Page 35 of Eluvonia
I reach for him, grabbing his hand as we plummet into the icy water below.
Chapter 13
AERIS
The sharp sting of salt on my lips pulls me from the abyss. My throat feels scorched and raw, like I’ve been chewing on sandpaper dipped in seawater. A warm breeze whispers across my skin, carrying the rhythmic lapping of waves. Somewhere nearby, a gull cries out, sharp and lonely.
I crack open my eyes, squinting against the blinding sunlight. Everything around me is bathed in golden haze, the heat pressing down like a heavy, oppressive blanket. Slowly, the blur sharpens into reality. Sand clings to my damp skin, the grains gritting between my fingers as I push myself upright.
The ocean stretches endlessly before me, its surface shimmering like molten glass under the sun. Behind me, a pale stretch of beach curves away into the distance, barren and unfamiliar. My chest tightens as memories slam into me with the force of a tidal wave. Shit we went over a cliff.
“Kaida? Declan?” My voice is cracked and hoarse,barely more than a rasp,each syllable heavy with a mix of fear and desperation. I scan the beach, heart pounding in my ears, but there’s no sign of them. Only the endless shoreline and the slow, steady hiss of waves meeting sand.
I should feel relieved. I should feelgratefulthat I’m still alive, that I somehow made it through. But the relief is bitter. It churns in my stomach, sour and unwelcoming.Alone.The word echoes in my mind over and over.
Alone.
But the truth is—I’ve always been alone.My own kind wants me dead. I’m the traitor, the outcast. My blood is Fae, but it doesn’t belong to them anymore. I should be hunted, should be put down like a dog that’s strayed too far from its pack. The thought gnaws at me, filling my chest with coldness.
I have nowhere to go. No one to turn to.No one who wants me. The Dragons? Kaida and Declan? They’re not my allies, no matter what fleeting peace I feel beside them. They’re just as much my enemy as the Fae who would tear me apart if given the chance.
But I can’t stop. I can’t stop moving, not now. If I stop, I’ll be swallowed whole by all the grief, the fear, the confusion. I’ll be devoured by everything I’ve lost.No.I can’t stop. I have to keep pushing forward, one foot in front of the other.
I stagger to my feet, the world tilting as the shifting sand slips beneath me. My legs wobble like a newborn deer’s, but I grit my teeth and force myself upright. Brushing off the gritty grains clinging to my arms, I stagger forward, every step slow and unsteady, my body fighting against the exhaustion pulling me down, but I move forward anyway.Desperate.Looking for something. I don’t know what exactly. A sign of life? Hope? Something to cling to, something to remindme that I’m not completely lost.
After what feels like an eternity, a dark shape catches my eye. My heart leaps as I focus on the figure lying motionless in the sand ahead. Without hesitation, I break into an unsteady run, the squelch of sand loud under my feet.
“Kaida!” I drop to my knees beside the figure, grunting as I flip him onto his back. Relief and fear war within me as I take in his broken wing, bent at an unnatural angle.
“Kaida!” I lean closer, pressing my ear to his chest. The steady thump of his heartbeat greets me, and I let out a shaky sigh of relief. “Thank the stars, I’m not alone,” I whisper, sitting back on my heels.
I grasp his shoulder and give it a gentle shake. “Kaida, wake up!” Nothing. I shake him harder, frustration bubbling up. “Come on, lizard boy! Get up!”
Still no response.
My patience snaps, and I slap him hard across the cheek.
His eyes fly open immediately, locking onto mine with a mixture of shock and indignation.
“Did you just slap me?” he asks, his voice a mix of disbelief and irritation.
I cross my arms, huffing. “Yes. And?”
He grits his teeth, pushing himself upright. His movements are slow, and stiff with pain. His gaze sweeps over our surroundings before settling on me.
“Where are we?” he asks, grimacing as he adjusts his injured wing.
I shrug, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face. “No idea. Somewhere with a lot of sand.” My eyes flicker to his wings, curiosity overtaking my worry. “Why don’t you just make them disappear like before?”
He lets out a low groan, running a hand through his disheveled hair. “It takes an enormous amount of energy to retract my wings completely. And I can’t do it when they’re injured.”
Before I can respond, he rises to his feet, favoring one side. Without a glance back, he starts trudging down the shoreline.
“Hey, wait!” I call, stumbling after him. “Where are you going?”
He glances at me over his shoulder, one brow raised. “Why are you following me? Isn’t this the perfect chance for you to escape?”
I stop short, my hands balling into fists. “Normally, yes,” I admit, folding my arms behind my back. “But considering my own kind attacked me and now think I’m some kind of traitor, I’d say you’re the safer bet right now. At least you can’t kill me without destroying your own soul. If what you said was true.”
