After the Turning [c o m p l e t e d]

Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Taken

My eyes were closed and I couldn't see anything but darkness. I felt a warmth that pulled against me, as if it were tugging at me to... somewhere. Maybe the clouds, or most likely to consciousness. The warmth was soothing and comfortable and I never wanted it to stop.

I wondered what was happening to my body. The warmth might've just been part of a dream. A nice dream that I never wanted to wake up from. I could've been in Adan's arms. That explained the warmth. But it seemed different. Like this feeling could only be created by... by magic.

I was reaching to top. The top of what? No idea. My heart started to race in my chest with excitement that was impossible to contain. The warmth started to pulse, and soon it became difficult to cope with.

Suddenly I didn't want the warmth anymore. I hated it and I would do anything to get out of it. I thought that it was going to sear into my flesh.

Then I saw light.

My eyelids fluttered open. I had woken up from a long sleep. I thought that I'd see Adan there waiting for me, but he wasn't. A group of people was standing where he should've been. Their expressions were serious. Not a single smile.

Where was I? And why are a bunch of strangers crowding around me?

An old woman answered my questions. "You're finally awake mistress. And you must be wondering. We are your healers. You have been seriously ill."

"Where is Adan?"

"He had left to settle some troubles."

The conversation we had when I was still asleep sprung into my mind. Hollie was in danger and he went to save her. Worry took hold of my chest. Were the both of them alright?

I glanced at the healer and nodded. "Oh. Thank you for taking care of me."

She had already begun to pack her items into a cream-colored haversack. They weren't normal medical supplies such as bandages and stethoscopes, but cult-like objects instead, such as a feather brush and wooden dolls. Perhaps they were performing magic after all.

The healer glanced up at me nonchalantly. "You're welcome. We would love to stay longer but we have more patients to cater to. Our work here is done."

For some reason, I doubted that she meant it when she said that she wanted to stay.

I wanted to know that Adan was safe. I focused my mind and tried to reach out to him. It was so simple to talk to him mentally these days. It came naturally now. Adan?

I waited for his reply, but it didn't come.

My worry grew stronger. Had Adan fallen prey to the danger that he tried to save Hollie from? He failed to respond to my call for the first time. Previously, Adan would reply with an eager voice that ensured that he would always be there for me.

If he met any mishap—no, that was too terrible a thought. I wouldn't know how to continue living for an eternity without both Adan and Hollie by my side.

I pushed myself up and swung my feet to the side of the bed, sweeping the woolen sheets aside. As I straightened my knees and stood up, blood rushed to my head, making me feel light-headed. The slight dizziness made me somewhat disorientated, but it went away after I took a few steps.

Adan should be fine—I continuously repeated that to myself. He had survived perfectly fine for the last few millenniums. What made this one any different? But despite my logic, I could not ignore the sickening feeling that rolled around in my stomach.