Chapter 3 - Danger

Rayne tossed and turned that night, unable to find sleep.
Opal and Shadow had long ago gone out hunting, and would not return until mid afternoon, so she wriggled out of bed, grabbed her staff, the blade glinting in the moonlight, and limped out through the hall, passing Xavier’s door, from which a soft snoring omitted.
She slipped out onto the roof, the wind ruffling her hair. She had not thought of bringing her cloak, and now shivered in her night shirt.
She let her eyes wander around the roofs sparkling with a light rain that was starting to fall. She closed her eyes, savoring the rain as her own, licking the raindrops that dribbled down her face to her chin.
The rain was blown about wildly, black clouds gathering and a storm was waiting to strike within. She stood up slowly, and started back across the roof, staff clunking dully on the stone.
Just then, lightning started, making streaks of gold flash across the sky. She paused to watch, her heart pounding with adrenaline and excitement at the golden streaks. The lightning wandered close to her, sending a shock through her body. She stumbled, dropping her staff, the rain lashing down at her body, her hair whipping her face in the wind. The lightning struck again, this time it landed in the middle of her back. She screamed with pain, the shock ripping into her body like thousands of sharp knifes. Her screaming ceased as the lightning left her limp body.

* * *
Xavier woke, sweating and panting.
He had heard a scream, he was sure. Grabbing his cloak, he hurried outside into the hallway, still dressed in his blue robe. A crowd had begun to gather.
He turned Rayne’s door handle, expecting to find it locked, but the door creaked open easily. Her discarded covers told him that she was not there.
He went outside, heart beating hard. He walked briskly down the hall, restraining himself from running as fast as he could to the roof.
The crowd followed, murmuring to each other. He passed through the open roof door, his eyes scanning frantically for Rayne.
A crumpled body lay not far from the edge of the roof. He ran towards Rayne, his hands checking for her pulse as soon as he reached her. He found it, a very faint pulsing, hardly there, in her neck.
He gathered her up carefully, bringing her back into the tavern.

“Call for a healer!” he ordered the barmaid, who immediately swept out and into the rain.

He brought Rayne back into her room, laying her on the bed. Getting a towel, he began lightly dabbing her face, arms and legs. A woman timidly came in, snatched up a dry towel and took over.
Xavier sighed wearily, rubbing his temples. ‘What a night!’ he thought shakily.

* * *
The next morning, Rayne still lay in a deep sleep, deaf to the world around her. Xavier was pale and drawn, tired from the night’s events.
He hardly touched his food, and harassed the healer every given moment.

“How is she?” he said, wringing his hands.

“She’s lucky to be alive,” was all the barmaid could say.

He grew angry, and demanded to see Rayne.

“Sir!” the barmaid said. “I have been given orders by the healer! She said complete, undisturbed rest!”

Xavier sighed in defeat. “I understand. Thank you.”

He went outside to survey the damage the storm had caused to others. Houses had collapsed, roofs ripped off, fields burnt or flooded and trees ripped out from their roots, toppling onto the roads.
He joined the helpers, bandaging heads and setting broken bones.

“If only Rowan could see me now!” he said to himself, making an effort to cheer himself.

A child, maybe about six or seven, came up, sucking her thumb, big, dark eyes filled with tears.

“Where is your mother?” he asked kindly.

The little girl said nothing but looked hopelessly at him.
He stretched out his hand, and the little girl took it, holding tight. They began searching the crowds, asking if anyone had seen the little girl’s mother.
One healer pointed to short, stout woman, who was calling her child’s name.

“Lisa! Oh Lisa! Where are you darling? Oh where are you?”

The little girl let go of his hand, and ran to her mother, hugging her tight. The mother bent down, cradling the child tenderly, tears running down her dusty cheeks. She smiled at Xavier. He smiled back. The smile remained as he returned to the tavern.

* * *
Rayne stood in a dark room, no windows and no light, only cold, dark stone. She could not breath; it felt as if a heavy boulder was attached to her chest and she could hardly move her body, only a whisper coming out when she called for help. Slowly, very slowly, she sunk to the floor, weeping and gasping for air. She struck her fists against the wall, hitting it with all the strength she had left. She knew it was hopeless. She slid down the wall, eyes closed. Giving up trying to draw a breath, she closed her eyes as the place before her started to swim and blur. She felt sleepy, so sleepy…
Suddenly, a voice called out of the silence.

“Rayne, Rayne! Come back Rayne…”

‘What is that name? Why do I know it?’ she thought. She sunk into unsettled sleep, laying still and cold, not moving at all.

* * *
Rayne’s eyes opened. How sweet the air seemed…
She looked around groggily, aware of a sharp throbbing in her head. Xavier was kneeling beside her bed, his face strained, while both owls sat on the end of her bed, gazing with their large eyes.

“Oh Rayne!” Xavier cried, holding her hand tightly.

“I was lost… I couldn’t find my way back…” she whispered.

“Shh, be still.” He crooned softly. “Go to sleep.”

“If I go to sleep, I’ll be lost again.”

He put his hand on hers.

“We will keep you from there,” he said softly.

Opal hooted with agreement.
Rayne closed her eyes, falling into dreamless sleep.

* * *

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