Honesty Falls

2zero

A scream was torn from her throat. She'd screamed so much her throat hurt and her voice was hoarse, but she couldn't remember why she was screaming.

"Calm, Nevaeha, I will ease you."

Words she didn't recognize were chanted over her. Her racing heart calmed and the terror she'd been gripped in moments ago vanished.

"Conway? What happened?" She asked as soon as she could. She was in her room, in her bed.

"You've been screaming like a stupid bitch for hours. Much longer and I would have gladly gone to hell. I'd sell my soul for the chance to make you scream like that."

"Nightmare." Conway told her, patting her hand. "You're safe now."

"I tried to wake you, Neevy. A lot."

Yeah, she gathered that because her cheek was stinging. She and Silas really needed to have a talk about him slapping her.

"This imbecile should have called us. Severe damage was done tonight."

"Neevy, tell him he can't talk to me like that. It was a nightmare. I figured you wouldn't want me to call the whole town about a nightmare. By the time you were hurt, they were here."

"Silas, it's okay. Why don't you try to get back to sleep?"

He looked disgusted but nodded and closed the door after him.

When she tried to sit up, Sebastian stopped her. "Stay. You're not ready to move."

"If Silas didn't call both of you, why are you here?"

Conway patted her hand again and offered her a teacup. "Drink. It will help work out whatever sleeping potion you used. You weren't easy to wake up, Nevaeha. It was much too strong a potion. Why did you need a sleeping potion? I hope this isn't something you do often."

"No. I just needed to sleep. What do you mean, I did harm tonight?"

"Wade called the council because Vallen went crazy. He was attacking anyone who got close to him, and he was searching for something."

She paled.

"At first I thought it was the spell wearing off, then I worried it meant something was wrong with you, so I had Sebastian bring me here."

"It was just a nightmare. I've been having them ever since__."

"I don't think it was just a nightmare, Nevaeha." Sebastian's voice was laced with worry.

Conway nodded. "He's right, Nevaeha. Look at your arm."

Looking down, she saw that her arm was wrapped in a towel that was already soaked with blood. She folded back the towel to find a cut down the length of her arm.

"I don't feel anything."

Conway nodded. "We did a spell so you wouldn't. Julio is on the way so he can sew you up."

"I don't understand. How did a dream do this? Why can't I remember__."

"We did a spell for that, too. When we couldn't calm you. We figured the most important thing was to see to your care first, then wonder what in the hell is going on."

Conway sounded calm, but she could see the unease in his eyes.

"Is Vallen alright? Does he remember me?" She asked him.

"Not yet, but it's only a matter of time."

Sebastian nodded. "He's okay. We put him to sleep. That was the only way to calm him down. It wasn't easy. He's strong. It took both of us."

"And we did a spell to undo some of the damage your calling out for him might have done."

Her stomach felt queasy. "I was calling out for him?"

"Yes, my dear."

Conway sat next to her on her bed and Sebastian stood close on the other side. While Conway urged her to drink more, Sebastian studied her intently.

"You're having doubts, aren't you, Nevaeha? Regret?"

She sighed and nodded at Sebastian. "Tons of doubt and regret. How could I not? I know I had no choice, but I also feel like I've betrayed him. I hate that feeling."

"We'll figure out the answer in time. Right now, __."

"Conway, can't you see that she's making herself sick with all of this? It's too much for her."

"It's not too much for her. It might seem like it, but Nevaeha can handle it."

"There's more." She admitted. "I'm being haunted by the boy Vallen killed. He doesn't let me have a moment's peace. I still have nightmares about his death. How cold-blooded it was. About how Vallen didn't care about anything but ending him. That's why I took such a strong sleeping powder. I had to stop hearing him. I had to get sleep. Don't even get me started on the stress of living with Silas and how worried I am about Bethany."

"You should have told us, Nevaeha."

"Conway, there's nothing either of you can do. The only way to keep Pike away is to bind him to a place or an object, and I'm not prepared to do that. At least not yet."

Sebastian shook his head. "You cannot continue to let him torment you."

"Eventually, he'll wear out and have to rejuvenate. He's held out longer than most new ghosts could."

"And once he's stronger? My dear, he could haunt you forever if he wants. Bind him." Conway said.

"I can't. He had a terrible life, and he deserves an afterlife. If I bind him, I'll be denying him that. I can't do that."

Conway sighed. "We'll figure that out, too. First thing first, I'm going to let Julio in and fix you some more tea. You'll going to need it while he sees to your arm."

She turned to Sebastian. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to worry you so much."

"Your life has become complicated."

"Tell me about it."

"You remind me of your mother."

"I look nothing like her. I remember when I was younger, I wished my hair was alive like hers."

He smiled a little. "That's exactly how to describe her hair."

"True." She frowned. "I thought you didn't know my mother that well."

"I didn't. She was a hard person to get to know, but I know you take after her in a lot of ways. Like her ability to forget about her own welfare in her desire to save someone else."

"That was my mom. I used to be so upset with her because she was so obsessed with saving me, she didn't take the time to know me."

"Remember that upset, Nevaeha, and don't become as obsessed as she was."

They both heard the footsteps coming up the stairs.

"I'll leave Conway and Julio to it."

He looked so stricken that she smiled. "Don't like the sight of blood?"

"Tell Conway to send for me when it's time to find out what happened to you."