Page 138 of The Scars Within
I rose and advanced towards her, flames crackling around me and my hair floating with the intensity of my air element. My scarlet irises ignited with fury. I extinguished the flames and calmed the air as I pressed my boot on her chest, forcing her to see the truth of who I am—the niece she had betrayed, the woman she helped me become and then tried to tear apart.
I dug my foot into her chest and growled through my gritted teeth, “You’ve got one thing right. I will always.Always. Fight.”
She grasped my foot and squirmed under my weight. Her eyes narrowed with rage, and without warning, she hurled me against the mountain wall with Professor Reynoski’s air. Dirt and pebbles rained down as my head struck the stone, and a loud ringing buzzed in my ears.I crumpled to the ground, gasping for air as dirt filled my lungs with each shaky breath.
And then my past flashed before me. I was in the shed, and the men had just delivered the worst beating yet. I had lain there for days, suffocating in the foul dirt. I had officially given up on myself. That was when I decided that I no longer wanted to live. I didn’t want to wake up. Closing my eyes for a final time would finally bring me to peace.
That was when I used my beacon of hope to slash through my skin.
I coughed, trying to catch my breath.
You are meant for more.
“I willnotsurrender,” I coughed. “I’m taking it back. I’m takingmy lifeback.”
I pushed myself up with my arms, collecting my strength to stand.
“I ammeant for more,” I coughed. “It is not my scars on the surface that prove the fight in me,” I declared to myself, my voice steady. “It’sthe scars within.”
I clawed my way back out of Rock Bottom for the final time, destroying the darkness within my soul as I stood on my own two feet. I reached to touch the back of my head and flinched from the pain. I dropped my hands, curling them by my sides. Cora was already standing. The gemstone in her hand began to glow, casting an eerie light.
She paused, taking in the sight of me.
And then she shot thorny vines through her hands, aiming straight for my chest.
Chapter 55
Her vines shot out faster than I could think. I braced myself for the impact, but they didn’t puncture my skin.
A flash of dark hair flew in front of me as Laney dropped to the ground. I fell to my knees before her, scurrying over on my hands and knees.
A blast of flames roared down the mountain peak, aiming directly at Cora. Lakota’s massive form cut through the smoke, swooping in with lightning speed. But Cora was faster. With one swift motion, she threw a vial to the ground, which broke and erupted in thick, obscuring smoke.
In an instant, Cora vanished into the swirling mist.
“Fucking bitch!” Lakota’s furious screech reverberated through our bond. He circled the peak, his wings slicing through the air as he descended slowly, his eyes scanning for any sign of Cora.
I reached Laney, my heart breaking as I saw the vines piercing her chest, close to her heart. Blood pooled around her, and she coughed up more from her mouth.
“No, no, no, no!” I cried, cradling her fragile form. The coppery scent of her blood filled my nostrils. I grasped her face, willing her to stay with me. “No—Laney! Stay awake!”
She managed a weak rasp, her eyes filled with pain and determination. “Keep. Writing.”
Tears streamed down my face as I sobbed uncontrollably. She grabbed my hand, but her grip was weak, and I looked down at her with a bittersweet smile.
“You’re the best part of me,” I whispered, but the joy was hollow. “I never– I never said I love you back.”
And then her grip ceased.
A silver light washed over her eyes; either a delusion from my head injury or a trick of light from the tears in my eyes.
Her beautiful light went out as she exhaled her last breath.
I gently closed her eyelids, overwhelmed by grief. My scream of anguish echoed across the mountains, raw and unrestrained. The cold rain pelted my skin, chilling my burning veins.
A wave of dizziness washed over me. My vision blurred, and my breathing felt labored as if I was submerged underwater. I collapsed beside Laney, my consciousness fading as I succumbed to the darkness.
I am meant for—
