Page 184 of Powerless

I hear the maze rebuilding itself behind me as the Blooms try to fix the damage I’ve done. But it’s too late.

I’ve already made it to the center.

I step into the open circle, filled with nothing but sand and the two figures within it. The first came from a path in the maze opposite mine, and the flash of silver glinting in the light tells me exactly who it is.

Paedyn is limping. Her whole body seems to drag even while she pushes it to run. Her leg and body are bloodied, bruised.

I start forward.

But her gaze never finds mine. No, those blue eyes are fixed on the figure at the center of the circle. Paedyn’s steps falter, fumbling as though she’s back in my bedroom where I taught her how to dance.

And then she’s sprinting towards the criminal who’s destined to die.

ChapterFifty-Nine

Paedyn

I suddenly can’t breathe again,and I vaguely wonder if Blair is back, squeezing the air from my lungs with her invisible grip.

I sway on the spot, feet sinking into the sand beneath me at the edge of the circle.

I’m seeing things. I must be seeing things.

I stagger forward, tripping into a run. I force myself faster, ignoring the protest of pain shooting up my foot.

“Adena?”

This can’t be right. This can’t be happening.

Her beautiful form is broken and bleeding. Her knees sink into the sand, and her hands are tightly tied behind her back. Tears streak down her once glowing, dark skin, now dull and drenched with blood.

A shuddering sob escapes her, and my heart threatens to fail me at the sound. I’ve never heard Adena cry. Even after losing her parents as I had, after being beaten for attempting to steal those sticky buns she loves so much, after shivering on the streets—nothing has ever broken her. Nothing has ever dulled the light that isher.

She’smylight.

I’m stumbling towards her, numb and nauseous all at once.

This isn’t right. This can’t be right—

“Paedyn!” Her voice cracks and I think my heart does the same. She struggles to stand, trying to walk towards me even with her feet bound. Panic laces her next words, fast and frantic. “Pae, I’m so sorry. I—”

Time seems to stall.

The scene seems to slow, unfolding so vividly, so violently.

And I know in this moment that I will see it every time I shut my eyes.

All it takes is one brutally blunt branch.

One single, broken branch to break her.

The gnarled wood flies, guided by an invisible force before it meets her back, skewering her right through the chest. The scream couldn’t even tear from my throat fast enough.

“Adena!”

She sways, blinking down at the bloody branch protruding from her chest. Then her gaze slowly climbs up to mine as I stumble into a sprint, tears blurring my vision.

The sound of screaming fills my ears.

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