Silence Them (Luke Castellan)

06

Luke was a mess. No one knew if she would live or die. The black blood was unusual. Unsettling. He couldn't take his mind off of her. He sat by her cot each day, spooning nectar into her mouth and helping her unconscious body swallow the substance.

No one but him and Clarisse entered the room. She shot him dirty looks in passing, the resentment for his previous vile comments still strong in her protective heart. He felt like a traitor by caring so much about her. He'd lied to her consistently, lying to himself by shoving away his real feelings and trying to battle her away.

It was sickening to realise that it took her almost dying to get over himself and openly care for her. It made him nauseous to think about how he had betrayed her by being so cruel.

She had a permanent halo of licking flames shimmering around her figure, hot and tart to the touch. Luke didn't mind the burn. He took her hand in his each time he sat with her. He'd worry about the injuries later, she was dealing with worse.

Half a week has passed and no sign of life came from her still bones.

Until the hallowed scream, deep and filled with persistent agony, multiple voices meshing into one cacophony of violent notes. It shook the camp, the trees surrounding the Infirmary shedding their leaves in fear, nymphs running to another wooden home.

Alanna awoke with a harrowing rage, her eyes shining pits of organic black and gold, gleaming with fury-fuelled fire and a snipe grin that pulled tight on her lips. Her eyes met the mirror directly across from her.

The person looking back at her was unrecognisable.

She had long black hair that shined in the midday sun, and a dire scar that stretched her cheek, pulling her full lips into a permanent half-smile. She kicked away her sheets and made for the door.

It burst open, a terrified Luke holding the doorknob, his sword at his side, readied for attack. Seeing her figure, he dropped the sword and darted to her.

He cupped her face in his large hands, thumb gently tracing her scar, eyes laced with an unfamiliar fondness. Her new look brought even more desire into his bones, his godly soul screaming for her embrace.

"Forgive me Alanna." his voice shattered on impact with his lips. Broken and remorseful, swallowing down a sob of thanks. "I'm begging you to restart. I fucked it. I haven't been true to you princess."

Alanna had never experienced this much affection, this much submission from such a powerful boy. The three years between them fell away as their eyes met. Newfound ink swirling into wisened earth. Something magnetic. Something real and necessary.

"Luke." she rasped. His face rose with joy, her voice burning bright in his eyes, a surge of life crashing into him. "Why now?"

"Because there's something about you I can't deny. You were right. I am sick and broken and wrong. But you make me alive and healed and right. I can't bear to see you hate me." he swallowed thickly, searching her dark eyes for a hint of any emotion. The gold triumphed the black in what he could only imagine as relief. "It makes me feel sick to know I hurt you. Please Alanna. Start again?"

~x~xx~x~

Hello my loves. This chapter is simply a filler. It may seem rushed but this is no slow burn. This is fast and rushed and violently affectionate. There are plans for the next few chapters and they will be longer if I can squeeze out of this writer's block and push through to write again. Once again, comment, share and love on this book to get it around.
WC - 0.6k

Love from,
AC