Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Reminisce ❯ The Ice Remembers Me ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2

The Ice Remembers Me

 

Darien didn't see her for a few days after that strange afternoon. It was as if she was purposely avoiding him altogether. According to Andrew, she'd only stopped by the arcade for a few minutes the next day to meet up with her friends and hadn't stayed a moment longer since.

 

The winter days sure seemed colder and a lot longer without her sunshine to warm the air for him. Today was the last day of classes for him, high school had been out for nearly a week and a half but his last college class ended today. God, how he hated finals. He just knew he failed that last one! Being so worried about that adorable Meatball head, he couldn't concentrate on studying! Not that he could really concentrate on anything else after she crossed his thoughts . . .

 

He shivered as the breeze picked up a bit, chilling him right through his coat, cold air worming it's way through his clothes. He frowned and hunched over looking for someplace warm to hide out. He was still a while's walk from his apartment. Maybe if he cut across the park, over the bridge- He could be home in time for the hot chocolate he mentally ordered to appear there.

 

Smiling crookedly, suddenly feeling- happier- for no other reason than the thought of his Serina, he took off at an easy jog across the street and down into the park's wide, white snowfields. “What are you doing to me, Sere?”

 

@~~}~~~~~

Serina frowned as she stood before a cracked window in her classroom, staring at the blue shadows created by the snow in the trees. A cold breeze brushed past her calves, raising goosebumps on her pale skin. She shivered, her heart twinging, and for a second she caught the cool blue-eyed glance of a very solitary girl at the front of the room.

 

That blue- it was the same as the snow-shadows, the same as glacial ice-

 

A scream echoed in her memory and she shivered with the biting chill that suddenly frosted her body. A fiery explosion rocked her with momentary warmth then a voice, kind and apologetic, whispered to her. `I'll be with Lita, take care-' Pain stabbed her chest and she knew her best friend was gone-

 

`We shouldn't have come, we're not ready!' Her own hysterical voice shocked her, a name ringing in her mind- `AMI!'

 

Serina gasped, her hands cold and bloodless, her heart pounding. Slowing her breath and pressing her fist to her chest to ease its pain, she carefully glanced around to see if anyone had noticed the incident.

 

No one was looking at her funny, that was a good sign. She straightened and nimbly recovered her optimistic composure with a single-minded determination. The short, blue-eyed student across the room was still deftly gathering her many books and placing them with care into her obviously heavy backpack. Once again, Serina caught her eye and she gave into the extraordinary feeling of déjà vu and smiled at her in surrender to the stranger's familiarity.

 

“Hey, Ami.”

 

“Oh hi- uh, Serina.”

 

“Hey, you know my name! Cool, am I really that popular?” Serina giggled with obvious false modesty.

 

The blue-haired girl met her glance once and her attention fell back to her backpack and books. “Oh not really, I just made a point to know each of my classmates' names.” Serina's face fell. The girl suddenly seemed to realize what she'd just said and her panicked face lifted to see Serina's crestfallen pout. “Oh no, that's not what I meant, I mean, I'm sure you are very popular-“

 

“Ames, don't worry, I'm just kidding! I know I'm not popular, I was just playing with you!” Ami's blush didn't fade much as she tried to busy herself by searching out more invisible books on her desk to pile in her tiny arms. “Anyway, me and Molly-“

 

“Molly and I- Oh, I'm sorry, Sere-“

 

“Molly and I, were wondering if you wanted to come skating with us.” Serina took Ami's arm and dragged her from the naked and protesting desk.

 

“NOW? But I don't have my-“

 

“Don't worry, we can stop by your house on the way over! Your mom won't mind!” Serina then proceeded to drag the short, blue-haired girl out the door and all the way home. Halfway there, Serina realized she was leading her new friend to a place she'd never been to before.

 

“By the way, Serina, how did you know my name?”

 

@~~}~~~~~

Serina grinned again as she took off down the ice, sliding and scrambling like a wet puppy on marble tile. Her friends, Ami and Molly, were chasing her, trying to tag her. `It's too easy for them! They can skate!' Serina thought half-heartedly as she spied Molly catching up to her.

 

“I gotcha now, Serina!” The redhead hollered and reached out to snag a thickly clothed arm- only to have it disappear beneath her.

 

Serina shrieked in delight as she landed on her butt and slid right by the other girl and into the snow piled along side the frozen lake. She laughed so hard her sides hurt as she just lay there, arms flung out, head and ponytails soaked with the quickly melting snow. She could just start feeling the ice below her stealing the warmth from her body.

