Dark One Rising(130)

“Melenthia, he’s not here. You were only dreaming. You’re awake now. You’re safe.”

She looked at him, shaking her head. “No, he knows where I am. I’m no longer safe here. I must go. I must flee.”

He grabbed her in a gentle hug, his arms holding securely but not too tight. He was afraid for her. He let go and looked into her eyes again. “Melenthia, it was only a dream, you hear me. It’s alright now.”

She shook her head again, pressing her fingers into her neck. He looked down and reached over, removing her hands from her throat slowly. There was a big ugly purplish-green bruise that ran from under her chin all the way to her collarbone. There were red marks there as well, and they looked frighteningly like finger marks. Now he was no longer concerned, he was panicky. He didn’t understand what had happened, but something was wrong. It was time to wake up Tomaz and Sol. He looked into her eyes again and kissed her lips softly. He threw his legs over the side of the bed, walked to the highboard and poured a glass of water. He brought it over and handed it to her, her still shaking hands taking it from him. She groaned every time she swallowed a sip, holding her neck with her free hand. He touched her forehead as she drank. Her skin was hot and her hair was matted along her temple line. He brushed a wet curl of red hair out of her face and wiped away the moisture there. She finished drinking and looked at him.

“Melenthia,” he said gently, “put something on. I’m going to get Sol and Tomaz. I think they need to hear what you saw. I don’t understand, but maybe they will. I’m sure it was nothing, just a very vivid dream, but I think they should know nonetheless.”

She touched her sore throat again and winced. He continued, “I think it was so real that you were choking yourself and didn’t know it. Your body woke you up when you couldn’t breathe, and that’s when you sat up.”

“It was so real. His eyes looking at me, his breath on my face and in my ear. His voice, his hands on me.”

He kissed her forehead and started to rise. She grabbed him, panic starting to overtake her again. She was breathing hard, and, because of her swollen and bruised throat, she couldn’t get enough air in and was starting to hyperventilate.

“Don’t leave me.” Her eyes were large and frightened.

He grabbed her and hugged her, rocking her back and forth. “Calm down, Melenthia. Breathe slow. Settle down or you’ll pass out. I’m not going anywhere. I’m just going to get a servant to wake Sol and Tomaz. I’ll be right here.” He looked down at her, into her eyes to make sure she believed him, then stood again. He grabbed his pants that had been flung to the floor, putting them on. He went to the call and rang for a servant. He waited in the open doorway until a servant appeared in the hall.

“Tobias, please wake Sol and Tomaz and bring them here. They are needed in haste.”

The servant bowed. “Yes, Sire, right away.”

He left and Dain went back to the bed. He picked up a robe as he went and sat on the bed with it. “Here, put this on.”

She took the offered garment and proceeded to put it on. Soon after she was covered, Tobias reappeared with Sol and the elf in tow. Dain motioned for them to enter and dismissed the servant. After the servant left, Sol and Tomaz approached Melenthia, still sitting on the bed, hands shaking, face pale. Dain got up from his place at her side and pulled a chair for the old man to sit in; Tomaz remained standing. He then seated himself on the chest that sat at the end of the bed. His brow was furrowed, and he was frowning.

Sol took one of Melenthia’s hands in his and spoke gently, “What happened, my dear?”

She looked up at Sol, then glanced at Dain. He nodded, telling her to go ahead.

“I saw Fallon. He had me up against a wall, clasping my throat. I couldn’t breathe, and I could feel his hot breath on my face. He told me that I would soon be his, that he had found me and would take me soon.”

Sol glanced over at Tomaz, gray eyes asking a question he did not ask out loud. Tomaz approached Melenthia and sat on the bed beside her. He turned her face toward him and lifted her chin. He saw the bruise on her neck and the finger marks. He looked back to Sol, nodding.

Sol sighed. “That’s what I suspected too. Those marks on your neck were made by your own hand. The face and voice in your head, only in your mind.”

“Then it was only a dream as I suspected,” Dain said, almost sounding relieved.

Sol turned to him. “Not exactly. She did see and hear him in her sleep, and she did choke herself, but it’s only because Fallon has breached her mind. He was speaking to her in her dreams, but he was present too. He has learned to manipulate her thoughts and make her do things he wants. He can only manipulate her thoughts if he can find her. He knows where she is. If he enters her mind again, he may lure her away from here. I’m afraid we must leave. She’s no longer safe here. We must take her to Vallis.” Sol looked to the elf; Tomaz nodded.