Dark Soul Silenced - Part One (12 page)

Knowing how little time she had he’d gulped down a lungful of air then used his powers to anchor himself to the seabed, literally battering his way through the water to reach her.  He thought he’d only just reached her in time, her struggles had almost stopped by the time he grabbed her and emptied his lungs to let her breathe.

Then he had turned and raced back towards the beach, certain he couldn’t swim well enough in the storm to reach the surface and allow Sarah another breath.  He had no need to breathe.  He had drawn energy directly from the water around him which both gave him the power to move rapidly and removed all need for air.  However that didn’t refill his lungs and he couldn’t pass the energy to Sarah.  Somehow he had won the desperate race, clearing the sea in time for Sarah to gasp down another breath.

His relief at seeing her breath quickly changed to concern as her eyes rolled up and her body started to shiver violently.  Sweeping her into his arms he sprinted back towards the inn.  She clearly needed to be warmed up, but he doubted the inn’s fire would have anywhere near the heat needed.  Mary could probably channel energy directly into Sarah, but the innkeeper and his family would be sure to see.  He didn’t think Sarah would thank him for involving Mary either.  Despite the foul weather it seemed unlikely that she had ended up in the water by accident.

Daniel veered away from the inn, charging towards the edge of the ever present forest, then plunging between the trees.  He didn’t go far — Sarah was in dire trouble and needed help immediately.  He thought it would be far enough though, the storm should have dissuaded anyone from wandering the forest.

He gently lowered Sarah to the floor near a fallen tree, a thickly leaved evergreen which still had most of its foliage.  He placed his hands on the trunk of the fallen tree.  Concentrating he reached out, drawing energy from his surroundings as he had learnt to do.  This time was different though - he threw the net wider, drew more energy.  Power flooded into him and he forced it into the trunk.  Within seconds the trunk was steaming like a kettle, whistling like one too as steam forced its way free.  Then the tree exploded into flame, burning strongly and throwing out a fierce heat.  Daniel jumped backwards, diverting the worst of the heat away but not all of it.  His face felt tight from the heat.

Now he returned to Sarah.  The heat from the tree would help but it wasn’t enough.  First he had to get rid of her wet clothes.  Her coat, boots, socks and trousers were easy to remove.  Her shirt had many buttons, he ripped them away then pulled it clear.  That left her underwear.  He paused for a moment then realised it was no time for half measures he stripped those off too.  Next he removed his own clothes, working just as quickly.  Then he moved Sarah closer to the burning tree and lay down behind her, wrapping himself around her.  Concentrating he drew energy from his surroundings once again, though less than before, using it to warm his body above its normal level.  He couldn’t transfer heat and life directly into Sarah as Mary could so he did the next best thing — heating his own body and transferring that heat by touch.

Sarah’s body had gone beyond shivering to convulsing.  Worrying as it was Daniel somehow knew it was better than the alternative, that if she suddenly stopped shaking then her body would be near death.  He lost all track of time, simply focusing on keeping his body as warm as possible without reaching a temperature that would cause burns to Sarah.

Finally the convulsions started to subside, slowly becoming shivers and then disappearing completely.  Her body no longer felt like ice where it pressed against him and her breathing became more regular.  Daniel allowed his temperature to lower a little but kept himself pressed against Sarah, still worried for her.  The fire had nearly consumed the fallen tree, it guttered out as he continued to keep Sarah warm but it had served its purpose — warming the area where they lay and the parts of Sarah that Daniel wasn’t pressed against.  Now her body was warm enough, with the help of his bodies heat, to maintain its own temperature.  There was nothing more that Daniel could do now.  It was up to Sarah.

Sarah stirred sleepily and became aware of Jon’s body pressed against her back, his arms wrapped around her.  She felt wonderfully warm and drowsy, she could happily lay there all day if only the covers hadn’t slipped off.  Jon was wonderfully warm but she felt chilly where his body wasn’t pressed against hers.