 

Serina stood, dusting herself off as Ami skidded to a halt before her, inquiring to her health. She rolled her eyes and reassured the concerned girl then took off before either of her friends could catch her. They called angrily after her but she took off like a shot- For a second or two, then she was Bambi again.

 

`Once upon a time, I used to be really good, I can feel it. My spirit wants to fly, my body to dance- but my darn feet refuse to cooperate!' Serina tripped over a bump in the rough ice and barely managed to stay upright. `I'm missing my balance, my strength and courage to stand and soar.' But that was why she came to this lake to practice, to try and glide across the hard, glassy surface, more often without her friends than with. She dearly hoped, desperately if she spoke truthfully, that someday she'd be as graceful as she somehow knew she was supposed to be. That heart-aching, mind-crashing feeling had taken over her life the last couple weeks and she just wanted- release.

 

Speaking of painful déjà vus . . . Wasn't that the tall girl from school? The ponytail-rose-earring girl? Serina stumbled past her so quickly she couldn't tell except by the tightening of her heart and the brain freeze she got from just a glimpse. That was her! Her name- right on the tip of her tongue- R- Rachel? Ra- Rei? No, that was someone else entirely she thought she knew- just . . . not yet. `Uh, Laura? Lana? Lisa? Li- Lita? Lita!' That was the brunette's name! But how'd she know that?

 

“NO! Don't go!”

 

The heartrending scream reverberated in Serina's soul but she suppressed it as she was quickly learning to do. She felt an emptiness in her chest that she some how knew this girl filled a part of- She knew her inside and out- whoever that Rei character was too- and she didn't get an overly good feeling about the latter. But Lita was different from most- she needed friends cause she lived alone, because, she had no- parents . . .

 

` . . . we'll get you out of this!' A sudden sob caught in Serina's throat and sharp tears painfully pricked her eyes as she glided past, her own voice desperate in her memory.

 

`Hang in there- I'm with ya . . .'

 

Serina took a deep, shaking breath and sniffed, wiping away the icy tears on her cheek. `How do I know these things?' She answered her own question. `The same way I knew all that stuff about Ami-' She stared after the tall girl, whom, in turn, watched her curiously, coldly. `That stranger's an orphan, growing up all alone. Without even friends.' Beside her, a shorter girl walked up, her long violet-black hair contrasted the white-furred earmuffs she wore, her red winter jacket seemed to made to fit her form with one feminine goal in mind- catch a guy. She was gorgeous, perfectly proportioned, her face was elegant and mature but Serina knew she couldn't more than fifteen- she looked eighteen! She stood with noble grace, like a princess- no, a priestess! As Serina gawked, the two turned away, talking quietly together.

 

“Serina! Where're ya goin'?” Molly's clear voice rang across the pond and white field beyond. Serina snapped out of it- with the help of another rough spot in the ice- whirled- a bit too quickly and too far- and returned laughing, to the two girls waiting for her on the other side of the ice.

 

“I'm coming!”

 

@~~}~~~~~

“Serina! Where're ya goin'!” `Serina?” Seconds later that perfect, warm, light, lilting laughter cascaded from heaven to his ears. He paused in his easy jog across the park, interest piqued. She was out playing in the snow? With her affliction? In the distance, she laughed again, answering her friend's call, and his dark memories of her fainting spell and escape from his apartment disappeared with her ringing voice.

 

Serina was here.

 

He sighed.

 

And she was happy.

 

He chuckled, content to listen to her forever. Then he headed towards the pond where the voices hailed from.

 

“Ready or not, Sere, here I come.”

 

@~~}~~~~~

“Serina! It's your turn to be it!” Molly complained, easing to her knees on the ice. Ami stood behind her, half her mind on the conversation, the other on the beauty of the ice blues, steely cobalts, and pale azures of the snowy landscape.

 

“The name of the game is tag, Moll! You gotta catch me!” Serina grinned and took off, circling a sloppy, stumbling orbit around them. Both girls flinched when her toe pick caught under her other foot's blade, throwing her face first to the ice. “Yoweee!”

 

“Watch where you're feet are going, Meatball head!”

 

Serina froze, elbows and cheek stuck to the ice, legs flung out behind her, turning to icicles as the pond stole her warmth for its own. “MEATBALL HEAD?!” Instantly, incredibly swift from that position, she was on her feet and flying at her enemy.

