A Thousand Year Obsession ✔

17. Don't Endanger Yourself

17. Don't Endanger Yourself

"Morgana!"

The shout awoke me instantly, but I couldn't move anything as a sudden icy grip wrapped it's claws around me. Cold slipped through my blood, hovering on the edges of my skin, pulling up my hairs, locking my muscles, and sending wracking shiver after shiver through my body. My eyes cracked open slowly, glancing all around me at the layer of snow covering the ground. Frost coated my bare skin.

"Morgana!" The shout came again, and some part of the back of my mind recognized it as Derek's voice, though I was too frozen to process it directly. "Morgana! Come back! You'll freeze! I'm sorry! Morgana!"

I shivered into myself, teeth chattering inconsistently as I struggled to wrap my arms around myself.

"H-Help." I mumbled. "C-co-cold."

A faint rustling sounded behind me and my name rang panicked through the air again. I let out a faint hiss as a figure stumbled through the underbrush, washing cold air over my body. My eyes locked on his form as Derek spun around quickly, his eyes drooping in relief for a brief moment when he noticed me before they lit up in panic once more.

"Morgana!" He lurched towards me and knelt beside my huddled form, swiftly brushing off the frost and snow before pulling me into his arms.

I melted into his warmth, shuddering uncontrollably. "C-cold." I stuttered.

"Shh, Morgana," He mumbled, gently rocking me back and forth. "You're alright. You'll be fine. You're safe."

He lifted me up into his arms and swiftly strode through the woods, keeping his eyes ahead, and occasionally glancing down to ensure I was alright.

Eventually I found myself drifting back into the gentle peace of unconsciousness.

° ° °

"Hurry." The urgent hiss sounded from just beside me, but I couldn't find the time to glance back as I quickly crept through the silent streets, keeping to the shadows wrapping round the corners of the building.

"I know, Sally." I whispered back, freezing against a wall as a figure crossed the road in front of us. "Be quiet."

Nothing answered me besides a small shift of cloth, and I started forward once more as the figure disappeared round another corner. I made towards the small houses farther down from the shops, hoping to find some kind of shelter for the night.

Then, suddenly, bright light flashed over the roofs above us, streaming down towards us with a swift determination. I glanced behind me, terrified eyes locking on Sally's.

"Run!" She cried, and we both broke into a instant dash towards the closest house.

I threw open the wooden door and stumbled inside, my eyes flitting all around the small space. My gaze landed on the tall figure of a boy standing frozen before me and I inhaled sharply. The small vile clutched in his palm shattered and my eyes flitted towards it in surprise.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" I cried.

Soft murky blonde hair fell over his wide green eyes as his head tilted down towards the broken vile. Blood began spilling over his pale skin, but he only stared at it for a moment more before glancing back up towards me.

Sally stumbled into the house and shut the door behind her, sliding the bolt across the light wood. She turned around towards me, freezing when her eyes locked on the two of us staring at each other in astonishment. Sally glanced at the boy's hand and her jaw clenched.