Chapter Twenty One:

                Selena Chimes whirled around at the sound of stone crashing against marble floor. And even as she was turning, even as she was spinning, she felt a strange sensation. She was light headed and lost, not exactly rooted in her spot. But it couldn't be. What she heard couldn't be right because it would mean…it would mean…

                A dark figure came from the coffin. He was a shadow, cloaked in his darkness, a heavy blackness that surrounded him like night. He took a step forward from the coffin and then he fell. Floating down onto weak knees, his head hanging weakly. A cloak fell from his shoulders, surrounding him almost lovingly along the floor. And it bore the First House insignia.

                The vision was eerily familiar.

                Chime blinked. And blinked again. And then she swallowed because for some reason her hearing was muffled. Sounded like a waterfall crashing close to her ears. A loud white noise. And her vision was playing tricks too because that couldn't be who she thought it was. It wasn't possible.

                It wasn't possible, damn it!

                A cold shiver raced down her spine, freezing her in place so stiffly she knew it would hurt if she even breathed deeply. Her eyes were stuck to the figure resting on the floor, drawn like a magnet to the lean shoulders rising and falling with every shallow breath he took. To the slender hand that lifted and brushed away glossy black hair. And she took a staggering step, reached out unconsciously with her own hand because she wanted to touch those strands of fine black hair, wanted to know what they felt like slipping through her fingers. She wanted to know.

                And then he spoke. "What the…" he murmured under his breath and she came to a dead stop.

                His voice hung around her, surrounded her. And it echoed, she heard it echo deep inside and she closed her eyes as it lodged itself into her bones. She had never forgotten his voice. Never. But in the years that had passed she realized that the only time she had heard his voice perfectly was in her dreams. Come morning it left her and she was left alone with the old world surrounding her.

                And now. Now she heard it and she was awake and she couldn't fight the tears that sprang to her eyes. They overflowed, as if years and years of holding back sorrowful tears had caused them to amount and now they broke through and rolled down her cheeks, soaking her skin.

                It felt blissfully new.

                Thea stared at the young man on his knees, eyes wide. It was him. Rayne Endymion. Awake. Before her and no longer a dream or vision. He was flesh and blood. And dragon magic.

                Chime opened her eyes, lips parting as she tasted her tears. And then his eyes lifted and she was rushed by beautiful memories. Visions of amber soaps and candles swarmed her mind but they had done him no justice. Never had they come close to what she saw now. And she saw honey, rich and amber, thick and inviting. A sea of golden brown that she knew would be hot if she immersed herself in it. Slanted eyes, surrounded by thick lashes, such long beautiful youthful eyes.

                "Selena?" he asked, those wonderful amber eyes narrowed with sleep.

                She felt herself nod slowly, mouth drawing into a tight line. And her legs barely listened as she commanded herself to take a step. One step to bring her closer to him, within arms reach. She couldn't take the distance anymore, not anymore.

                He stared back at her as she came close, hands palm up on his knees. He looked so young. Lost. She wanted to tuck him away in her pocket and protect him. And she embraced the urge because it took her back through time, passed the few weeks, back to a time when his was the face she had depended on to live through the day.

                He closed his eyes, bowing his head. "Why do I feel so weak?" he asked against his chest and he closed his hands into fists. Black smoke began to life from his body, emanating from every pore of his body. And the growl, the strange growl. It came from him. His voice was quiet, as gentle as it had always been but there was an edge there, a weakness in its depths.

                Chime knew what he was doing. She had done it herself only moments before. Using the black energy to revive sore or sleeping muscles, or to speed along recovery. Forcing strength into a weary body. He did it now, waking himself slowly, gently.

                She took another step reluctantly, her hand still outstretched toward him.

                Please let me touch you…

                And then something happened. Too many things happened at once. Cassandra was moving in her peripheral vision, she realized it hazily because she couldn't take her eyes away from Rayne. And then Thea's voice broke through the din of white noise, crying shrilly, "Chime! Cassandra!" The cry even made Rayne look. Amber eyes narrowing as he frowned toward the Harman.

Cassandra's face had gone dark. Chime saw it when she whirled to look at her. And her arm was rising, glowing a brilliant purple.

                It was all too fast, much too fast. Cassandra's arm was up and she was pointing a slender hand toward Rayne, deadly intent on her face, marring her perfect beauty. Rayne was only then turning his face up to look toward Cassandra and his amber eyes narrowed all the more, confusion written clear across his lovely face.

                And she couldn't stand it. She didn't want it this way. She wasn't going to allow it to unfold like this.

                A scream broke from her throat, ripping painfully. She was throwing herself forward instinctively, no longer caring whether she survived because she had gotten her chance. She reveled in her freedom of movement, thanked the Goddess she had gotten one last chance to use it before dying. And then she was before Rayne, whirling away from him as he lifted surprised amber eyes to her and she threw her arms up.

                "Chime!"