 

Serina didn't even realize her actions, so intent was she on murdering her offender. Her balance was perfect, her speed impressive, agility enviable. She felt the rough, bumpy ice before her blade skated over it; she compensated for it with turns, skips, and single-footed half-leaps. Darien stood on the edge of the pond, hastily stepping back, afraid she'd lose control, but somehow, at the same time, confident she would never hit him.

 

He all but gaped at her, his mouth dropping open with her swirling, easy,

abrupt stop scant feet away from where he stood. It was only a couple, well-executed spins and a loose toe pick halt, her ponytailed hair trying to continue its flight, flung across her chest and over her shoulder only to fall back to their proper sides. Her delicately flushed face glared up to his with a superior bearing that actually made him feel the need to bow to her. He knew he would if she but asked . . .

 

“Hello, Sere.” He whispered.

 

Serina's heart fluttered. She might faint again. `NO! That would be bad, bad, bad, bad!' “Wha- What are you doing here?” She tried to sound angry but only a surprised, breathy voice came out. `Ohmigod, I hope that didn't sound to him like it sounded like to me. It was like some love-sick girl from Mom's old movies!'

 

“I was on my way home, thought I heard you.” The pair was instantly cut off from the world, the cold disappeared, the sun shone on them as if the clouds were nonexistent. It was like, when they were this close, they could let the shields fall and be completely different, honest people without time and the world peeking in. Darien, a softhearted, strong, sexy/romantic guy, and Serina, an innocent, calm, sweet/shy girl. “I missed you . . . -at the arcade, I mean.” Darien's hand flew to his head, nervously trying to cover up his slip by running his fingers through his raven hair. Serina almost missed the action and bit her lip to keep from smiling as blatantly as she wanted to. When had she ever had that consideration for him? She didn't want to embarrass him?

 

“I'm sorry you missed me. I didn't think you'd even notice . . .” Serina's cold flush unexpectedly raised in temperature as she met his cerulean blues only to skitter away like a rock on the ice.

 

“Yes, I noticed. Of course I noticed. You don't know how many tests I've failed this week because I noticed.” Darien turned away, not sure if he was angry with her for pretending she wasn't important, like she was a nobody, meaning nothing to anyone least of all him. Or at himself for letting her believe it. Maybe even encouraging that thought- he didn't think she actually took his teasing that seriously.

 

Serina's gaze met his, the blank honesty in those depths caught and held his attention. “Huh?”

 

He forgot what he'd just said to her. “Uh- Never mind,” Hand in hair again. He turned away in the same motion, not ready to leave but he didn't like where this conversation was leading his emotions.

 

“Serina! Lay off the poor guy!” Serina whirled on the convenient interruption, instantly twirling towards her friends. Ami waved, Molly was making kissing faces. Serina's angry huff returned and she nearly tripped over her feet trying to kick off to kill the both of them- or at least her bestest friend.

 

Serina giggled as she chased the redhead away from Ami's protective shield. “MOLLY! I'm gonna HURT you!”

 

@~~}~~~~~

By the time Serina had fallen at least three times, Darien had had more than he could stand of her hurting herself and he turned to leave. Molly continued to escape her klutzy pursuer, ducking away just in time and dashing off leaving a little Serina frustrated to tears wobbling after her.

 

“Fine! I don't care! You're so mean!” Serina stuck out her tongue and took off across the pond. `I haven't practiced yet anyway.' She skated widely, snowplowing and making squiggly lines in the untouched ice of the middle of the pond.

 

“Serina, I don't think you should be over there. Come back to the sides with us and play.” Ami called. Serina made a point to turn her figure eight at that moment, effectively ignoring her- by tripping on the slick ice.

 

Serina stood then quickly glanced up, disregarding her two friends, her eyes waiting to see Darien shaking his head at her klutz attack but all she saw were his eyes staring right back her. So intense, so blue, so afraid- Those same eyes delved into hers when she awoke from her fainting thing. `Something's . . . wrong?'

 

At the same time, the raven-haired girl on the other side of the pond whirled around, fierce gaze falling instantly on her, their eyes clashing- `Get out . . ?' Serina jerked at the thought. Both their faces held such horror that Serina froze where she stood, waiting for someone to break the spell.

 

“Serina-“ The young man had taken a hesitant step forward, as if something was slowly pulling him to her and he was debating whether it was real enough to listen to or not. His warm, deep eyes caught hers, silently trying to tell her something she could hear only if she were quiet enough- She closed her eyes, holding her breath-

 

Serina heard a soft crack, a low scrape and scratch like a styrofoam cup slowly being torn apart.

