Page 127 of A Blackened Bond

“It won’t be long until your next awakening, Lu,” Calls the older girl, smirking. “But you still need training.”

The girl lunges at him again, her spear extended as she meets his blades. The loud clash of metal rings out around the forest surrounding us as they continue to spar. The boy laughs as he pulls back and playfully glares at the girl, who is twirling her black spear between her hands.

“I’ll catch up to you soon, Nay.” He turns towards the little girl playing with her doll, a more serious look overtaking his features. “And then we’ll both protect her.”

A sad smile tilts the boy’s lips before his gaze falls to my direction. A look so deep and heavy-hearted taking over his features that I forget I’m looking into the eyes of a young boy.

The scene begins to blur, the forest surroundings fading away, with the last thing I see being two familiar bright blue-eyes staring at me.

My eyes flutter open before quickly closing again, feeling too heavy to move and mirroring the rest of my aching body.

Pain slices through my back, searing down my spine and spreading to each limb and fingertip as if it were an entity in itself and flowing through my very veins with intent. It was a pain more scream-inducing than anything I had ever felt before, even in The Facility.

And yet, no scream leaves my dry lips.

I couldn’t move or call for help, my body not listening as I lay in pure agony.

Where was I? Was I still in my bed in the dorm room? Or did something happen when I collapsed last night?

My mind feels heavy as muffled noises ring out around me. My heart thrums in my chest, beating a fast-paced rhythm as I feel my breath come out in little rasps, trying to suck in as much air as I can but finding it difficult.

A burning heat rushes through my body, joining the pain that’s slicing my body to pieces from the inside and making every inch of skin and flesh feel like I’m being burned alive. It moves through me like acid, the pain growing more unbearable by the second.

A small groan escapes my lips with the agony of it all, the sound gravelly and weak to my ears as I try to move or shout for help.

The sounds around me begin to clear as familiar voices surround me.

A large hand takes my left hand in its own, stroking it gently before brushing my hair from my face. Another rougher hand takes my right hand in its own before brushing its lips against my knuckles. Instantly, I know it’s Ezra and Annex beside me and feel a sense of relief with their presence.

A familiar voice calls my name from somewhere nearby, the sound filled with worry and fear. And I feel Mallyn making his way closer.

The gentle, warm feeling that I get when I’m with them all flows through me, easing some of the pain and reassuring me that I would be okay.

I steel myself and grit my teeth through the rest of the pain, trying to listen to their voices to pull me through it.

“What do you mean? Why the hell is she burning up like that?” Annex shouts, his voice full of anger and more on edge than I’ve ever heard before. “What the hell happened?!”

“I don’t know.” Answers Ezra, his voice falling to my left as his hand continues to hold my own. “But she needs help…her fever isn’t breaking.” His voice is low, his tone flecked with unease as his fingers brush across my forehead.

“Then let’s get a fucking doctor. I’ll find—”

“There won’t be anyone available at this hour,” Ezra cuts Annex off, his voice sounding more frustrated as he continues. “Especially on Christmas Eve and this late at night.”

The hand wrapped in mine to my right tightens, a slight tremor working its way into its grip on me.

“There has to be someone,” Mallyn calls, moving around to my right side and beside Annex.

“Oh, I’ll find one.” A soft kiss brushes against my right hand before it gently lets me go. “I’ll drag one here if I have to. I won’t let Red suffer like this.”

I hear movement around the room just as sharp pain slices through my chest, like a blade cutting through my skin and ripping me open. A feeble whimper leaves my lips with the growing ache. And the room falls completely silent.

“We need to move her.” Ezra rushes out, panic laced in each word as I feel him release my hand. “At least at the abattoir, we can get help to her quicker.” Ezra kisses my cheek as more pain thrums through my body, their voices muffling before ultimately fading, almost like I was drifting underwater.

An unforgiving ocean of pain washes over me, and everything fades into darkness again, not a whisper to be heard as I sink deeper.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

EZRA’S POV

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