Page 56 of Powerful

But I say none of this.

She promises. She pleads. She pulls me closer.

She’s so good. I’m not sure she knows how good she is. How her worth is so much more than what power is or isn’t running through her veins.

I’ve never thought of her as anything less than extraordinary.

My eyelids grow heavy, but I force them open.

I’ll have plenty of time to rest when I’m dead.

It’s peaceful, being pulled into the unknown.

But leaving her is anything but.

I claw against Death, needing to speak one last time.

‘This is not a goodbye… only a good way to say bye until I see you next.’

With numb lips, I leave her with that.

I wonder if I’ll be able to watch over her when I get to wherever Death is taking me.

He better let me watch over her.

The taste of blood is bitter in my mouth, but the smile I muster for her is sweet.

And then I count.

One, two, three…

Death is gentle in a way life never was.

I look up into the sky, seeing stars swim in my vision.

What a beautiful night in the Fort.

Four, five, six…

I’m counting the seconds until I see her next.

I’m counting the stars until I see Mak shining beside me.

The stars wink at me, welcoming me home.

And on second eight, I know nothing.

CHAPTER 22Makoto

My heart skips a few several beats, sputtering at the sight of her standing there in the sand.

I can’t breathe, can’t think, can’t do anything but stare helplessly at her figure so far away.

This can’t be right. Adena is the farthest thing from a criminal. The farthest thing from anyone who deserves to die.

An Imperial storms by, jostling my shoulder hard enough that I grab his arm. He whips round, temper flaring in his eyes. I’ve never once gone out of my way to interact with an Imperial, yet here I am, clutching his bicep and growling, ‘She’s not a criminal.Why the hell is she in there?’

The man scoffs, shoving me away from him. And if I weren’t so shaken, I likely wouldn’t have let him. ‘King’s orders, slummer.’ He bares his teeth in what he thinks is a menacing way. ‘Grab me again and I’ll throw you in there with her.’

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