Page 113 of The Scars Within
Then came the bite of cold metal against my skin. The cuffs snapped shut around my ankles with a sharp, final click, sealing my fate.
“Getup.”
Next, my arms were yanked upward, forcing my head to loll back. From this angle, through the narrow slits of my swollen eyes, I could make out which villain had me in their grasp as a face came into focus.
Scarlet eyes stared back at me.
I snapped the shackles around my wrist.
“Get up!”
I jolted upright in bed, drenched in sweat, my chest heaving as I fought for air.
“Bad dream? Your fear called to me. I could feel it, but you wouldn’t wake. It was just a dream, Scarlet.” Lakota’s deep voice resonated in my mind.
But it wasn’t just a dream.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah—yeah. Sorry,” I muttered.
I scanned the room—empty. My gaze fell on a folded note resting on the nightstand. Reaching over with trembling fingers, I picked it up and began to read:
Decided to let you sleep in. Meet us in the Bolthole later, XOXO. Laney
“The Wylder boy is waiting for you in the valley,”Lakota said.
I rubbed my eyes.“Which one?”
“Should I be worried that you have to ask that question?”he deadpanned.
I rolled out of bed and got dressed, ignoring his question.
The cool air felt soothing against my face. My skin still burned, recalling the memory-dream. I haven’t been able to shake it from my mind.
As I made my way toward the valley, I caught myself—my nails pressing half-moons into my palm without thought. I quicklyrubbed my hand against my cloak, trying to stop the reflex before it could spiral further.
The wind blew at my cloak, and it swayed and snapped in the wind.
I passed cadets practicing at the wooden targets and tending to their dragons, walking deeper into the valley to where I could sense Lakota.
His back was to me as I approached, and he was stretching his wings high in the air. I held my arm over my eyes to block the harsh sunlight beaming down. Lakota pivoted, revealing which Wylder brother was waiting on me.
Rhodes stepped out from the shadows of Lakota like he was carved from them. Noemi towered behind him, her golden eyes narrowed at Lakota. Rhodes’s gaze snapped to mine as he fastened his winter gloves. His presence was pure lethality—tall, broad-shouldered, with a jawline sculpted to ruthless perfection. Dark waves of hair fell carelessly over his forehead, and his gray-blue eyes held a deeper intensity than usual.
My heart fluttered at the regal sight of him.
I didn’t realize that I had stopped in my tracks until Lakota nudged me with his snout.
“You’re staring,” he drawled.
I cleared my throat and closed the distance between Rhodes and me.
“Why did you want me to meet you here? Classes start soon.”
Rhodes’s lips curved on one side, “We’re going for a ride. Forget classes today.”
I furrowed my brow. “Skip classes? Are you mad?”
