Page 143 of Rising Out of the Darkness
Somehow, I’d always known deep down in my soul that love was all that really mattered in this life. So, here I stood, full of hope that love would carry me through.
With one last deep breath, I gathered all my emotions, pulling my dynamis to the surface. I could feel the air around me starting to become more turbulent and static.
My long waves lifted from my shoulders and tangled in the wind that surrounded me. As I continued to gather more dynamis, I heard whispers and gasps as my body began to glow a golden shade. The tattoo on my wrist and freckles covering mybody pulsed, matching the vibrations of my dynamis within me that waited to be released.
It felt as though fire was consuming my body from the inside out, causing me to wince. Hurried, I wrapped my dynamis in one final emotion—love. Once I did, my dynamis erupted out of me. Blinding white light beamed out of me and over the crowd. Screams echoed the hall, several ducking from fear my light might hurt them, but I knew it wouldn’t. I’d learned to bend the light to obey my will. If I wanted it to be peaceful, it would be.
After the shockwave of my dynamis, the candlelight had been snuffed out leaving the ballroom in complete darkness. Closing my eyes once more, I released another wave of my dynamis.
There were no screams this time, just pure, silent awe as they gazed at the constellations of stars above them. Golden bursts of light shimmered in the darkness, and I couldn’t help but smile as the crowd innocently reached out to touch them. Some held them close to their bodies, illuminating them against the darkness of the room. It looked almost as though they were holding onto the inner light within them.
I let down my ward and was flooded with pure happiness. The feeling washed over me like a tidal wave, filling my soul completely. A tear slipped down my cheek as those around me let the light into their hearts.
A crackle thundered around the room as lightning ripped across the ceiling. My grip on my dynamis floating around snapped. The beautiful golden stars fizzled out with a pop. The candlelight reignited as the darkness of the room disappeared in front of my eyes.
Next to King Alaric stood Alastor, arms still crackling with lightning as he folded them across his chest. His gaze pinned me from across the room, his lips upturning to a dangerous smile. A shudder rumbled through my bones as he broke his gaze to whisper something into the king’s ear.
The king ordered the musicians to play, summoning the room to move on with their evening. Couples filled the floor, sweeping away the last remnants of the events that had just passed.
Once again, I was reminded that I was just a pawn in their malevolent games. Turning on my heel, I stalked out of the doors of the ballroom. I needed fresh air to clear my head before I stepped back into that room.
There was no chance I was going to let them see how they affected me.
Chapter 57
Elena
Damp, salty air whipped against my body the moment I stepped outside. The shock to my system was needed after what had just happened in the ballroom.
Finding a spot by the edge of the cliff, I sat down to enjoy the calming sounds of the ocean before returning to the ball. I hugged my arms across me for warmth, until what felt like a heavy blanket draped over me.
Instead of vibrant green eyes meeting my gaze, I stared at red-rimmed blue ones. Will’s golden hair tousled about in the wind, his thick veins bulging from his neck. Scrambling to get away, I pushed myself up and began to toss his jacket back towards him. He grabbed my wrist and shoved me back down to the ground. “Sit down.”
“Let me go, Will! There’s nothing I want to talk with you about anymore.” I tugged against his grip.
“Elena, just—just give me a minute, damn it!” He seethed.
“You had an opportunity to talk with me before you left me. Every chance you took while you were here has resulted in nothing but flashing all of the extravagant things you could buy me or the ways you could keep me locked up in your gilded cage. All those years I wasted, hoping for you to find me interestingand loveable, to find out you’ve never truly known me at all. I’m sorry, Will, but the time for talking has passed, especially after what you just did earlier.” I gestured back towards the castle. “You tried tohurtme, Will.”
He winced, releasing my wrist so that he could drag both hands through his hair. I began to get up again until he whispered a plea. “Just please give me a minute to explain.”
With a huff, I sat back down, my eyes shifted towards the ocean, not the boy sitting next to me.
“I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry. I just saw the way the prince looked at you, and the way you looked at him. I would never hurt you, Elena, never.”
Shaking my head violently, I swiped away the tears escaping my eyes. “But you did! Will, you were my one friend in the realm who I could trust and you hurt me when I needed you the most,” my voice strained as I tried to hold in my sob.
“Lena…I’m so sorry. Everything just turned pure chaos!” He snarled, pausing for a moment to calm himself before continuing. “I was angry, worried about my mom and sister, and just felt like I lost all control, you know?”
I scoffed, folding my arms across my chest. “Yeah, I think I know the feeling, Will, seeing as how I was locked up in chains next to you, remember? You could have talked to me, we could have worked through it…together.”
He slammed his fists against his legs. “Fuck! I know I messed up, Elena! I’ve made so many mistakes!” Will’s chest heaved, the wind whipping our hair was as turbulent as the harsh words we were throwing at each other. “But…I still love you, Lena!”
My eyes widened as I leaned further away from him in shock. He grabbed my chin as he stood, forcing me to stand as well. Before I knew what was happening, he pulled me towards him and shoved his lips against mine.
A shriek escaped my mouth, only to be swallowed by his own. He wrapped his free hand around the back of my head to hold me in place. I thrashed against him, trying to push him off me.
The hand holding onto my chin released, scooping up my arms and caging them behind my back. I bit down hard on his bottom lip as the copper taste invaded my mouth. He reared his head back with a snarl.
