ignite me / p. pevensie

chapter fifty-one

Black sand itched between Rowyn's toes as she opened her eyes and stared out at a sea of dark, midnight water. As waves crashed onto the shore, Rowyn noticed Jadis flashing between the waves. Dressed in a long black dress, she stood on the water with a wicked smile across her mouth.

A scream echoed out of the water—Peter's scream—and Rowyn instantly sprinted into the water to see Jadis now kneeling over Peter as she pinned him underneath the water and squeezed his airways. Rowyn screamed and lunged for Jadis but just before she could reach her, the scenery shifted.

Now Rowyn stood in the same hall as her dreams.

"Rowyn!" A scream echoed throughout the hall in a violent, ear-piercing tone. "Wynne, please!" Rowyn's blood ran cold as realization slammed into her chest. Standing in knee-high dark liquid, Rowyn sprinted towards the voice.

"Rowyn!" It was Lucy this time. "Please!" Another scream sounded and Rowyn knew in her chest that it was Peter.

Rowyn turned around as panicked chilled her veins. She couldn't pin point the direction as their screams of pure pain pierced through the air. Rowyn's feet took off in another sprint as Peter's heart wrenching scream sounded a little ways away from her.

"Peter!" She shouted out when Peter came into view. He was older. His cheeks bore a small amount of stubble and his jaw was much more defined than before. Her eyes widened when Jadis appeared behind him with her hand on his throat. Rowyn looked down and saw chains on his wrists and ankles. It was then when they suddenly appeared onto black sand as waves of dark water splashed onto the sea. Back onto where this all started.

Her blood froze.

"No!" She rushed forward but just before she was close enough to touch Peter, hands emerged from the liquid beneath them and pulled her away and down. Then the liquid began to rise.

"Ro-" Peter was cut off but a weak struggling breath to gain air as Jadis tightened her hold on his neck. Jadis' cold eyes watched Rowyn's every move as the liquid reached her chest and more hands pulled her back.

"Let go of him you bitch!" Rowyn struggled against the hands. The liquid was now at her throat when Jadis vanished and Peter came closer to her. Rowyn kicked the hands away and reached out for him as she struggled against the now thicker liquid. "Peter-" The liquid filled her throat and she became fully submerged in the liquid as hands wrapped around her ankle and pulled her down with a violent tug.

Opening her eyes in the liquid, she saw Peter struggling to swim after her. His face bore pain and worry as he couldn't get Rowyn in his grasp. When the metallic taste of the liquid around them burned in Rowyn's throat she realized it wasn't just a black, thick liquid. It was blood.

"Rowyn!"

Rowyn jolted up in her bed with cold sweat dripping from her back as she panted heavily and took in everything. Despite having had that same dream many times before, this time felt real. Rowyn was even surprised that her body wasn't soaked in blood from how real it felt. Her hands shook as she stood from her bed and searched around her room. "Peter?" She checked every corner of her room before venturing out to the rest of her grandmother's house. "Peter?" He was no where to be seen.

Lucille came out of her bedroom and flicked on the light to see her granddaughter frantically searching the house. "Rowyn? Are you alright?"

Rowyn turned back to her with tears in her eyes. "When was the last time you saw Peter?"

Lucille thought for a moment. "Uh—three weeks? Maybe four?"

"Oh god-" Rowyn breathed out and rushed to her room. Lucille was quick to follow after her and ask what was wrong. "Something isn't right—I can feel it. Peter's in trouble—something is wrong."

Lucille grew confused. "How can you know?"

"I keep dreaming about him being tortured by someone from my past in Narnia—but this time it felt real like a warning or l-like a vision or something, I don't know but I can't just ignore it. And beside my chest it—it all feels wrong."

Lucille began to understand. "You're going to go back, aren't you?" Lucille nodded to herself before leaving her room and walking back to the living room. Rowyn frantically packed a bag with extra clothes and water after she quickly pull on some jeans, a white tank-top and a black jacket. "Rowyn! Come here!"

Rowyn pulled the backpack onto her shoulder and hopped into her black canvas sneakers before heading into the living room. Lucille stood in front of the now open wardrobe as air blew through her hair. "Holy shit-"

"I think you're right . . . it wouldn't be open now if you weren't meant to go back." Lucille smiled sadly at her granddaughter.

"Come with me—you could be with grandpa and dad and-" Lucille placed a hand over her heart.

"Not yet dear, I still haven't even seen the Grand Canyon or been to Sweden and many other things . . . now isn't my time. I'm still young." Lucille laughed softly and brushed a piece of Rowyn's messy curls behind her ear. "I'll be okay . . . he needs you."

Rowyn opened her mouth in shock. "But you already lost dad, I can't just-"

"And I won't let you lose Peter if he's in trouble . . . go save him, Ro. I won't be alone—Rick is always with me . . . I can feel it." Lucille smiled softly.

Rowyn's eyes began to burn. "I won't leave you-"

"Yes you will . . . I'm okay, Rowyn. I'll come there soon enough . . . here-" Lucille walked to her hutch and pulled something out of one of the drawers before heading back to Rowyn. "This was Rick's—you may need it." Rowyn's eyes widened at the switchblade that rested in the box.

"Aren't these illegal or something?" Rowyn questioned and slowly took it out of the box. The handle was of dark wood with an engraving of a moth on it. Everything about it made her heart twist at the thought of her grandfather.

"Rick was very mischievous, you know that." Rowyn began to cry as she met her grandmother's gaze. "If I could've saved Rick from those men, I would've . . . but I couldn't—but you can save Peter. You have to go. You have to." Lucille brushed Rowyn's cheek.

Rowyn throat closed as she flung her arms around her grandmother and held her tightly while she did the same to Rowyn. "I love you so much." Lucille smiled into her hair as tears of her own formed in her eyes.

"So much—I'll look after the animals, they're good company." Rowyn smiled as they pulled away.

"I left letter's for Nate and Andy could you-"

Lucille nodded. "I will make sure they get them." She leaned forward and kissed Rowyn's forehead. "Now go—you shouldn't waste time." Lucille sniffled a bit and gently pushed her granddaughter closer to the wardrobe.

Rowyn took a deep breath and nodded before turning back to the wardrobe. "I love you." She repeated as she turned to give her grandmother one last glance.

Lucille smiled happily at her granddaughter and sent a wave goodbye. "I love you more than you know." And then Rowyn's vanished into thin air and the wardrobe closed.