The Rivalry

The Rivalry Chapter 21

"Lynnae," I heard Grant's voice whisper in my ear early one morning.

I groaned and rolled over. I heard him chuckle lightly and scoot closer to me before he poked my side.

"Lynnae..." he called again.

"How can I help you?" I said groggily.

"I must go out. Lex and Jackson stumbled upon a caravan of bedraggled travelers last night, they are suspicious of them and they want me to see that they can continue on," he whispered. I cringed when he said Lex's name. She glared at me whenever she saw me in the palace. I knew she despised me. I just didn't know why.

"Alright," I said half asleep still.

"I won't be long. Hannah will be here shortly," he said as he leaned over and kissed the tender skin beneath my ear. I shivered.

"I will see you soon," he parted.

I lay there for a few moments, willing sleep to come back to me, but it would not. I sat up and wiped my eyes. I whipped my head around when I heard a distinct knock at the door.

"Hannah?" I asked. She usually came bustling in with new gossip after she knocked.

"Hannah, is that you?" I said as I opened the door. I stepped out into the hallway to see if she was there.

I quickly turned to my left. I swore there was something there a second ago. And it all happened very quickly from there.

Somebody was behind me and they covered my mouth with their hand. I tried to run but they grabbed me around the waist. I bit their hand as hard as I could, tasting the blood on my tongue, and I heard a deep voice curse.

I got out of their grasp and I ran, trying not to look back, but they were much faster than I. They grabbed my arm and whipped me around. I saw a very tall figure, clad in all black. I couldn't see the face because it was covered. I only had a second to react. I saw the flash of a blade and I jumped back, but I heard the metallic "shing" as it cut through my nightdress. And then my attacker turned and ran. I tried to move forward but there was a sharp pain in the core of my stomach.

I put my hand to my abdomen and then brought it up to my face. It was covered in warm, crimson blood. The pain was getting worse. Not only was there pain from the torn flesh and muscle but it was burning. I fell to my knees and cried out. The burning was getting worse and it was spreading. I pushed my hands against my stomach, trying to stop the terrible burning. The hottest spot was in the epicenter, my stomach, where the blade broke my skin and sliced the muscles, but now it was seething throughout my ribs and my back. My eyes were brimming with tears and my vision was spotty. I crumpled completely onto the floor and cried out. I screamed as the burning quickly spiked, somebody had to hear me. I was squirming, trying to escape the burning but every time I moved the torn tissues screamed in protest.

"Lynnae?! Lynnae! Oh no, oh no. What's happened? Help! HELP! Somebody help me!" I heard a shrill voice scream. I felt somebody prop me up and lay my head in their lap. I heard the sobs shake her voice. I wanted to comfort her, to tell her it was okay. But I couldn't. Even if I could, it wasn't okay. I couldn't see anything now, it was black. Black is soothing, black is comforting. There's no pain. No burning.

*****

I woke up sweating and disorientated. There was a sharp pain in my abdomen that I couldn't place. I felt a cool relief on my face as I recognized somebody was trying to soothe me.

"Lynnae...I'm sorry," I heard a pleasant-sounding voice coo gently.

Don't be sorry. It's not your fault. I wanted to say to the voice, but I couldn't speak. I couldn't will my eyes to open.

My stomach was throbbing...I was trying to escape the pain but it was impossible, I couldn't move. I tried to move, anything, but I was trapped in a lifeless, paralyzed shell. I wished desperately for the black to take me again.

"Give her something, please. She's in pain. She's hurting, can't you tell?" I heard the voice plea. I could hear everything perfectly but I couldn't wake up. I couldn't move.

Somebody opened my mouth and poured in a liquid. They held my mouth open and the liquid seeped down the back of my throat, leaving a bitter taste. In a few short moments the darkness tugged at me again and I welcomed it, anticipating it's embrace.