Page 161 of Blue Arrow Island
I dive back into our conversation, our unresolved issues bothering me too much to leave them like this any longer. “I’m going to stay with Amira when we get back.”
“No, you’re not.”
I huff out a bitter laugh. “Am I a prisoner?”
I get his classic scowl. “No, but we’re better when we’re together and you know it, B. I need you with me.”
“But you won’t tell me what’s on your mind?”
His voice rises with aggravation. “You want to know what’s on my mind? I spend most of my time thinking about what an asshole I am for being with you. For letting you think I’m some good guy when I’m really—” He rubs his jaw and scoffs, looking away. “I’m not even close.”
“I think you’re better than you realize.”
His sage-green eyes are shadowed with doubt. “I want to be a man you’re proud of, but—” His voice breaks with emotion as he presses my palm harder to his chest. “I’ve got demons chasing me, and you’re the only thing that makes me feel like ... like I’m something more than I really am, even if it’s not all the time.”
Tears well in my eyes. I’ve never seen this side of him. He’s torturing himself, and it’s tearing me apart to see it.
Just as I’m about to respond to him, there’s a sharp crack of breaking branches and snarling sounds, something heavy crashing through the undergrowth to our left. Marcus puts his hands on my shoulders, moving me away from the approaching animal. He leans close, speaking in my ear in a low tone.
“Go.”
I run, slowed by the density of plants and trees. I can feel Marcus’s warmth behind me, a low, rumbling growl on his tail.
“What is it?” I ask, keeping my eyes trained on what’s in front of me.
It should be dark as ink in this part of the jungle, but I can make out a lot of things because aromium is improving my night vision. I take a flying step over a rotting tree stump.
“Lion, I think. The pack’s on?—”
His words cut off and I stop, turning. A massive male lion just knocked him to the ground. The breath whooshes from my chest, the beast’s darkened eyes like twin pools of deep, endless darkness.
“Go, Briar!” Marcus commands. “Run!”
He’s on his feet, crouched with a machete in hand. The lion dips his head, letting out another deep growl.
I reach for the vines with my mind, begging them for help. They’ve only ever helped me, but if Marcus was able to get his wolves to help both of us when we were so cold, I can find a way to get the vines to help him.
It’s our best option. A single shot from a handgun won’t bring the massive lion down, and then he’d be so enraged he’d attack.
Come quickly. I need you.
“Briar, get out of here,” Marcus says, his tone low and commanding. “I don’t need your help.”
Leaves rustle. I know that whooshing sound. It’s the vines flying through the air toward me. I keep my breathing steady and continue summoning them.
They come from every direction. Thick, thorny vines swiftly twine themselves around all of the lion’s legs. He tries to move, snarling when he discovers he can’t.
Marcus wastes no time. He comes to me, gratitude in his eyes as we take off again.
I don’t know how long the vines can hold the lion, so we run and run and run. We’ve covered well over two miles, my breathing hard from pushing myself to my top speed.
“There’s a clearing with a stream to the right,” Marcus says from behind me. “We can cut through the water and he’ll lose our scent if he’s trailing us.”
When we exit the line of trees, I stop abruptly, throwing my hand over my mouth.
I’ve never seen anything like this. Water softly murmurs down the wide stream, a warm, honeyed fragrance filling the night air. And on both sides of the stream, hundreds of waist-high stalks boast bright-blue, iridescent, bell-shaped blooms. Their glow illuminates the space, which feels magical.
Marcus huffs out a cry of relief. He sinks to his knees, his hands on top of his head.
