Page 80 of Rising Out of the Darkness
“You’re worthless, Elena.”
“You couldn’t even save them.”
“Selfish.”
“Pathetic.”
“Weak.”
Their voices swirled around me in a chorus as my entire world spun. My father’s voice rang out from where he crouched in front of me, his eyes blazing with fury as tears cascaded down his cheeks. He didn’t even look up at me, but he didn’t have to. I could feel the disgust in his words.
“Elena, what happened?” He sobbed, cradling my mother’s lifeless body in his arms.
I let you down. I’m so sorry, Father. I’ll never forgive myself.
Declan
Sleep evaded me. Tonight’s events left me tossing and turning in my bed. The memory of her body against my own lingered within my mind, the taste of her lips still sweet on my mouth.
When she’d pulled away, I let my ward down and was bombarded by several waves of her emotions. Elena’s body trembled with fear, guilt and shame, so much so that it had cracked her own ward.
Everything about that moment frightened me, the same emotions threatening to overwhelm my own dynamis. I’d meant every word I said when I told her that I would wait for her. Itwas a promise I intended to keep. Whether it be in this life or the next, she would be mine.
I was shaken from my thoughts as a bloodcurdling scream echoed off the walls.
Elena.
Fear launched me from my bed. Using my dynamis, I zephyred into her room. Shadows spooled around me as I waved away a stunned Killian and another guard who had barreled through the door at the same time.
My breath hitched as I gazed upon my Wildfire engulfed in white flames.
“Close the door behind you,” I growled. Killian’s wide eyes met mine, and I gave him a nod, reassuring him I could handle the situation. He closed the door behind him and my attention returned to Elena.
Soft, auburn locks of hair floated turbulently above Elena’s head, as if she was swirling in her own personal storm. Lena’s body was glowing gold and white, and her face was full of terror as she continued to scream. I had witnessed her dynamis try to take over her body while we were traveling, but this was nothing like that day.
When I bounded over to her, there wasn’t one thought that crossed my mind about what her dynamis might do to me. All that fueled my actions was the overwhelming need to protect her.
Sliding my body behind hers, I caged her lower body between my legs and pulled her close to my chest. Icy skin stung against my own, the opposite of the heat I had expected from the golden glow surrounding her body. The chill frosted over my cheek as I leaned into her. Elena needed to wake up before she hurt herself.
“Elena, wake!” I continued to shout while rocking her body, doing anything to shake her out of the deep trance she was in.
“FORGIVE ME!” she screamed as her eyes flung open.
All at once, her entire body tightened and she gasped for breath. Pieces of my heart tore apart every time that she went to pull in air and nothing but shallow breaths entered her lungs. She gripped my thighs with desperation. Eyes wide, face struck with fear, she was trying with all of her might to force herself to breathe.
I’d seen this before. Hells, I knew firsthand what she was experiencing all too well. Shivers ran through my body at the memory of the time my father nearly whipped me to death for succumbing to a panic attack in front of the staff. No matter how much dynamis I had thrumming through my veins, from that day forward, he would always consider me weak because of it.
Pulling her as close as I could, I kept one arm wrapped around her waist and the other I used to grab her hand and place it over her chest. Placing my palm over hers, I began to guide my Wildfire down from her ledge.
“Lena, it’s me.” I squeezed her body tighter, so she’d know it was me. “I’m here with you.”
Her eyebrows scrunched, as she continued to gasp for air.
“Breathe, Lena.” A short puff of air pulled in, but nothing came back out. “You can do it. Focus on my breaths, Lena, try to breathe with me.” I emphasized every breath so she could feel the rise and fall of my chest. Desperation began to build within me, and my own chest tightened at the sight of her wild eyes. “Count the stars with me, love. One …”
Gasp.
“Two…”
