Page 52 of Rising Out of the Darkness
Declan’s muscles visibly shook, and I knew he couldn’t hold on for much longer. As death stared me in the face, I couldn’t just stand by and watch again.
No longer would I stay frozen.
I was never going to lose anyone because of my fears again.
I let a deep pull of air wash through me. My eyelids slammed closed, shutting out the world. As I did, I imagined myself extending my hands towards Declan, needing to pull more emotions. My dynamis was already bubbling under the surface. Maybe the more emotions I pulled, the more of a blast of air I could create when I pushed them out of me.
Desperate, I grasped for whatever I could. It seemed to work, as I felt emotions crashing into me like rocks. Combining them with my own fear and rage, I funneled it down to the dynamis that was collecting deep in the center of my body. Now, I just had to figure out how to use it.
Taking a chance, I opened one eye to see Declan staggering bac, creating more space between him and the beast. Time was up. I just had to make a run for it.
I bolted forward. The power inside of me thrummed. Warmth spread through me, and I began to see its familiar glow bathe my body. I could hear the prince yelling my name and the sounds of others approaching to help. Arrows, shards of ice and blasts of fire whisked through the air, dancing all around me as I ran faster. Some hit the beast, causing it to sway. However, nothing seemed to stop it.
The beast swung its head, its void eyes locked on my own as it roared, heading straight towards me. All sounds muffled around me, but I could feel Declan zephyr over to me.
My power had other plans and unleashed on its own. A powerful gust of wind tossed him into the air, sending him flying back somewhere behind me. I was just inches away from the beast, and my skin burned from the dynamis I withheld beneath it.
Leaping into the air, I flew over the beast as it charged. I gripped the dagger still embedded into the beast, and together we crashed to the ground. The force of the fall dislodged the dagger from its head and I pulled it with me.
Just as I rolled onto my back, the beast leapt onto me, its teeth chomping into my shoulder and its claw slicing through my side. Screaming out in agony, I slammed my dagger into its thick neck over and over again. Each time my dagger hit flesh, black sludge spilled into my mouth. It reeked of decay, and I gagged as I tried to spit it out.
Thick claws sliced again, this time over my chest. Tears streamed down my face mixing with the blood that pooled around me. Fueled by pure rage to save those around me, I rolled on top of the animal and slammed my dagger straight through its neck. The beast let out a guttural howl, and I screamed so loud my body shook.
In that moment, I erupted.
Blinding white light exploded from me, creating a circle around me. The burn of white-hot flame followed. It streamed through my fingertips, right into the beast that continued to shriek in pain as flames engulfed its body. The smell of burning flesh overwhelmed me. My entire body writhed in pain, but I continued to unleash my dynamis.
When nothing was left but a pool of sludge and bones beneath me, I let my body fall back and hit the ground. I cradled my body, trying to stop the warm blood from escaping. My eyelids began to grow heavy, and the thoughts in my brain began to grow hazy.
They were safe. Alive. There wouldn’t be another lost soul haunting my nightmares tonight.
Muffled shouts burst around me, along with the sound of boots rapidly approaching. Arms scooped me up and cradled me close.
“Damn it! Why, Elena?” Declan roared over me, but I didn’t have anything left in me to open my eyes or respond.
“Dec, she’s losing blood too fast! There’s no way she’ll be able to heal herself fast enough. You need to get her to Clara, now!” shouted Killian.
“We’ve got things here, Dec. GO!” bellowed Liam.
“Hang on, Lena. Please, just hang on a little longer,” Declan whispered, pulling me closer as the winds gusted around us and I collapsed into darkness.
Chapter 19
Declan
“Elena seems to be healing well. You’re lucky you got her here just in time. She lost a lot of blood.” Clara rubbed my shoulder as we stood outside on the balcony of Lena’s room. “Relax, Declan. She’ll wake up soon. I can feel the tension all over you.”
The warmth of her dynamis flooded my body. It healed my tense muscles, as it washed over them. Exhaling deeply, I was finally able to relax my shoulders.
“Thank you for that,” I breathed.
A smile spread across her face. “Of course. I did it for purely selfish reasons though.”
“Oh, really?” A hint of a smile tugged at my lips.
“Absolutely. I only healed you because when you’re in pain you become an insufferable brooding ass.”
Laughter poured out of her, just like the ocean waves crashing back and forth below us. I shook my head as her laughter dulled into a lighthearted sigh.
