Chapter 7

Warm hands are touching me. I snuggle close to the warmth, feeling as though I had been exposed to a snowstorm. Everywhere is cold, and though I feel layers wrapped around me and my shoulders, the warmth of the arms holding me is comforting.

I feel the earth fall away from me, and I feel only arms around me. Then I am pressed to something warm, something hard. I instinctively wriggle close to this warmth source, pressing my face to the comforting temperature.

I hear a low chuckle, from pure velvety voice. Soft wind blows at me, but the warm chases away the cold.

“How foolish to be caught vulnerable at the beach, Princess. You should take care of yourself and your situation more often.” I hear a familiar voice say far away, but I don’t want to escape from this comforting warmth. The cloud of unconsciousness is also covered over me, and in my mind, things are murky.

“Look at you, cold and exposed. I once found you like that, vulnerable, cold and exposed. You swore to change me, but you… changed more than a hunter in me. You changed yourself too; more than you noticed yourself.” The voice continued, and I felt soft, rhythmic jostling as someone began to walk with me in arms.

“For a moment there, we were perfect where we were. I, as your servant, your escort. You, as my master and my mistress. But things will never stay the way they are. You will be married off, and you will take the Crown of Lucifer. I will only be your escort until then. Then I must leave, to pay penance for all that I have done. I must leave, and leave you my gifts.” The voice whispered soothingly, in a voice that sounded like a lullaby. Even the rhythmic movements of walking was soothing, and I could feel myself being cajoled back into deep sleep.

“I only hope that you will not loathe me. I will leave then, and give you happiness with a man you truly love. I will leave you, and give you one last thing.” He continues, and I sense that we’ve reached our destination, for I feel a little light hitting against my closed eyelids.

He stopped moving, still holding on tightly to me.

“I will give you the end of the war. Dragos will fall, and you will lead a new age. I only hope that you don’t hate me, Seraphina. I can die; I can go to hell with your demons. But know that I love you. I loved you since the day I saw you sitting on the dais, waiting to watch my fight. But your love for me… it is false and it is short. Still, I enjoyed our time.”

I feel something warm, extremely soft and slightly moist touch my forehead. I feel breath in my hair.

“If this loss of memory is a time for you to temporarily rekindle our short passionate moments together, then let it be. I will comply to your wishes, spoken and unspoken. But when you finally meet him again, and remember everything, I only hope you remember these few moments.”

He begins walking again.

“Even if you remember nothing, just know that I loved you dearly.”

“Seraphina, I love you more than my life. And more than once, I will die for you, if you wish it.”

Comforted by those words spoken in true love and care, I snuggled even closer to the warmth in reply, pulling him closer. I pressed my cheek ever tighter to his hard chest.

Then, feeling safe and protected –as expected from my escort –I fell back into deep sleep.