That chill drew her a little farther towards wakefulness.  She realised that she wore no clothes, and that Jon was naked too.  A different warmth replaced the warm drowsiness.  Smiling to herself she decided to wake Jon with a kiss… and more.  Turning over she opened her eyes, smiled widely at Jon… then screamed.  Rolling away she stood, covering her naked body as well as she could with her arms.  This wasn’t her bed, it was a forest, and rather than Jon she had found herself in Daniel’s arms.  Her mouth opened but she couldn’t speak.

Daniel stood up too, holding his arms out to calm her — a move that only served to heighten her awareness of his nudity.  She took some small relief from the fact that he had clearly not been excited to be nestled against her.

She realised he was talking but she had missed everything he said.  She shook her head and focused on him, ready to turn and run.

“Sarah… listen to me.  I had to warm your body.  You were dying from the cold.  I pulled you out of the sea but you were soaked and freezing.  Do you remember?”

His words took a few moments to sink in, then her knees almost buckled.  The sea… being lost in the cold, dark water… being certain she was going to die… then feeling someone grab her, pull her clear.  That was all she remembered, but it was more than enough.  She shivered once, then again, while they were sheltered from the storm beneath thick branches the cold wind still whipped around them and she wore no clothes.

“Please Sarah, come here.  Now you are awake I can warm your clothes, dry them out, but you are still too cold.  I heated my body to warm yours.  Let me do it again until your clothes are warm.  I mean you no harm, I promise you.”

Another gust of wind caused her to shiver, more violently this time, and she could still feel the chill oceans touch leaching heat from her as if she was still caught in its cold embrace.  Reluctantly she walked towards Daniel who picked up her shirt and coat, hanging them from nearby branches.  Her steps faltered as she neared him then she forced herself to take the final steps.  He wrapped his arms around her and she snuggled against his chest.  Now she was awake she realised his body truly was warm, she would have said feverish in anyone else, despite the fact he too had been in the sea and was now standing with no clothes on.

She closed her eyes and put her arms around his waist, clinging to him as memories of her ordeal washed over her as thoroughly as the huge waves had done.  For the moment all her doubts about Daniel evaporated, replaced by the need to cling to someone, anyone, and to feel safe.

She lost track of time then.  Only coming back to herself when she felt Daniel’s arms loosen.  Stepping away he retrieved her shirt and coat, handing them to her in turn.  Both were dry and wonderfully warm.  She tied the shirt as best she could with the buttons ripped off, then pulled her coat on tight.  It was enough to cover her modesty, as long as she stayed standing, which was also a great help in restoring her to herself.  Daniel picked up the rest of her clothes, hanging them on branches to dry.

“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful,” Sarah said, amazed that her voice was steady.  “And it will be wonderful to have the rest of my clothes warm, but… could you dress yourself?”

“
Of course,” Daniel replied with a chuckle. 

He pulled on his own underwear and shirt, still dripping wet.  Sarah was about to say she’d meant for him to dry them first, but the clothes he wore started to steam.  He grinned at her.

“Much easier to dry them this way.  I’ll get the rest of your clothes dried too.”

“
Thank you, and…  well… thank you.  For saving me.”  It seemed desperately inadequate but she couldn’t find any other words.  It seemed to be enough though.

“
I was glad to.  However you ended up in the water, and I won’t pry, you wanted to live once it had you in its grasp.  That is what I sensed, your fear and your determination, and that is why I was there to save you.”

“
Dashing to my families rescue?  We might have to keep you around then.”  It came out far more sarcastically than she had meant.  “I’m sorry… I didn’t…”

“
Please, it is fine.  I know you have your doubts about me and I do not expect this to change them.  Tell me though, have you always been taught that power, magic, is evil?  That it comes from darkness?”

“
Yes.  Always.  The power corrupts even pure souls.  That’s what I was always told.”

“
And now you see the power Mary has and it scares you?  You think she too will be corrupted?”

Sarah just nodded, unable to speak.  Daniel sighed deeply.