 

“Hey, you! Get out of there! Hey, Blondie!” The red-coated stranger started for the iced beach, running as quickly as she could in Serina's direction. Darien had long left her behind, not caring to take caution on the frozen water.

 

The soft ice she stood on began to sink, so minutely, she wouldn't have noticed the downward movement except for the murky green water seeping in through the gash at her feet. Within seconds her skates were under inches of water and the thin line widened. Serina tediously shifted her weight to one side, ready to run, her blue eyes wide. The only thought in her head was to cry in terror, her mind screaming `Move, move, move!' But she couldn't make a sound or even breathe lest the small fracture collapse into a real hole.

 

Somehow, so much farther off than reality, she heard Lita and her friend shouting for her to move, she thought she saw Darien racing to her side out of the corner of her eye but her terrified gaze was stuck on the sight of her disappearing feet.

 

Panic finally snapped her attention- frigid water was seeping into her skates- it was so cold! Serina shifted her foot to slowly, carefully skate away- and slipped as the broken ice tipped and slid from beneath her unsteady feet.

 

And suddenly the world disappeared.

 

She never had a chance to scream.

 

Icy water engulfed her, her body and mind knew nothing but cold, sharp as needles and so shocking she completely forgot the need to breathe. Serina instantly couldn't feel anything except the assaulting touch of water she couldn't escape.

 

She couldn't escape.

 

Her clothes were heavy and soaked, her skates dragged her down, and her arms didn't seem to be moving even though she saw them thrashing in the green water where the sun sparkled through the skylight in the ice. She reached for it, forcing her numb hands to grasp the broken edges of thick ice and she tried to pull herself out of the water with useless fingers, attempting to kick weighted legs and reach the surface if only to breathe. The edge abruptly broke off and once again she was holding nothing, immersed in chill water she was beginning to not feel anymore.

 

The air above the water was so much colder than the frigid lake and her hands retreated under again, her arms freezing up and legs slowing, too cold and tired to move. She felt so sleepy . . . She looked up at the sky through the water- `It's so beautiful.' The sinking flow of the current around her felt strangely tender. Her wide blue eyes watched the gray sky and sunlight shining down on her, her golden hair drifted up as if to reach for the sun's rays. Serina numbly felt her hands float upward, tinged the oddest color of pale blue-violet. The water embraced her and she let herself relax into it. She would have sighed if she could only remember how. Time slowed but she never noticed, it was becoming dark and still, the cold gone but the caressing water remained.

 

Abruptly the sunlight disappeared and she saw a distant figure, a face she'd recognize anywhere but his expression was still alien to her, Darien Shields rarely showed concern for anyone before or, whatever panicked emotion paled his features. The horror in his breath-taking blue eyes caught Serina's attention as quickly as a candy clearance. The pain and fear etched in his face was heart-stopping, agonizing, and all she could do was stare at him, the faintest ghostly smile unconsciously on her blue lips, trying to reassure him that she was all right. `I'm really okay with this, it'll put an end to those heartaches and nightmares. Don't come after me, don't risk yourself for me, not for the meatball head.'

 

Serina's chest started to throb, feeling empty but exploding, like her heart was fluttering in a cage, her stomach tightening and twisting sickeningly, and her head started to ache, her stinging sapphire eyes drifted shut as she fell further and further from the one person she so wanted to help. That sad heart she wanted to hold and comfort, the face she wanted to kiss and love and gaze on forever. `Such clarity comes when you know you're going to die.' Serina thought quietly, her eyes closed, eyelashes tickling, her skin numb with cold though she could still vaguely feel herself sinking. She was happy the last of reality and life she saw was his face. He'd become so kind to her lately, someday, something might have existed between them- `Too late . . .'

 

Her body relaxed with the stillness of death, silence it's heralding song. Serina could feel her pulse in her head; it was quickly dying, fighting, but only weakly. Her lungs caught fire, burning her from the inside out with an icy fire, and her lips, against her will as she no longer had the control to stop them, slowly parted like the ice only a few moments ago. Freezing water flooded her mouth, stealing the last warmth from her but it went no further. `I won't swallow this till I am dead.' She swore with her last life.

 

Playful silver bubbles rushed past her nose, kissing her cheeks, and catching under her eyelashes but she was beyond feeling . . .

 

`I was going to tell you, Darien . . .'

 

A touch shocked her dead nerves, a weight on her hand, and water falling down instead of up. More pressure and a heaviness pulled at the drifting girl, a sudden sharpness forced her tired eyes to blink open once- and discover blue eyes. Blue eyes, black hair, frosty air- and an all-encompassing sense of safety long awaited . . .

