by Bri Clark
“I know you’re here, Marie,” he called to me. I stayed still and silent. “I don’t want to train anymore today. I already had a shower,” he called a little louder.
I stole a peek at him from behind a pillar. With my shield up, he couldn’t sense me. He stood in the middle of the arena, his hands on his hips, his eyes scanning, searching for me. I didn’t know what to say or how to act, so I remained hidden… too upset to face him.
“Marie?” his deep voice called again. “You haven’t blacked out have you?”
Hearing the concern in his voice caused guilt to bathe me. I didn’t deserve such a wonderful friend. Knowing the great fear he felt when he even mentioned blacking out, the painful memories it awakened in him, I stepped out from behind the pillar. I was only a few feet from where he stood. He saw me immediately and, moving at inhuman speed, erased the distance. Taking a step back he stopped moving, choosing to inspect me with the heat of his crystal gaze. His eyes scanned my body, probably checking to see if I was okay.
Dropping my shield and allowing him in seemed easier than trying to explain the feelings I hadn't quite figured out myself. I reciprocated the feeling exam. He was conflicted, angry, sad, embarrassed, and guilty. There was something else there, something tender. Using an exaggerated slowness again he approached me.
Facing each other, I noticed the way his fists balled at his sides. Still hugging myself I had no words to explain what had happened. He reached out to me then stopped and ran his hands through his hair instead. He sighed, his fists clenching then relaxing. Extending his hand to me, he finally spoke.
“Will you come somewhere with me?”
Putting my hand in his was enough of an answer. After that, we moved swiftly through the base, down several corridors, areas I had never been in before, and up an old set of metal stairs. He stopped at the top of the steps and reached in his pocket for a set of keys. Unlocking a big, heavy door, he then pushed it open. It was odd. Everything else at the base was electronically controlled.
As we stepped out onto the roof, the sky was a stunning cloudless, midnight blue shining with stars appearing as diamonds sewn into the fabric of the atmosphere. I reached up involuntarily the sight was so inviting.
Henry cocked an eyebrow over my silly antics. I dropped my arms and rubbed the top of them, an attempt to shake off the cold. It was the middle of winter, and I was on the roof in shorts and a tank top, my usual attire for sparring. Moving swiftly and quietly, he produced out of no where an unfamiliar blanket made of some kind of animal skin, and wrapped me in the smell of the outdoors and its soft warmth. Leading me over to a crudely erected shelter, we sat down.
“Henry why did ….you just left me….” It was then I realized my deepest fear was losing Henry. It had never occurred to me that he could choose to leave—until he did. Feeling vulnerable and afraid, I longed to heal the rift between us.
“I know I hurt you. I am so sorry.”
Waiting for a response, I sensed him. He was angry and frustrated again. I tried to make eye contact with him. Yet he stared off into the night refusing to face me. Ignoring Glazier’s desire to take control at the onslaught of emotion from his cold rejection, I held myself together with the hope that once out of his presence, I could fall apart.
Moves easily blocked and out-maneuvered in the arena were used against me out here. Within his embrace, I no longer felt like falling apart but I was having a terrible time keeping myself together. I turned from Henry’s chest and glared at him until he finally looked at me. As I met his gaze, the intensity of his emotions was so strong, I was afraid to even sense him. I sought solace in the blanket of stars above me.
Taking a cleansing breath in an attempt to calm my overly tenacious heart was a big mistake. His uniquely delicious scent seemed to join with my blood stream and fill my entire being. Having no understanding of my body's response left me giddy and confused. The warmth of his heat and the strength of his embrace made my head spin, providing me with an overwhelming sense of satisfaction.
Placing his chin on top of my head, he exhaled. On high alert, I sensed him again. His earlier anger was replaced with remorse. And the tenderness that left me so confused had not been imagined. “Marie, I am not angry with you. I am angry with myself. I brought you here so I could speak to you, calmly. Nevertheless, you have this way of unnerving me, and I have had an awful time of finding the right words.” He paused. “I have never brought anyone here before. I used to come here all the time before I met you. To find peace. I haven’t had to since you came into my life.”
Finding relief in the fact he wasn’t mad at me still didn’t explain his conflicting emotions. Before I could investigate further, he answered my thoughts.
“I was mad initially because you overtook me; that has never happened before." He grunted a sarcastic laugh then paused. “I didn’t know how to handle it. My pride was hurt. I needed to leave and clear my head. I went back to the room and took a shower. After some time, I realized I was actually proud of you. The student had surpassed the teacher so to speak.” Sensing his satisfaction, the corner of my lips quirked.
“I decided I would apologize and tell you how proud I was and take you to Elias’s to celebrate your victory. But when I got out, you weren’t there. I noticed you hadn’t been there at all. I started to look for you and when I couldn’t find you, I started to panic. I attempted to sense you, and I felt your sadness and it cut right through me. You made this great achievement and this was your reward. I became angry with myself for making you feel that way.”
