Christa’s Obsession (Obsessions #3)

Chapter Seventeen

Wanda

Wanda wanted to be brave for Christa, she did. The first couple of minutes after Christa left, she listened to her trees, accepted the gentle encouragement to breathe.

Someone needed to talk to her lungs. They weren’t behaving. The tight band that was currently crushing her chest made sucking in air impossible.

She will be fine, beloved. Breathe for us.

Leaves stroked up and down her bare arms and a sob escaped when it did no more than make the anxiety increase. Anxiety, the kind she had never experienced before—and after everything she had gone through in the demon realm, that was saying something—made her insides feel like they were being stretched, then hit repeatedly with something sharp. Her body vibrated with pain, hitting every nerve cell inside her.

Please, beloved, you need to focus on us.

The request made everything worse when Wanda felt she was betraying her trees because she couldn’t obey. She wanted to. Wanted to do what Christa had insisted she should do and let her trees distract her. But she could no longer sense Christa. Their connection was… severed.

Another sob escaped as she clutched at branches, gasping for air. Her tears blinded her as they fell unheeded. They made her feel even more defenseless, so she curled into a ball, hiding from herself and from her own lack. Sobbing harder, her chest burned, her face buried in her knees, doing everything to keep hold of the distress and prevent her trees from suffering.

Her limbs grew heavy, and the world shrank, closing her into misery. The cradle of her trees as they swayed and rocked her made no difference to the feelings crushing her.

Images floated unbidden to the surface of her mind of what the demons had done to her. Panting, she squeezed her eyes tightly together.

Beloved, please breathe in our scent.

Wanda heard the words floating through her mind, but she wasn’t able to grasp them, focus on them.

What if the demons choose to harm Christa? How would she know? She was useless, crippled by her own thoughts that she wouldn’t be able to get Christa the help she needed.

“Lass, what is it?” Dougal’s voice came through the branches like he was miles away, in a tunnel of trees. “I feel your distress. What has happened? How can I help?”

Wanda couldn’t answer, couldn’t concentrate on what he was saying. Leaves caressed her and with them came the scent of Christa. Wanda, greedy for more, released a body shaking breath and worked to suck in a breath to smell Christa. Her hands balled into her chest, willing it to work.

That’s it, beloved, smell the leaves.

She reached blindly for them and brought them to her nose, mewling as she inhaled deeply, yearning them to turn into Christa.

Wanda didn’t see the branches part, she felt it before the breeze touched her arms.

“Oh, lass, are you hurt?”

With a struggle, Wanda uncurled, lifting her head. She opened her eyes to look at Dougal. Her lips were working, but no sound came out, except for the whimpers of distress. “Hold on, lass. I’ll go get Silas for you.”

Would he understand? Be able to help her? Desperation made her nod wildly, curls flicking over the bed of leaves she lay on. Struggling as she was to just keep breathing, she didn’t notice her trees expanding the surrounding space. Her eyes closed once more, so she didn’t see Dougal running carelessly through the forest to get Silas.

Why did it hurt so much?

Was this being separated from Christa, or were her fears coming true?

She shuddered violently.

Was Christa hurt?

Dead?

Beloved, we would know if she was dead. Please stop these thoughts. Christa will be fine. We have protected her.

Not from the demons that might hurt her because of me.

Her thoughts tumbled from one disaster to another. She didn’t notice the leaves wrapping themselves around her, working to stop her violent shivers. Misery tugged her into a dark place where there was no sunlight. Where the darkness had sharp claws and wanted to peel the skin from her body. From her soul.

Christa.

Christa.

Christa, come back to me.

Wanda rocked back and forth, her eyes unseeing as she stared out of her nook.

“Wanda. Wanda, I’m here.” Silas’s voice floated in the air, and she worked to catch it. Hear what he was saying. “Shush my love, I’m here.”

Strong arms wrapped around her shuddering body. A familiar warmth pressed against hers and caused a broken sob. The scent of Silas made her twist and bury her head into his chest, tears flowing down her icy skin, seeking solace.

“Do you know what happened, Dougal?” Silas questioned quietly, stroking up and down Wanda’s back.

