Page 42 of #Resort Love
My grip tightened around my sword while my pulse picked up, beating hard against my chest. “I belong to no one but myself,” I said, my voice tight.
The soldiers around us laughed, but I couldn’t hear them over the roar of blood in my ears. My power thrummed just below my skin, pulsing, matching the beat of my heart. I shivered and the feeling of needles prickled down my arms, preparing to protect me. Ezra called out Arianna’s name, but she ignored him, refusing to break eye contact with me.
Arianna smirked. “We’ll see about that.” Turning to a soldier close to her, she whispered something to him before looking back at me. A wicked smile slowly curved along her face. “I heard the humans in Mide are weak, that they’ve grown fat and lazy.” Pausing, Arianna’s eyes swept over my body before lifting her sword, pointing it at my chest as the heat in my cheeks grew hotter. “I think we should have a little fun and just see howweakthe humans have become.”
Ezra let out a curse while cheers and laughter erupted around us. “Arianna, she’s not ready for this,” Ezra growled, his voice low and filled with warning. “She needs more time to learn before being thrown into the middle of a fight. Especially one with you.”
“If you think she is too weak, Ezra, just say so,” Arianna taunted. “Every single one of my soldiers was thrown into duels on their first day—why shouldn’t she?”
“You know as well as I do thatoursoldiers grew up learning how to fight before they joined our unit. She hasn’t had that privilege.” Ezra’s voice grew louder and more threatening as he stepped between us, his sword glinting in the light.
“Well, I guess now is as good a time as any to learn, don’t you think?” Arianna jibed, the crowd snickering along with her.
Ezra opened his mouth, ready to defend me again when Arianna sidestepped Ezra and lunged at me. Ezra cursed and quickly cut her off, blocking her path to me. “Don’t do this,” he said, raising his sword.
Arianna cocked her head, studying him with narrowed eyes. In one quick movement, faster than a blink, she closed in on Ezra, her sword in the air. Panic gripped its claws tight around my chest, and my body felt like it was glued to the spot, unable to move or look away. Time felt slowed as Ezra met all of Arianna’s blows with ones of his own, their swords clashing, the sound ringing in my ears.
Arianna’s attacks against Ezra were ruthless, aiming to kill while his were entirely defensive. The jeers around me continued as the commander and war general fought, Ezra’s powerful body keeping up with Arianna’s nimble movements until she suddenly feigned going left. I yelled out in warning, but Ezra heard me too late, letting her slip past him.
Arianna was circling around him when two rough hands shoved me into Arianna’s path. Gasping, my blood rushed, and I lifted my sword just in time as Arianna swiftly brought hers down, colliding with mine. The vibrations jarred the muscles in my shoulder and arm. Crying out, my hand felt weak, and I almost dropped my sword.
Pushing away from her, I swiftly moved when her sword swiped at me again. Tripping over my feet, I felt the hum in my body grow more intense as I ducked, narrowly missing her next strike.
My heart beat wildly in my chest and we circled each other. Arianna studied me, calculating her next move while I carefully searched the crowd for Ezra’s massive form, making sure tokeep an eye on Arianna as well. Stepping too close to the crowd behind me, someone pushed me back into the pit just as Arianna launched her attack, swinging her sword. My knees buckled and I fell to the ground, my bones aching from the impact. I raised my sword in time to clash against hers, another painful jolt laced up my arm, and this time my sword flew from my hands, landing several feet away.
Clutching my hand to my chest, a painful ache seeped into my bones. I panted heavily, desperately searching for Ezra in the endless crowd of soldiers, praying that he would help me. A cold panic started to set in, and it felt like I couldn’t breathe, like I couldn’t get enough oxygen to fill my lungs. Somewhere in the crowd, I heard a faint call of my name, but it was drowned out by the pounding in my ears. My power grew more intense, amplifying the needle-like sensation to something nearly excruciating. My body started to shake, and my panting turned into painful gasps, my lungs burning and feeling too tight.
Movement from the corner of my eye caught my attention when Arianna hurtled toward me. Fear flooded my veins, and my body felt paralyzed. I couldn’t even scream; my voice was gone. Time slowed and everything in me hollowed out before I heard a panicked but familiar voice screaming my name from deep within, like an echo in my head.
Time snapped back into place and my breath caught in my throat. I had nothing to protect me, nothing to stop that sword from slicing my skin. Lifting my hands in front of me, a blinding light exploded. The pressure that built up whooshed out of me like water breaking from a dam. Yelps and shouts filled the air around me and the light continued to shine intensely while I waited for the sharp sting of Arianna’s sword.
But it never came. The brightness began to fade aroundme, painful groans filling the training grounds. My body trembled uncontrollably when I finally lifted my head, taking in the turmoil and confusion. My stomach roiled at the sight of blood in the sand, and I turned, heaving the contents of my stomach into the dirt beside me. My eyes burned, my vision blurring from tears pouring down my face.
It happened again. I couldn’t stop myself again and it was worse. This time was so much worse. People were hurt, moaning from the pain that I caused.
I did this—I hurt them.
The words repeated themselves.
My vision tunneled, my breath becoming too short and quick as awareness of what just happened hit hard. It was just like my father had said would happen. I lost control and it wasn’t just two people this time. There were more, and from the sounds of their groans, the injuries were worse. I covered my ears with my hands, letting my head fall against the ground. I screamed into the dirt, unable to stop the feel of needles from renewing its downward crawl to my hands.
I couldn’t stop it. Inescapable pressure welled up inside my chest, preparing to let loose.
Somewhere beside me, a pained moan caught my attention, and Ezra called out my name. His voice sounded weak—so different from its usual richness. Choking out a breath, I slowly looked up, finding Ezra stumbling to me, his wide eyes flashing with wariness while blood poured down the side of his face. My eyes narrowed on the drops that fell to the sand below.
I swallowed my whimper as a soldier yelled out Arianna’s name, and I turned. Arianna lay motionless, blood seeping into the ground beside her. My heart and my mind froze while I watched several soldiers run to her, lifting her head off the ground, attempting to wake her. I felt empty and hollow while Iwatched them call out orders for someone to bring a healer, like I was no longer a part of my body.
Ezra called my name again, and my gaze slid back to his, still fighting against the power that threatened to burst from me. My body trembled violently as I watched him survey the chaos around us, silently counting the number of injured soldiers. I watched as his eyes found mine again; he whispered my name too quietly for me to hear, but terror filled every line of his too-pale face. Horror and agony ripped through me. Taking in a shaky breath, a sob broke free from me when I stood on weak legs, taking a step away from him—away from Arianna, still lying motionless on the ground.
Before Ezra could get close, I staggered back a few more steps, then turned and ran as fast as I could from the training grounds, letting Ezra’s pleas for me to stop echo behind me.
Chapter 24
Ambrose
Aheavy knock pounded against my door before suddenly swinging open. I growled at the disturbance when Arianna entered the study, her nose lifted in the air, dripping with prideful arrogance. I raised an eyebrow, studying her. Her leathers were covered in dirt; her hair was clumped together from blood. A large gash, slowly stitching back together, streaked along the side of her head where her ivory skin was tainted red. Confusion with a touch of excitement sparked in me, and I couldn’t help the smile forming on my lips.
She strode to my desk, those icy blue eyes bright. Her hand clenched her side, and she had a small limp in her step, but the smile that curled along her face was breathtaking.
