Heir of Dust and Wind

Chapter 54 - Hasty Departure

"Ava! Ava, wake up!!"

Raban had long abandoned his attempts to be gentle. Ever since Ava's frantic stirring in his arms had woken him up, he had tried to rouse her from what could only be a terrible nightmare. So far, however, all of his calling her name, nudging and finally shaking had been to none avail. Her eyes remained closed and the frantic expression on her face stayed the same.  There were beads of sweat on her forehead and she was still shifting uneasily in his arms. 

Why wouldn't she wake up? Did it have something to do with what she had seen in that Dracaeni's mind before?

She had looked haunted afterwards and even though the memory certainly hadn't been pleasant, he had somehow felt that there had been more to it. But ava had continuously assured him and all the others who had asked her about it that she was "fine".  Although he hadn't been entirely convinced, he had decided to let it go, trusting her judgement. Now he really wished he had pressed for more details then.

Okay, he would give it one more try and then he'd alert the others. Initially, he had wanted to spare her all the worry and fussing of the Goblin and Trygve, but Raban was starting to fear that this was really more than a regular nightmare.

Moving both himself and her so that her body lay in his lap and his hands were free to cradle her face, he took it in both his hands. "Ava, you need to wake up!" Raban tried to sound as determined as he could given his racing pulse and the pricks of cold fear that prickled on his skin. "Please," he added a trifle softer, desperately hoping that his voice could reach her in whatever depths that nasty dream had dragged her.

This time Ava's reaction was immediate. First, she went completely still and then she practically shot up, her forehead colliding painfully with his jaw.

"Ow!" 

Even though it hurt, the pain was drowned out by the immense relief he felt. Ava was awake. 

Finally.

"What ...?" He had barely opened his mouth to speak when Ava jumped out of bed and started to perform a set of sophisticated-looking gestures with her hands, her eyebrows drawn together in concentration. 

What in the name of the stars was she doing?

After a moment, however, Raban realised that he had seen her hands move like that before. It had been before she had travelled to Farvald's castle and then again before she had gone to help Dathal. She was opening a portal.

"Where are you going?" he asked, while getting off the bed, coming to stand behind her just as the turquoise veil of mists appeared in front of them.

Instead of answering, Ava took the first step forward, not even glancing back at him, let alone answering his question. Not knowing what else to do, Raban reached out and grabbed her wrist, stopping her right in her tracks. He simply couldn't let her leave like this. Whatever this was and wherever she was about to go, it was far too dangerous.

Ava did turn around then and Raban's stomach clenched uncomfortably when he saw the look on her face. She was as white as a sheet and her eyes were too wide. He took a deep breath to ask her what was going on again, but she was faster. 

"No time to explain," she blurted and wrenched herself free of his grip, suprising Raban with both the swiftness and strength of the motion. Ava then stepped into the depths of the magic passageway, the portal already starting to close around her, ready to leave the open-mouthed Fae behind.

Raban, however, had no intention at all of staying put.

Without so much as wasting a second to blink, Raban jumped forward and barely brushed the back of his consort's arm before he tumbled into the whirl of turquoise behind her.