Chapter 6:

I allowed Daemonar to throw his arm around my shoulder without much fuss. Daemon strode ahead of us, ignoring my brother's saucy jibes. Lorn had dismissed us with an airy snort, and Daemonar had greeted us at the entrance to the chamber. I did not bother to ask how he had known where we were.

"We will stay here at the Keep. Your training starts tomorrow at dawn." The Black Widow ahead of us said curtly. Then he entered into one of the rooms off of the hall, leaving us.

Daemonar stopped and looked at me thoughtfully. "Are you alright? You look pale."

"I'm fine." He put a hand on my shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze.

"Andie, I just don't want you to get hurt."

I tried to pull away. "I don't need your protection." I mumbled.

He smiled. "I know." He pulled me close and rested his chin on top of my head. "Don't be stupid." I snorted. Me, stupid? Never. He pulled back and looked at me sternly. "I'm serious."

"I'll do my best."

He ruffled my hair playfully. "I know you will." He grabbed my wrist and yanked me down the hallway. "Come on little witchling, you have a lot to do in the morning."

I would soon find that neither of us had any idea as to how much "a lot" really was.

I wished I hadn't woken up that morning. I really, truly wish I hadn't. I sat down on the stone bench and wiped a trickle of nervous sweat from my forehead. Daemon just had to announce that I would be making the Offering. At six in the bloody morning. It was not really the morning part that bothered me, it was simply that he chose for me to do it without my knowing. If Jaenelle was not my mother, I would have found a very sneaky underhanded way to castrate him. Let's see how menacing the Sadist is without his balls.

I shivered and looked at the stone slab in front of me, placing my hands on its cold surface. What did Saetan say to do? Go down as far as I could? Shit. How far was "as far as I could?" Until it hurt? Until I couldn't mentally go any farther? Until my brain exploded all over this nice stone? I can't believe the male intellect sometimes.

I let myself drift down slowly, as he had instructed, letting my mind float down like a feather riding a soft breeze. I watched the colors around me. Mother Night, this was bizarre. Yellow lights flashed and danced around me, beckoning yet austere. After a few moments, I was encircled by Rose. I continued my mental trip down the ranks. I remember Green being particularly dazzling, a rich forest color. I felt as though I could bask forever in it. However, when I hit the Sapphire, things began to change. Everything felt . . . restricted and tight around me. I ignored the slight buzz in my head and kept going. When I first saw the Red I had to gasp. It was beautiful, in a dangerous, blood washed way. The Gray was lit by flashes of white. It reminded me of the mountains in Glacia. I was amazed I had made it that far. I reached the Ebon-Gray with some apprehension. Common sense told me I couldn't go farther, but it didn't hurt me to. Saetan said to go as far as I could, so I kept going. Shit. Everything went black.

When I came back to reality, my knees buckled. My head felt like it was about to implode. I was too fatigued to even care what level I had descended to. If I had descended at all. My eyes fluttered closed, and I felt two strong arms wrap around me. The hands felt rough against my overly sensitive skin.

"You are lucky, Anduvian Yassslana. You ssshould be dead, but sssomehow you are ssstill ssstanding." I heard Draca click her tongue as she dragged me away from the stone slab.

I hate feeling weak. My worst nightmare is to be one of those "damsels in distress," but here I go again, blacking out. I've done that a lot lately. Mother Night.

A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews on the previous chapters! They all made me smile!