That voice was definitely female and under the reproachful tone was the soft crackle of a nearby fire. There was no answer to the question but I knew someone was next to me.
Why am I not dead? I remained physically motionless as I mentally checked inside of myself for major injuries. Everything seems to be in working order… But something is not right. Whatever that thing was, was trying to take my life force. So why do I feel as though it is intertwined with someone else’s?
Suddenly a cool, gentle hand was stroking the side of my face lightly and unbidden KJ’s face showed up in my mind’s eye. I felt a smile play faintly on my lips and my eyes opened slowly. But it was not KJ’s face that greeted me. The creature that tried to kill me knelt next to me and it was he that was stroking my face.
He smiled down at me gently as I watched him coldly.
“Lord Nightmare why don’t you change back before she gets the idea to kill you for whatever you did to her,” came the female voice.
The person, Lord Nightmare, looked up, “She’s frightened enough as it is. If I changed in front of her I would frighten her more. And she would never speak to me again.”
“Since when have you cared about that?”
Lord Nightmare scowled then right before my eyes the demon transformed into KJ. He smiled at me again just as gently as before but this smile was tainted with sadness.
I watched him warily, “What are you?”
He looked down sadly, “I’am a Nightmare. The only one that’s human. If I had known that you were the raven haired creature I attacked then I would’ve restrained me self.”
I wanted to be angry with him, I wanted to hate him. But he looked so sad and vulnerable right then.
I sat up slowly, “I guess we were both lying to each other earlier.”
He chuckled ruefully, “Yeah. So will you tell me who spelled that dagger now?”
I rolled my eyes, “Don’t like secrets do you?”
He looked up at me and flashed a toothy grin, “Nope. It is going to bug me until you tell me who did it and how they did.”
I smiled faintly, “I did, but in the form of my Midnight Sister. She went back to the roots of our powers and used the ancient magic.”
His brow furrowed, “So then what are you?”
It was my turn to look down, “I cannot tell you. I am sorry.”
He lifted my head gently by putting two fingers under my chin the same way he had before. His eyes flashed red for a split second then returned to brown as he watched me softly.
“Why don’t you introduce your friend Lord Nightmare instead of making goo-goo eyes at her,” came the female voice.
I looked over to see that the fire controlling woman was the only other person in the clearing with us.
KJ rolled his eyes saying, “Yes Em.” He chuckled, “Em, this is Allacia. Allacia, this is Em,” He whispered, “Em is a fire faerie.”
I bowed my head in greeting and spoke in the language of my people, “Mae govannen.”
Both Em and KJ stared at me. Em with shock in her eyes and face and KJ with a mild surprise mixed with desire and longing.
Depression’s voice came from behind me, “I think I am going be sick.”
I stood quickly and turned to face him before settling into a fighting stance, “Mayhap taking some of your jealousy out will make you feel better?”
Depression straightened from where he had been leaning against a tree, “I’m not jealous.”
I smiled darkly, “Yeah you are. You’re jealous because no one would ever express an interest in you.”
He growled softly, “That’s it.”
Then he launched himself at me with murder in his eyes.