White Empress, Ashes of Love Sequel

Chapter 16

"Annchi!"

His feet launched down the steps, running toward her heaving body, blood continuing to spew from her mouth as she choked on it.

"Annchi! No! Please...no," he gasped out, flipping her into his arms and cradling her convulsing body. All color drained from her skin, leaving a stark contrast between the bright red trail streaming from her mouth.

His hand raised, fingers extending as a spell conjured in his mind. A rush of his magic extended from his fingertips to her forehead before his entire body was thrown back, hurtling through the air until he hit a wall with such force, it surely cracked the marble behind him.

He slid down, the pain bursting from the back of his head to his entire body as he struggled to crawl to her unmoving form. Something was holding him back. Some invisible force that felt like thousands of fingers digging into his flesh.

"Annchi!" a strangled sob sounded from his throat as he fought the invisible bonds holding him.

A faint blue glow seemed to swirl around her, lifting her hair as if a breeze were rushing through the room. His eyes blinked to clear his head as he pressed forward only to be held back.

Whispers sounded from multiple voices, echoing through the room as the blue glow became brighter, the swirls becoming more defined. They almost looked like...hands. Hundreds of them, maybe thousands ministering to her. Her dark hair was turning a bright shade of gray from the roots and creeping down to the ends as she lay unmoving in the middle of the room.

Her body slowly lifted to floating just above the floor, swirls of white and blue light wrapping around her, removing the blood from her face and the surrounding carpet. Color was restored to her cheeks and lips before her dark hair was revealed from the ends to the top of her head.

The strange blue glow dissipated, her body gently laid back down on the carpet and his next press forward was met with no resistance.

He pushed up, staggering toward her before dropping to his knees and crawling the rest of the distance. The pain shooting throughout his body was ignored as he gathered her in his arms and checked her breathing.

Warm, constant rushes of air could be felt as his arms squeezed tighter. He could think about what he witnessed later, his concern only to remove them both from the room and any questioning eyes that might happen upon the scene.

His eyes squeezed shut, conjuring a vision of his room and a spell that would transport them there. A whoosh of bright white light enfolded them quickly, he opened his eyes to view his bedroom after blinking a few times.

He immediately carried her still form to the bed, gently laying her down before sitting beside her. Voices could be heard beyond the closed doors and a quick spell ensured no one could open them before his eyes cast back to her peaceful face.

One hand lifted to trail a finger down her cheek, the soft skin a faint shade of pink - as if nothing at all just occurred.

What was that glow? Those hands and whispers that seemed intent to save her while ensuring he did not?

"Who are you?" he whispered, his finger replaced by his palm, cradling the side of her face. "What are you? he added.

"Mmm," she murmured, her eyes still closed as it appeared her head pressed further into his palm.

"Annchi?" he asked, his other hand lifting to cup the other cheek gently.

"Hmm?" she answered as her eyes fluttered open to focus on him. A small smile appeared on her face before her brows furrowed.