Chapter Text
I watch my mother arguing with Sloane, telling her exactly what she needs to hear to get her way. The General always had a way with words; Cutting, biting, and always knew where to stab. She has been doing it for years. Young Sloane didn't have a chance if the General wanted something. Aaric was holding me back as I scream for my mother. I can't hear what I am saying. It's like I am watching myself do this. It feels like I am floating above it all. This must mean I'm close to burnout. Then I feel it.
The pain. The hopelessness. The agony. The helplessness... Xaden was dying. He was dying, and I wasn't next to him. I couldn't save him. I hear Sloane whisper my name. She wants permission to kill my mother. She wants me to tell her it is okay. I can't. I couldn't. I am not even there. I am on the battlefield. Dying with my love. Dying... Dying... the last of my strength leaving me... leaving him.
But I didn't want to leave. I didn't want him to leave. We were each other's lifeline. He is me and I am him. I just need to be for him what he is always for me. His Strength.
I fling open the door to Andarna and Tairn's power again. I feel more than see Aaric backing up from me. I focus on my Archives, where I can feel both of them trying to shut me out. I am getting to the past burnout already, but I am what they made me. I am Power. I wield not lightning, but power in the form of bolts. I don't know why it took me this long to realize. I am the answer. I am the key. I am the power.
I scream as I pull from Andarna and Tairn, filling me up. I see Sgaeyl path that I rarely travel on. I pull from that blue line. I feel her power. I feel for Xaden's line. I feel him as if he is standing next to me. I feel his arms around me, his hand on my skin, his breath on my neck. I feel his soul connected to mine. Forever in this life and the next. All their power fills me. I pull it into me. I feel Andarna's magic shifting as I pull, but I don't take much notice. I scream as I can't contain it all. I give one last pull on Xaden's line, and I throw my arms up as I let it all flow out. I hear screaming all around me, towards me, for me, but it's too late. Every nerve in my body is on fire, and the world spins around me. I scream as the power breaks my body, and I am nothing and everything.
I am the power
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I wake up in a gasp, sweat covering my body. Heart pounding.
"That was one hell of a dream,"I mutter as I rub my eyes with my palms. I pull my hands away from my eyes and stare at them. They seem small. I mean, I know I am small, but smaller than normal. My head pounds with a headache. Like I am forgetting something.
"Vi, are you up? Dain said he will be here at 10 am today," I hear Dad call through the door. I groan, I did not feel up to getting out of bed today. My joints all hurt, and they throb, and I feel like I got run over by a dragon. When I don't respond, I hear my door squeak open. "Violet?" I hear the concern in his voice, and he makes his way over to the bed. "You okay, flower?" I still don't respond, and I look into my dad's hazel eyes. Then it clicks. The world turns on its axis, and I scream, holding my head. "VI!" I hear him yell as he tries to gather me into his arms, trying to soothe me.
I don't notice the sound of others running into the room until I hear my mom asking my dad what happened. I don't hear his answer as the knowledge of the next 6 years slams into my brain. I jerk, and I feel my dad's arm tighten around me. I hear my mom saying she's getting Nolon and all, but runs out of my room.
I ground my teeth together, cutting off my scream, my eyes still clenched closed.
"Vi?" I hear my dad say softly, like he is afraid to startle me. All the energy drains out of me as I sag into his arms.
"Daddy?" I slur as I crack open my eyes. His brown hair is just as I remembered. Always a little tussled, like he constantly runs his hands through it. His eyes, the same as mine, were wide with concern.
"Violet, what's wrong?" I can hear the edge of panic in his voice.
"Dad? Am I dead?" I whisper. It was so good to see him. Although I thought I wouldn't have joint problems in the afterlife.
"No, flower, you are still here with us and will be for a very long time," he murmurs at me. I don't think I have seen him this scared since the first time I subjugated my shoulder.
I hear rustling and I see Mom and Nolon come into the room.
"Let me check her, Asher," I hear Nolon say as Dad gently lays me back on the bed.
I am too exhausted to push Nolon away. The memories of RSC are still bouncing around in my head, making my fear a real thing. I feel his magic pouring into me. I hear him lightly gasp as he focuses on healing me. What he finds after the battle, I am not sure. Did it come with me to this... wherever this is? The past? A different timeline? I am not sure. I do know my dad is standing behind Nolon, and I can't seem to take my eyes off him.
"What is it?" I hear Mom demands. I watch my father put a hand on her arm, and she instantly relaxes a notch with his contact. She grounds him, like Xaden grounds me.
"It's... It's like burnout... but it can't be... she's 14 and not bonded." I watch him shake his head in confusion and continue, "It's like she used too much energy and her body is trying to recover. Very strange," He meets my eye when I look up at him, "What did you get into now, Miss Sorrengail?" he asks as he takes his hands off me. He turns back to my parents, " I can not say what is wrong. What I would recommend if she were a rider is no magic for 3 days, but I know she's not, so I will just say, let her rest as much a possible."
"Thank you, Nolon," I hear my father say and shake his hand as he makes his way back over to my bedside. Nolon and my mom linger in the doorway for a second before he walks out. My mom glances at Nolon and then back at me, and walks out of the room. I know she will dig at him a little deeper to see what he found.
"Well, flower, you certainly gave your mom and me a scare," he says, running his hand in his hair.
"Dad?" I ask again. I just can't believe that he is here. He looks good, too, like he did before Bren's 'death'. I gasp again and shoot straight up in bed, "Brennan? Mira?" I ask my heart pounding in my chest.
Dad looks concerned, "He's on the front line, Vi, you know that. Mira is in the rider quadrant, second year. Did you forget?" he asks softly and puts a hand on my head, like the mender missed that I had a fever. He makes an oof sound as I launch myself into his arms. I hug him in the way that I couldn't the last 4 years, like he was going to disappear in front of me.
"What day is it?" I mumble into his chest. Sounds crazy to him, but I have to know if it's before the Battle of Aretia.
"It's June 1st," I look up at him and stare at him to continue, "627AU." I sigh in relief. I have a few weeks before the battle. Before the day, everything went to shit.
"I have to go," I say as I whip off the blankets.
"Violet," I hear my dad's stern voice, "you are not going anywhere."
"But, I have to," I pleaded with him. I have to stop them. I have to prevent all those deaths. I have to save Xaden from the pain of losing his father and, really, all the Marked ones' parents.
"No, not after the scare you gave your mother and me. I am going to send Dain home when he gets here. You need sleep, flower. I am not sure what is going on, but Nolon said to rest." he got up and walked to the door. He paused once more, glancing back at me, then turned and walked out of the room and closed the door behind him.
I lay back and start to go over everything that I know. knowing that I might be physically tired, I can still think and list what's going on.
1. It's June 627 AU... that means I'm 14.
2. My dad's alive
3. I can't feel my dragons
4. Tairn rider is still bonded to my brother's "friend" Naolin.
5. Andarna has not hatched yet. She was two when I met her, so she has 4 more years before she hatches. Which means we can't raise the wards on Aretia until she can use fire. or we have to find another Dragon to do it.
6. I don't know how I got here.
That honestly should have been my first thought. I remember the power and Andarna shift in magic, maybe this was her gift? To go back in time? I am not sure, but I am going to take full advantage. I can prevent so many deaths. I can help Xaden and Fen before the rebellion. I can use my knowledge for good.
I yawn, snuggling down in my covers, Tomorrow. I'll start tomorrow.