Ember's Awakening

Chapter Twelve: The Voice

Ember walked quickly down the roadway, out of the village, her cloak drawn tightly around her. It wasn't raining hard, but the constant drizzle had soaked the ground fairly quickly. 

Nevertheless, her cloak remained bone dry, thanks to a spell that her Gran taught her during one of their lessons.

She smiled at the thought.

'He's here,' the voice whispered.

Ember stopped, clutching her bag tightly to her body as if it would offer some protection, the smile fading quickly.

"Please leave me alone," she whispered fiercely.

'No,' the voice growled, 'not until you help me!'

Ember looked around frantically, searching the treeline that surrounded the road.

'I'm not out there.' The voice taunted, making Ember cry out in frustration. But she did see something move between the tall trees, and that was all it took. Spooked, Ember took off, running toward the safety of her home.

The village was much closer, but she was fueled by fear, so she ran in the direction she was heading instead of trying to return to the shop.

The voice seemed to follow her, laughing as Ember ran, which only added to her already frantic state. She could swear she heard footsteps behind her and a deep voice calling her name, surrounding her, a whisper carried by the wind.

Not the ghostly voice that was haunting her; His Voice.

Ember would recognize it anywhere. She stopped running as if she had no control over her movements. As if she was compelled to stop.

Seeing something out of the corner of her eye as her heart beat wildly in her chest, she whirled towards the thick treeline.

That's when she saw a tall figure step out of the shadows.

It was him.

The same dark hooded cloak, the same piercing stare.

The rain continued its steady drizzle, but she was oblivious to that now. He was the only thing that she could see.

There was no noise. Only her beating heart as she watched him stroll towards her.

"Ember," he said as he reached her.

She stood frozen, unable to form words. The only movement she was capable of was the nod of her head. She searched his face, still half hidden in the shadows of his cloak hood. Then surprising even herself, she reached up and pushed the hood back from his head.

He remained silent as she did so, not moving. Like she would spook at any sudden movent he might make.

Ember's breath hitched as his hood fell away, revealing his face. He closed his eyes as she studied him.

Dark, disheveled hair framed a chiseled face. A scar ran down the right side, starting above his eyebrow and ending beneath his cheekbone. She lifted her hand tentatively, reaching to touch him. His eyes flew open, and he grabbed her wrist just as her fingers met his flesh.

"I'm sorry," she gasped. Wondering what had ever possessed her to do such a thing.

He cocked his head, releasing her from his hold.

Suddenly Ember heard a strange noise. The weird ghostly voice.

It was....Purring.

He raised one perfect eyebrow at her, almost as if he could hear it too.

Ember shook her head, trying to clear her mind. As if that would make the strange voice go away. She had to know if he could hear it. She had to ask him.

"D-do you hear that?" She choked out, wanting to cover her ears as the sound got louder.

His jaw flexed as if contemplating what to say. However, his eyes remained steady on her face.

He could! He hears it! She could see it in his eyes.

"Hear what?" He questioned, low and husky; leaning towards her, he inhaled her scent.

Ember shook her head again, backing away from him.

What the hell was that? Did he just...smell her?

Why was he lying to her? Could he really not hear it?

She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. She needed to get home.

"I have to go," she whispered, her eyes brightening

He pursed his plump rosy lips, his face falling ever so slightly.

"Who are you?" She croaked, hating that her voice betrayed her emotions.

Suddenly he threw up his hood, looking towards the village.

"Someone is coming this way," he said.

Ember turned, looking down the pathway through the steady drizzle of rain. She couldn't see anyone.

"I don't see.." She began, turning back to face him.

Once again, he was gone. She groaned in frustration, the weird voice momentarily forgotten.

"Why do you keep doing that?" she called out, her voice carried with the wind.

He had to have disappeared back into the treeline, but Ember wasn't going to go chasing after some strange man, in the rain, in the darkness of the oncoming night.

'Go after him!' The voice commanded.

"Leave me alone! Please!" Ember cried out. Something caught her eye at her feet then. Bending down, she scooped up the leather bracelet; stone and metal adorned the center. She stuffed it into her pocket.

Looking around once more, she hurried the rest of the way home in silence.

He stood in the shadow of the trees, watching her, wanting to go to her but remaining in the spot where he stood.

'Do you hear that?' Her question replayed in his mind.

He felt a tug in his chest. She had no idea, and he felt guilty for avoiding the question. Even though he hadn't really lied, he could have asked her to come with him. He could have told her the truth. He didn't understand how she didn't know or why.

He needed to find that out before revealing anything to her. No matter who she was to him, who she could be to him.

She yelled at him. He chuckled lowly, shaking his head.

The laugh quickly died out when he heard what she yelled next.

That confirmed it for him.

He needed to go and see the one person that he knew would have the answers he needed about her.

He pushed off of the tree and headed back towards the village. He only hoped that he would get the answers he needed before it was too late.