Claimed by the Desert

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

It was a long time before anything made sense again. Inside her dark void, it was impossible to tell what was up from down or right from left. After a while even the sounds of fighting drifted off and were replaced by an unnatural silence.

Vera had run out of ideas. She didn't want to just give up, but she knew that Amias wasn't going to let her go anytime soon, regardless of his promise. 

Gradually her surroundings began to brighten to the point she could make out walls: stone walls. Amias had his back to her, the air around him dotted with glowing specks of magic. He had discarded his vessel and was once again in his natural form. Recognizing herself to be inside his cave, Vera began to inch quietly toward the exit.

"Don't move," he ordered, not bothering to look and see whether or not she had obeyed.

Unable to control her emotions any longer, Vera began to cry. "Let me go! You swore you wouldn't hurt anyone and you broke your word!"

"And how do you know that I broke my word?" he asked, abandoning his task and turning toward her.  His red eyes were unnerving, and she had to look away.

"I heard you!" she shouted. "I heard the gunshots and the cries. I know you killed them!"

His eyes narrowed. "Do you? Did you see me kill them? Or do you just think that I did?"

Vera stood up straight and squared her shoulders. "Then let me see them. Show me they are still alive."

Amias laughed. "What and let you plan another escape? Do you think I'm stupid?"

Vera's chin wobbled in an attempt to stop crying. He rolled his eyes at her and returned to what he had been doing before.

Her curiosity eventually won out and she asked, "What are you doing?"

"I'm taking you home," he replied, distracted and only half-listening to her.

Vera's breath caught in her throat. Perhaps he had come to his senses after all!

"You mean it? I can really go home?"

He looked up, confused, his brows furrowed as he sighed and said, "Not your home, foolish girl. My home."

Her heart felt like it had taken a swan dive into her stomach. The room was spinning and she sat down heavily on the ground. He was taking her somewhere she would be unable to escape.

"But I'm not like you," she began, her brain trying to catch up to the situation. "I'm not djinn. How can I go there?"

Amias shrugged. "The same way I can be here - magic. Now be quiet. I'm trying to concentrate."

The only thing Vera could think was 'run, run, run.'  So she did – or tried to. She managed to get halfway through the exit before Amias dragged her back into the cave by her hair.

She fought and clawed, but he was extraordinarily strong and fast. She managed to land an uppercut against his chin and in retaliation he threw her against the opposite wall. Vera felt several ribs break as she landed and the breath left her lungs in one big whoosh.  She had had broken bones before, so she knew she could power through the pain. Refusing to give up, Vera began to crawl and scoot her way back toward Amias and the exit.

He stared at her like he had so many times before when he was puzzled by something she had said or done.

"You really aren't going to give up are you?" he asked, his eyes wide and appraising.

Despite being out of breath from the pain and exertion she slurred, "Never. You'll have to kill me to get me to stop fighting."

"Kill you? I don't want to kill you," he replied. "You fascinate me, Vera. Even when you're fighting me like this – especially when you're fighting."