Chapter 8: Mother

The wind rushed past her with full force and when she thought she could no longer hold on, it stopped. She felt herself being lowered to the ground. She was in pain. Her arm felt too heavy to carry and she felt like ripping it off.

Her eyes fluttered open when her back hit a tree.

"Aurora," his coarse hands caressed her face gently. His face loomed down on her, no longer foreign and pale like a corpse but even better, more beautiful.

"You're safe," she smiled weakly, reaching up for his face. Her fingers traced his features, his eyes, nose, mouth, ears, "you're safe."

"I am," he murmured, pressing his forehead to hers, "did you feel my absence?"

"Very much, very much," she whispered, pressing her lips to his.

When their lips parted, she realized that she felt no pain whatsoever. She looked quickly at her arm and slowly back at him, her eyes wide.

He picked her up in his arms and began walking.

"Lucius would have the soldiers out to look for us."

"And he'll begin with my father," she f