Veiled Innocence (Book One, The Soul Cycle) (11 page)

She stared into those eyes for what seemed like an eternity. She should’ve been worrying about dying,
or
seeing her life flash before her eyes, but onl
y one thought crossed her mind as she stared back at the creature’s fiery, orange gaze.

I’ve seen those eyes before.

A low growl rumbled up the demon’s throat, and before she could blink, it opene
d
up a beak filled with sharp teeth and lunged.

She couldn’t think to run
,
and she had no weapon
. Fear paralyzed her limbs and mind, anchoring her to the ground like a statue. Out of some primal instinct, she threw her arms
over her face and screamed, bracing for the attack.

Illusions

“LIANORA!”

Lian screamed again, kicking an
d scratching like a wild animal
as strong hands looped around her waist. “Let me go! Let me go!”
she cried.

“Lianora!” That wonderful, familiar vo
ice cut through the nightmare.
She stopped, panting hard. Her eyes frantically darted around her, trying to figure out where she was.

She was still outside in the square. A small crowd had gathered around her. Ana-Elise, surrounded by their guards and servants, stared at her in disbelief.

“Gabriel?” Lian whispered, craning her neck to look up at him. 

His features were edged with worry. “It’s all ri
ght,” he said, his voice gentle.
“I’m here. You’re safe.” His hold on her loosened, but he kept an arm around her waist to hold her up. Her body shook while her stomach rolled in on itself, and she forced back the taste of bile.

What’s wrong with me? Why do I feel so weak?

Soft footsteps quickly approached. “What happened?” Ana-Elise demanded. “We were about to leave when we noticed you’d disappeared. That’s when we heard the screams.”

Screams? But why was I –

Lian thought her heart would jump from her chest. “Quick!” she cried, digging her nails into Ana-Elise’s forearm. “We have to get out of here before it comes back!” She fell over when she took a few steps away from Gabriel, who hastily pulled her bac
k up while she struggled against him.

Ana-Elise’s eyebrows furrowed together as the color drained from her face. “Lianora, there’s nothing here.”

“What?” She stopped and took in her surroundings.

A few of the civilians looked around them nervously, like they expected something to jump out of the shadows at any minute. The monster was gone. 

“Feather,” Lian said. “Where’s the feather?”

“What feather?”

“That
feather
! It
has to be around here somewhere;
I just had it!” She dropped to her knees and felt
along the ground. “Where is it? W
here did it go?”

Ana-Elise
kneeled
beside her
but made no move to touch her. “Have you gone mad?” she whispered, anxiously glancing around as the crowd mumbled amongst themselves. 

Lian stared blankly at her. “It was black as pitch and stained in blood, like my hand,” she said despondently. She held her palm up. It was clean. Where was all the blood? She blinked, lost for words.

“You are not well,” Ana-Elise said. Th
ere was no concern in her voice,
only the absence of emotion. “Come, we will go home.” She summoned Gabriel forward, and he instantly placed a hand on Lian’s arm.

“What’s happening to me
?” All the blood drained from her face, leaving her feeling hollow and cold. Her anxious mind tried to rationalize the past few minutes of her life, not finding any
comforting
answers. The things her brain suggested chilled her to the bone.

I’
m not crazy… a
m I?

Something
slithered
inside her, and she clutched at her gut, gasping.

Ana-Elise’s guarded eyes flickered about the crowd. “Get up,” she hissed. “You’re embarrassing me.”

Gabriel grow
led low enough for Lian to hear
but not loud enough for Ana-Elise to notice.  “Easy there,” he said gently, helpin
g her stand. As soon as she did
,
her knees gave out, and he caught her as she stumbled, putting her arm over his shoulder and hoisting her up again. Her entire body was shaking, and a light sweat had broken out over her chilled skin. 

Gabriel noticed immediately. “She has a fever!” He looked around, his eyes locking onto a pair of footmen. “You two, run and fetch the carriage at once. Move!”

“Yes, sir,” they said in unison
and took off at a full sprint. 

Lian swayed
,
and Gabriel
caught her. “Hold on,” he said.
“Stay with me. No, don’t close your eyes. Look at me!” He gently set her down on the ground and rested her head on his knees. His fingers started to brush her bangs from her face, but he quickly stopped and cleared his throat. With his eyes closed, he took a few deep breaths
,
and his breathing slowed.  

She glanced up, her vision growing blurry. Ana-Elise looked at her uneasily and took a few steps back, covering her mouth with her handkerchief as she did. 

That simple gesture stabbed at her heart, but a few seconds later, it didn’t matter because she succumbed to darkness. 

***

LIAN REMEMBERED NOTHING FROM
the ride over. Her mind was empty, an abysmal void where there was no light or sound. Somehow, it was comforting, for nothing could hurt her in the void, and sh
e did not have to feel anything;
there was
o
nly
blissful, wonderful
emptiness.   

When she came to, she was back in
her own bed. The dress was gone
,
and it felt like she was wearing a nightgown. The teardrop still hung around her
neck
. Her head hurt
,
and everything sounded muffled, as if her ears were full of water. She rubbed her eyes, which were throbbing from the fierce headache rumbling in her head, and was hit by a wave of dizziness when she tried to sit up. She groaned as an arm slid behind her back to gently guide her back down.

