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

have him.” He gave me a soft

still thimit: he’s an ass,” Charles rolled

I grabbed the cloth from her.

quickly wrapped her in a hug and whispered

water and

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

“An-”

I gave him a serious look.

prove..myself,” He looked nervously around

not prove you are ready to

know it.”

The whispered under his breath and I wanted to ask

Over

everything he had, She looked over

take you to get ready for the feast,” she sighed and now I saw the disappointment in her eyes..

in am unuary quiet lift her anger or sadness. I could not tell what she was going to say to mi when we were alone but

I opened the door and I thanked the goddess silently. We

about this,” she

“Mama,” I started.

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

I can sense his came the youth this situation is not one any mother would feel good about,”

now that I know he’s public al hurting you?” she whimpered.

22

(Chanter 34

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

years fade and

me. “I

hair in an intricate four–stranded braid Sculled

my n*eckline. Then the cuffs. And finallyt tizenklets. These were to symbolize my tourney

selected fighters and whoever

and their

in thankssandlocelebration Grayson would serve me. I found it funny the thought of

and dancing

cailertvinthessaw me. Time to welcome

meantileetmeto at throne beside Grayson I felt like a china doll

fightersstoryou, Icon

Matt, Brian, and Leomaillsteppetifforward.

for the prize of champion and brand of our

off putting. I did not find it pleasing to push a piece of hit metal into the

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

walked over and grabbed the metal. My syntindwasapresentimoon with a paw print next to it. I felt like puking

honored Anna,” he whispered. “I can take it bortwany,

flesh and the sizzle made me llinch slightly.. let it go as soon as I could a sickening