It'd been three days since I dropped Raphael on his ass in front of the camp and three days of camp members calling him Raphy.
Every time I heard it, I smiled a little too vindictively. I never could have dreamed it would annoy him this much. I mean it was just a nickname, it wasn’t like I demanded he run around the camp naked and sing. Although, I would keep that in mind for next time.
Which brought me to now. I was about to go to training again, and the tension in the air from the past few days had been spine tingling. Like there was something coming, I just didn't know what, yet.
I met him in the area used for training, and he had two young soldiers by his side.
"Abigail. Since you seem to be improving faster than we expected, Alyse and I decided it may be better to up your training."
I looked around for Alyse, only to see her noticeably absent. Damn, this was the payback she mentioned. I knew it was coming, but had no idea when it would happen.
"Okay, Raphy, bring it," I said, stretching my neck in anticipation.
He thought I would be weak and unable to handle three of them at once, but he underestimated me. Raphael smiled and gave a nod of his head, and both guys at his side seemed to move at once, knowing what they had to do.
I dodged the first punch that came my way and almost missed the second guy trying to encase me in his arms. A flicker of panic wormed its way through me at the thought of being trapped by a stranger.
"Raphael, if they grab me, I won't be responsible for how I react."
At my words, he grinned wickedly. "What's wrong, Ab-i-gail," he asked drawing out my name, "afraid of being under my power?"
I dodged and weaved the attacks from Raphael’s men, while he watched from the sideline. "No, I'm not afraid, but I'm asking you nicely," I said as I continue to dodge blows that were starting to weaken me. "Do not let them grab me."
I missed a blow from the right and stumbled back on a rock on the ground. I almost fell, but arms grabbed me and stopped my fall. The skin touching my back, against the scars, sets off a reaction I couldn't have predicted.
The same power I felt when I healed the three dragons out in the paddocks rose up inside me, only this time, it felt wrong. Memories of my time in the King’s chambers swarmed my mind, and I screamed at the phantom echoes of pain rushing through me.
The arms that were holding me were ripped away, and a new set grabbed hold of me, and my power raged inside me, not affecting the person's hold.
"Shit, hold on, Abigail, I'm taking you to Alyse."
I heard the words, but the voice was muffled in my mind. Who was holding me? Why was the pain so strong?
"Oh my god, Raphael! What did you do?"
I would have recognized Alyse's voice anywhere, and I tried to pull out of the pain-filled fog, but my mind wouldn't let me. I was drowning in pain, the memories of what happened were in full control.
"I didn't do anything. We were training with two of the newer guys. They were supposed to distract her and hold her, so I could show her how easy it was to get distracted, but once one of them touched her, something happened. It was like she tried to shift, but couldn't. I've never seen something like that in my entire life."
I felt warm hands running over my arms, and they lifted my workout top over my head. I was wearing a bandage over my breasts, the popular way of concealing them from men, so I didn't care as long as they stopped the pain of the whipping that burned into my back.
"Holy shit," was whispered, and I recognize Raphael’s voice now. "What the hell happened to her?"
"The King. He whipped her for helping someone who needed it."
"Why are the marks like that? Shouldn't they have scarred by now?"
"Raphael, these happened four weeks ago. She still has a long way to go for healing. What I want to know is why they are flaring like this? I've only ever seen this happen when the King used his touch to make the memories worse. Who was the last person to touch her?"
"Shit, I don't even remember the guy’s name. He's been here for a bit, though.”
"Because we need to find him and find out what he did to her. It's not pure coincidence that one man's touch has made her scars rip open again. Only dark magic of the King could cause these, which means he is the King masked as a young warrior, or he works for the King. Either way, it's not good. He can't leave the camp. If he does, he could lead the King right to us."
I heard Raphael get to his feet and run from wherever we were, and I let out a whimper when Alyse ran her hand over my side. "Shhhh, Abby. I'm going to try something. It may not work, but I have a feeling that it will. You just have to trust me, okay?"
