Orynn swore internally as he made to rush across the short distance that separated them, but found himself stuck in place and unable to move as Aoife's terror invaded his body.
He could feel his magick pricking inside of him, the fury growing with each passing second as he tried, and failed, to get to her.
Eromaug's malevolent eyes slid lazily across to him, half lidded with satisfaction as a smug smirk crawled onto his face.
"I know you like to play the savior, dragon-spawn, but you need to learn your place too. You have been nothing but insolent and arrogant since my Eternal arrived…that will change, whether you want it to or not."
Orynn's lips pulled back, exposing his teeth as he hissed furiously at Eromaug but all this achieved was another mocking laugh directed at him.
"Quiet down, boy. If she wants to think that the memories of her life back in her realm were all cozy, I have a duty to put her right. After all, she deserves the truth, doesn't she?"
He could do nothing but watch helplessly as Eromaug dove into her memories again but this time, Orynn could feel her terror and her anguish as piece by piece he put whatever it was in her head back together.
It felt like forever but in reality it must have only been a few minutes that Eromaug maintained his grip on Aoife's head and as soon as he released her, her legs buckled under her.
Orynn trilled his concern, too scared to reach out to her mentally in case Eromaug was able to somehow tell.
She sat in the position she had crashed down in, her hands bracing her upper body and her head hung low. The way her shoulders were moving told Orynn that she was breathing hard, her breaths coming in panicked, ragged gasps as Eromaug stared down at her emotionlessly.
"You see? Your life wasn't perfect before you came here, was it?" Eromaug intoned coldly, "Let's face it, dying at the hands of your brother in law in such a way doesn't really scream 'treasured mate of a wolf' does it? In comparison, I think what I offer my Eternal and those close to her is far superior to your world, don't you?"
Eromaug spared a single, hostile glance towards Orynn as he released the hold on him and moved to Lexi's side, looking down at her with something akin to tenderness in his eyes.
Without wasting a second Orynn raced to Aoife's side, crouching down next to her and rumbling in concern. When he reached for her though, the moment his fingers touched the skin on her arm, she flinched away, pushing his hand away with her own and the hurt in his answering chirrup was plain to hear.
"Don't," Aoife said softly, "I…I don't want to be touched…not by anyone or anything."
"Aoife…please…I want to help…what happened…" Orynn asked, even though he knew that Eromaug would have done exactly as he said.
She stiffened at his intrusion into her mind but Eromaug hadn't seemed to notice, more preoccupied with inspecting Lexi for any signs of her regaining consciousness.
"He showed me my death," she replied quietly into his mind and Orynn felt his heart sink, "and he showed me…my botched resurrection…"
The pure grief in her voice tore at Orynn's heart and he could feel his magick reacting to hers, both in a state of turmoil that neither one could appease.
"I shouldn't be here Orynn…why…not even my family is left…my own mates family murdered me…"
"Don't think that way Aoife." Orynn replied firmly, yet gently, "I know for a fact that both Lexi and her friend loved you dearly. I don't know much about your life in your realm, but my mother spoke with Lexi at length and sees her memories as if they were her own. You are loved. You are cared for. Don't let Eromaug twist your own memories against you."
"That's a little hard considering I've just been forced to relive possibly the worst emotions that a person can go through in their entire life, in the space of a few minutes."
"I understand…" Orynn replied gently, but he was stopped in his tracks at her furious reply.
"Do you though? Do you know what it's like to remember nothing and then have your memories held hostage? Drip fed them as punishment for your perceived wrongs?"
Orynn's stare hardened.
"You are not the only person that has suffered under Eromaug, Aoife. You are angry with the wrong person."
"How do I know that you aren't…"
"Because if I wasn't on your side you would be dead by now," Orynn snapped, "I am doing everything in my power to keep you alive and safe so that we can ALL escape this hell. So once you are done grieving your past, let me know so that we can move forward with freeing ourselves and Lexi from this bastard's grip. But I will say this, we have limited time to pull this off successfully. If they complete the bond, she will not be the same woman that any of us know now. Do you really want to lose someone else that was important to you?"
Aoife's head lifted slowly as she turned her gaze towards Orynn, the faintest flicker of dislike in her eyes. He knew that his choice of words had been harsh, but he could think of no other way to pull her out of her grief. Everything right now hinged on Aoife and they couldn't afford for her to be losing her grip on things.
Her eyes slid from Orynn across to where Eromaug still hovered over Lexi and her eyes narrowed.
"Let me rest and as soon as I feel better we'll start again." Aoife murmured into Orynn's mind, "If at all possible, I want to take that bastard down before we escape."
Orynn rumbled his agreement as he held a tentative hand out to her to assist her to stand and Eromaugs head swiveled towards them at the sounds of their movement.
"Go. Rest. Be back as soon as you are able to try again." Eromaug said emotionlessly as he turned his attention back to Lexi.
"I will need a few hours at most. Sleep, food..."
"I don't care." Eromaug snapped, "Orynn will see to that as I have already said. Spare me the details and just do what is expected of you."
"Very well." Aoife answered, inclining her head slightly as she raged internally and allowed Orynn to lead her away.
Eromaug had no idea what he was up against at all. If Lexi was indeed against him, and what her magick had sensed caged within her was accurate, then he was in a whole world of trouble.
Lexi would never be controlled. The wild, almost feral nature of her soul's magick would never allow it and Aoife intended to use that to all of their advantages. She just had to figure out how to break the seal enough that Lexi's own magick could start dismantling it from within...