Page 29 of The Lost Child

Lunging, I leaned forward and bit the ear of the man holding me down as hard as I could. He screamed and jerked away. Skin tore and ripped, and suddenly I had half an ear clenched between my teeth. The Macguire boy laughed, and even the old man let out a huff of appreciation.

I didn’t have time to revel in my victory as Greasy punched me in the face. Something cracked and my vision went black. My face was wet and sticky, my thoughts groggy and like thick molasses.

Don’t give up. Don’t give in.

The pressure built. I had nothing to lose. I welcomed it, daring it to grow. I felt it twisting and pressing against my veins like a rabid dog begging to be loosed from its cage.

I opened the door and let the pressure go.

The entire cabin exploded around us.

I screamed as fire raced down my skin, the force of the blow blasting me hard enough away that the dagger was ripped out of my flesh. I cradled my hand as I flew through the air, fresh screams of agony following me as I fell. There’s no way I’d be able to hold my sword ever again. Macguire and my father had gotten what they wanted.

I hit the deck hard, another crack splitting against my skull. Blearily, I noticed my arm at an unnatural angle.

At least Macguire’s men were now screaming as much as mine, I vaguely thought.

The floor under me tilted, and I was sliding down, down, down. There was too much fire; too much pain for me to stop myself.

The ocean embraced me, the sudden shock of cold water welcome at first, quenching the fire in my veins and washing away most of the blood.

Then I sank.

Swim. You have to swim,I told myself. I tried to lift my broken arm, but it refused to move. My other hand still bled freely from the open hole in my palm. I had to move. If sharks were nearby, the blood would send them into a frenzy.Move.

I imagined my father in my head screaming at me.Idiot! Your legs still work, don’t they?

My legs moved too slowly through the water, unable to push quickly enough to keep me from sinking. Then the thought hit me: what if I didn’t fight it? What if I just sank down to the bottom? I’d never have to hear Father’s insults again or take another beating. I’d be free of him forever. Down here it was so, so quiet. Much different than the sounds of agony and death above me.

Canavar’s face filled my mind, beaten and bloody. My hopes and dreams sank along with me. Fuck, I couldn’t leave him behind. He’d never get away from my father without help … without me.

I wanted to scream with the injustice of it all, but no one heard agony underwater. It was all placid and peaceful. My mouth opened, and water rushed in.

Push it out. Do it now. For Canavar. He still needs you.

It was so hard. I wavered there, on the precipice of either inhaling or fighting for one more moment.

The choice was stolen from me as large arms wrapped around my belly and pulled. Water flooded my lungs as I inhaled. I expected it to hurt, but I felt oddly peaceful.

Yes, this is fine,I thought as my body went up, up, up.

The surface seemed so far away, and the arms around me felt nice. If this was how it ended, I wasn’t mad. I closed my eyes and drifted away.

Eleven

CANAVAR

Along while after the female left with the other males, master came into the cage next. He eyed me with great displeasure, and my frustration rose. Had I not done everything he’d asked? I had been a bit disobedient the last time, but he’d been hurting the female. Nerissa.

I was mostly upset the female had chosen the other males over staying with me. Not that I blamed her. Not really.

“You’re healed,” he spat.

I kept my gaze steady, still in awe of it myself. I didn’t have words to explain what happened, but I knew in my gut it had been her. Nerissa. Somehow she’d healed me. Was it magick?

An odd flash of memory took me. It was of a creature that had wings and fangs like me, but she was female. She lay dying next to me. I remembered slitting my wrist and offering it to her, but she refused. Over and over. Why had I done that?

“You’re needed. Retrieve my daughter. Bring her back, whether dead or alive. That is your only task.”

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