“Let her go,” he said in the strongest voice he could, though his body was still weak.
“And what do I get if I release her?”
“You get to live,” he said. He meant it. He’d rip her apart with his bare hands if he had to.
“William, I’m sorry,” Agnes said. “It was the only way.”
“What do you mean?”
“She means she has come here of her own free will, offering herself to me in order to save you.”
“Agnes, no!”
“Aye,” the crone said with a cackle. “I win after all these years. I will either get a mortal body in the form of you or of her.”
“You will get neither; now, release her!”
“Or what?” the crone asked. “What power do you have over me?”
“William, please. You will live and be strong and the fighting will end. She will destroy the rebels for us.”
“You don’t need to do this, Agnes. I will find the rebels. I will destroy them.”
“You cannot; you were harmed. I cannot stand by and see you suffer like that. It was killing me.”
“Agnes, I cannot live without you.”
“But you will live,” she said. “The most important thing is that you will live.” As she said this, a single tear fell down her cheek. “I love you with all my heart and soul and I make this sacrifice for you.”
The crone tilted her head back and let out a loud wicked laugh. “She is mine!”
She drew her staff away from Agnes and made to plunge it into her neck just as William lunged forward. As he was about to knock the staff from her hands, they disappeared before him. NO!
William searched the meadow. Little by little the frost faded from the flowers and their colors returned. The moonlight dulled as clouds passed over its brightness. All color and light continued to fade until there was only blackness. William did not know how long he stood alone in the black with only the sound of his ragged breathing and his pounding heartbeat to comfort him.
He had to get away from this dark place—this hell hole. He needed to get back to the light to where Agnes was, where they loved one another and would make their family.
William turned around and around but could not find anything on which to aim his gaze. An eon later he noticed a small pinhole of light coming through from a distance. He ran toward it and as he did it grew larger. Shapes formed within the light, trees now and a road were visible. Faster and faster he ran toward it and just as he was about to reach it, he found himself falling away from it. He reached and grabbed and tried to find footing, but he fell so hard and fast that the light faded back to a pinhole and then to nothing.
William woke with a start and sat up to find his bearings. The pain in his head was nearly gone, and the room was so bright his eyes hurt.
“Hush, laddie. You are safe. I will get you your medicine now.”
“Nay,” he said. “No more medicine. I will take the headache. That stuff makes me feel odd in my head.”
“As you wish, laddie. But it is here if you need it.”
William blinked and ran his hands through his hair. He felt like shite. “How long have I been like this?”
“Four nights, and this is your fifth day.”
He looked around the chamber to see it all neat and tidy. Only the side table with her medicine ingredients was a little cluttered. He turned his attention to the empty spot beside him. “Where is my wife?”
“I had better fetch Neville,” she said and made her way to the door.
William was still reeling from the terrible dream he’d had. By God, what was in that tincture that made him dream like that? It has been so vivid!
Something was wrong. He could sense it, knowing it was not just left-over emotion from his dream.
