Page 51 of The Scars Within
Remembering the heroine’s advice, I stomped down hard on the bridge of Kate’s foot. Her momentary distraction gave me the chance to drive my elbow into her gut. She gasped and loosened her hold, bending over as I twisted around to tackle her.
But I was knocked backward by a powerful wave. Relentless water slammed into my face, sending me crashing to the ground. I tried to keep my mouth closed, but the force was too strong. Rushing water surged into my nose, causing me to cough, which opened the opportunity to flood my lungs.
I faintly heard a giggle through the torrent before Pehper’s voice cut through. “You should have done more research on your opponents, Scrap.”
“Let her go!” Laney’s voice was desperate, followed by a loud slap that sounded like she’d shoved Pehper.
I felt a tug at my belt and then a yank as Kate ripped one of my flags free.
But Pehper didn’t let up, and panic surged through my veins. Suddenly, I was back in the dark, my mind dragged to my Rock Bottom. A thin towel was tied tightly around my head while the men laughed maniacally as they poured water over my covered face. It wasn’t about getting answers but for their pure, twisted enjoyment. The suffocating sensation, the helplessness, it all came rushing back, threatening to drown me in fear once more.
My lungs were screaming for relief, white lights flashing beneath my eyelids once more. My body was growing limp when, suddenly, the torrent ceased. I gasped, pulling in a massive gulp of fresh air. As I rolled over, coughing up the water I’d swallowed, I caught sight of Pehper being hurled backward through the air. She landed hard on her back with a thud, the impact knocking her unconscious.
I glanced over at Laney, who was staring at her hands as if they belonged to someone else, her face a mask of shock. “I—I didn’t mean to,” she stammered. Every part of me wanted to rush to her, to hug her tightly and celebrate her element manifesting, but I was paralyzed, unable to move. My breath was beginning to steady, and my body felt fine, but I was numb all over.
Instead, I watched as Tatum, Cleo, and other cadets flocked to her, but Laney pushed them aside, sprinting toward me. She dropped to her knees, her eyes wide with concern.
“Are you okay?” her voice trembled.
I cleared my throat, managing a lazy grin. “You’re an air wielder.”
“That doesn’t matter right now!” she exclaimed, shaking her head emphatically.
Propping myself up on my elbows, I tried to smile. “You should be celebrating. Stop worrying about me. I’m fine.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You’re down. When one of us is down, we’re all down. That’s what a team is.” Laney looped my arm over her shoulder without waiting for my response and hoisted me up. “We—” she pointed to herself and then to me, “don’t stay down. We lift each other up.”
I felt the sting of tears at the back of my eyes as my mind flashed to Jaelyn, the only person who had ever genuinely fought for me until she couldn’t anymore.
“I’ve got her,” a deep voice said behind us.
“Shayde!” Laney squealed, lifting my arm off her shoulder.
Shayde grabbed my arm and stepped in seamlessly.
“I’m fine,” I grunted as I tried to release myself from his hold.
Shayde stopped and leaned close to me. He spoke low enough that nobody could hear over the celebration. “You froze.”
My eyes snapped to his, and I stopped trying to release myself from his hold. His brown eyes dove deep into my soul as if he could see what actually happened to my mental state when I was being drowned on land.
“I just watched you dive through literal flames to win a pretend battle and free yourself from a chokehold after the color had almost completely vanished from your face. But Pehper hits you with water, and you give up? You didn’t even try to fight it.”
I was so stunned by his words that I couldn’t resist when Shayde slid his arm under my knees, lifted me effortlessly into his arms, and carried me off the field.
“This is me saving you when you can’t see that you need it.”
Chapter 21
The gust of air that saved Scarlet from being scorched in the simulation may have been oblivious to most.
But not to the Grim.
Scarlet should have dove head-first into flames, but suddenly, the flames moved out of her way.
I know it wasn’t my doing, but now the Grim is breathing down my neck. After we returned from Arcane Battle Simulations, I had a note under my pillow urging me to check Scar’s plant.
I’ll do it quickly before everybody heads out for the weekend.
