Chapter Seventeen
The sound of flesh being torn apart filled my ears and I instinctively tried to curl away from the pain.
…Except it wasn‘t contact with my skin that made the noise.
| quickly opened my eyes and saw an exhausted Cai standing over me, the limp body of the dark grey wolf falling to the ground next to him. I could see the wolf‘s throat had been ripped, which was further supported by the new red glove Cai was sporting.
He looked like a war god standing in the darkening sky, covered in dust and blood all over his body. And yet his golden eyes shined out in contrast to the red that had marred his face. I realised then that he must have killed the two wolves that were on him in order to save me in time from the third. He truly was an unnatural force to be reckoned with. I just prayed that all the blood that was on him wasn‘t his.
He fell to his knees next to me, heaving for air, and tried to inspect my wound. I could tell he was at his limit just as I was, and yet he was still dedicated to trying to ensure I was okay.
“…I‘m sorry,” I whispered, my voice weak and croaky.
He didn‘t reply but I could see he was more focused on my injury than anything else.
He tore at his shirt and started turning it into strips of bandage.
… That‘s when I noticed the large claw marks that mangled his lower abdomen. They were ugly and bleeding.
“No… bandage yourself first,” I croaked out.
But he just shook his head and pushed my hands out of the way; the ones that had been holding pressure t o my wound. The bandages were uneven and awkwardly sized in some areas, but all things considered, h e did manage to wrap it up tight enough that it would hold until we hopefully reached the hospital.
Initially, I thought the plan was for us to wait until the warriors arrived. They hadn‘t shown up during the battle but that surely then meant that they would be arriving soon, right? Had Mrs Newman managed to convince them I was telling the truth?
A horrible sinking feeling hit my stomach as I realised that, if they didn’t believe her, then we were likely stuck out here until Myra managed to alert others for help. Would we both live that long without medical attention? I was already feeling myself weakening, struggling to stay awake, but I fought against it.
Then, to my utter horror, Cai scooped me up into his arms and stood up on his shaky legs.
doing?!” | asked alarmed,
here…,” he gasped out as
said during the battle? Because of Aleric? If so, he was risking his life for nothing.
when I became Luna, after going to trial for false
down the dirt path as best he could but, every few steps or so, I could feel him almost fall. He was pushing himself further than I‘d thought possible for any person. I wanted to stand up, to free him of my burden, but I was as limp as the dead
voice
eyes, I could
affirmed, and relief
were safe. We were going to
and foggier. I just needed to sleep for a bit and
awake,” Cai managed to
to the ground. Somehow, he had managed to keep me securely in his arms during the fall so I
okay though, he didn‘t need to worry. I was just
a few minutes
“Aria…”
then the
and dark around me… and
been
with a startling realisation, I
I was… dead?
to get myself killed again. Would I be made to go back
I knew from previous experience that there was no escaping the Abyss, not until
myself at the trial grounds, staring up at the council who would decide
and Thea had wrapped herself around him like the snake she
before me a Sthe light had cast itself down, creating a double shadow to everyone present. I stared down at my own shadows before me and found they were irregular and oddly different. The smaller one
spoke, bringing my attention
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!