Sensing his agony, I longed to comfort him, to face him and sooth away the sadness. The wind picked up and it nipped at my face I nestled into the warmth of his chest. As I did, I noticed his heartbeat accelerate. The strength of his embrace deepened, keeping me in place, his luscious aroma thickening the air that surrounded me, making my environment a cloudy euphoria.
“When I came into the arena I knew where you were but then you put your block up. It was the strongest I had ever felt. When you didn’t answer me, fear overtook me. The pain I caused you during the blackouts…you have no idea how much I would detest myself if I caused one of those again.”
As he closed his eyes, I sensed pain I assumed were from memories of the past. These were memoires I could not fully share. I had forgotten my initial time at the base and in the infirmary. Keeping it that way seemed wise.
“When we are in the arena, I find myself feeling like you are an equal. I too easily forget that you aren’t. When we go out to Elias’s and are around other people…” Running his fingers through his hair and exhaling, he swallowed deeply. “Let’s just say I am sensitive to the reactions men have toward you. You don’t sense the...” He stopped. I felt a tension come across his body. “The lust they feel for you. It makes me want to protect you from them. When we stay isolated at the base… I forget how fragile you can be.” His grip around me increased as if he was protecting me from some unseen force.
The heat stirring in my body to Henry's nearness shocked me. Glazier yearned to be let loose and save me from the confusion and the joy I felt. Holding her down and remaining silent, I basked in the warmth and safety of his embrace. I fell asleep in Henry’s arms for the first time. I had not let the darkness take control. I can’t remember my dreams, but I remember how they felt…happy and yet so far away.
Awaking in our quarters the next morning, I deduced he put me to bed sometime in the night. We never brought up the roof. Nevertheless, the dynamics of our relationship changed after that. We both knew it, but like so many other things between us, we didn’t have to speak to acknowledge it. Our next training lesson was that morning. I won sparring again. He had nothing but encouragement and direction to give me to make me even better, stronger and faster. When we went to town and he put his arm around my waist, I welcomed it. I enjoyed his possessive strength around my hips.
As I smiled at the memory, Elias came with our food, bringing me out of my daydream. I would lose mysel
f in thought often, that being my one private place. We ate slowly, the mood relaxed. I didn’t want to hurry back to the base. I hadn’t been out in weeks. I let the warm liquid slide down my throat and absorbed the peacefulness of the moment.
For now, all was right in my world.
Chapter Nine
Marie
At the base in Norway
We enjoyed our evening at the cafe. It was delightfully ordinary. When we left, a fresh snow started to fall. I watched the landscape slow and snuck a glance at Henry. He winked at me and replied with a thankful smile. The glow of the full moon illuminated everything, giving it a ghostly hue. It was like watching a play, the moon was the spotlight, and all that fell under its radiance was the star.
After we arrived back to the base, there was an order for Henry to report to Abram immediately. Thankful I never had to report to Abram, I was sad to be apart from Henry. It had been months since the last time I had even saw Abram. Infuriating Henry he had showed up unexpected and demanded to observe our training. Glazier’s dislike of Abram made my control of her more of a challenge. On that day, we were testing my power and Henry had suggested we use blades.
Henry tried to convince Abram to postpone his observation a few weeks. Abram, ever egotistical, insisted on staying. Henry was trying to protect him. He seldom ever challenged an order. The conversation ended when Abram ordered him to be silent and continue. Stalking back to me, nostrils flaring, running his hands through his hair, Henry stood in front of me, quiet and tense, before he explained.
“Abram wants to watch us spar. I don’t want him to because I know he makes you uneasy. Glazier can get extreme in this environment, and if she is released and he's here…” He left the rest unsaid. Positioning his body in between us, blocking my view of Abram, he held my hands in his own and spoke “With that said, I think we should do it. He wants to see Glazier in you; we shall simply have to give him what he asks for.” A devilish grin claimed his full lips. The painful recollection of the events at Elias’s flooded my mind, reminding me of what I was capable of. Sensing my distress, he maneuvered his face close to mine, his lips only a breath away and looked deep into my eyes. His refreshing scent tickled my nose and the depth of his tone was hypnotic.
“Do you trust me?” he asked. The cocky smirk faded, replaced by a somberness that I heard in his voice.
“You know I do,” I whispered, staring at his lips. What I wouldn't give to feel those lips against mine.
“Then trust me when I tell you that I will protect you. I won’t let you hurt him. He needs to learn some respect and this is the only way a git like him will.” His smile returned and his confidence soothed me.
Seeing the mists of Glazier cloud his eyes and sensing a strange mix of excitement and hostility from him, encouraged me. Abram stood to the side and out of the way. Moving to one end of the arena, I turned to face Henry. Eyeing each other and equally equipped, we relinquished control. She quickly swept over me, encompassing my senses and clouding my eyes.
Crouching, we observed one another. Then, simultaneously we became a blur. He advanced toward me, and I moved up one of the pillars to my left. As an exceptional climber, like a cat only more lethal, I went for a height advantage to his strength.
