Page 113 of Where Darkness Falls

“Then for bloody Celestae, woman, what is it?” Laisren says, apparently losing patience with her. “What do you need to tell us about Cara?”

Maeva chews on her lip, releasing a sad laugh. “You’re going to think I’m crazy,” she murmurs.

“I can assure you that neither of us will think you’re crazy,” I say gently.

“Speak for yourself, mate,” Laisren says under his breath.

I form one of my shadows into the shape of a hand, and it slaps Laisren across the back of the head. Laisren has never been the warm and fuzzy type when it comes to women crying, because it usually makes him uncomfortable. However, he quickly straightens to his full height, clearing his throat.

“We won’t think you’re crazy, Maeva,” he says, just a tad snarkier than Iwould’ve liked, but it still seems to convince her.

“Okay,” she finally says. “Well, Cara was just here. She was standing in this room.”

I can’t stop hearingher voice whispering to me.

I still see her standing in the corner, shimmering and glowing as if she were truly corporeal. My usual nightmare had woken me up from a fitful sleep, as always, but this time was different. My hackles raised as I sensed something or someone else here with me, setting me on edge. That’s when I saw her standing in the corner nearest the door of my room—watching me. The vision looked so much like my sister, and yet there wasn’t an ounce of warmth coming from her to comfort me:

“Cara?”I ask.

“Hello sister,”she replies coldly.

The response doesn’t sound like Cara, but it’s her voice. How is this even possible?

“Are you real?” I ask, tears welling in my eyes.

She smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes as she flicks an imaginary piece of lint from her dress. “Do you wish for me to be?” she asks.

“M-More than anything,”I cry. “I’ve missed you so much.”

She cocks her head as her lips press into a thin line, a baleful look replacing the once soft features.

“Then you should’ve thought of that before your ignorance killed me,” she says bitterly.

Then, her body morphs into a bloody corpse… the way I found her in front of our house. Her lifeless eyes stare at me.

“Cara?” I cry.

Then, to my horror, her eyes blink, and I scream.

“That’s impossible, Maeva,” Emyr says, pulling me out of my spiraling thoughts.

“She was here… I-I saw her,” I say, pointing to the corner.

Worried glances pass between Emyr and Laisren.

“I know what I saw,” I murmur, tears slipping down my cheeks. “I saw her lifeless body lying on the floor. Sh-She was here. I felt it… I felt it.”

Emyr shuffles his large frame closer to mine, wrapping his arms around me. He shushes me as he rocks me back and forth. “I felt it,” I cry. “I felt it. I felt it. I felt it.”

“Shhh, Rosey,” Emyr whispers. “Everything will be okay.”

I continue on in this state for several minutes. I feel like I’m a prisoner in my own body in this repetitive, hellish loop of replaying the scene with Cara over and over again. However, Emyr sways me, offering soft assurances that everything is okay. Finally, I exhaust myself, slumping against his frame. “That’s my girl,” Emyr whispers, tightening his grip. “You’re okay.”

I’m too numb to even respond, though I know I should. I just…can’t. So, I allow him to hold me, despite every reservation that I have that somehow becoming close to the High General will end in heartache. We stay this way for so long that I barely notice the audible click of my chamber door. Emyr must’ve given Laisren a signal because thesecond commander is nowhere in sight. Emyr’s shadows return to barricading the small gap that he’d opened for Laisren to exit, now sealing us safely within its walls.

“I-I’m sorry,” I say with a sniffle.

“It’s just a bad dream… nothing more, Rosey,” Emyr coos.

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