Conjuring Fire and Whispers of Air

The Abbey By Day

I awoke in the middle of the night to Leo huffing and groaning in his sleep.

Leo's dream

The carriage had only just left. Yet dread filled him. Anna was in danger.

His lungs burned as he desperately tried to catch up.

Helpless. He felt helpless and the thoughts did not help.

'I should have insisted on going with her.'

'Why did I let her leave?'

He felt a twinge in his heart, and his blood ran cold, "Anna! No!"

He turned the bend.

He could not stop. The horses were trying to get loose from the tipped-over carriage, frightened. The footman is dead. Sweet Anna lay dressed in yellow.

"ANNA!"

He pushed, willing his body forward; He checked for a pulse, breathing, anything...

The pearl necklace was in pieces. Her clothes ruffled.

Tears blocked his vision; as he held her. His body wrecked with sobs and screams of sorrow and grief. He cried out for his loss.

A short while later, he composed himself as much as possible and picked her lifeless body up to take her back home to her parents.

He felt numb. Walking through their gate. Her mother appeared at the door and wailed when she saw Anna's head lolling down unnaturally.

Her father shouted, demanding to know what Edward had done.

'What had I done? Nothing. I could do nothing.'

He let the father vent his anger, but walked straight past him to lay her on the long chair.

Edward mumbled to the butler, "Get the detective."

Every day, he mourned her.

Holding the necklace in his hand as he walked. Some of the pearls were missing, but the jeweller did well in repairing them.

He knew Anna has been looking at this for months. He was finally able to acquire it in a silent auction. He was glad to have given it to her and remembered the bright smile on her face upon seeing it.

Staring down at the headstone, he crumbled to his knees. Once again, he cried out. Harrowing. His soul felt empty. He could not go on without her.

Lexi

Leo jumped awake. I reached out to gently touch his clammy face.

"It's alright. Just a bad dream."

He took my hand, kissing my palm. I waited for his breathing to calm. He tugged me closer and buried his face in my hair.

"A nightmare," he murmured, "Remember the dream we shared after the ritual?"

I nodded.

"I woke up before it finished before Edward reached Anna... This time was the... aftermath of it."

I laid on my back and opened my arms, knowing he was distressed. He snuggled into my shoulder and hair, taking the hug fiercely. It made me smile lightly.

I said nothing, trying not to get sucked into my thoughts of 'what if ?'.