The Centaur and Me

~20~

~20~

"I knew I'd see you again,"

I looked around, searching for the voice. I'd heard it before...

"You're noticing things, they're changing aren't they, Sayuri?" The voice echoed around me. I didn't know where I was. Unlike the last dream, I wasn't in the dark or chained up. I wasn't entirely free though. Instead of chains, a rope tied around my right foot bound me to an unknown source.

"Who are you?" I asked, sinking to the ground.

"You're asking the wrong questions, child,"

I huffed in frustration. The wrong questions? What on earth was that supposed to mean?

"You surely know the answers you're really after," the voice purred, a crackling in my ears as I felt a sudden buzz of electricity hum through my body. "Yes, that's it,"

"What is happening?" I asked cautiously.

"Go on,"

I cast my mind back to my tingling arm yesterday, to the tree sapling that formed in the palm of my hand.

"What is happening...to me?" I asked, the words like lumps in my throat.

"Your power is awakening, the Red Moon is almost upon us," the voice thundered around me. "I told you child, war is coming,"

"But what does that have to do with me? What power do I have?" I whispered into the void.

"You'll understand soon enough," the voice responded. "You must find Eydis,"

"What is Eydis?" I asked, standing slowly, testing the tension of the rope around my leg.

"Another wrong question, child,"

"Are you even going to help me?!" I snapped. A chuckle echoed around me, it sounded distant, yet it rang through my ears.

"Alright, little one, I shall help you. The questions you should be asking is who is Eydis? Eydis is the bridge that you need to harness your power, to control and master it,"

I felt a sudden pounding in my head, almost as if I had been hit across the front of my head. Somewhere in the distance, a flash of lightning appeared, stunningly bright and worsening the pounding. My hands flew up to shield my face, as I gritted my teeth.

"I have to leave you again, little one. I'm sorry, my time is not yet, but yours is coming," the voice seemed muffled. Around me, the wind seemed to whisper, a million different voices all fighting to get into my head. The whispers began to rise, my hands desperately covering my ears trying to block them out.

"Sayuri," they begged. "Let us in!"

I squeezed my eyes shut, the pounding becoming unbearable. My fingers sinking themselves into my hair as I fought to keep them out.

"Sayuri!"

"Sayuri!"

~~~~~~~

"Sayuri?"

My eyes shot open and I sat bolt upright, gasping for air. My head ached, a powerful throbbing at the front of my skull. I groaned, my voice feeling coarse as I realised my hands were still covering my ears.

"Love, are you alright?" Rio's voice was gentle and full of concern. I hadn't realised, but he'd sat up with me, his hand on the small of my back, thumb rubbing in gentle circles. It took a couple of deep breaths to control my breathing, to calm myself down.