Ravens eyes opened, he found himself back in the valley that he had found Caeli in.
The moon was full and illuminated the surrounding area.
*Something is wrong.*, Raven thought to himself.
He watched as off in the distance a storm began to roll in. Flashes of bright lightning illuminating the heavy dark clouds.
He closed his eyes and focused on where Caeli's presence was strongest.
In a silent wisp of black sandy smoke, he was entering the cottage.
The inside looked as though no one had lived there for years.
Not a single light was lit, the fabrics of the furnishings torn and moth eaten.
He turned to find Caeli sitting on an ancient lounge seat, staring stoically at the wall opposite of her.
Here, in her mind, she still possessed the auburn locks that she had before becoming comatose.
"Caeli?", Raven whispered as he knelt beside her. He fought the urge to reach out to her.
She hardly acknowledged his presence. She was quietly whispering under her breath.
"Uncle? Aunt. So much fire. Get your hands off of me. Once upon a time, there was a young woman who grew among dragons. Champion. Heir. Fair, fair, it's not fair.", Caeli said, her voice hushed as though she was telling a secret. "Monthly chores. Almost done mama. But I don't have a mama. She died when I was small. Dead. Dum-dee."
Raven was shaken to his core. Caeli had always been collected and calm, even in the face of danger. He had seen her emotions take great hold of her but never anything like this.
*She is losing her mind. But why? Is this the illness that Coruscare had mentioned?*, Raven thought to himself. He was sure it was related to her raging fever and convulsions. *But what came first?*, he thought to himself worriedly.
"Caeli we need to go. We need to go now.", he kept his voice calm and slow, a duplicitous facade, an attempt to hide his true fear. Whatever was in the clouds and heading there way would not be good.
Although he was within her mind, the danger of dying, or even worse, becoming untethered to the body, were very real.
Tears began to fall as her face remained impassive. The image tore at his heart. It was the same look she had the night he returned her to the companions. Hopelessness.
"Raven?", she whispered at last.
His heart raced. He thought he'd never hear that name again.
"Yes, I'm here. I can help you, I swear it, but you must allow it.", he said, hoping she understood the urgency in his voice.
He would not be able to forcibly remove her from the depths of her mind. He needed her to be willing.
She slowly reached out and touched the sides of his face. His power in the dream world was much more significant than the Catcher could ever generate. Making his body material inside of someone's mind, even in the past, was easily done.
"I'm lost. My mind, I'm losing it Raven, my mind I mean. It's slipping through my fingers like sand.", she said quietly, as if talking about the weather.
"Let me help you.", Raven rasped, her closeness all the sweeter for having thought he'd never experience it again. And all the more bitter for the state she was in.
She blinked rapidly a few times, as if clearing her vision. She nodded in agreement.
Raven lifted her into his arms and she rested her head on his shoulder.
He closed his eyes, focusing his strength on keeping her close. He pulled Caeli's spirit along behind him as he withdrew from the depths of her mind.
He beckoned the night, drawing in its power to tether her soul to her body, a temporary anchor to buy them time if healing her wound didn't work.
He suddenly returned to his body.
Lazily he bent his head back, raising his hands to the side as if in worship of some unseen deity.
The tendril that had been touching Caeli's face moved to Ravens chest, reaching inside. It withdrew, something small in its grip. It throbbed gently but the beating could be heard by everyone in the room.
The small object was then gingerly pushed into Caeli's chest, disappearing with a hiss.
Raven fell to a knee at the bed side, panting.
"This will buy us a little more time, but she must come with me." Raven told the room.
After some time of absolute quiet he turned to see Coruscare, Syll, Brego, Aurum, and a few grovelings staring in shocked silence.
"She's not going to like that.", Aurum whispered.
Raven stood slowly.
"I know.", he said sadly as he turned back to Caeli to gently brush her cheek with his knuckle. "At least she might survive to tell me so herself.", he gave a small chuckle.
"What did you do?", Syll asked softly.
With a heavy sigh Raven turned to face the red dragon.
