Page 100 of Rising Out of the Darkness
Blood of two guards who were supposed to be under my care and my protection. Two men I’d failed. I stared back at my brothers, the guards’ blood still dripping down my face, as a tremor worked its way down my body. I was overwhelmed by the fear that one day the blood on my hands could be theirs, and I would have no control over stopping it.
The world around me spun as I shoved out of their grips and zephyred down to the ocean. I knelt in the frigid waves, scrubbing my stained skin with trembling hands.
Death and destruction.
That was all that I would ever be in this world.
The water began to turn scarlet, but no matter how hard I scrubbed blood still stained my skin. Just like the shame that lay heavy inside my soul, I feared there was nothing I could do to erase that feeling.
A gust of wind ruffled the back of my hair, and the sound of boots splashing through the waves came closer.
“Brother…” Killian knelt in the water beside me, placing a steadying palm across my back. A similar weight pressed across the other side as Liam joined the two of us.
“I’m so tired…” The words clogged inside my throat as my haggard voice strained to push them through. “I—can’t do this anymore.”
Killian sucked in a breath, and Liam’s hands clawed into my tunic.
“I can’t be responsible for any more loss of lives, innocent lives. Lives that I’ve promised to protect.”
The dam of emotions I’d constructed my entire life burst wide, tears rolling over my cheeks in endless waves.
“The worst part is, while under his control I can see everything.” I paused to strain a breath, my chest becoming tighter every second. “All my senses are activated. I see every abomination I commit, and all I can do is scream helplessly watching the nightmare unfold in front of me. I can’t let anyone else meet their end at my hands. Please.” I drew a dagger from my belt and clasped it tightly. “Just let me finish this like I should have that day twenty-three years ago.”
Killian swiped the dagger out of my hands and tossed it into the depths of the ocean. His chest rose and fell, his face reddened with frustration.
“Just like I stopped you that night on the cliff, I will stop you now,” he growled. He grabbed my arm and fell back into the salty water to face me. “Listen to me. We need you. This realmneeds you. The gods did not bless you with the most powerful dynamis on a whim, Dec. Every single soul in this realm has purpose. We may not always know or understand what that purpose is, but maybe that is the point. To learn our purpose through trial and error.”
Liam’s head dipped in solidarity, as he squeezed my shoulder.
“All I know, brother, is that we are meant tolive. To find the joy in every moment, to fight for the people we care about, and sometimes even fight for ourselves when the darkness threatens to conceal the light that shines within us.” Killian rubbed a palm over his face, removing the tears from his swollen eyes.
Liam’s deep, caring voice drew my gaze, his face mirroring the same redness as Killian’s. “You are never alone, Declan. I can only imagine the pain that you’ve carried over the years, but you don’t have to be on this journey by yourself. We’ll be here to remind you of all the good you’ve done, all the light you’ve given back to this kingdom.”
I scoffed, shaking my head. “What good?”
“Declan, you single-handedly organized the completion of Oria and made it a thriving and livable community for humans and Elysians seeking refuge from the tyranny of your father. You’ve built and fostered alliances for the Rebellion, planned several strategic attacks against the Nightshades, all while working hard to discover the mole in our ranks.”
“That’s just?—”
“What, not good enough for you?” Liam snorted, crossing his arms across his chest. “Okay, how about this. You created a family for us all, bringing us together when we needed someone the most. You taught us to find the strength buried within us all when all we saw was weakness.”
“Liam…” My voice cracked.
“No, let him finish. You need to hear this and get it through that thick broody skull of yours.”
I glared at Killian to which he returned a sly smile.
“One more thing. You’ve begun to heal a little bird who’s lived her life trapped in a cage of her own mind. Declan, you’ve begun to show her that it’s possible to spread her wings, take a leap and fly. Most importantly, you’ve shown her that it’s okay to open her heart.”
Tears flooded down my cheeks once more. My head hung low, heart breaking wide open at the mention of my beautiful Light Phoenix.
“I—I’m her mate.”
“We know,” my brothers hummed in unison.
“H-how?”
They both looked at me with smiles as Killian patted my back. “You’d have to be blind not to see that both of you are hopelessly head over heels for each other. Well, that and Clara told me.”
