After The End, by lyradaemon
Chapter 7 – Dream Made Flesh
Disclaimer: It belongs to Anne Bishop (I would like to put a claim on Daemon though…)
Right, here's the next instalment – enjoy!
Several months had passed since that day when Daemon had ascended into the abyss and things had continued as always. Jaenelle was starting to fill out slightly, which had meant a frantic shopping trip to find dresses that actually fitted and to Daemon's dismay, he had been included in the outing. He'd left the shops unscathed, but he still shuddered whenever he went anywhere near them.
Still, Jaenelle seemed happier than ever before and Daemon wouldn't change that for the world. His words must have struck at something in her which had made her look at herself properly for the first time in years, and Daemon hoped that she was finally coming to accept that she was who she was and there was nothing she could do to change it.
However, there was one small thing which was bothering Jaenelle at the moment. The Dream that she had had all those months ago still hadn't come true as she had expected. It worried her that it had been so long; while Lucivar and Surreal reckoned that it just wasn't going to come true, Saetan disagreed – as did Daemon, privately. It seemed strange that a Dream like that – and one of Jaenelle's – should remain unfulfilled and right now, anything even slightly odd worried him because he was concerned for Jaenelle and their unborn baby. He didn't want anything to trouble her, especially something like this, and he would do anything to take that anxiety away. But he couldn't.
Lucivar had been a wonderful help in the last few weeks, comforting whenever something happened with Jaenelle and the baby – the slightest cramp had Daemon almost white with fear (something which greatly amused Lucivar) – and he would offer plenty of soothing advice to keep his worries at bay. Surreal also found the whole business very amusing, claiming that she never thought a baby could scare Daemon so much, a comment which had earned her several frosty stares.
All the same, things had been moving on pretty normally, and Daemon was grateful for it.
Jaenelle and Daemon were walking outside, revelling in the first dry day in a week; Jaenelle more so than Daemon. He had been quite content to stay inside with a book as he had a headache, but she had insisted (she was suspiciously good at it), telling him how good the fresh air would be for him etc. Although he was convinced by this argument he had given in, and so he soon found himself outside in the cold.
"Are you sure this is good for me?" Daemon asked through chattering teeth. "I'm sure it's far too cold."
"Oh Daemon, you're being pathetic. Fresh air is good for you."
"So you say," he muttered under his breath.
"Besides, it's much better than being cooped up indoors," she continued.
"That's your opinion Jaenelle. As for myself, I'm liking the cooped up idea."
The continued walking for a while, Jaenelle talking happily all the while about the baby. Suddenly Daemon stumbled and reached out to hold onto something, which happened to be Jaenelle. She gasped at the sudden weight, but held onto him all the same.
"Daemon are you alright?" She asked, worried.
Daemon was clutching his head, panting slightly. "I just felt really dizzy and sick," he said breathlessly.
"Are you OK? Do you want to go inside?" She felt his forehead. "You feel really hot; I think you need to go and lie down. Come on." She put her arm around his waist and together they walked slowly back to their room.
When they got there Jaenelle quickly helped him out of his outdoor clothes and had him lie down on the bed. She felt his forehead again, frowning.
"I'll go and make you something to drink," she said. "It'll bring you're temperature down and make you feel more comfortable. I won't be long." And after checking that he was comfortable, she left to prepare the drink.
Daemon just lay on the bed with his eyes closed. He'd been feeling more or less fine just ten minutes before, despite the headache (which, he had to admit, had been fading), so why had he suddenly felt so unwell? He was so rarely ill that it worried him. Despite the thoughts whirling inside his head, he eventually drifted off into a shallow, dream-filled sleep.
Jaenelle opened the door and tiptoed over to where Daemon lay. He seemed to be sleeping, but she shook him lightly to wake him up and give him the draught. Except he didn't stir. She tried again, a little more firmly, but still she got no reaction out of him. Frowning, she felt for his pulse and was startled to find that it was faint – too faint.
"Daemon, wake up," she tried again. "Daemon!" Searching around the room for inspiration as to what to do, she had an idea. Quick as lightning she descended into the abyss, searching for his familiar presence. He wasn't among the lighter Webs, so she sank further down.