“Darkness exists, dark powers too.  I know that first hand.  I felt it coursing through my veins, tainting my mind, driving me to the brink of terrible deeds.  But I do not believe it is the only type of power.  The darkness was burnt out of me, yet something amazing remained.  It is as different to the dark power as day is to night.  There is not a trace of darkness within it. 

Mary’s power too is untainted, it is pure.  Part of the reason I chose to travel with you is to protect that, prevent anyone or anything from corrupting her.  You have no reason to trust what I say, but trust your instincts where your daughter is concerned.  Please, consider the possibility that I am right — that her power comes not from darkness but from the light.  Can you do that?”

Sarah thought for some time, searching her feelings, thinking of what she had seen.  Certainly Mary had shown no signs of being in the thrall of dark powers, in fact she seemed no different than before her powers had come to light.  Could Daniel be right?  Might there be a chance that Mary’s power was pure?  And if so wasn’t it Sarah’s role to protect her, keep her safe from anyone that would wish her harm — even those who would assume Mary’s power was a curse?

“
Yes… I’ll try,” she said finally.  “It isn’t easy, going against everything I’ve been taught, but you’re right.  Deep down I think she’s still my little girl and I can’t imagine her harming anyone.”

She lapsed deeply into thought again and Daniel let her be, silently handing over the rest of her clothes when they were dry and politely turning his back while she dressed.  Then they set off for the inn, running through the driving rain once they cleared the forest. 

Sarah had debated what to tell Jon before deciding he deserved the truth, all of it.  She would ask Daniel to watch Mary while she spoke to Jon, aware of the irony that having wanted to keep Daniel away from Mary she would now ask him to watch her daughter.  She needed to speak to Jon alone though, to tell him not just what had happened that day but how she had been feeling.  Her brush with death had reminded her how deeply she loved Jon.  She had to hope the way she had been treating him, and what had happened since she left the inn, wasn’t enough to drive him away for good.

The rain was hammering down so hard that Sarah’s clothes were soaked again by the time she pushed the inn’s door open.  Mary was still sleeping, though now curled up on the chair Jon had been sitting in.  Jon had been pacing nervously near the fire, now he rushed over.

“Sarah… I was getting worried!  You’re soaked.  I thought something might have happened to you.”  He paused for a moment, studying her.  “What’s wrong?”

She shook her head.

“Not here.  In our room.  Daniel can stay with Mary.”

She could see the questions in his eyes as she turned towards the stairs.  She desperately wanted to reach out to him, but that wouldn’t be fair.  Not until he knew the truth.

He followed her into their room and shut the door, then reached for her.  She held out a hand to stop him, felt her heart wrench at the look of confusion and pain on his face.

“
No… please… listen to what I have to say first.  You might not want to be near me after.”

They both sat on the bed, slightly out of reach.  She had to take off her soaked coat.  Jon’s eyes widened as he took in the state of her shirt, tied in place with the buttons torn off.  Anger clouded his face and he started to stand.

“Jon, sit down and listen to what I have to say,” she pleaded.

For a moment he looked ready to storm out, then he gained control over his emotions again and settled his weight back down.  Face tight he nodded for her to continue.

Sarah started at the beginning, with the shock of finding out about Mary’s powers and their flight from Hammersgate, how she had convinced herself there must be a mistake until she saw Mary heal Jon’s wounds after the bandit attack.  She spoke about how deeply the link between evil and such powers had been drummed into her thoughts, about how she had been convinced that Mary would be corrupted by the power and how divided she had felt.  How it had driven a wedge between her and Jon when he seemed to accept the power in Mary, even be pleased by it.  She told him of her fear of Daniel, of not only the powers he showed but that the darkness which led him to attack Mary would return.

Then she told him of going onto the beach to escape her worries, of finding herself in the water — by her own choice she suspected — and then realising that she wanted to live.  Realising that more than anything else she wanted to hold him and Mary one more time.  She told him of the moment she knew she was going to die.  Jon moved towards her, but she stopped him with a raised hand once more.