“The wind encouraged me to pay Wanda a visit. When I got here, I felt her distress,” Dougal answered. “The lass was beside herself. Even her trees couldn’t help her.”

“Christa has gone to the demon realm,” she heard Dakata say as yet more shudders ran through her.

They had reasoned out the need for Christa to go, but Wanda could not think of one of them now. She wanted Christa here, safe in her arms.

“How do you know that?”

“Because she asked me to watch over Wanda while she was gone.”

“You never said.”

Was Silas hurt by this?

Wanda pressed closer to her brother, hating that she had somehow caused an issue between him and Dakata.

“It’s fine, Wanda. I understand why Christa would do such a thing.”

She didn’t need to see his face to know he meant it, but it didn’t help.

She lost the thread of the conversation that carried on around her as she drew strength from Silas. Their bond was so pure, his magic worked with that of her trees. The trees gathered around them, holding them both, helping to reduce Wanda’s distress.

She had no concept of time as it passed. Her head felt too heavy to move along with her limbs, even when it became a little easier to get the air to go into her body.

Breath in.

Breath out.

Breath in.

Breath out.

She mentally repeated it with her trees.

“—go to the demon realm.” She roused at Dakata’s voice.

“If you feel that would be the wisest thing to do?” The strain was evident in Silas’s voice as he tensed against her. Dakata had not been back to the demon realm since…

Her nose wrinkled at the familiar scent and with effort, Wanda opened her heavy-lidded, swollen eyes, releasing a cry.

“What… what happened here?” Christa’s demon wore a lethal expression, her gaze sweeping the forest, hands raised, deadly looking claws ready to attack.

“You’re back,” Wanda whispered tearfully. This time, the tears came in a flood of relief.

Wobbly and weak, Wanda attempted to climb out of the tree to get to Christa, her need to touch driving her. However, after the panic attack, all she could do was crawl to the edge of the open nook.

Christa’s demon was already reaching for her and effortlessly lifted her out to enfold her in her arms. Wanda’s feet dangled three feet off the ground as she threaded her arms under Christa’s hair and hugged her tightly, laying her cheek against Christa’s.

“I’m sorry,” she sobbed. “I wanted to be brave.”

“Hush now, my love.” Christa gently moved Wanda, one arm hooking under her bottom, holding her steady, while running her fingers down the side of Wanda’s cheek, being careful with the claws. “I understand. You couldn’t feel our connection. I should have considered that. But once I was there, I couldn’t leave, I’m sorry.”

“No,” Wanda sobbed. “I—”

A finger pressed against Wanda’s lips, stopping her from saying more. “It’s okay. I’m safe. Unharmed. And I understand. I do. I won’t leave you again, I swear.”

“Did the demon king agree to your request?” Dakata asked, sounding concerned.

“What request is this?” Dougal’s usual affable nature seemed to have disappeared. The gruff demand was anything but friendly.

“To protect the forest from demons and unwelcome visitors intending to harm,” Christa answered, as Wanda felt exhaustion creeping through her at the release of tension and anxiety. “I need Wanda to feel safe in her own home once more.”

“Aye, I can see why you would want that. Did the king agree?”

Wanda moved so she could see Dougal’s face. She sensed something was amiss, but his expression gave her no clue as to what it was. She would speak to him alone when she felt more like herself.

“He has and is planning to come tomorrow.” A flood of absolute relief came from Christa as she spoke.

“He will?” Dakata questioned, his shocked expression very easy to read. “Do you have to do anything for this?”

Wanda, who had relaxed, instantly tensed at Dakata’s question. “Did he want something for it?” she asked before Christa could answer her brother.

Christa met Wanda’s gaze. Giving her a reassuring smile. “No. His only request was to meet you.”

“What? Me?” Wanda squeaked in alarm. “Why does he want to meet me?” It was hard enough with Dakata, and the others she sensed that came and went, who Christa said were good. The idea of meeting the most powerful demon left her dry mouthed and terrified.

A gentle finger touched the wrinkled skin at the bridge of her nose. “Because you are my blissful one. He won’t harm you, he is just intrigued.”

“Oh…”