Journey

Chapter Thirty-Five~ The World Between

I drew up a bath. I looked in the mirror. Samantha was right, I did look terrible. I stripped my clothes, throwing it on the floor in a careless heap. I sighed as I sunk into the water. The hot water soothed all of my sore muscles.

All of my muscles unraveled. I wish Samantha was still here to take the knots out, but I'll have to rely on the next maid.

The water went cold quickly. I hopped out and wrapped a towel around myself. The mirrors were fogged up with the steam, causing my reflection to blur. I swiped it away with my hand. I searched for some resemblances of my mother in me. Remembering the features of the woman in the painting in my room. She was beautiful, but the only thing I could see in the reflection looking back at me was a tired girl.

A girl who has seen too much. A girl who should be free. A girl who should have been stripped of her will to fight.

But most of all; I see a girl who will start a war if given the chance, and I have been given that chance. I was born a fighter, and I will keep that fighter burning. For a moment I saw Destiny Clore. A smile pulled on her lips and her eyes sparked with excitement. I looked at her harder, but she faded back into that girl who had a renowned will.

I dried my hair and put on the tunic and pants I had brought with me from the closet. I opened the door and walked right into a muscular chest. I looked up into the face of Damion. His smile shined. His arms wrapped around me; pulling me into an embrace. I struggled to break from his grasp. "Don't fight it my queen."

"I am not your queen."

"You can deny it all you want, but you are stuck here with me. In the underworld."

"No I am stuck in hell. Now let me go."

he lifted his hands in defeat. "That fighter is back within you Annebelle. You do not seem to be the damsel I saved from a gunshot wound, anymore." I watched as he turned tail and move down the hall with graceful steps. I could see it too. I was not acting that way anymore.

A spark of cold ran through me. I quickly went to my room and shut the door tightly. I couldn't lock the door, the lock was missing. I turned towards the portrait of Destiny. "I wish I could have met you. I'm sorry I'm the reason for your death."

I flopped onto the bed and pulled the blankets over myself. Finally allowing sleep to consume me.

"Annabelle." A voice as soft as silk called to me. I looked around. I was in a meadow filled with flowers and surrounded by trees. A pond sat in the ground in front of me. Coy fish swam around happily. I looked down at the peaceful fish with a soft smile.

Across the pond was a bench and on that bench sat a woman. She was looking down into the pond staring longingly into the water. "Sometimes I wish I was a fish, they don't have a care in the world. Other than death, but everyone dies eventually." She said loudly. Her dark hair shielded her face. I made my way around the pond. I came closer to the bench. I sat down next to her and watched the colored fish swim. "You said you wished you could meet me."

I looked over to her in surprise. She was no longer looking into the water. I stared into the blue eyes of my mother. "Destiny?"

"Please, my child. Call me Mom."

I gasped. My back went ramrod straight. She did look like me. It was like looking in a mirror. She held her arms out for an embrace. I accepted and fell into her. She smelled of vanilla and honey. "I'm sorry I caused your death."

"Darling, I don't blame you for that."

"You should."

"I have watched as you have become the woman you are now. I do not regret my choice in having you."

"You have been watching me?"

"Since the day you were born. You are a fighter. I know you will win this fight against Damion. It is in your blood."

"I'm sorry, I got Soren killed."
"Oh don't worry about that I've been waiting for 22 years for him to finally come back to me."

I pulled away from her. "You really think I'll be able to win this war?"

"Of course. Now get back up there and win this for me. For us.

Just then Soren appeared out of nowhere. "Yea win my throne back," he said, " I won't let that no good for nothing rascal plant his as--"

"Soren! There is a child here."

"Oh, sorry." He gave me an apologetic look.

"I'm not a kid, Mom, I'm 22." I defended myself

"Still a baby compared to my 748 years!"

Soren cut in,"Please you are still 726 My Dear. You don't age in the world of the dead."

She replied, "That means you'll be 899 forever. Too bad you didn't live for another year."
I looked between them both in disbelief. How can someone live for nine hundred years and never get killed? It was beyond me. "Don't worry I'll grow older than both of you."

Then the truth hit me hard. What happens when I don't age when Reth does? What happens when he leaves me and I'm still living life to the fullest? My chest tightened with the thought. I guess I'll cross that bridge when it comes.

My thoughts were interrupted by Mom's silky voice, "Now Darling. Make us proud." Her fingers lightly touched my arm as I began to fade away.

"Goodbye." My voice sounded far away.

I bolted upright in the bed. The blankets tangled around my legs. I was covered in sweat and shivering. "What just happened?"

A shadow moved in the corner of my room. I froze and watched as the person came into the light. The light revealed Damion's worried face. "A nightmare?"

I couldn't tell him where I was, "Yes."

"Don't worry, I'm here to protect you."

"I don't need your protection. What are you doing in my room anyway?"

"No reason. You need it more here than in the human realm."

"Then train me. Train me to use my powers. Train me to be able to overcome even you."

"Is that a challenge?"

"It could be."

"Accepted. I will train you to be the best warrior. To be able to overcome anyone. Even me."

"It's a deal." I stuck out my hand. Damion grabbed ahold of it. Pulling me towards him. "What are you doing?" He didn't answer. He came close to me. Too close. His breath was hot on my face. He waited for no approval before softly touching his lips to mine.

"Just giving my fiance a kiss." I gave him a cold glare. "Please don't freeze me! Oh wait you can't!"

With a laugh, he walked out of my room. Taking the chilled air with him. I shuddered and pulled the blanket over my head. I waited for sleep to take its course, but it never came. The sky grew lighter. Not much lighter than at night, but it was enough to show it was morning. I looked into the sky. If I looked long enough faces faded in and out in the terrible clouds that dusted the red sky.