The Beginning Continued

Wrapped in the blanket of her memories, Layna had fallen into a deep sleep and she awoke with a start as her dreams became images of violence and pain. Often she had cried out in the night for her dark and handsome warrior and only twice had he never come. Tonight something was wrong, he wasn't safe and Layna had a feeling that Daiquiri had everything to do with it. She hated that woman with a passion, more than once she'd tried to steal Matayas from Layna's arms and yet she had never succeeded. On this cold October evening, when he was out in the woods searching for the answers he needed so desperately, something had gone wrong. She knew he had been weary, and she couldn't help but feel guilty for setting him on that quest. Silently, swiftly she stood, her sweater falling just to her thighs, and stepped into her shoes. With no footsteps being heard below, she shuffled to the bathroom and pulled her ebony black hair off of her neck and gently touched the marks that showed upon her skin. 'I loved it when he would do that' she thought to herself as a silver tear rolled down her cheek. Quickly she picked up her car keys, grabbed a jacket and her purse and headed for the door. This was a strange time in her life, people thought she was crazy, but they would never understand. They hadn't lived as she had, hadn't seen what she saw. As she switched on the stereo in her car along with the heater, she vowed that Daiquiri would die for what she had done and when Layna set her mind, nobody could stop her.1

"Oh do wake up Lover" said a shrill, cold and deceitful voice. He wanted to lash out, to silence that voice forever but his source of strength was being drowned by it, Layna could not be heard over the cruel and jealous tones of Daiquiri and her servants. Reluctantly Matt opened his eyes and looked and his captor. "What do you want with me…why have you kept me here?" he demanded. Daiquiri just gave a knowing, cruel smile "Why Matayas do you not recall the little chat you had with my guards earlier?" His mind raced trying to uncover the conversation he'd had the night before and in a tight voice he managed a small and muffled "Layna will come, you can't win Daiquiri." The woman just laughed a high shrill, malicious laugh and signaled to her servant. "Have him ready in an hour, I will be appeased this evening…if he rebels, bring him directly to me, I will do the punishing around here is that understood Kino?" and with that Daiquiri was gone. Inside the tiny cell Matayas' anger flared but once she was gone, a sweet comforting melody came into his head. "Layna" he whispered and tried to direct her towards where he would be captive for perhaps a century.2

In the back of her mind she heard him calling to her...the one she had to save, or all would be lost for her. "Matayas" she whispered softly in reply, hoping he would guide her. Connected as they were it was impossible not to hear him, to feel his suffering and Layna drove on, towards her fianceeé, nothing in her mind but finding him. Suddenly out of nowhere the road took a sharp curve and her breaks squealed and her gears ground, but she could not bring the car to a stop. The rain was pounding on the windshield, there was mud spewing every which way and as Layna lay back in her seat, heart pounding, head bleeding she knew that this was the greatest evil of all. Daiquiri had kept her away for a little bit longer. Frustrated she screamed out and pounded her fists on the steering wheel and back in the dungeon Matt jerked awake, fear filling his heart, Layna was hurt. Outside the castle the storm raged on, the rivers swelled and the mud slid. His angel was hurt, out there all alone in this and he could do nothing, he was powerless to help her.3