When she got to the Black she felt him. He was there, but there was something wrong, something terribly wrong. What…?
Then it struck her. He was trapped. He had a raging fever, that much she could tell from his body outside the abyss. So he must have descended, hoping his body could recover the necessary strength from the Black to support and heal himself. But somehow – she couldn't begin to guess how – his mind or his body had cut off his connection to his Jewels and their massive strength. It was as if he had created a barrier within himself such that he was completely blocked off from his psychic reservoir and now he couldn't rise out from the abyss. Without access to his psychic abilities he had no way of escaping. He was completely trapped.
Jaenelle soared out of the abyss so quickly she felt winded when she came back to herself. Gulping in deep breaths, she threw out a psychic spear-thread: Papa!
What is it Witch-child?
Oh Papa, please come quickly! I need you…
What's wrong?
It's Daemon! He's…I don't know, he's ill…really ill. I don't know what to do!
Calm down Jaenelle, stop panicking. Now, tell me what's wrong with Daemon.
I don't know, I told you! Oh please Papa, please come and help, I think he's dying… Jaenelle wailed. What was going to happen to Daemon?
Ok, I'm coming. Where are you?
In our room. Oh hurry Papa, please! And with that Saetan broke the connection.
What was going to happen to Daemon? What was going to happen to all of them?
There was a brief knock on the door before it flew open and Saetan, followed by Lucivar, literally tumbled in. Lucivar went straight to where his brother lay lifeless, while Saetan turned on Jaenelle.
"Now, tell me exactly what happened Jaenelle. Don't leave anything out – it could be the difference between saving and losing him."
Despite the tears which ran down her face and the sobs which wracked her body, Jaenelle recounted as best she could everything that had happened since they had woken up that morning. When she got to the part about going into the abyss, Saetan's face turned white and Lucivar looked positively terrified.
"Trapped? In the abyss?" Saetan asked. "What does that mean?"
"It means he's now blocked off from the abyss. He went down there to heal his body – as he wears the Black it would take a shorter time – but something, some illness attacked his mind and he built up a barrier around it. So now he can't access the psychic channels in the abyss to get out again."
"Can't we talk to him? Get him to put his barriers down?" Lucivar asked desperately, fists clenched.
"How?" Jaenelle asked despondently. "The only way to communicate with someone when they're in the abyss is psychically – you can either descend to their level or talk to them directly from outside it. It's much easier if you're familiar or very close to that person. But as he's barricaded himself in, you can't get anything past those barriers to him. And Daemon can shut off his mind from other people better than almost everyone – there's no way you could even slip the smallest psychic spear-thread past."
"So what the hell do we do? We can't just stand around and do nothing!" Lucivar snapped.
"Well where are all your bright ideas then?" Jaenelle snarled. "I don't see you doing anything constructive."
"Children! Please, this isn't helping anyone, least of all Daemon," Saetan interrupted. "I think that we should send for Karla and Morghann and see if they can help Jaenelle at all. The more people working on this the better."
Jaenelle nodded wearily. She already felt absolutely exhausted and she hadn't done anything yet except squabble childishly with Lucivar.
She looked down at her love sleeping so peacefully there; ironic considering the battle that his body and mind were waging against each other. She felt the tears prick her eyes again, then slide unchecked down her still damp cheeks.
"Oh Daemon, my darling, what is happening? What's wrong with you? I want to help you so much but I feel so lost without you here…" she whispered.
She felt an arm slip around her shoulders and looked up through tear-blurred eyes to see Lucivar looking concernedly at her. She tried to smile, but found herself crying even harder. Lucivar wrapped her in his arms, holding her tightly, letting her tears flow.
"It'll be alright Jaenelle. Daemon will get better, I know he will," he whispered into her hair.
But they both knew he was only saying that to comfort her. Daemon's life hung by a thread, and if they didn't act soon, they would lose him to the depths of the abyss forever.
A/N: So…what will happen next? Keep reading to find out. And send those reviews people! Please!