#spells gone wrong

Once more Amaya found herself awakening in the room in the infirmary. Once more her head hurt. Once more her stomach rolled with nausea, and she wanted to go back to sleep. Once more there were two little furry beings staring at her and chirping now that she was awake. The difference this time was that instead of it being the bright light of morning, the room was illuminated with longer shadows of afternoon. She had obviously been unconscious for quite a long time.

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she tried to remember what happened. A headache started to form right behind her eyes that made it hard to think, and she decided that it was not very important. Whatever had happened, it was most likely unpleasant. Could she just go back to the Himalaya’s now? She could pretend that she’d never been in Imperium, didn’t know that any of the beings she’d learned about were real, and try to have some kind of normal life. Please, please let this be some kind of dream due to a head wound!

“Sleeping beauty awakens.” Olly’s deep voice from a chair in the shadows told Amaya that she was not dreaming. Slowly her head turned to look at him, her eyes slitted open to look at him. “We’re going to try to keep you from having any more bad experiences here in Imperium. It is really reflecting badly on our hospitality towards guests.” As he stood, he chuckled, then crossed the room towards her. She noticed he’d changed clothing, now he was in a dark grey hoodie and jeans. There was something about the relaxed nature of his clothes that made him even more sexy than he had been. Was that the right thing to think about some immortal being in literal Hell? “I have some news for you, but first you need some food. Do you feel up to eating?”

As Olly came into the light, Amaya could see Olly’s chiseled features clearer, and she had to keep herself from staring at him like some fangirl. The light bluish-grey of his eyes seemed to glow, and she once more found them captivating, and intense. He really did look and sound like real life prince charming.

“Yes, I don’t even remember when the last time I ate was.” She blew a breath out between pursed lips as she propped herself up in the bed to look up at him, still trying not to ogle. Normally men who looked like Olly didn’t pay attention to women like her, so she was both flustered and flattered that he currently was.

“I’m not even sure what day it is? Everything seems kind of fuzzy lately.” A half laugh came from her as she shrugged, then tried to give him a smile. It wasn’t that she was amused, more she was trying to keep herself from focusing on it too much, to keep herself from crying.

“I don’t know if it will help, but it’s Thursday.” Her eyes went wide, which almost made him chuckle. “Dartan said it’s been two days since you got here. You’ve only been HERE about 18 hours.” He gave her a soft and caring smile, trying to reassure her. The poor female had been through so much; and nothing in her life would ever be the same again. There was no clue how she would react when he informed her that she was now immortal. He hoped that she wouldn’t have a problem with both he and Arch helping her to acclimate to life in Imperium.

“I’m sure he’d know.” There was an edge to her voice and her lips thinned, eyes dropping to the blanket as she picked at a piece of fuzz. Of course he would; and if he was here, he’d be reminding her of it every couple of minutes. Her eyes once again rose to the much friendlier face of Olly, “sorry, I must be getting grumpy from lack of food.” As her cheeks pinked, she could feel the heat rising to them.

Olly had to fight to keep from chuckling. She was certainly snarky, but it was not as if she did not have good reason to. By all accounts, in less than 24 hours, Dartan had lost her, almost gotten her killed and eaten, and then provoked a demon that ended up causing her more pain than him. If she had any idea how to use any of the powers that Abriella had bestowed upon her, the spectre would be even more unhappy than he current was.

“You have every reason to be upset. Just know that he is strangely concerned for you in his own way.” Once more Olly had to control a chuckle when she rolled her eyes until almost all he could see was the whites of her eyes. While he had never had any experience with Dartan, he was beginning to wonder if there was ANYONE that could stand him. He would have to talk to Mithos and Arioch, neither of them were known for putting things delicately or holding back their opinions.

“Yes, well his way of things so far seems to be rather painful.” Amaya picked at the blanket again; not wanting to look up at Olly, and let him know how much everything that Dartan had said and done had really hurt her feelings. “And now I can’t even go home.” She sighed and wanted to cry, but clenched her jaw to try and control herself. No one was going to feel sorry for her, least of all herself.

Olly perched himself on the side of the bed, reaching over and taking her hand that was pulling the fuzz off the blanket. Her hand was small and delicate, totally dwarfed by his much larger and more powerful one. Slowly she looked up at him and he gave her a soft smile when once more their eyes met. She was truly beautiful.

“Food, and then I will share what I know with you, and we can start making some plans. OK?” She nodded and he tightened his hand around hers slightly, wanting to comfort her. Already he was feeling protective over her, something that came natural as a Horseman, but there was also something more.

“Our kitchens can make anything you desire, so what would Sleeping Beauty like to eat?” He winked at her and that at least earned him a smile and the pinkening of her cheeks. Her eyes dropping briefly to his hand holding hers then back to his eyes. How had Dartan found this beauty annoying and aggravating? Olly, for all his years, found himself quite bewitched.