Bonded in the Silence: A Reylo Fanfiction

Chapter 25: Between

"Or" Ren's words came slow as he spoke "it just takes longer to get a hold of the Force-user's body, but then lasts far beyond the capacity of a normal humanoid."

"...a slow drain" Freen repeated.

There was the sound of a cupboard closing in the quarters Rey was staying in. They all turned their heads to the door, but she did not emerge at that moment.

Tyrus lowered his voice with his words. "If Palpatine inhabits Rey's body, he'll get access to her raw strength. She's not strong enough resist it. Who knows how powerful he'll be then, and what that entails for us now that we are enemies of the First Order."

"So what are we to do then?" Alwick whispered loudly. "Do we just keep her away from him?"

"More importantly...do we tell her?" Vurdan finally asked, looking directly at Ren.

Ren did not have a chance to reply as he detected Rey's alertness through the bond.

A metal clunking sounded as the door to the personal quarters opened to reveal a tired-looking Rey; her hair was tidily set back in its three buns, and her dry robes were redone in an appropriate fitting. Her expression was calm, but it was easy to see she was not entirely refreshed. Her eyes found the tray of sustenance the Knights had finished with, some nutritional bars and water remained. She snatched one up hungrily, about to bite into it when she noticed them staring at her.

"Were you talking about me?" She sharply accused, walking closer to the group of knights.

"Who wouldn't be talking about you is the real question" Freen smoothly replied, flashing his sharp teeth as he extended one gloved hand to her. "May I see your hand, my dear?"

Rey halted her steps halfway across the common room, her right hand noticeably clenching at her thigh. Her eyes narrowed at him before looking at each of them briefly.

There was a dark, resonant ripple in the force bond Ren picked up on; a feeling he'd never received from Rey's side before. It swelled sharply in the air between them as he noticed her breathing picked up slightly, nostrils flaring once, and a muscle spasm in her cheek was detectable.

He knew the feeling well.

The Dark Side.

He watched intently as her skin paled slightly, taking on a clammy sheen momentarily before she concentrated on her breathing. In three breaths she slowed her heart rate down, and her skin regained its colour again as her eyes refocused. The hand at her side relaxed and she wiped the palm hastily on her trousers before taking the last steps toward Freen and presented it to him.

Freen turned her hand over in his, peering closely at the puncture area. He applied pressure to the palm around it, watching the colour change as Rey muttered curses under breath.

"Hmm" he hummed to himself as the knights watched. "It appears to be from an instrument, most likely a needle with an average bore size."

"I tried to heal it," Rey said, discouragement in her tone "but it was like I couldn't access that part of my ability at all this time."

Freen extended her wrist to follow the redness of the skin that was hidden beneath her arm wraps, but she prevented him as well from undoing the weathered fabric. He was unfazed by her actions.

"Something appears to have been injected into your system, my lady".

"Like what?" she whispered.

"Impossible to tell without an analysis from a medical unit, but the evidence is pretty clear. Are you feeling alright?"