Forty-eight

I had finally fallen asleep after Marin had given me food and medicine for my back. Apparently, he wanted me alive, but wouldn't tell me why. I had a feeling it was to take down Lucas, but didn't express my thoughts.

As I fell asleep, I got a familiar feeling of gut wrenching pain before I fel a pull. This pull was different from Lucas, but familiar too.

Finally, I was seeing a meadow with forest. It was my brother's meadow. It was bright and sunny. I liked this dream. It was peaceful.

Then, a figure stepped out of the shadows and into the light. "Aspen?"

He smiled. "Hello, Zahra."

"I don't understand what is happening. Why am I dreaming of you?"

He chuckled. "You're not dreaming. I summoned you."

"Oh," I say, and finally realize I was in my head. "Have you found me and are keeping me here to make it easier for my brother to rescue me?"

"I wish that was the reason," he whispered. "But, I was hoping you could tell me where you are. I know you're with Marin, but don't know where."

I frown. "I don't know. I was unconscious for most of the trip. I don't know where we are."

Aspen sighed in disappointment, but stepped towards me again. "Are you okay? Is he hurting you?"

I shake my head. "No, but I'm confused. I don't know why he has taken me away, where he's taking me, or anything." I give Aspen a pleading look. "I want to go home. I want my brother."

He steps up to me and cups my face with both hands. "We're going to find you, Zahra. You will come home soon."

I close my eyes and let one tear slip. "I'm scared."

Aspen embraces me and holds me gently for a long time. I don't cry, but also don't move away from him either. He was comforting and safe. He was a reminder that I had people who cared about me, who would come after me to find me, and who wouldn't stop until they did.

I begin to fade.

"No!" I try to grasp Aspens arms as I slowly drift away. "Aspen!"

"It's alright. I'll see you again soon, I promise."

"Wake up!"

I open my eyes to see Marin glaring down at me with frustration. Pain flares and I can't keep the gasp from escaping my mouth.

Marin frowns then holds out food and medicine. "Eat. We will be moving in an hour. By then, the pain should be bearable."

I take the food and eat, if only because I was hungry and didn't want to pass out. It wasn't much: just some dried meat and berries, but it was enough to give me strength.

As promised, an hour later, I was able to stand and walk, pain manageable. So, we walked. We walked for long hours, only stopping twice throughout the day to eat and rest. Marin didn't speak, didn't tie me up, didn't hurt me. I knew he could hurt me if he wished, but I also knew that I really couldn't do much in my state. So, I followed him.

That night, I fell asleep again, exhausted and grumpy. I waited for Aspen too, having hope to see him again, but he didn't show. I only dreamt. And woke the next day to cold rain.

Finally, late afternoon, I was tired of the silence and worked up the courage to ask Marin, "Where are we going?"

"My home."

"Where is that?"

"Another few days walk."

I scowl at the back of his head. "Why did you take me?"

"Because you can help me."

"With Lucas?"

He turned his head to look at me. "Partly."

I stop walking. "Partly?"

He nodded, looked around, then sighed. He sat down and took some food from his pack. "Lucas is part of why I want you. But I want you for something else, something bigger."

I sit in front of him and take some food. "What is that?"

He smirked. "You will find out."

I frown. "How can I help, if I actually can, if you don't tell me what to expect?"

"I'll tell you right before we arrive. For now, you need to focus on keeping up and healing."

"I wouldn't need healing if you hadn't thrown me into a tree."

"I apologize for that," he said, not really sounding like he meant it. "But I needed Lucas's attention diverted from you. I needed him distracted so he wouldn't think of using you to protect him."

"He has my children."

Marin shrugged. "Are they truly yours, Zahra? Or, are they something he created and put inside you, manipulating your body and your mind to believe they are truly yours?"

"I don't care how he managed to put them inside me, but I gave birth to them. They are my children."

Marin raised a brow. "And yet, they didn't cry when you were taken from them."

"They're babies!"

Marin gave a harsh laugh. "They aren't just babies! You know that!"

I stilled, dread beginning to make me want to pass out.

Marin looked at me when I didn't say anything for a while, and frowned. "You don't know?"

"How would I know? I don't even know how he-" I choked before I could say anything more, wanting nothing more than to be home with Roan.

"He didn't do it," Marin said.

"How do you know?"

"Because I would have felt the pain when I healed your mind." He took a bite and chewed. When he finished, he said, "What he did was painless for you. Yes, he violated you as he would have to in order for you to have babies, but it was done without any true harm."

I shake my head. "Without any true harm?" I laughed hysterically. "What about my pride? What about my self esteem? What about my mind?"

"You have control over your own morals," Marin said. "Lucas, and therefore I, do not control how you feel about yourself. We can control what you do and sometimes what you believe about others, but you are in control about pride and self esteem and self worth."

I shake my head again, disgusted with him. "You don't understand anything!"