"I pulled Caeli from the depths of her own mind and tethered her spirit to her body. Temporarily.", he said.
"But that must take immense amount of power.", Aurum said still in awe.
"Yes. That, and a sacrifice. The spell needed to be strengthened to last more than a few minutes.", he responded seriously.
"Lucius…", Coruscare said with dread.
"She will never forgive me, but I suppose that was already the circumstance. I wouldn't have it any other way despite how she must feel towards me.", he said.
"I would do… I would give… anything…", he continued haltingly. "Her feelings towards me will not change how I feel about her."
Coruscares heart sped with anger and hurt.
*SHE IS OURS. BASTARD.*, Greedy shrieked inside of Coruscares mind.
He felt Syll's cool hand reach out to rest on his forearm, her eyes pleading. He knew what was best for Caeli, but dammit, it wasn't what he wanted.
Syll's eyes said, *Let her go.*
"Take her. Quickly. We are already on borrowed time it seems.", Coruscare said, Greedy's anger and Syll's expression shaking him back to reality. Coruscare had no right to this woman, he did not deserve her anymore than Lucius and most of all, if he could save her life, then she wouldn't be gone from their existence. And that's what mattered.
Raven nodded and scooped the small woman into his embrace.
In a swirl of sandy smoke, they were gone.
The companions came to stand beside the king and the Druid.
"I'll send Arcane as a representative, he'll stay close and report on how things are going.", Syll offered, hoping it would help relieve some of the tension in Coruscares face.
He nodded slowly in response. Syll lingered for only a second before turning to do as she had suggested.
"I'm sorry my friends, I can't imagine how you must be feeling. Your dear friend, pulled this way and that, not a single thought dedicated to how you might be feeling.", Coruscare said to the two.
Aurum shook his head slowly.
"All we want is what is best for Caeli and for her to get well. She was in better hands here than she would have been in the forest with just the two of us. And although I'm unsure of the circumstances between you and the Lord of Midnight, my intuition thinks that he truly wants what is best for her too. And that you would not of allowed him to leave with her if you didn't think the same thing.", Aurum said sagely.
Coruscare smiled at the significantly smaller reptile.
"I am thankful she has friends like you. Goddess knows she will need them.", he said exhaustedly.
"She is an easy friend to make, and a very faithful one. I am sure she will make many more along the way.", Aurum said with confidence.
"And enemies. People like her do not go unnoticed, she may be liked by many, but that fact alone will mean that some will dislike her greatly.", Brego huffed.
Aurum conceded with a nod in agreement.
"Arcane will keep a close eye, as always you're welcome to stay here in the castle as long as you wish. We will find you without delay if there is any developments.", Coruscare said. "You are also welcome to call the mountains your home if you so choose. I am sorry that this is all I have to offer. I was unable to save your friend.", he said sadly, gazing out of the opening in the infirmary, into the dark of the night.
"You've given us more than any of us could ever repay. That's probably what Caeli would say. And it's true. We will stay if you'd have us, and happily so. We trust that you'll contact us. With all of that said, we should turn in for the night.", Aurum said, giving a nod meant as a bow to Coruscare and waiting for Brego to do the same before they turned to leave.
"Before you go, may I ask you something?", Coruscare said, his voice quiet.
Brego and Aurum looked at each other inquisitively.
Aurum nodded and waited for the question.
It took some time for Coruscare to muster the courage. He feared the answer more than the actual asking of the question.
"Did Caeli love Lucius back?", he said, his voice cracking involuntarily.
Aurum glanced back at Brego who widened his eyes in surprise.
"I couldn't say my lord, she spoke very briefly of their time together. She was quite hurt by his actions, that much was obvious. That is all that I know.", Aurum said hesitantly.
Coruscare nodded, "Thank you Aurum. Get some rest."
The companions bowed once more and took their leave.
Coruscare went to his room, Syll had yet to find him but he was sure she'd take care of things with Arcane. He knew he was in for an argument once the dust settled. He decided to enjoy his peace while he could.
He readied himself for bed and laid down.
Sleep eluded him.
Perhaps the Sand Man was busy this night.