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

an ass,” Charles

I grabbed the cloth

wrapped her in a hug

in cold water and cleaned his fingers they were stained

at the red on his hands. “Like a

“An-”

weird?” I gave him a serious look.

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

Beating Grayson will not prove you are ready to be

know it.”

breath and I wanted to

Over

She looked

upscom, ut have to take you to get ready for the feast,”

lift her anger or sadness. I could not tell what she was going to say to

door and I thanked the goddess silently. We wane tip to my room and satt down where she pointed.

good about this,” she

“Mama,” I started.

din amuthing for you, hut he is fractured. It is

is willing to do what it takes and I can sense his came the youth this situation is not one any mother would feel good about,” She looked at me through the mimon.

am I supposed to leave you now that I know he’s public al hurting you?” she

22

(Chanter 34

because you raised me, anthyou made me stronger

felt the years fade and I was a small child in

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

in an intricate four–stranded braid

symbolize my tourney to Luna and how soon I would be bound in gold

me before dinner tonight. They selected fighters and whoever worsoodidbeart the mark

their cups and their plates to

I found

in my whiteddress and bare feet and the people were laughing and dancing and singing theppadisescof Grayson who stood withhenylbrothers Theo joked with him and

Matthew cailertvinthessaw me. Time to welcome our

I felt like a china doll with all of

have chosen our fightersstoryou, Icon called to me.

Brian,

fight for the prize of

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

quickly had them out for the count. He had punched Lean once and he went dizzy, Arran put up a better fight but Matt was larger and could take his blows. Bru

My syntindwasapresentimoon with a paw print next to it. I

whispered. “I

made me