Page 126 of Upon Buried Embers
She stabs the knife in further. “Beau didn’t take much persuading either. Did you think he was your friend?” She spits.
My eyes sting as betrayal hits me deep, and I take in a shuddering breath.
“You’re so fucking stupid. You don’thavefriends, no one wants you here.”
No one wants me.
The tears fall.
She looks back at Rhett for a moment, and then she glares at me, her eyes filling with malice.
“Do we have a little more time, Rhett?”
He looks at me, and his eyes are so cold, uncaring. “We can make it work.”
“Then let me give theslavea going away present.”
“No!” I back away, but she easily drags me further into the forest, and then her fist comes for me.
So cold.
I’m so cold.
My teeth chatter, and my steps are heavy as I stumble my way through the forest, tears streaming down my cheeks.
Pain.
My body is in so much pain.
I cried, I begged her to stop. She wouldn’t and Rhett just watched on, not once helping.
I lick my split lip, sniffling.
I don’t know how long I’ve been walking, or how far away I am now, but I don’t stop.
I can’t.
Darcia may come back.
I should be happy that I’m getting away from the clan, that I can try and find my way back to Effy.
But even as pain rages through my body, I think of grooming Serah, of the dragons and their warmth, of Escor and his funny ways, even Drogonah’s grumpiness. There will be no more talks with Tofa and Beau, and no more training with Calian, of him calling me Short Stack.
A sob catches in my throat.
And most of all, no more baths with Rohan, no more practices with braiding, no more collecting roses for him.
I didn’t mean to make him upset.
I tried to make it better.
I didn’t mean to anger anyone.
But I can never do anything right, and now I’ve made him even more mad at me.
I’ve upset him, and now I have nowhere to go.
He told me to leave, he said it like he couldn’t even look at me.