 

Her body was so cold, she couldn't even shiver, couldn't move fast enough to get air into her heaving, burning lungs. She struggled to breathe and more to stay conscious. Darien hung over her, his wet black hair dripping, his face flushed with the sudden douse of ice water.

 

“D- Darien . . . I'm so . . . cold . . .”

 

@~~}~~~~~

“We need to get you both inside, Darien, Serina might need a hospital-“

 

“Is she goin' t' be alright?” Molly asked as she knelt beside a bedraggled Darien holding her best friend close to him. He was shivering something awful, she felt so bad for him, but she was really worried because Serina wasn't moving at all, not even shivering.

 

“Hey, is your friend okay?” A pretty brunette in a red coat and her tall companion suddenly ran up, gasping for breath in the dry cold air.

 

“Yeah, we saw her fall in.” The tall girl added.

 

“My grandfather's shrine is nearby, you guys can bring her there, there's always a fire going and we've got to get that- that airhead warm.” The shorter and darker-haired of the brunettes actually sounded angry at Serina, but she offered help and Darien and Ami were quick to accept it.

 

“Thank you very much for the offer. We really do need to get Serina warm again, and he needs a change of clothes at least-” Ami stood, trying to guide Serina's savior to wherever the girl would lead them. Serina's male friend still held the frozen girl close. “Try to keep her awake, um- uh,”

 

“Da-Darien.” The young man stuttered. He jerkily followed the two girls ahead of him, monotonously, like a zombie with one mission in mind. Molly and Amy took either side, staying close to keep him supported and warm. Ami quickly gave up her jacket to cover him.

 

“Don't worry about extra clothes, Chad'll have something. Serina's her name?” The snobbier looking girl glanced back, studying the four of them with a fleeting look of confusion and intense thought. Then it was gone, replaced with a more natural, flippant expression. “She doesn't really fit her, does it? Bunny's more like it.” Her thoughts quickly and fiercely contradicted herself. `She couldn't be more serene if she were dead.'

 

The poor girl's skin was white-blue, her lips a very pale lilac and she hardly seemed to be breathing. She looked like a porcelain doll.

 

The stranger's tall companion suddenly turned around, stopping the group's trudging jog away from the shattered lake and out of the park. “Sorry about your friend. We tried to get there, to tell her sooner-“

 

“I sensed something was wrong, sorry I didn't move faster.” Rei said more quietly, hanging her head as they continued.

 

Ami shook her head. “There was nothing you could have done. We were with her and didn't notice anything- how Darien and you might have seen it-“

 

“It really doesn't matter. Let's just get them inside.” Rei smiled uneasily and Ami got the impression she was trying to change the subject. It worked since a few moments later they were trudging up the steps of the Hikawa shrine.

 

“Thanks for your help, Rei.”

 

@~~}~~~~~

His face was shadowed by the light behind him but she could tell he wore a pale domino mask and his black top hat. He carried her gently onto the columned balcony and into the moonlit night. She watched him through drowsy, slitted eyes, her whole body was relaxed and warm but not just from his body close to hers. She was very content and happy, the bitter taste of spiked punch in her mouth. She could drift away at any moment, safe in this man's arms, completely trusting him to take care of her, and dream of him and the memories he stirred.

 

The young man with the hidden blue eyes smiled at her as he set her down, the release separated her from his warmth, the cape fell away exposing her to the chill breeze that blew over the high balcony. Her sigh turned to a barely audible moan as she realized how thin her gown was, her skin goose-bumped and she frowned slightly. She felt a delightful warmth approach her face and her eyes fell closed and something soft touched her lips. The glow disappeared and she shivered.

 

She fell asleep in the chair on a strange balcony in a strange house at a party she was never invited to. “Tuxedo Mask . . . Don't go, I'm cold.”

 

@~~}~~~~~

Serina tried to reach for something to cover herself up, her gown, his satiny cape, anything- the wind blew harder, growing colder, she was freezing.

 

Her hand could barely move- she was trapped, someone was holding down- if she didn't get away they'd kill her! She knew whoever held her there meant to kill her- she couldn't be kept down, she had to fight- she didn't want to die! Not without doing something first . . . “No! Let me go, please!” She thrashed against the covers trying to escape her invisible enemy, she jerked awake but the vision didn't go away despite her abrupt return to consciousness.

