[wattys 2018 shortlisted]
Humans see her as a dangerous threat -a witch that must be executed. With the uncontrollable ability to form ice at her fingertips, Ravenna is forced into hiding amongst the humans, stealing to survive. That is, until she h...
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A SHARP STINGING sensation pierced her forehead. It pulled at her attention, making it harder for her to think about anything else. Grogginess flooded through her and she forced her eyes open. Her vision was clouded — unclear and hazed with an odd mixture of light and shadows. Odd shapes began to take form.
"What did you just do to me?" she heard herself say. Her voice was strained, filled with pain and anger. It was distant to her own ears.
Her eyes focused on the shadowed shape in front of her, and a face materialized. Caelan's face. Concern marred his features. His eyes were wide and zeroed in on her face. His lips were pressed together. He blinked and shook his head slightly. "I did nothing, Ravenna," he tried to assure her.
Tears brimmed at the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill. Ravenna's thoughts were becoming clearer now. She realized that she was dreaming and disoriented — and reliving a nightmare. She knew what would happen next.
Her fingers twitched. His hands reached out, toward her. She tried to shake her head, to move her body, to do something. She heard her voice again — sharp and venomous. "You're lying!"
The pain in her voice was palpable. Caelan visibly flinched.
"You're lying. I can't. You're lying," her voice continued. The tears spilled freely now, burning the skin of her cheeks. A gasping sob clutched at her lungs. Her forehead exploded with agony, as if a thousand needles were scraping at her skin. It almost completely drowned out the glowing talisman that burned against her chest.
Her body felt weak. Her hands trembled. She found herself sinking downward, to the ground. Her skirts pooled around her. Caelan crouched down with her, his hands reaching out for her shoulders. His fingers dug into her. She squeezed her eyes shut.
"Ravenna, please stop this," she heard him say. His voice was crystal clear within her mind. "This isn't your fault. This isn't you. Your mind is locked under a-"
And then the dream seemed to pause.
Ravenna's eyes opened, confusion flowing through her. Caelan was frozen in front of her. So many emotions swam within his eyes — anger, hurt, pain and something else. Something that seemed warm and tender. Something that Ravenna couldn't name.
The pain in her forehead and the pain at her chest had stopped as well. She could think more clearly. Her hand lifted, fingers curling around the brightly glowing pendant that hung around her neck.
"This isn't your fault. This isn't you. Your mind is locked under a-"
The words replayed over and over within her head. She thought that she remembered Caelan's death vividly. She had been haunted by the mental images and the overwhelming amount of pain that she felt. She had been unable to escape the memories of that day.
But she did not remember him saying this.
Her thoughts were suddenly a jumbled mess. The words repeated in an endless loop, over and over. Louder and louder. It was as if someone were shouting at her from within her own brain.