                She didn't know who called it. A moment later she couldn't have cared less. She caught a glance of purple energy and the glance turned into a slow moment of light. It took up all the space, blocked everything else from view. Then the pain came, a brief jolt along her stomach and that was overwhelmed by a sudden force gripping her. She was flung backward, she saw her surroundings swirling around her, and she was swatted down like an insect. Her body slammed against a hard but yielding surface and then she finally hit the floor.

                Thea scrambled to her feet, lifting away from Blaise. Chime was down, she could see the limp body sprawled across Rayne's long frame and she was mad. Never had she been so mad. Not since she had put away that damned ghost and stopped her fits of murder. She clenched her fists and felt her witch power flare up and damn it all if it didn't feel good to release energy. "Let me out!" she shouted and she swung her fists, the bright light streaking out and striking the wall of purple witch magic. "Let…me…out!"

                Cassandra looked toward her, eyes dark and moist with fury.

                Rayne sat up a bit, cradling Chime's figure in his arms. For a moment he didn't look like he could speak and Thea looked at him, holding back for a second as he merely stared at Chime's limp form. "Chime…" he whispered, as soft as a breath of air. "Chime..?"

                Cassandra turned her head to glower at him.

                And he shook Chime, his hands closing around her shoulders from behind. He hesitated, staring at the material of her jacket and he gazed at her face from above, black hair hanging in glossy locks about his forehead. "Chime…"

                It seemed to be all he could say. His lips were parted as if he wanted to say more but then he wrapped his arms around her limp shoulders and lowered his head against her shoulder, his lips pressed to the nape of her neck, outside along her leather jacket.

                Thea swallowed, muscles tense. "Is she dead?" she asked quietly, her voice firm. She stared at Rayne and he didn't respond, his head bowed along Chime's. Thea turned her glare on Cassandra. "Damn it, you bitch! Is she dead?" she demanded.

                The witch exhaled. "I hope so." She said wearily.

                Rayne's amber eyes came open, the irises shimmering, and he turned his head slowly, ever so slowly, to focus a burning glare at Cassandra.

                Chime's eyes came open, her face streaked with tears. She coughed, stiffening in Rayne's arms and sucked in a deep breath wincing. Her arm came up to clutch at her stomach and she coughed again, breathing hoarsely.

                "She's alive." Winnie breathed.

                Chime's head fell to the side along Rayne's shoulder. She blinked painfully and her gaze came to rest on his tomb lid. She remembered reading her name. It had been her name. Why had it been written across his tomb?

                She reached out weakly, forcing her arm to move along the floor until her fingers touched the lid of the tomb. Rayne shifted under her, grip tight and she stretched painfully, grimacing. Her fingers caused the lid to rock on its rounded face and she lifted it weakly, her sleepy eyes skimming the dragon writing.

                "…a great wrong committed on the day of battle between Great Witch Mother Hecate and the dragon people…" she read, whispering to herself, gasping as scorching agony raced through her body.

                "Chime." Rayne said against her ear, his breath warm.

                "Wait…wait…" she said softly, squinting to read, to correct her blurry vision. "'For my friend, Selena, who was on this day, wronged by the witches. Should her fingers perchance touch upon this cold stone, the Eternal Slumber will fall away to reunite and spark the Power of the Soulmates.'"

                She stopped reading, lips parted in disbelief.

                Hellewise. Hellewise had done this.

                "Rayne!" Thea shouted and he looked at her automatically. She stared back, brown eyes angry. "Let us out! We can help you but you have to let us out!"

                Cassandra floated forward, looking down upon him and Chime with an arched eyebrow.

                "Stay back." He growled at her, face dark, his arms clutching Chime tightly.

                "You are weak, dragon." She said quietly. "You can do nothing to hurt me. But I have the power to heal her." She added, motioning to Chime.

                "I can rip you apart." He retorted, eyes hooded. "You may have the power to heal but you wield the power to harm." He shook his head slowly, black locks curling around his eyes. "I don't trust in it. Nor in you."

                Chime's hand suddenly caught his wrist tightly and he looked down at her.

                She seemed sleepy, tears shimmering in her eyes. "You're too weak to fight." She said softly, shaking her head wearily. "You just woke up. It's between her and myself. I will face her."

                "No!" Thea shouted, hands clenched tightly. She took a step forward but Thierry reached out, hauling her back just as she nearly stepped into the purple wards. She struggled against the Night lord, freeing herself from him. "She plays dirty, Rayne! Don't let her fight anymore!"

                Chime was still looking at him when he turned his attention back to her. There was a tender expression on her peaceful face and it tore his heart in two. Her lips parted and she laughed quietly, almost lifting a hand to his face. "I missed you…"

                He shook his head at her in wordless confusion.

                But she was pushing him away, rising into a sitting position and leaning against him weakly.

                "Don't let her fight!" Thea shouted again.

                "It's my fight." Chime said to her, shoulders hunched as she inhaled. "I started this. I can end it." She pulled away from Rayne a bit, rolling onto her knees. Black power misted from her body before suddenly bursting powerfully, one small explosion of darkness. Her muscles slowly began to close over, her skin healing, dragon blood pounding in her ears.

                Rayne let her go uncertainly, fingers falling away from her shoulders.