“Don’t. You shouldn’t push yourself,” said a delicate voice.

Ursa
. Her name came to the forefront of Lian’s mind, but it was as slow as a ship sailing through mud. 

“Ur –”she began, but her voice cracked. She could barely make out Ursa’s features in the candlelight that blanketed her room. Though it was dim, the light was far too much, and her head pounded harder. She winced and closed her eyes, but
sensed that Ursa remained near. Ursa
was the sunlight in her dark world, brin
ging her warmth and peace.

Everyth
ing was still for a few minutes as
Ursa stroked her curls with th
e affection of a family member. Gradually,
her breathing slowed
,
and
once the
throbbin
g in her head somewhat lessened,
she
opened her eyes. The light still hurt, though not as much as before. 

“It
doesn’t hurt as much now. Thank you
.” Her throat was raw, making her voice sound thin and scratchy. 

Ursa smi
led gently. “It’s the medicine. It l
ooks like it’s finally starting to take effect.”

Lian blinked somewhat forcefully. “What happened?”

“You don’t remember?”

She shook her head slightly. Her
neck was sore. “I remember the M
arket
but nothing else. My last memory is of being swallowed up by a great darkness.” She paused, staring into space thoughtfully. “The scariest part is that I didn’t care if it took me. I felt I had nowhere else to go except to that dark place, and it welcomed me with open arms.”

What she didn’t add was that it felt like something had slithered inside her the moment she touched that feather, a cluster of dark, foreign emotions she didn’t know she possessed. It lurked deep within her, sleeping.

Waiting.

Lian blinked.
You’re imagining it. These feelings are merely a manifestation of too much imagination, too much heat exposure, and not enough rest. You’re edgy, that’s all.

Ursa shifted her weight and placed her hand upon hers.
Ursa’s
skin was as white as her own, but her hand felt warm. “You were unconscious when they brought you in,”
Ursa
began, still speaking softly. “They laid you down in here, but there were no signs of life. You were barely breathing. No matter what we did, you wouldn’t wake up. I thought, well, we all thought…” All the mirth faded from
Ursa’s
eyes as she looked at her with such deep sorrow that Lian thought she may cry.

Lian
wanted to hug her, to thank Ursa for caring about her.
Something about
falling
ill and blacking out made
Lian feel
strangely maternal
toward Ursa
, and the weariness in her muscles and mind made her more than
a little
drunk on emotion.
“I’m so glad you’re here.” The words slipped out before she could stop them, but she didn’t blush. They were true, summoned
from the recesses of her heart. The best part of being around Ursa was that she could let her guard down around her.
Ursa was as close to family as she had ever known. Had her sister overseen her treatment? Had her father stopped by? Would either of them notice if she were suddenly gone?

Ursa gently squeezed her hand. “Always. You’re my best friend. How could I not be here?”

Lian tried to smile. “Thank you,” she whispered.  

Ursa leaned forward, placing a kiss on her forehead. “You should rest.” She looked behind her as someone entered the room. When she turned around, her mouth was drawn in a tight line. “It looks like you have a visitor,” she said, quickly standing up. “I’ll leave you two alone.”

Before Lian could ask who she was talking about, Ursa waved someone forward and all but ran from the room.
That was odd. The look on her face… was it someone who scares her? Why was she so nervous?

For a moment, she considered that perhaps it was Orris or Rowan, neither of whom Ursa or Lian cared for very much.
Perhaps they’re here to interrogate me. Or if it’s Orris, maybe he’s come to see if I’m dead. That would elate him, I imagine.

Heavy, hesitant footsteps drew closer until the man was at last close enough for the candlelight to illuminate his face. 

Her breath left her. “Gabriel.” 

The door clicked shut as Ursa left, leaving only Drenna and a page she did not recognize. 

“What are you doing here?” she asked as he
kneeled
beside her bed. His stubble looked longer and his sandy colored hair more unkempt. His eyes were ragged. 

For a long time, he said nothing. Then he stirred, as if remembering she had asked him a question. “I have not slept for fear I would wake and find you no longer with me.” His voice held its usual huskiness, but there was something more vulnerable about it. 

She pondered what he said. The thought of going to sleep and never coming out of that
darkness should have scared her
but didn’t, and that frightened her more than anything.

“I must have
been very ill,” she said slowly.
“I’ve been out for
several hours
, it would appear.”

How could I have gotten so sic
k? I felt fine until that feather appeared.

She gulped against another wave of nausea. She would worry about the
feather
later; right now, it took far too much effort to think.

Gabriel hesitantly brought his hand up the side of the bed and reached for hers. His fingertips touched the back of her hand, but
he
paused and withdrew. He laid his hand on the edge of the bed. It was shaking. 

“I can’t…
today
… you have no idea how scared I was for you.” His voice was tight
,
and his eyes were shining brightly. His intensity captivated her; she couldn’t speak.

“I prayed to the g
ods, the first time I’d prayed in years, that they would let you stay,” he said hoarsely. “And when they didn’t know what was wrong with
you
or how to help you… Oh
g
ods, Lian.” He bowed his head, looking fragile and breakable for the first time she could ever remember. 

This was not the Gabriel she knew. Her Gabriel was strong and brave, the best at what he did. She suddenly felt very guilty at having caused him so much grief. It broke her heart to see him in so much agony.