I’d never known the emptiness of a dreamless sleep until I’d learned what the subconscious visions felt like. The dark silence was unnerving and I struggled awake to find that the only light came from the dim orange glow of our fire’s dying embers. I shivered as the day’s events played back in my mind, I worked to focus on my breathing, the rise and fall of my chest, like the waves at sea. I’d nearly coaxed my mind back into the realms of sleep when a swirling breeze swept up the ashes and began to take shape.

A soft silver glow pulsed around the ash figure and I sat up slowly, watching two glowing embers create scowling eyes. A female voice echoed around the cave, the ashy lips moving in unison. “None of this was real, was it? It was all just another door you thought you could open. The goal was never life for me, it was just another project. My innocence drew you in like a magnet, but you never wanted me to learn. You wanted to shape me, you wanted me to be her.” The figure shouted and argued as if speaking to someone before them, and yet there was no one there. “Don’t apologize!” she jerked back as if something had grabbed it’s shoulder. “And don’t touch me! Don’t ever pretend you had my best interests at heart. Let’s see how you feel when the door you open is the door to a cage.” The charred form turned, running toward the entrance before falling away on the breeze that had created it.

The word cage echoed around the chamber and the voice wedged itself in my mind, calling me, holding me, and filling a hole I didn’t know I had. I lay in the darkness, unsure whether to sleep or wander. The embers had died in the scene of the ash girl and the black I saw stayed the same whether my eyes were open or closed.

“You heard it, didn’t you?” I nearly screamed as Thana spoke from the silent darkness. “The voice.”

“What was it, it was made of ash. But-but it glowed like moonlight.” I stared up in the shadow, watching the figure in my mind’s eye.

“It doesn’t happen every night. It has something to do with Key’s dreams. He burns a special powder in the fire every night to keep the visions at bay. It doesn’t always work though.” She paused thoughtfully. “I’ve woken up every time it’s happened, I never intend to, but I always do. I’ve only seen it three times, every scene is different.”

“Have you ever asked Key about them?”

“Once, he says they’re hauntings of a past best forgotten. He swore to me that if I ever asked again he’d give me a rash so bad I’d be red for a year.”

“Do… do they seem familiar to you too.” The words left my lips as nothing but a faint whisper. The silence that followed felt like an eternity.

“Yes…they do.”

I don’t remember when the black I saw became another formless sleep, but the dull gray light that glowed through my lids told me it was dawn. I stretched and rubbed at my eyes. The scent of salt wafted on the breeze from the opening of the cave and a pang of longing tugged at my heart. Something poked my shoulder and I yelped and the sting of pain that shot through the injured arm.

“Sorry, I was just curious if you needed any supplies for breakfast.” Key stood patiently above me and I propped myself up on my elbows.

“That depends, what do we have?”

“Fish, cliffhound, and a few bits of lamb. A few vials of spices and some dried herbs.”

“Is there any fresh produce?”

“It’s mostly wilted, the preservation magic wore off about the time we came to find you.”

“Alright, I guess we’ll have to make do.” I started thinking about the things I could make when I suddenly realized what he’d said. “Wait, what do you mean, came to find me?” I watched him carefully, wondering what he might give away about why they’d chosen me of all the villagers.

“With the cliffhound, we saw you run out of your home and the creature stalk you from the wood.” He kept his face calm but something darker flashed behind his eyes.

“Just give me the pan, the fish, and the spices. Breakfast will be ready in a bit.”

I cooked in silence until the meat firmed and began to flake without much effort. Key had wandered to his table of potions and Thana had finished rolling up the bedding as I’d lost myself in the cooking motions I knew so well. The cave filled with the soft tangy scent of thyme and rosemary mixed with salt.

“Now that smells like something edible.” Thana gushed as her stomach growled its agreement. I handed her a plate and passed one to Key as he took a seat by the coals I’d used to cook the food.

“This is wonderful Astrayna. Thank you.” Key smiled warmly and took a few more bites of the fish.

Thana garbled something between bites with satisfied tears at the corners of her eyes. When I bit into my fish a second pang of longing soured my meal. It was the same recipe I’d have eaten after my marriage to Syntyche. There’d have been a feast lining the long table through the village square, everyone would have eaten and learned their purpose together. It would have been a wonderful occasion. Suddenly a familiar voice echoed faintly from the cliffs above.

“Astrayna!!! Astrayna where are you!!!” As if my thoughts had summoned him, Syntyche was looking for me. Another voice rang out.

“Astray-Na!!!!” Tears pricked my eyes. It was Father’s voice.

I got to my feet, opening my lungs to call back to them. A scarred hand clamped over my mouth, the other arm wrapping around my waist and pulling me back. I wrestled back, screaming muffled cries through the salty fingers that prevented my desperate response.

“Hush!!!” Thana hissed through clenched teeth. “It’s a trap, I know you don’t trust us but I promise you this, if you call back to them it will all be over.”

I shrieked louder, defiance turning my vision red. My family was up there, searching for the daughter and mate they’d lost not a day before. I stomped my heel on her toe but the thick leather in her boots dulled the gesture. I tried to pry her grip from my face but my efforts only seemed to make her hold tighter.

“We need to gather our things and get out.” Key doused the fire and snapped his fingers, the vials, tubes, and other trinkets from the desk sorted themselves into a wooden box and he flicked his wrist to bring the chest into his waiting satchel. “We’ll have to leave the table, there’s nothing for it, but I hope we’ll be long gone by the time they find it.”

I screamed again in a muffled whine, tears flowing from my eyes and adding to the salty sweat on Thana’s hands.

“Where did you put the bed rolls!?” Key wandered frantically around the cave before finding them stashed near the secondary cavern with the clearwater pool.

“Astrayna!!!! Please!!! Where are you Astrayna!!!” Syntyche called again, his voice closer than before. I shouted desperately, pulling against the strength of Thana’s arms.

“The Aquaportous is almost ready. Keep her quiet and we might just get out of this alive.” His voice had an echoing undertone like two voices speaking slightly out of sync.

I thrust my elbow into her side and she buckled slightly. Her grip loosened enough and I burst free rushing to the entrance before she could recover and catch up to me. “Father!!! Syntyche!!! I’m here” My voice broke with tears and I leaned as far out the cave as I could. A head peered over the edge and I let out a laugh of hysteria to see the affectionate face of Syntyche. His amber eyes drew me in with a hypnotic gaze and for a moment I felt I could fly into his arms.

“Hold on Astrayna!! You’ll be ours again soon!” I couldn’t decide what broke the spell, the way his pupils turned to slits or how he said that I’d be theirs. I felt a sudden sinking in my stomach and I watched as Syntyche began to crawl inhumanly down the cliffs, head first with a forked tongue flicking in and out as he drew closer.

I wanted to scream, to run, to do anything but watch as the man I thought I’d loved and my father crawl down the cliffs like spiders. They approached on either side, their eyes fixed on me like a binding spell.

“Guess we have to do this the hard way!” Key’s voice sounded distant and I felt the edges of my vision going black. “Thana take the gear and head through the Aquaportous, we’ll see you on the other side.” I felt my limbs going numb and became vaguely aware that I was starting to topple over the edge and out of the cave. Suddenly Key’s stout form barreled into me and we both fell, down, down, down into the darkness below.