Page 29 of Payne's Envy

Then I saw a green sword protruding from his ribs. When Joy yanked the blade out, the proxy gasped. She threw herself off his shoulder. He stumbled back. Joy cried out and hit him with a roundhouse kick. My vision faded. When I saw her again, Joy was on her knees beside me. Her essence fluttered all around us as she pulled the weapon from my chest. Her power left a dazzling warmth within me. Healing and making me whole.

I never wanted to see her hurt because of me. So why did it keep happening?

Movement caught my eye. Derrick was standing. I glimpsed at Joy. “Go! Just go!” I yelled. She ignored me, infuriating me. “He’s getting up.”

“You’ll die if I leave you here!” she shouted back as tears fell from her eyes. “I awakened suddenly with your death in my mind.”

“Then let me die,” I urged.

She shook her head. “God, you really don’t get it, do you? These feet of mine have never been good for nothing but running towardyou.”

Joy didn’t know she owned my heart already.

“Then fade us.” I yelled. Another figure appeared behind Joy, and my lungs ceased to work as I took in the red cloak and white mask.Harvester. “Behind—”

Black particles spread before Joy. Her eyes drooped. No… Her lips turned upward, and she removed her healing hands from me. In the blink of an eye, she was gone.

My gut twisted in raw agony, realizing what she did. I screamed as I slipped through the in-between before coming through to an unfamiliar area. She fucking faded me away. She let them take her to save me.

My ears rang as I continued to scream. I couldn’t move anything. I felt the weird stuff crawling up my neck. Soon, it would wrap me completely. My change was upon me. All those years of searching. Finally, I would get my answersifI survived the transformation.

I lived because Joy sacrificed herself. If she had focused on fading instead of healing me, she would have gotten away.

If only I were stronger…worthy…Impenetrable.Powerful enough to take the hits instead of her. So deadly she never had to die again.

If I had to change, let me be the strongest creature. Even if I had to sacrifice who I was to be what she deserved. I’d do anything so that she never had to sacrifice herself again.

Just wait, I’ll save you…

The cocoon covered my eyes.

Chapter Fifteen

Joy

High-pitched voices awakened me. When I jolted, someone kicked me in the stomach. I coughed as agony ripped up my abdomen and chest like someone had shoved my insides up my throat.

“Damn. This sleeping powder is the best there is, but it can only keep her under a few minutes.” That was Derrick’s voice.

I opened my eyes to find him towering over me where I slouched forward. The air was damp and cool. A quick glance around and I realized we were in some sort of cave. They had a few lanterns setting on the ground, but otherwise the place was dark. I moved my stiff arms, only to hear the clinking of metal. They shackled me to the wall with ironclad bars and a chain embedded into the rocks. The first thing I did was try to use my power to remove the restraints. The metal didn’t budge, which told me they were made to hold a Reaper or something of equal power.

The earthy and dewy scent of the damp wall and ground didn't make me feel cold at all.The cave moisture was actually a relief. I was still burning from the heat within.

One more person was with us, but they were in one of Harvester’s cloak and masks, so I couldn’t distinguish whether it was a male or a female.

“You nearly killed me, Joy,” Derrick muttered as he bent down until we were at eye level. “If I hadn’t had an elixir on hand, your sneak attack would have destroyed me.”

“Pity you had it then,” I croaked.

“If I hadn’t arrived, she would have killed you.” The voice was female. I believed it might be Nadine. We crossed paths with the witch several times, and each encounter was never pleasant. Her devotion to Harvest was sickening, and that made her dangerous.

“You give Joy too much credit.” Derrick stood. “When will he arrive?”

By him, I assumed Derrick meant Harvest. My muscles tightened, and I swallowed hard.

“When he wants,” Nadine responded.

“You told him I had one sister, didn’t you?” Derrick asked. “Will he bring Nova?”

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