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

He gave me a soft smile.

he’s an ass,” Charles rolled

Then, I grabbed the cloth from

left quickly wrapped her in a hug and whispered an apology

and cleaned

I looked at the red on his

“An-”

you acting so weird?” I gave him a

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

shook my head.. “Yaume amidin. Beating Grayson will not prove you are ready

know it.”

breath and I wanted to ask what he meant but

Over

She looked over at me with

you to get ready for the feast,”

I could not tell what she was going to say to mi when we were alone but I knew

there when I opened the door and I thanked the goddess silently.

about this,”

“Mama,” I started.

is fractured. It is hard to start a relationship when one of the people imit wholu,” she

youth this situation is not one any mother would feel good about,” She looked at

that I know he’s public al hurting you?”

22

(Chanter 34

you know, because you raised me, anthyou made me stronger than any kind of sadness. Even if he hurts me

and I felt the years fade and I was a small

“I still

and began braiding my hair in an intricate four–stranded

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

dinner tonight. They selected fighters

their cups and their plates

serve me. I found

walked out in my whiteddress and bare feet and the people were laughing and dancing and singing theppadisescof Grayson who

Matthew cailertvinthessaw me. Time to welcome

Grayson I felt like a china doll with all

our fightersstoryou, Icon called

Matt, Brian, and

of champion and brand of

putting. I did not find it pleasing to push a piece of hit metal into the skin of these men wholiadentfriendly to me.

a fight Mattwassalonwerthe other men and 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 only needed a trip and push before he wentton. Eventually, Marron gave into

grabbed the metal. My syntindwasapresentimoon with a paw print next to it.

Anna,” he whispered. “I can

ofhurning flesh and the sizzle made me llinch slightly.. let it go as soon as I could a sickening feeling crawling all venni.