Stronger by Ang Chris

Chapter 34

I won her

I knelt to the ground laughing silently. My arms were bloody I think I had lost a tooth. I know I had a cracked rib and I was so excited.

I stood and hobbled out of the arena. Cea and Eva came forward to their men.

I made my way to her my b*dy aching and throbbing. I opened the door to her sweet wide wet eyes. She sobbed and ran forward to me her b*dy turning red with my blood.

She moved me to the couch and she sat beside me. We spoke no words but it felt like heaven.

She washed my face and arms. She cleaned my wounds and bandaged them. Her fingers traced over my skin and I unabashedly watched her for peace. I savored her kindness for me who had to hurt her family. I had hurt her and she was worried for me and healing me.

She finished wrapping up my chest and sniffled. “I have to go see my family,”

“Go,” I nodded to her.

Stay.

I watched her leave me for the second time that day but this time it felt different. I knew now what I would give for her I had been beaten and all I thought the whole time was of her.

It’s terrifying when there is someone you need with your whole being and every time you try you freeze because your are afraid.

“How can I still be afraid now? I’ve promised to try and she is still the one thing I am fearful of. *

I ran to the keep bad into the clinic. My brother lay passed out on tables as my mother and Cea cleaned Charlie and my dads wounds.

“Goddess be,” I turned away from them bile creeping up my b*dy.

He had done this…

“I can’t be upset they had all accepted this. He did this for me.

I breathed in and put my eyes stinging with the fact I had healed him before my flesh and blood. I felt gross and sickly with myself.

I turned and walked up to my father bowing my head and ready to beg for forgiveness.

“Do not feel guilty,” he commanded me.

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Chapter 34

But my end up. “Papa he hurt you and I..”

too

“Bu in your family whette, you have to choose him that’s how it thats sollong. It is a choice my darling. You

to have him.” He gave me a

he’s an ass,” Charles rolled his eyes.

Then, I grabbed the cloth from her.

quickly wrapped her in a hug and whispered an apology she had to witnessfit.

(dabbed the dish in cold water and cleaned his fingers they were

you used your dows? I looked at the red on his hands. “Like a

“An-”

weird?” I gave him

hurt my sister, and…and wanted to prove..myself,” He looked nervously

will not prove you

know it.”

The whispered under his breath and I wanted to ask what he meant but my

Over

had, She looked over at me with an unreadable

to take you to get ready for the feast,” she

sadness. I could not tell what she was going to say to mi when we were

goddess silently. We wane tip to my room

about

“Mama,” I started.

she toned me/“I know he willl din amuthing for you, hut he is fractured. It is hard to start a relationship when one

his came the youth this situation is not one any

I supposed to leave you now that I know he’s public al

22

(Chanter 34

will not break for anyone mama.” I told her. That show you know, because you raised me, anthyou made me stronger than any kind of sadness. Even if he hurts me emiff there are challenges I will always b standingsint the end,”

I felt the years fade and

and looked at me. “I still wanna kill him,” she jokec.

braiding my hair in an intricate four–stranded braid Sculled

below my n*eckline. Then the cuffs. And finallyt tizenklets. These were to symbolize my tourney to Luna and how soon I would be bound in

before dinner tonight. They selected fighters and whoever worsoodidbeart the mark of Luna’s

would fill their cups and their

me. I found it funny the thought of Graysomservingne.

whiteddress and bare feet and the people were laughing and dancing and singing theppadisescof Grayson who stood withhenylbrothers Theo joked with him and Charlie was stone–faced.

Time

beside Grayson I felt like a

fightersstoryou, Icon called to me.

Matt, Brian,

for the prize of champion and brand of our

nuwhich felt slightly off putting. I did not find it pleasing to push a piece

had them out for the count. He had punched Lean once and he went dizzy, Arran put up a better fight but

syntindwasapresentimoon with a paw print next to it. I felt like puking as walked over to him pity in

he whispered. “I can take

and the sizzle made me