Spotting me above him, he turned to pursue me from below. Jumping from pillar to pillar, moving so fast it felt like I was flying, I sensed Abram watching…completely engrossed and full of himself.
Glazier became enraged in response to his arrogance. Doubling back on Henry, I landed directly above and behind him. I pounced. The trajectory of the impact sent him face first into the pillar in front of him. The white stone cracked, little shards of rock flew out from under his massive body. Taking four strong daggers, I stabbed them through his shirt and pants deep in the pillar anchoring him in place.
Abram sprang to his feet in applause. Glazier sensed his total conceit, sending her into frenzy. I glared at him, and he quit clapping. Little beads of sweat erupted on his forehead. He backed up and turned to run away. Glazier anticipated this, already having four throwing stars airborne before he could take a step. A scream escaped his lips as they made contact. Two went thru his perfectly tailored suit at the top of each shoulder. The other two went through his trousers on the inside of each thigh. Blood blossomed across his neatly pressed suit.
As he cried out, his eyes darted back and forth from me to the blades. His breathing was shallow and erratic as his eyes made the circle again. He did not find me by Henry.
Instead, I stood right in front of him. Shivering with satisfaction of the terror Glazier and I sensed we locked in the glare. I locked in, my glare trapping him. Knowing his death was eminent yet unable to look away, he wept. Extracting a blade I lunged forward. A familiar unbreakable fist encircled my wrist halting another murder.
A force guided me away from Abram. I looked up and saw Henry, my perpetual savior keeping his word. After positioning me several feet away he made his way back to Abram. Freeing him of the blades I observed each one left a slender reminder.
Towering over the quivering man, his arctic glare met fear-ravaged eyes. “I am going with you slowly to the door. Do not look at her and most importantly do not run. The next time I advise you to do something when it comes to Marie, I hope you will remember this day and heed my warnings.” As I watched Abram leave it was as if the battle stopped.
Approaching slowly with palms outstretched, Henry asked, “Marie, you are going to be fine.” The recognition that I once again almost took someone’s life clogged my throat but I didn’t feel the horrible cyclone of tears like the first time. Instead I just stood there shaking. Henry held my hands. The feel of his skin on mine helped to calm my frazzled nerves. My mind that moved like lighting began to scrutinize what happened, drawing a rather surprising conclusion.
“You knew that was going to happen? Didn’t you?” I accused Henry.
His smirk answered me first. “I didn’t know exactly how it would play out. But yes, I did know that you would attack him. I didn’t know that your hatred for him ran so deep. Nevertheless, I do now. I’m sorry. I should have foreseen that. I also didn’t think you would pin me so quickly. You made me look pretty bad doing it that fast.” He laughed at himself attempting to lighten the mood. I was too busy analyzing his words to find the humor.
“Why would you say that I hated Abram? I always thought it was Glazier. That she responded to his arrogance,” I replied.
He hesitated before answering, choosing his words. “Marie you and Glazier are linked in a special way through your emotions and her instincts. You have never trusted Abram since the first time you met him.” He stopped. I let his words sink in.
“Glazier takes her cues from you. You are always the one who guides and directs her.”
Still dissecting his words, I didn’t respond. I suddenly found the clouded images of my time in the infirmary. Was that where I met him first? Then out of nowhere, the dreadful black wall slammed down. I tried to fight past it. Violent shakes rocked my frame, making me focus my attention externally. It was Henry. Why was he shaking me? I almost fought him off until the fret in his voice registered.
“Marie, Marie, ANSWER ME!” he shouted. His booming bass rattled the pillars.
“Is all the shouting and shaking necessary?” I responded. He finally stopped. “What is your problem, Henry?” I asked, nudging him off.
“Marie you were in a trance. You didn’t respond. Are you unwell?” His voice returned to normal, but the furrow of his brow told me he was still worried.
“I didn’t realize I was in a trance.”
“What were you thinking about?”
“I was trying to remember the first time I met Abram. Sifting through my memories I only got as far as the infirmary and those are still cloudy. Then I couldn’t go any farther. I couldn’t find it. It was as if I could feel it somewhere buried, protected. I just couldn’t reach it.” I threw my hands up in frustration. He sat across from me on the floor rubb
ing his chin. This was his usual reaction when he was in deep thought.
“You have never gone into a trance like that. Have you ever tried to remember anything before?’ he posed.
I thought about it for a minute. “No. At least I don’t remember trying. I have never had a reason to try.”
“Interesting,” he commented, still rubbing his chin. “We must be careful. Whenever you try to remember something again, give me a heads up. I don’t want you to strain yourself.”
I knew what he meant.
“Let’s celebrate!” he said suddenly. His face broke into one of his breathtaking smiles.
“Celebrate what?”
“You, instilling some reverence into Abram.” His smile widened. I couldn’t help but notice the way my own lips lifted at his excitment.
“Do you want to go to Elias'?”
“Sounds like a plan. Let’s get out of here.” We raced to quarters for our showers. I won as usual.