Chapter 44

chapter FORTY-TWO

"Don't I can barely contain it" Damion's voice was ragged and shallow. He was losing control of his magic; she could feel it slipping away. "You shouldn't have come here."

"It's okay," Volencia said, walking forward. "I can help you."

"No if your magic--"

"I understand. Too much magic down here is harmful. This is a place better suited to your nihility magic. Like the sword, if I'm not careful I'll destroy the crystals." Damion nodded. "Therefore, I cannot let my magic run lose." When Damion turned his head toward them, his eyes were black. The nihility magic, like back at the castle, sending black spider webs over the skin of his face and arms.

Travion gasped, stepping back. "Volencia, we need to leave." He grabbed her arm.

She pulled away from him. "No. I have to help." When she made it to him, Damion didn't argue as she stood behind him. Lifting her skirt, she lowered herself so that her legs straddled his from behind, tucked up close and touching him with every part of her body that she could. Pressing her body against his, she laid her head between his shoulder blades, wrapping her arms under his shirt and around his chest until one slid into position over his heart, the other was placed just under his sternum. "If I give you the energy to control your magic, you can finish this and we can go home?"

"We don't know how my magic will react. This isn't safe."

"Leaving you like this, unable to finish clearing the sword of the curse, would be just as dangerous. Just let me help you. I'll be careful." Her grip tightened around him, letting her magic ease from her fingers into his chest. Slowly. Gently. He signed. His breathing became easier, his heartbeat became stronger. With her touching him like this, she was able to ensure her magic didn't escape. His body was slick with sweat and dirt, shaking from exhaustion. The black web on his skin slowly started to ebb, his head lifted. When he pulled at his magic, she offered hers instead, letting him control how much he needed rather than trying to do it herself.

"Thank you." He said softly. She let her arms tighten around him slightly, keeping focus on her magic so that it would respond to him easily. Once he had access to what he needed, the rest didn't take long.

The stone glowed more brightly. The sword shivered in his hand. One covered the mirror ball on the end, the other reached out, touching the stone in front of them. The more magic he pulled at, the darker the pink glow of the stone became, slowly transitioning to a deep red. As the curse pulled through the blade, it turned back to the beautiful purple and blues of the original coursebine, the mirror transitioning from deep black to silver.

Volencia knew it was over when his hand slid from the stone and sword, and he half collapsed back into her. She held him, catching the sword in hand before it fell. "You did it." His hand clasped hers. She shifted, letting his head fall to her breast. She ran her fingers through his hair.

"You should have trusted me from the start Damion. You know I won't let anything happen to you."

"I know, I'm sorry" his arm wrapped around her waist. "To you too, Trey. I wasn't thinking there's just so much in my head, I can't"

"Shhh." Volencia eased. "It's going to be alright. I promise. You're not alone. You have us. We'll get through all of this together."

"Did you know? That she can bring you back from the brink?" Travion asked, staring at them dumbfounded by what he saw.

"No. I didn't." He moved, growling as he stood. "But I am grateful. It'll be easier knowing this." He put his hand down, pulling her to her feet. "Are you barefoot?"

She laughed, embarrassed, pulling her hair over her shoulder, twisting it in her hands. "Yeah. I was so worried when Travion said you were missing; I didn't think to stop to put them on. It's fine, well head back home and get you laid down. You'll feel better after you've gotten some rest."

"I've been trying. It's no use. I just have to wait until my body shuts itself down." He pushed his hands into his pockets, walking ahead of them.

"Come," Travion leaned down, "I'll carry you like before." Volencia nodded, letting him lift her. "If you need help, I can take you on my back Damion, and carry her at my front. The two of you don't weigh as much as a Samanthian together, so it should be fine."

Damion grunted in the darkness, "It shouldn't come to that. This is my own mess. You should have just left me to it."

"Probably." Travion agreed. Volencia kept waiting for Travion to give him a lecture, he'd had plenty to say on the way here. But he didn't argue, or lecture, just stayed behind, watching him. He stumbled a few times, clearly out of it. Travion pushed him from behind as they made their way back up the slope. It wasn't until they were at level ground that Damion finally collapsed, needing to rest. "Can you walk the rest of the way?" He asked, kneeling down. Volencia agreed. Damion tried to argue as Travion lifted him against his chest, but he didn't have the energy to stop him and soon fell silent.

When they were back at the village, Damion made Travion put him down before they entered the village. "Come," Volencia took his hand. "I want you to lay down. I'll stay with you, that way, if your mind starts to race, I'll be there to help."

"You're the last person who should be in there while I try to sleep." He turned away from her, blushing.

"I don't care. I'm not leaving you alone with your thoughts again. You need rest." He went ramrod straight as she wrapped her arms around him. Shivering as she ran her nails over his back. "After last night, your third night not sleeping, I'm not giving you a choice." She let him go, pushing him toward his house. "Trey, can you make sure no one bothers us?"

The smile that he wore said everything. "If anyone bothers you, it'll be over my dead body."

"Trey! I thought you were going to be on my side?" Volencia could only laugh at Damion's shock.

"Sorry, I agree with her." He shrugged, helping her push him toward the door.

"Since when did the two of you start conspiring together?" Damion asked as he tripped over the threshold.

"Hey, Trish. Sorry about that. Would I be able to have you go with Kirna or Birna? I'm putting Damion in prison here until he gets some sleep."

"Oh, yeah of course. Foods all prepped if you want it." She bowed, dipping out the door.

"Oh. I wasn't expecting that to be so easy." Volencia stared after her, expecting her to come back through and tell her she didn't want her alone with him.

Damion ran a hand through his hair, "We had a heart to heart while you were sleeping last night."

"As you were grabbing your swords to do something stupid?" She raised her brow.

"Not really, that happened after my dad admitted that he, your father, and your aunt were all in cahoots over how that first day we met turned out. And he told me I'm the byproduct of some stupid prophecy destined to save or, more likely, destroy the world." He glared at the food on the table.

"Gods, Damion, no wonder you couldn't sleep." She reached out to touch him, but he pulled away. "After everything yesterday, you must feel like you're drowning."

His shoulders sagged, but he didn't turn to look at her. "I felt like I was drowning before, I can't figure out what I feel now. All I can tell you is it sucks."

"Come on, let's get you into bed."

"I'm sweaty and dirty, I will not get into bed like this." She watched as he struggled with the tub.