"I trust you, Alyse. Do what you have to," I rasped between bouts of pain. I knew she wouldn't hurt me any more than she had to. Besides, I’d rather she try to stop the pain. Anything was better than reliving these memories.
She placed a hand on my forehead and one over my stomach, a look of concentration on her face. Her eyes were screwed shut, and it looked like she herself may be in pain. "Alyse, stop. You're hurting yourself."
"No, it's a necessary risk. Just hold still."
I wriggled, refusing to let her hurt herself for me, but her eyes snapped open, and a silver hue burned within the depths of her soul. Her mouth opened, and the words that came were more trance-like rambling than words one spoke. "I offer myself to take the pain of the soul worthy."
At first, nothing happened, but then the light in her eyes became brighter than anything I'd seen before. It built under her skin, and I watched, fascinated as it traveled toward her palms. The scene in front of me took away the pain for a split second until the light reached my skin. The moment it did, I arched into it, feeling a sense of...home settle within me, removing all the pain.
I was drawn into a dream of some kind, and what I saw made no sense. "You must promise to take care of her. She is the only hope. She is your destiny."
My mother was standing next to a woman who cradled a young infant in her arms. The woman looked familiar with bright-turquoise-blue eyes. My mother held out her hands taking the infant from her as Alyse stood by the woman's side, looking fierce in her warrior shields.
"What do I do when she asks about you? Do I send her here?"
"NO!" the woman exclaimed, making my mother and Alyse jump. "No, she must never know of me. Not until she has her true mates by her side. Only they can help her fulfil her destiny."
I watched as the voices continued speaking, but I could no longer hear. I took a step away from the room, not sure what this was when the woman's eyes spin and stare at me.
"It's almost time, Abigail. You will claim what's yours and learn who you really are." The woman lifted her hands and light blasted from her, sending me out of the vision and back into the present with Alyse who was hovering over me, a concerned look on her face.
When she saw my open eyes, she let out a relieved sigh. "Oh, thank the heavens. I thought it didn't work. How are you feeling?"
I sat up, feeling the slightest bit of pain in my muscles, but it was no longer the pain of reliving the whipping. No, it was more like the pain when you had overworked your muscles in training. "I feel fine. Tender, but no longer in agony."
"Good. I think you should go to the spring Raphael showed you tomorrow. It may help with the last of the aches. I want you to rest for the reminder of the day. You can go and sleep."
I got to my feet, ready to heed her advice, but stopped and turned back to her. I gripped her in a hug. “Thank you."
She shrugged out of my arms. “Don't worry about it. Now go, get out of here. I have a feeling you need the break."
"What about the guy who did this to me?" I asked, hesitant to be alone if he really worked for the King.
"Raphael will find him. You just take care of yourself. You need to be at the top of your game."
I lingered, wondering why it sounded almost prophetic, but just shrugged it away and walked through the camp. As I did, I noticed why she was okay to leave me without any kind of guard. There seemed to be twice as many people on guard than normal, and they all seem to be watching me, without being creepy about it.
After a walk around camp, an unconscious effort to try to find the man who hurt me, I returned to my tent. I huddled in the corner, wrapping a fur blanket around me. It wasn't cold, yet my body trembled with fear; the memories of the torture the King had inflicted on me flashed through my mind, over and over again.
My wounds were healing, yet the burning sensation and pain pulsed throughout my back. I closed my eyes, ignoring the tears that rolled down my flushed cheeks as I rocked back and forth, trying not to hyperventilate.
I'm strong. The King won't get me. Yes, he's far away in his castle. He doesn't need me anymore. I'm nothing to him.
I told myself the same thing, over and over again. Hours of rocking and trembling went by; my mood going from sad to angry at what the King had done to me.
I should have been home with my mom. Not training and learning how to protect myself. This was all because he didn't think I was innocent. No, he KNEW I was innocent, but wouldn't allow me to go scot-free without torturing me.
Crippling me...shattering the destiny I was supposed to live with my mom. It was all because of him, and I wouldn't let him win. He would suffer. I'd make sure he suffered. I vowed it.
