. As I was walking to the door I noticed something reflect the little light from the ceiling.

I looked over to find the dagger sitting on the little table. The memory from the first day of being here invaded my mind. I shook the images of dead gargoyles and Soren from my head. I reached for it's handle and formed it into thinner knife and slid it into one of the deep pockets of the practice suit. I looked in the mirror to see if it was hidden well. No outline could be seen.

Damion waited for me outside. Once he noticed me he reached out a hand for me. I took it and followed him up a flight of stairs. Then another, and another, and another. By the time we made it to the top of the roof I was out of breath.

Damion let go of my hand and walked to the edge of the roof. It was surrounded in glass. Not the rippling glass that surrounded the training area in the hidden room connected to my bedchamber, but real glass that could break if it was hit hard enough. I breathed deeply and leaned on my knees.

Damion turned towards me and smiled. I put up a finger to prevent him from saying anything and straightened. I looked around at the glass and looked at the red sand that surrounded the palace. It was so much like a sea of blood.

I looked back to Damion. His eyes didn't leave my face. I fought a blush and broke the nerve wracking silence, "Will this glass break if we hit it?"

His smile grew wider as he walked to the glass and placed his hand on it. Instantly it changed to the rippling glass. "Not anymore."

I made a show of not knowing what it was and gasped, "What is it?"

"I'm not exactly sure what it is or what it is called." He stuck his hand through it and watched the ripples race away from it. "It just turns to this when I touch it." I didn't interrupt him as he stared at the glass, his eyes glazed over as he remembered something. He came back to his senses and turned back towards me. "Let's get to it."

I nodded and went into a fighting stance. Without warning he threw a bolt of lighting at me. I didn't have enough time to react. It struck my chest and threw me into the wall, but the wall was not solid. Damion had changed that. My body went right through it, and I hurtled over the side of the palace.