“Pa.” She rubbed her forearm, noticing there was no pain, no burn, and no injury. She held up her arm, twisting it left and right to inspect the skin. Her brows crinkled with doubt. “What is happening?” She whispered to herself, but Dex heard her, and assumed it was a question for him.
“Mi Fuego.” He looked at the woman before locking on to her. “Listen to me. You did not kill this woman. She was in extremely bad shape when I found her. It was a miracle she survived whatever it was she went through. She died because her body is broken, and she died because she does not have her soul or spirit. No creation of the Source should live without an essence.” Dex went to her and cupped her jaws in his big hands. “This is not your fault.” He emphasized before hugging her tightly, and pouring love onto her.
The night crawled slowly, Fawna refusing to leave the woman’s bedside. She watched intently, sure that she saw a muscle twitch now and them. She can’t be dead. She can’t be. Hours after Mariana confirmed the woman was gone, the woman’s body remained supple. Rigor mortis had skipped her, and stilled blood did not drain from the surface of the skin. She was still beautiful.
Moonbeams shone into the room, the soft bluish light catching on the crystal she’d left on the bedside table. She’d almost forgotten about it. Her lips began to tremble as she reached for the pendant. She cupped the crystal loosely in her hand as she stared at her most treasured item. She placed the crystal over her chest, letting it rest against her beating heart. She swallowed, her heart dropping down to her stomach with dread. She couldn’t feel the crystal’s energy, just the cold, hard, edges of the shard cutting into her skin. It was empty, like she felt. Something happened. Something bad happened, when all she was trying to do was help. Was the woman really dead? She sniffed back a sob unable to shake the guilt.
She turned away from the bed, swallowing back any emotion threatening to rise. Keep a clear mind. She reminded herself. Something happened and she needed to figure it out. A lowly croak pulled her attention. Thinking it was a toad, she jerked in her seat. It was not until she heard the soft whooshing of wings that she let out her breath.
The Raven was perched at the window. Its sleek, black head tilting curiously side to side as it studied her.
“I am so sorry,” she told the Raven. “She was with me. I don’t know what happened.”
The Raven flew inside the room, landing gently on top of a vanity. Wear the crystal. The Raven spoke in her mind.
“How did you…?” She looked at the shard of black rock in her hand, then turned to the bird. The bird hopped, letting loose a thin ribbon hanging from the small vanity. She slipped the delicate fabric through the crystal’s clasp, and tied the ends together. She slipped the necklace around her neck, and stared at her reflection in the small mirror. She turned away momentarily unable to look at herself. Perhaps it was grief? Guilt? But she did not recognize the woman staring back at her.
She closed her eyes, telling herself to stop crying. Tears won’t bring the woman back to life. Instead, she thought back to the connection she felt with the stranger. She remembered the light she was bathed in. The peace. The love. Her angel.
The crystal began to warm against her skin, making her straighten. Warmth spread through her lovingly as the Raven stretched out its wings above the vanity mirror. Renewed, she felt determination grounding her. She breathed deeply, as a prickle of energy swam within her shields. She finally opened her eyes slowly, the heterochromic colors of her one blue and one green eye undulated like the ocean she loved so much. The colors seemed to swirl, morphing into hazel colored ones just as she blinked.
Thank you, Fawna.
She heard the voice clearly in her mind. Her eyes grew wide, the blue and green of her eyes were more vivid, and back in place. She rubbed her eyes, wondering if she was dreaming. “What is happening?” The blue and green undulated again, mixing together, and turning to hazel ones. She blinked deliberately, hoping her normal color would return. The eyes staring back at her was not hers, not in color, and not in spirit.
My name is Elysa Amalfi. There is no time, Fawna. We have work to do.
-THE END-
Author’s Note
Thank you.
Sincerely, THANK YOU for reading Midnight Rain. I hope you enjoyed this story and feel that you are part of the world of the Anakim.
The plan is to continue the story with one more book, but as I’ve found out along the way, my characters don’t always cooperate with my grand plans.
I am very grateful for your time and hope that you come back to read the next book or reread the books before.
Let me know your thoughts and comments by leaving a review at Amazon.com or Goodreads.com
Want to stay up to date? Follow me on Amazon.com
Take care,
Cecily
The Order of the Anakim
Prelude to a Storm
(prequel)
Gathering Storm
Dark Skies
Tempest Dawn
Midnight Rain
Eye of the Storm
(coming soon)
Midnight Rain Page 28