6 Þetta aftur?

**Flashback/Dream**

"Chain her," Calder spat before a guard laid me down on a table, cuffing my hands above my head and my ankles to each corner.

After an agonizing pause, another voice spoke causing me to turn my head and gasp.

Olufemi.

"Strip her," he said, the guards immediately shredding the tunic from my body.

With a quick jerk, the worm fabric vanished, leaving me fully exposed to the men around me.

Instinctively, I tried moving to cover myself but hissed in pain as the cuffs binding me cut into my skin.

Calder didn't blink as he took a seat in the corner of the room and the guards silently took a place against the walls while Olufemi approached me.

"I'm sorry for this," a voice seeped into my mind. Looking at the warlock, I realized the voice belong to him.

How is he mindlinking me when I can't call out to River or Faelen?

"That's because you've been severely poisoned over the course of three, almost four, days. Until my elixir is out of your body, you will be alone," Olufemi's voice came again as he fingered a dagger.

Can he hear me?

"Yes I can."

"Why are you doing this," I mentally questioned.

"Don't take it personal, my little Luna. You're just collateral damage on my end. I owe Calder and this is his request," Olufemi said lazily but there was a hint of hesitation in his voice.

Without another word, Olufemi took the dagger and ran its blade over my mark, causing me to scream.

Then he raked it over my chest.

Then over my stomach.

When he was done, he packed them with some kind of herbs and poured a liquid over each cut causing my body the violently fight against the restraints before putting his hand on my mark.

When I looked up at him, the warlock was watching me as his eyes began to bleed to black.

"Come ye as the spell is made.

Odin above and Hel below,

Fenrir of the night,

Lend your power unto the spell,

And work our will by magic rite.

By all the power of land and sea,

By all the might of moon and sun,

I call the earth to bind my spell,

Air to speed it well.

Bright as fire shall it glow,

Deep as tide of water flow,

Count the elements four fold,

In the fifth the spell shall hold,"

Olufemi's now eerie voice rang out as my body began to shake, the chains of my demise rattling noisily against the stone table.

"I release you and I decree,

it's the best for you and he.

Maní above who's bond was set,

Now is gone and so's the rest."

With that last word, my body lurched forward and a fire burned through me as the agonizing pain branded my soul and released itself from my mouth, reverberating through the room.

The pain was so intense, that I fought to stay conscious as Calder approached and Olufemi removed his hand.

"Tá sé déanta," Calder questioned in a language I didn't understand as he examined me.

"Sea, go dtí seo ach ní mhairfidh sé go deo," Olufemi replied.

Looking back at me, he didn't say a word as he placed a hand on my forehead.

"I purge ye mind of fights and sins,

of memories both dark and grim.

No longer dwell in your heart and head,

Begone all memories before this stead."

Olufemi's voice rang in my head before he focused his attention back to Calder.

"It will have a stronger effect later if she falls unconsc—," was all I heard before my body and mind gave in, plummeting into nothing but tenebrosity.

**End of Flashback/dream**

Jolting awake, I screamed as I shot up and looked around. My body beneath the blanket was caked in blood and sweat and my hair clung to my shoulders, face, neck and back.

I struggled to steady my heart as pain burned in my neck, in my chest and over my stomach.

What the hell?

Instinctively, I reached up and touched the nape of my neck and froze.

There was no pain.

There was no sparks.

There was no sensation.

There was nothing.

A surge of energy hit me and I crawled to the cell door.

"Liam," I croaked, staring at the figure the was slumped against his bars.

Nothing.

"Liam," I spoke louder.

Still nothing.

"Ugh, for the sake of the Gods'... LIAM," I shouted, using what strength I had to rattle the barred door.

With this, the brute of a man shot up and looked in my direction confused before jumping to his feet, what looked to be relief spreading across his face.

"Noir?! You're awake? Thank the Gods. How are—," he didn't get to finish when I cut him off.

"Liam," I began, moving my hair from my right shoulder, "what do you see? Do you see anything?"

Liam looked at me perplexed before tilting his head slightly then looking away.

"I uh... no... j- just your shoulder. P- please cover yourself back up," he stammered.

His request however fell on deaf eyes as I fell backwards, trying to catch my breath and steady a drumming heart.

Why do I feel like this?

Why do I hurt in this way?

Grabbing fistfuls of my hair, I tug until the pull becomes too much. Covering my face with my hands, I yell, becoming frustrated.

I feel like I've forgotten something important. Someone important.

The frustration turned into anger as I tried to remember but I couldn't even remember the dream I had that caused me to wake up, save face that Calder and Olufemi was in it.

Calder? Olufemi?

Pushing my body to stand, I forced my legs to move and paced in annoyance.

Why am I here?

Why do I feel a huge void within myself?

Why does my heart ache so bad?

What in Helheim happened?

I couldn't remember anything as I continued to stalk back and forth, growling in vexation.

I can't seem to remember anything prior to meeting Liam or anything that has happened since and it was severely pissing me off, my anger overpowering my physical state.

I couldn't even remember why I was covered in blood, rivers of the carmine liquid staining every part of my body, it seemed, including dried rivers between my thighs.

I am aware I am forgetting something, when there is something close yet hidden, yet I cannot, in this moment, fathom what it could be.

Where there should be memories, there is only a blank space. Sadly, I don't understand. My memory is blurred.

The past?

A fading dream and nothing to prove if it was real. I did not know anything and stood there alone... confused... nothing but sadness, confusion and frustration overwhelming me.

It wasn't until a cough reached my ears that I turned to look at Liam, who was still facing away from me as he tossed a piece of cloth in my direction.

Absentmindedly walking forward, I knelt down and reached between the bars of the cell I was in and grabbed the cloth, examining it.

A tunic?

In that moment, I looked at myself and realized I was stark naked as the day I was born.

Mortification filled my senses before I shrieked, throwing the tunic over my head and released it to drape over my body.

"Why am I here," I finally questioned, causing Liam to turn and face me, his crystal eyes flickering between their natural hues and mossy orbs.

"I...," Liam paused, rubbing the back of his neck. "I honestly don't know," he finally spoke, watching me intensely before doubling over.

"LIAM," I screamed, rattling the bars of my prison.

Grabbing his head, Liam fell to his side and writhed in silent pain before his body stilled.

What the fuck is happening?

I didn't know what to think as I slid my back down the wall, periodically looking to Liam who looked dead on the stone floor.

Bringing my knees to my chest, I raked my brain for any and all explanations.

After a few hours, I fell short of any answers as the dungeon doors opened and a man stood in front of my cell.

I couldn't remember anything but I knew who he was and I knew I had a strong resentment towards him.

A bitter taste washed over my tongue as he opened up my cell door.

Calder.

"Tá sé déanta" - It's done?

"Sea, go dtí seo ach ní mhairfidh sé go deo" - Yes, so far but it will not last forever.