Sacrifice in Blood

Chapter 34: Bad Dreams

"Leina, please you have to help me!" a desperate cry came. I opened my eyes and found that I was lying on the hard ground. I stood up, taking in my surroundings.

I was back at the camp. I heard a horrible, blood curdling scream as I turned around to see where it had come from.

Morgan. She was on her knees, her arms bound behind her back.

Her black hair was dirty and matted with blood. Her clothes were even more dirty and ruined than the last time I'd seen her and there were ominous bloodstains covering almost every inch of the garment. Her green eyes were blood-shot from crying, her face dirty and streaked with tears. She was covered in cuts and bruises and all kinds of wounds.

A man, whose back was turned, was looming over her. Morgan's eyes were wide with fear as they met mine over the shoulder of the man. Everything was in slow-motion. I recognised the man with a jolt. Severus.

"Leina! Please. I can't bear this anymore-" she was cut off as Severus stabbed a red hot poker into her shoulder. She screamed as it burned her flesh. The smell of burning flesh hit my nostrils and I tried not to gag.

He removed the poker only to do the same thing on the other shoulder. Morgan screamed again, this time collapsing over onto her side.

Her exhausted and tormented green eyes held mine as Severus prepared to burn her again. I screamed out for him to stop and tried to run to Morgan to help but my feet were glued to the ground.

"Save me, please" was what she begged before everything went black.

*

"Leina, what's wrong?" Talon was shaking me awake as I opened my eyes, breathing heavily. His eyes were wide with concern. I was in his room, not at the camp.

"You were screaming in your sleep," he said, worried. I couldn't find my voice. I tried to calm down and recollect my thoughts.

"It was just a bad dream," Talon said, pulling me into a hug, running his hands soothingly up and down my arms.

I was shaking as I pulled in tighter into his bare chest. I could still smell that horrible scent of burning flesh. I closed my eyes but the image of Morgan's terrified green eyes was seared into the back of my eyelids. I shook my head.

"That wasn't a bad dream." I said, my voice barely above a whisper. I pulled out of the hug so I could look into his eyes. Talon was looking at me, now more worried.

"Severus is torturing a witch-Morgan- back at the camp, forcing her to use her magic for him. She tried to help me escape but- they're torturing her and- I think she just reached out to beg me to help- I need to get her out of there-" I said my words coming out in a rush now, tears threatening to escape. Talon listened to me ramble, his blue eyes watching me with confusion.

Goddess, this is my fault. I had known she was still there in trouble and I guess I had tried to help her but everything fell short. I should have done more. She's going to die and it will be my fault.

I grabbed Talon's arm tightly;

"Please Talon, you have to tell me where the camp is. We need to save her- you don't have to come with-I'll understand if you don't- but I have to go back there. I can't just leave her-I can't be responsible for another innocent's death" I said, getting more worked up as the tears began to fall. Memories of Lucy's death were too recent and added to my hysteria.

"Shh, Leina try to calm down." Talon had pulled me back against his chest, wrapping his arms around me tightly. My grip on him softened and I sobbed into his chest, wishing to the God and Goddess this had been just a nightmare and Morgan was safe.