Spellbinders: Daughter of Light

Drowning in Memories

I see them flicker past me, like little pictures set in motion.

The first are of a dark, damp place, no better than the one I just escaped from and equally as horrible. I feel smaller... younger, but I'm also frightened. A big man comes every now and then. He hurts me, making me use my gift just like Arran did. And that's when it comes rushing back to me. These are my first memories, the ones where I was tortured.

Cringing, I watch from afar as I remember the horrors of my past. Every slash, every scar. The fear, the self- loathing and a little beam of hope in the form of a lost dream or memory.

I remembered how I'd clung to that hope for years,  hoping to discover more about my earlier life. Who was I really? Where had I come from? Did my parents give me away? And still, I had no answers.

I saw the years pass by. I remember how Leo and Clark had rescued me, I remember Old Bill and the violin. I watched the years of my training. I remembered how to cast spells and call on my magic. I remembered what it felt like to be brave.

And then there was Callum. I recalled our many misadventures when we first met. I watched as I slowly but surely fell deeply in love with him. And then I thought about my time with him at Castle Nox.

He'd come to save me. The broken, useless girl that nobody wanted. He'd saved me because he'd loved me.

He loved me.

The thought fills my head and slowly makes my heart burst with happiness, but was slowly replaced by another, more serious thought.

Callum had also told me I was his Match.

Could it be? At the time, I hadn't known what a Match was, and now that I knew, I was filled with mixed emotions.

Was he lying? Did he love me for me, or because I was his Match? Is that the only reason he saved me?

I needed to know, but I wasn't sure how to escape the dream like state I was in. I didn't know how much time had passed, but I knew it was surely longer than the few hours I thought I had been here for.

I needed to escape from my memories. I needed to fight the current, for I was drowning. Drowning within my own mind.

I thrashed against the tides of sleep, pushing them away from me, but they would merely crash over my body, pulling me into their depths time and time again. My body felt battered. I was tired,but I still fought. I would continue to do so until there was no breath left in my body.

This is all in your head, I told myself. It's not real, you can fight it!

With one final, desperate, push, I did. I broke through to the surface. I could feel the light hitting the back of my eye lids, right before I slip into sleep. Real, peaceful sleep.

***

Something soft brushes against my neck. I was somewhere warm, a bed possibly. I could feel the sheets against my legs. 

"When you wake up, I promise I'll never let you go again. I promise I'll love you forever, so please Sweetheart, wake up," Callum pleads. I feel my heartbeat quicken. Callum was here with me. He said he loved me! 

I love you too, I want to say, but my body feels heavy and unresponsive. I feel the mattress dip as he lies beside me and gently caresses my skin. I wish I could say something. I wish I could tell him how much my heart calls out to him and only him, but I couldn't. My mind might have been awake, but my body was well and truly asleep. 

Finally, after much unsuccessful trying, I decide to bide my time and fall into sleep's clutches once more. 

***

The light behind my eyes was to bright, and yet, curiosity won me over. For the first time in who knows how long, I saw light. Actual, real light. My eyes flicker open, and for a moment, it's so bright it hurts. A few minutes pass, and, finally, my vision clears. 

It feels as if I'm walking in a dream. The floors are white marble, the walls are green glass. The bed I'm lying on has golden covers and white, silky sheets. While it may have taken me some time to work out where I am, I remember. This is Callum's room. 

Speaking of the devil, he's curled up beside me, his arms wrapped around my waist. Even in sleep, he refuses to let me go. Smiling, I lean down and plant a kiss on his forehead. He doesn't wake up, but he does smile and sigh. 

Something felt peaceful within me. I no longer felt the fear or the danger anymore. Finally, I was home, and I was happy. 

As I reminisce about the love I have for Callum and wonder about what I'll say to him when he wakes, a loud knock sounds at the door. Sitting upright, Callum stares around, the knock waking him. He looks at the door for a moment, his expression grim. Slowly, he turns around, sighing sadly before he sees me. 

"Ella?" he whispers. I nod and smile, noting how his hazel eyes light up with joy. Quickly, he takes me into his arms and studies every inch of me. He leans in close and kisses me on both cheeks before proceeding to share a long kiss on the lips with me. When he pulls away, I sigh. "So, y-you remember?" he asks. I nod and lean my body into his. He seems surprised, but also pleased about my sudden affection and need to be  close to him. 

"Yeah, and I just want to say-"

"You're majesty?" A voice calls from outside. We turn our heads to face the door. Right, someone knocked on it. Callum cursed under his breath. 

"Come in please," he says. The door opens and a maid quietly walks in, places a tray of food on a table and walks out of the room. Callum sighs with relief and turns back to me. 

"Uh, sorry about that. What were you going to say?" he apologises. I nod, feeling a bright, red blush creep into my cheeks. This was the first time we'd ever spoken about it before, or at least,  the first time we'd ever spoken about it when we were being completely honest with ourselves. 

"Well..."