                "Are we to end it then, Selena?" Cassandra asked, watching the dragon rise onto wobbly legs.

                Chime looked at her. "Just you and me, Cassandra. Hit me with whatever you've got." She growled and she tried to steady herself. She was hunched over her wound and she couldn't straighten fully. Not just yet. But she looked out from under her curtain of blond hair, her blue eyes darkening.

                Cassandra's face shifted at the last moment, a smile curling her lips. "All right, Selena." She said with a regal nod. "This is for all the trouble you've given me the last twenty years. This is for all you could've been…but won't be." Something glistened in her hand, bursting out from her fist and she spread her fingers, clawing them around an orb of pulsing purple light.

                Chime stared at her outstretched hand warily. Then she raised her gaze and lifted her own hand, opening a fist. An identical orb of black dragon power swirled to life, hovering in her palm. Colors danced across its surface, spraying light along the walls and pillars of the First house.

                Cassandra nodded once. "This is for the life I will have once you are out of it." She said quietly.

                Chime bowed her head wearily, forcing more strength into the ball of energy spinning in her palm.

                "You," Cassandra uttered slowly, and then her face morphed. Anger swept through it, leaving behind a mask of ugliness that only evil could appreciate, "And your soulmate!"

                She threw up her hand and purple bolts of magic streaked out, forking through the air like natural lightning. Almost as beautiful as the magic Great Witch Mother Hecate had called.

                The purple magic streaked passed Chime, causing her to cringe reflexively and then from behind her Rayne cried out. She whirled and the purple light was enveloping him. It almost seemed gentle. Soothing. Then he slammed backward onto the marble floors and he slid into a coffin, falling away as witch wards shoved away his offensive form.

                Chime took a step in his direction and time slowed.

                'Darling…'

                He lay still across the floor, along his back, the front of his Royal House uniform burnt and charred. He hadn't been wearing armor that day so long ago and he wasn't wearing it now.

                'Has no one ever read your mind? Listened to your thoughts?'

                Bright red blood dripped to the floor around him, a pool widening, stretching out under his prone form, staining his cloak.

                'Is that sarcasm I detect in your beautiful voice?'

                Someone was screaming, forcing his voice to become muffled as it played in her mind. She pushed the sound down, pushed it away to hear him better.

                'You came.'

                Of course she would have gone. She would have gone to the ends of the Earth. She would have done anything for him, anything he had asked. And that was Rayne. He never asked because he knew, in due time, he would receive.

                His arms were splayed out, fingers curled, and his face was turned away. All she could see was the hard line of his jaw. And the glossy black hair, always wild, along his temples.

                'Selena.'

                Her name whispered by him. Always his voice. Amber-colored if she could see it. Thick. Warm.

                A shiver raced down her spine. It was a warning. And she allowed it to guide her, to control her body because her mind was far away, in a different time.

                'A creature!'

                She whirled, the world around her a dizzying blur of color and light. Something was headed her way and someone was screaming but she didn't understand what was being said.

                'Would you sacrifice me to save your prince?'

                Her hand circled up over her head and came down, the black orb twirling in her palm. She pointed it out and black rays broke out, streaking out in perfect beams. It reached toward the floor, toward the ceiling and it smashed as it flew, almost like a spider skittering across the surfaces. The bright light hurtling towards her smashed against the solid block of the dark beams, striking it with a resounding thump. The powers clashed, sparks sizzling upon contact.

                'Answer me!'

                She stared at the energy blankly, remembering her pain and her sorrow that day. She had needed to know. Wanted to know. And what else could she have expected?

                The energy coming from her suddenly strengthened, flared with her emotion and Cassandra's magic was thrust back upon her. The dark witch shrieked, throwing her hands up to protect herself and then she was flying backward, smashing into the far wall with a muffled yelp.

                Chime lowered her hand slowly. She wasn't paying attention, wasn't in control. It was her body and her emotions were ruling it because she wasn't there to lead anything. She saw Cassandra leaning against the far wall weakly, was aware that she had her hands out at her sides, holding her up. The witch's knees trembled, and were buckling.

                'Would you sacrifice me?'

                She questioned him once more. Questioned herself. Where had she gone wrong? Or had she always been wrong?

                She moved automatically as Cassandra tried to lift herself away from the wall. She bent, hands going for her boots and she caught hold of her pocket knives, one in each hand. No more chances. No more caring. She straightened in one fluid movement, launching the knives.

                Cassandra screamed as one knife tore through her right hand, trapping it to the wall. And then the other ripped into her left and her body was spread-eagled. Her wide eyes flew from her pinned hands to Chime, face paling.

                'Yes. Yes, I would.' Rayne said in a ghost of a whisper.

                Chime gazed at the frightened witch, tears stinging her eyes. He would sacrifice me, Cassandra. But I could never sacrifice him…

                A sob threatened to burst from her throat. Instead she lifted her arms, tilting her head far back. She saw the cracked ceiling, felt the sunlight. And she screamed, a pure sorrowful wail that echoed in the halls, breaking the serenity and signaling the storm.

                The world exploded in darkness.