Soul Seeker

42: Darius

She woke in a soft, warm bed with weak light filtering in through a lattice window.

Her thoughts seeped as slow as birch sap, and her head hurt. Where was she? Why did she recognise this place? Where were Fell, Isa and Sebastian?

The wolves.

Morrigan.

The landslide...

The ringing in her ears gradually faded and she realised how silent the room was compared to the wind and chaos she had been struggling through... how long ago? How long had she been out?

"Ciara." A pale-haired figure appeared in the doorway.

Panic spiked through her.

Him.

Fell's enemy, the man who had turned her into a would-be murderer. Ciara bolted to her feet, and immediately swayed.

"Hey. Be careful," Darius said softly.

His voice did not register with the perception of him she had built in her head during the journey.

What was going on? Was this a dream?

He moved suddenly and with surprising swiftness, and every muscle in her body tensed.

"Don't –!" Ciara flung her palms up.

Darius's arms went around her, and he pulled her into a tight embrace.

Ciara stood stiffly against him, confusion making her head whirl. He wasn't attacking her. She had been wrong... Hadn't she? The fight began to slowly leak out of her body, and she melted against him, gripping the back of his familiar silver robe. Cali had made this one to replace the one he had ruined when he helped Ciara out of the bog...

"Are you in pain?" Darius murmured.

He stroked her hair, letting her rest her head on his shoulder, and suddenly Ciara found herself fighting back tears.

"Yes," she said in a tremulous voice.

"Oh, Ciara, I'm so sorry. I should never have sent you away from Nome, I regretted it the minute you left. What was I thinking? I should never have put you in danger, and I understand if you can never forgive me for that."

"Tonraq..."

"He lost a lot of blood, but I've cleaned and treated his wounds, bandaged them tightly, and he's sleeping for now. Magdal insisted on taking him to her house so she could watch over him."

"He's alive?"

"Yes."

Relief thundered through her.

"He's... alive..." she whispered, sagging against Darius and letting him hold her up.

"He's alive, Ciara, he's alive."

She buried her head in his shoulder, fighting back a sob.

"I can't believe you've been gone for so long. As soon as you left, I just wanted you to come home," Darius said. "Sweetheart, what has happened to you?"

She tried to resist the sudden urge to tell him everything. Even his smell was achingly familiar, and everything, the room, his hands, his hair, all of it spoke of home.

I'm home.

"Don't you want to let go now? Put your burdens down, let yourself rest..." He stroked her hair rhythmically.

It sounded like he knew... But no, how could he? He didn't, he couldn't.

"I'm so tired," she whispered.