Page 72 of A World of Ruins

In a last attempt to keep my father here, I latch on to him like a child, wrapping my hands around him and locking my fingers behind his back. ‘Don’t leave me.’ My voice breaks as the wind picks up, and I shut my eyes.

‘I never left you,’ he whispers. ‘I’ve always been there.’

I don’t care, I don’t care, I don’t— ‘ThenI’llstay, I’ll stay here with you.’

‘But that isn’t what you truly want.’

A cry breaks from my chest as my shoulders shake in his embrace.

‘You already knew your decision from before, Lía,’ he says. ‘I am not part of it.’

I sob, holding on to him tightly. I don’t want to let go, and most of all, I don’t want to say goodbye again.

He kisses the top of my head. ‘I’m so proud of you.’

I shake my head, my mind wishing to stay here for at least five more minutes while my heart knows I can’t.

‘You can wake up now, Naralía,’ he whispers. ‘The world is waiting for you.’

A chill descends over my body, darkness wraps me in its embrace, and my eyes flutter open to the skies above as I gasp for air.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-TWO

I blink as my eyes adjust to the swirling colours and ethereal light of the sun above me. It isn’t blinding brightness, but it is enough to bring back the memories of what happened.

Sitting up, I will myself forward. The arena is silent, but my head is thrumming with noise. I look down at my chest, running my hands over the bloodstain on my clothes with no sign of wound or gash on my skin.

A muted groan catches my attention and I turn to the side, seeing Darius stir. I scramble over to him, frantically prying his shirt open to see his skin miraculously healed.

‘Of course you will find any opportunity to undress me, Goldie,’ he murmurs, and my eyes flicker up to his face, where he is already looking at me with a lazy smile.

Something lights within me, and I choke out a half-laugh and a half-sob. I hardly wait for him as he rises onto his elbow, and I throw my arms around his neck. He buries his head into my hair, and before we can even so much as kiss, a glow emits from below his chest.

We part as he lifts his shirt, and the symbol of lines and an arrowhead fade into nothing.

Our eyes meet, an unspoken understanding passing between us.

‘Nara?’ Illias says in disbelief as I look at him, and a smile starts to appear on our faces before a guttural roar splits the arena.

Rising to our feet, Darius and I whirl our heads towards the balcony. Aurum’s furious gaze locks with mine, but it is Darius who looks up at him undeterred with a cunning smirk on his lips like he has been waiting for this moment for far too long now.

Aurum raises his hand, smiling as he snaps his thumb and forefinger together. Nothing happens. Darius’s smirk grows, and for the first time, Aurum’s face pales.

‘Secure the prisoners!’ he commands the Elves, his voice rumbling through the arena grounds. Some of the Elves look torn for a moment between their loyalty to Aurum and the horror of seeing Darius and me alive. ‘Now—’ Aurum’s order is abruptly cut off by the piercing caw of a bird. I gaze skywards as a shadow glides over us, revealing the majestic form of a phoenix with a legion of dragons trailing behind.

‘Lorcan,’ I whisper with a smile. At once, flames descend upon the stands and people start to flee.

Illias says, ‘I’ll try to find a way to get everyone out of the cells!’ He turns away from us, sprinting past everyone to get to the passages that lead towards the dungeons.

I don’t even get to tell him to wait for me when screams tear through the stands as Elves charge our way. Shadow tendrils wrap around my waist, pulling me towards Darius’s chest before an Elf’s sword slices at the ground.

Disorientated, I look up at Darius as he grins at me.

I tell him, ‘We’re getting out of here, like you said.’

‘And you found a way.’

I smile, my eyes flickering past him. ‘On your left.’

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