DOUBLE UPDATE! Be sure to check out the previous chapter if you didn't already.
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As her heart calmed back down she felt another stirring in the air. The nausea was back….and that meant the mist. This time she could easily tell where it was.
"Lucy?!" she whispered in fear as she ran to the door, running as fast as she could to the room next to hers where Lucy and Gail were staying...
...
Raelyn burst into the room the same time a large thunderclap shook the boat. In the bed Lucy bolted up, breathing heavy with tear stains on her cheeks. Gail remained asleep on the other side.
"Lucy? What happened?" The girl looked up at Raelyn with wet cheeks and ran over to her, wrapping her arms tightly around her waist.
"It was awful. I wanted to be beautiful like Susan and….and I wasn't even there…..and you were gone…and no Narnia…Oh Raelyn it was awful!" Lucy hiccupped, still holding onto the taller girl. Raelyn hugged her back comfortingly, while her eyes glanced around the suite warily. Seeing no immediate danger, she gave her full attention to the girl in her arms.
"Did this have anything to do with whatever happened at the library?" Raelyn quietly asked, not wanting to wake Gail. Lucy looked up at her sharply.
"How did you know about that?" she inquired.
"I felt the mist. I don't know how I knew were it was coming from but I did and it led me to you. It was gone when I arrived. I felt it again just now." Raelyn explained. Lucy nodded silently.
"I'm sorry. I should never have taken the spell." She muttered. Raelyn reached up to run her hand over the top of Lucy's hair.
"Temptation will happen to all of us, but you knew well enough that it wasn't right. Lucy you are beautiful and don't let anyone or anything convince you otherwise." Raelyn soothed. Lucy grinned and let go of the redhead. She grinned weakly up at her.
"Thanks. I guess your gift is already coming in handy huh?" she mused with a chuckle. Raelyn grinned.
"Well at least it's something useful." Suddenly Raelyn blinked uneasily, feeling another rush of nausea.
"But I don't think this is over yet. The mist is still on the ship." she whispered before heading for the door, Lucy on her heels. Making her way rapidly through the halls below deck, Raelyn caught a glimpse of smoke turning the corner. As she bolted that direction, the ship lurched and Lucy was knocked over.
"Raelyn wait!" she called but her voice was drowned out by another thunder-clap while Raelyn raced on without her. Keeping up with the mist, she followed it down the stairs where it began encircling Caspian and Edmund in their hammocks.
"Caspian! Ed! Wake up!" Raelyn rushed over to Edmund trying to wake the boys up, coughing and trying to wave away the mist that was trying to deter her.
...
Caspian was restless in his sleep as he continued to call out for his father. Edmund glanced over at his companion but ignored it as he stared up at the ceiling, arms crossed over his chest. On the other side of Caspian, a pillar of green mist rose up.
"Edmund." A cool voice called from the pillar. Edmunds heart froze, eyes bulging in terror as he heard a voice he hoped never to experience again. Glancing over in disbelief he spotted a figure in the smoke.
"Edmund. Come with me, join me." A flash of lightning revealed the torso of the White Witch, reaching out her hand for him. Edmund froze as he stared at her.
"She won't need you anymore Edmund. Come with me, I need you my king." The icy voice taunted from the shadows. Ed finally got his body into gear and he shot up, whipping his sword to point it her direction.
...
"Edmund!" the boy nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of the voice. However, he sagged in relief as he realized it was Raelyn shaking his shoulder with worried eyes. Edmund swallowed and looked back over at the now empty wall where his sword was still aimed.
"Ed?" Raelyn questioned, glancing between him and the wall. Edmund reluctantly relaxed, forcing himself to even out his breathing.
"I'm okay Ray." He assured, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. Raelyn stared at his ashen face, knowing that wasn't totally true.
"Raelyn?!" Lucy called as she finally made it into the room.
"I thought you were right behind me?" Raelyn questioned with a frown. Lucy huffed.
"I got held up." She muttered. Raelyn and Edmund shared a wary glance. Before anything else could be said, another burst of lightning lit up the room and Caspian now shot up breathing heavily.
"Can't sleep?" Raelyn asked, her eyes solemn as she already knew the answer.
"Let me guess? Bad dreams?" Edmund muttered, looking around the room at everyone.
"So either we're all going mad…."
"…or something has been messing with our minds." Raelyn finished for Edmund. Everyone stared at her curiously. Raelyn licked her lips.
"I could feel the mist; it's been making its rounds below the deck. It's gone now." She whispered shakily. Edmund gripped her hand tighter.
"How do you know?" Edmund questioned. Raelyn shot her head up and frowned at him. He didn't believe her?
"I just do. I know it's gone. I saw it vanish here and now the sinking feeling is gone." She explained to him vehemently. Realizing he had upset her Edmund nodded meekly. The group sat in silence for a while, ignoring the storm that continued outside.
"I think we should all try to get some sleep." Caspian whispered. The girls nodded and moved to head back to the stairs. With murmurs of goodnight the girls went back to their rooms. Raelyn glanced back at Edmund who gave her a weak smile, trying not to show how shaken he had been. Walking with Lucy Raelyn's head spun with guilt. She should have prevented it shouldn't she? What use was she if she couldn't even drive away nightmares. Was there anything she can do to try and guard the others against the mist?