Blaggggg!!! Tsugggg!!! Crakkkk!!!
She jerked awake caused by the loud thunder at past midnight!
Diana was shivering as soon as woke up. Not sure if it was caused by the thunder or the coldness of the night. She could be crying if she found the room all dark, thank God there's a little candle lighting up the small room. However, the candle will die any minute now.
It would be total darkness after a few minutes and she must admit she was afraid.
Then she glanced at the man beside her, seemed like he was sleeping soundly. He was a bit cold as well so she took her blanket and doubled it with the man's blanket. What's wrong with sharing one blanket in this kind of situation? She encouraged herself.
Blagggg…. Crakkkkkk… Boommmm!!!! Another thunderous sound sent a great chill within her and so she inched closer towards the man.
"Liam…Liam…" She was whispering.
"Ehm." The man groaned in response. He was too sleepy to open his eyes.
"I'm…. scared…" Her voice was quaking.
"Come here." He moved sideways and pulled the woman to his chest and embraced her. "Now go back to sleep." He muttered, almost a whisper.
"Ah, so warm." Diana smiled in relief when she felt the man's arms around her. She inched closer feeling the man's heavy breath. He fell asleep again. 'He was surely cold.' She smirked and extended her hand embracing the man back.
Meanwhile at Mount Tebiah….
There are a lot of voices and Sarah cannot hear her grandmother's voice. She should have expected such noises. It was as how the book described it. Doing the link will awaken all the people with strong spiritual ability. The link can even be directed to the wrong person if Sarah failed to recognized her grandmother's spirit.
"Grandma!" She tried filtering the voices around her. She needs to find the right connection. "Grandma, it's me Sarah!"
"Sarah?" Milcah felt the disturbing presence but she was trying to discern what was happening. As soon as Milcah felt the link trying to connect to her spirit, she stood up and went to the window. She opened it and closed her eyes as she allowed her spirit to manifest and received the spiritual thread.
She muttered something beneath her breath and the other voices were suddenly gone.
She hushed all the voices trying to connect with the spiritual thread so she could hear Sarah clearly.
"Can you hear me properly now?" It was Milcah who initiated the strong connection. She connected her spirit to hers and took the initiative to change the flow so she could control the link since Sarah's power was still weak. If she'll handle it then she'll probably lose all her strength for a week!
"Grandma!" Sarah teared up. Oh how she missed her grandmother. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I'm sorry I should have told you sooner." She apologized. "But I'm glad you're safe, sweetheart. Now, brace yourself for I have a lot of things to tell you."
… Milcah took the chance to have a deep conversation with Sarah until morning. She needs to know some important details for she doesn't know if she'll have another chance to speak with her in the future.
"Grandma, can we talk again tomorrow night like this?"
"Sarah, always remember that this kind of link should not be done often. It's dangerous. So promise me you'll never do this again."
"Then you should wait for me until I come to you. I met some good friends who were willing to help us. We'll be there in no time, grandma."
"I know you'll be coming. But remember all the things that I told you, okay? Do not rush but take your time learning as you journey with your friends because the heavens have a greater plan for you, sweetheart."
"I understand, grandma. I will do my best and train to strengthen my gift just like you. And I'll stand beside these people as you have told me to do." She assured the old woman before the connection got lost.
Sarah stayed at the hill for a few more hours trying to remember all that her grandmother told her. Almost everything she said was mind-blowing but she's not allowed to speak about it to anyone---Not even her closest friend.
Meanwhile, Liam woke up early but was a little surprise to see the woman sleeping soundly in his arm. Her other hand was also wrapped around him. Then his memory immediately remembered what transpired last night.
This time, he totally thought it was all a dream!
Feeling the woman's cool breath against his chest, he could say she was still in deep sleep therefore he slowly and carefully broke away from her. He covered the woman with the blanket before standing up and went outside.
It was kinda gloomy!
Guess it was due to the heavy rain last night.
"Coffee?" He heard Danda came out from the kitchen.
"Yes, thank you." He took the coffee mug from the old man who sat beside him.
"I hope you had a good sleep last night." He uttered meaningfully. "I didn't know it will rain, I should have given you a thicker blanket."
"W-where fine. Just fine." He blushed when he remembered something. "By the way Mr. Danda, I am going to leave Diana here for the meantime."
"Are you going back to the village today?"
"I have to. I can't let that Kira do as he pleases any longer so I have to end their stupid propaganda before they start shedding innocent lives."
"Are you not going to wait for the woman to wake up?"
"I better not, Danda." Liam stood up. "I will entrust her to you for the meantime. Please watch over Diana until I come back to get her."
"Not a problem."
Liam stared at the closed door for a few seconds before he totally left the hill.
*******
"Are you saying you haven't found her yet?!" Kira's voice roared all over the camp. "Find her at all cost! I don't care if you flip the village upside down but don't you dare show your faces in front of me without that woman."
The men were trembling in fear while in Kira's presence. Knowing his nasty temper, they could be killed anytime.
As soon as Kira raised his hand, the men rushed to get away from him and started to search for the woman. Bon, his right hand, ordered more men to search the whole village as well as each houses.
That one woman may cause a hundred lives! He cursed within.
"Search every corner there is and if you found her, drag her out and kill whoever kept her."
"Y-yes sir."
The men were scattered while Bon headed to the slave's camp. Although it was impossible for the woman to sneak inside without being caught by the guards, she might come out once she hears her friend's anguishing cry.
The people at the slave camp were terrified as they all stand before Bon. He was wearing a scornful face that can slaughter anyone anytime.
"What did you do to her?" Mary bravely spoke as soon as she stood in front of him.
"Is she your friend, old woman?"
"And what is it to you, mister? Where is she? Where did you take her?"
"That's why I came here to know that as well." He motioned his men to take her to the camp.
"You----''
"Let's see if she truly regards you as a friend." He laughed evilly.
"What are you trying to accomplish, huh?!" She was trying to break away from their hands.
"An experiment?" He sneered in contempt. "Your life for hers!"