 

Suddenly an ice field spread its sharp, icy blanket before her. She was freezing and the frosty wind sliced her cheeks, her bare legs and arms, with the tiny chips of ice it hurled at her. `I can't do this on my own! Please! Please, don't leave me!' She beg someone she could no longer see but somehow knew, with a heavy guilty dread, that they were gone- forever. “Don't leave me alone, you didn't have to protect me! I don't want to be the princess . . .” The glaring white vision faded to blackness and Serina's head swam for a second. Her blank eyes stared straight ahead, waiting for the dizzy darkness to evaporate from her eyes. She closed them and sighed. She was still so cold. She curled up and started to cry. “Not again, not again . . .”

 

“Princess?”

 

Serina's eyes snapped open, her heart arrested. She doubled over, pressing her fists against her chest. The sharp pain in her lungs made her breath catch. That voice, that word . . !

 

`You don't have to protect me-`

 

`Yes, I do.'

 

“Hey, are you okay?” A black-haired girl, the one from the . . . pond- leaned closer over her, an unfamiliar concern painting her face.

 

`Protecting you was my destiny . . .'

 

Serina managed to nod as she fought her body for the ability to breathe, coughing weakly. She could hear the voices of dead memories in the back of her mind like a radio in the distance. `Time for me to go- see you around, Serina . . .'

 

`No wait-` Serina wasn't sure if that was her reminiscence or herself but the fragile memory was fading fast.

 

“What's going on in there, Rei?” Darien opened the door, pressing his fingers to his temple, frowning. “Is Serina okay?” He walked in, his hand dropping as he saw the blonde cringing in the bed by the fire. “Sere?”

 

“I- I'm fine. Another bad dream. Nothing to worry about.” She smiled shakily and tried to sit up. It was then that she realized she wasn't wearing anything underneath that thick blanket. Her eyes widened and she grasped it close to her, blushing and hiding her eyes. Darien seemed to notice this and quickly turned on heel, hiding his own suddenly flushed face.

 

“Come on, get out, Darien, she's fine- embarrassed, but fine. Get.” Darien silently walked out, closing the door without turning.

 

Serina's eyes darted to the other girl's violet ones. Recognition beyond her understanding dancing in those dark depths- `I'll set you all free again, I promise.'

 

“Don't tell him what happened. Please. Don't tell him what I said, what I did, nothing. He's too worried about nothing as it is.”

 

The priestess snorted and looked away. “Looks like he should be. You get these nightmares often?” Rei kept her gaze away from the blonde, as if she were trying to hide something. Serina ignored it, she'd stare this girl down till she agreed to keep her secret.

 

“Yeah, all the time, that's why it's not a big deal.”

 

“And your little asthma attack thing?” Rei picked up the folded clothes on the floor and set them on the bed beside the still shivering girl. She quickly turned away and busied her hands with Serina's wet clothes lying tossed in a pile by the fire. She needed to put them in the dryer if she could.

 

“It- It's not asthma. But yeah, it's been happening more often lately but it happens, I've gotten use to it.” Serina glanced down at the clothes the girl handed her. They were strange looking; bright red, wide pants and a huge white shirt. They looked like something she saw in old pictures or at festivals-

 

Rei must have noticed her expression. “I'm the priestess of this Shinto shrine. You can borrow one of my robes for now.” She stirred up the coals of the fire and stood. “I won't tell your boyfriend but I think you should.”

 

Serina's head dropped again and she stuttered, “Darien- He- he's not my boyfriend.” Rei's eyebrow arched questioningly.

 

“He sure acts like it. He loves you. He dove in after you and carried you all the way back here. He didn't care about himself- all he thought about was you. That's love if anything is. He's done nothing but wait for you to wake up, pacing a rut in my floor.” Serina's wide eyes stared unbelieving at the priestess's back.

 

Rei turned to face the girl, her face registering the slightest flicker of confusion. “Either way, I might be able to help you with these dreams. You know they're important, right? Being a priestess, I have visions of the future, premonitions, all the time. I think yours might be the opposite. A memory of a past life, so closely entwined with this one that it's affecting you now. Physically. You have some serious karma issues to work out I think.”

 

“I- I don't know . . .”

 

“We don't have to talk about it now. But I'm always here for that sort of thing. I guide lost souls and I think yours is more- in shock than really lost.” Rei opened the door, leaving Serina to get dressed.

 

“Thanks, Rei.” The fiery girl nodded and closed the door.

 

Serina thought she heard the priestess murmur something in a low, confused voice as she walked out.

 

“I have to protect you . . . Princess.”