I struggled to breathe, my body feeling hot as I stirred in bed. I was running...from something? No, someone. I had to run. It would be my only option. If I ran, the others would be safe. The camp would be fine without me. Raphael wouldn't bat an eye if I vanished. Yes, I had to run faster. Time was limited and if I delayed, I knew it would be too late to protect anyone.
But where was I running to? Where am I going?
I looked at the plain field before me, unsure of how I had reached this point. Then I saw the King. He smiled the moment his eyes locked onto mine.
"Oh, Abigail. You thought you could run? You can't protect them. You can't save anyone. The best option is death. Go be with your wretched Mother who died because of you," he mocked, grinning from ear to ear before he laughed diabolically; the sound that haunted me day and night.
"No! It wasn't my fault. YOU killed her, you bastard!" I screamed, running forward. I tried to call for the power within me, but I felt nothing. I wouldn't let him escape; with or without my power, I'd kill him now so he wouldn't hurt my loved ones again.
I hit him with everything I had within me, smashing his chest, but it did nothing. He stood there in glee, laughing at my failed attempts at even damaging the thin piece of armor he wore.
"Oh, Abigail. You never learn," he said in a hushed tone.
He pushed me with ease. I tumbled back, recovering quickly before charging forward.
He stepped to the side, allowing me to rush past him. I attempted to turn around, like a bull running toward a red flag, but my leg got caught in a vine, making me fall face forward.
I hit the ground hard, my head pounding, but I wouldn't lose. I tried to get up, but something stopped me.
Vines. Multiple red vines wrapped around my arms and legs, pinning me down. I fought their hold, but my struggle was futile. The King just kept on laughing, his footsteps slowly approached me.
"Now, why don't we have some fun?" he whispered.
I could feel my back exposed, the sound of a whip hitting the ground next to me. I screamed, fighting the vines in an effort to escape. I couldn't handle the torture again. It would kill me. I could guarantee it.
"Help! Help!" I cried, unsure who would save me. No one would come to my aid. I was alone in this world. Mother was gone, the village turned their back on me, and eventually, Alyse and the others wouldn't need me anymore. I'd always be alone.
I opened my tear-filled eyes, looking up as my body tensed up for what was to come.
Purple scales flickered in the sunlight. My eyes widened at the dragon rushing toward me; worried purple eyes locked onto mine.
"Raphy..." I choked, wishing I could reach out to him. I didn't even know if that was him. But those purple eyes reminded me of him, giving me a sense of hope.
My back burned from the sun's rays, the feeling of sweat rolling down my flesh wounds, making them sting.
"Raphael...help," I begged, wishing he was closer.
I wished we'd had more time. I wished I gave him a chance. I wish...
"Abigail! Wake up!"
My eyes snapped open, my body immediately fighting the hold around me.
"No. Let go! He'll torture me! He'll kill my loved ones. I have to run. Please let me go!" I cried.
"Abigail. Stop. It's me, Raphy! You're going to hurt yourself," the voice exclaimed.
His words weren't processing in my mind. I just knew I was still in the King's grasp and I had to escape for the sake of everyone.
"NO! He'll hurt me! He'll whip me for days and laugh at my screams. He'll kill my mother all over again. I have to leave. I won't lose another loved one!" I cried, biting my lip as I fought the hold with all my might.
I heard a curse, the arms tightened around me. I opened my eyes, ready to glare at the King but met a pair of purple eyes at the same time a pair of lips crashed against mine.
I stilled, my eyes growing wide at the sudden gesture. My mind was cluttered with the fear that I fought to recognize the person kissing me. His kiss was tender and the longer his lips lingered on mine, the calmer I became. My frantic heart slowed as my body relaxed.
I allowed my eyes to slowly close, kissing the person back. My body hummed; making me wonder if this person was familiar to me.
I know him...no, I love him. Yes, he is supposed to be mine. He is the one who came to save me...he saved me...
He pulled away, my heavy eyelids opening slightly to get his image...to bore his handsome features and loving purple eyes into my mind. I had to remember. I couldn't forget my savior.
I moaned, my eyes rolling back. I fainted, letting the darkness take me.