Page 289 of Psycho Devils: Aran's Story 2

Xerxes grunted in agreement as he understood my meaning.

I took a step backward and stopped as glass cut the bottom of my foot. Xerxes did the same and stilled.

We were about fifty feet away from the post.

“O-O-On three,” I said as I stared at the ground. I didn’t look up to see if Xerxes agreed with me.

I took a deep, fortifying breath.

“Three,” Xerxes said.

We sprinted forward with our faces tucked downward. Shards of glass particles whipped across our exposed skin. It was seconds, but it felt like minutes.

Finally, we collapsed in front of the post.

Trails of blood marked our path across the lawn.

The wind picked up, and we hunkered lower, the post offered a small amount of protection.

It was better than nothing.

I wrapped my arms around my legs and buried my face in my knees. “N-Now we w-w-wait,” I said.

The pinpricks of glass lessened, and I squinted.

Xerxes was sitting in front of me protectively.

“Y-You d-don’t have—”

“Keep your head down,” Xerxes ordered.

He wasn’t an alpha, but his tone had no room for argument, and I immediately complied.

With my bloody cheek smashed against my thigh, a warm feeling grew. Expanded. It filled my chest.

I was so grateful for Xerxes.

So glad I wasn’t facing this alone.

I was so used to living with the kings that I’d forgotten there were people in the world who helped others even if they weren’t close with them.

Glass particles fell from the sky; the temperature continued to drop; wind blew in a frenzy all around.

With nothing left to do but endure, I resumed counting.

And time crawled forward.

Painfully.

Four hours later my limbs were locked together with numbness and everything hurt from the constant weather conditions.

BOOOOOOOOOM. SHHHHHHHHKKKK.

My heart stopped beating at the sudden noise splitting the sky.

I jolted as agony streaked down my arm.

Looked up.

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