Page 58 of In the Dark

CHAPTER 14

In her dream the storm was real, battering her with cold, rancorous rain. She stood on the hillside Morgan had once created for her, with the sea a frenzy of furious waves and whitecaps. Overhead, lightning split the clouds and thunder boomed in answer.

Black water scoured her bare skin. The wind howled in the distance like an animal.

With a vicious laugh, Karsia danced and urged the wind onward. More lightning, more anger. Power surged in her blood and bestowed her with the ability to do anything she wanted. Anything. Such glory in the strength, in her own confidence and knowledge that whatever she willed, it would come to pass.

With the new power coursing inside of her, she could easily have the vengeance she sought for the wrongs committed against her family. She may be the embodiment of darkness and discord, but the desire to protect her family couldn’t be bad. Those responsible would be punished. A life for a life, yes?

This is who we are now. Who we can be together. As long as you accept your destiny.

“Yes!” Karsia called out her answer without hesitation. “I will!”

She’d always known there were some who found dalliances with darkness thrilling. At this point, she counted herself among them. Evil was not something to be overcome or fought against. It lived in the heart of every man, woman, and child if they took the time to look.

Evil cannot be vanquished. There must be a balance. Let you wield the weapon and burn this world and the next to embers.

“I will let no one stand in my way,” Karsia vowed. There were no rules anymore, none that pertained to her. She welcomed the uncontrollable energy inside of her, twisting itself around her soul and whispering. Whispering.

A snap of her fingers, and a figure materialized at her feet. She glanced down at him, weather beating him down to the ground. There was no sunlight to glint off his golden strands of hair. Command disappeared from his eyes and he cowered before her. Begging her.

Please, spareme.

Karsia reached out her hand and squeezed his throat until she heard a choking gasp. Orestes Voltaire collapsed in front of her. His suffering pleased her.

No, there would be no mercy. Her sisters weren’t there to offer a voice of reason. Not there to ask her to stop, to be sensible, to remember who she was and what she stood for.

She would refuse to listen anyway. She knew right from wrong, her moral compass straight and true. With a gleeful cackle, she raised her hand up and felt energy gathering there. She pointed down to Orestes with her lips pursed for a final air kiss.

Sayonara.

She was about to mete out final justice when a voice cut through the night.

“Karsia, wait!” Morgan approached from a cluster of birch trees. “I won’t let her touch you. Not here.” He clapped his palms together.

At once the sky lightened and storm clouds dissipated. The ghost figure of Orestes melted into the ground and daisies burst up in its place.

The hillside would no longer do, would no longer help her feel at ease after what she’d seen. Even with his power, Morgan couldn’t save her from herself and the nightmares brought about by her worst fears. His face dropped.

He had stepped into the voice inside her subconscious with one clear purpose: finding her. What he hadn’t expected was the turmoil of her mind, the presence keeping her hidden from him. Her dark passenger was getting stronger.

“Morgan?” Karsia hung her head.

“It’s me, honey. It’s me.” He was thankful he’d reached her in time before those fears took over completely and she experienced something she’d regret.

“What did I do?”

“Nothing we can’t move past.”

“It’s getting worse, isn’t it?” Karsia asked when he approached. Tears clogged her voice and she held her arms out to him. “I’m losing more and more of myself.”

“It’s not your fault.”

Morgan kept her under his arm. Considered the clean, blank canvas of the dream world. Then wiggled his fingers once more and a beach unrolled from nothing. Powdery white sand cushioned their feet and waves lapped gently at the shore in an unceasing rhythm. Salt tanged the air. He made sure the sun shone brightly while white clouds dappled the horizon. An attempt to dispel any lingering gloom.

Pitiful, he thought. He should be able to do better for her.

The beach cove curved in a semi-circle, with low cliffs and an old white lighthouse clinging to the rocks. He drew apple orchards, verdant fields of barley and acres of yellow flowers. Karsia deserved something unsparingly beautiful.

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