The Girl and the Naga

Chapter 18

For the next couple of days, I kept to myself. I just wanted to be left alone. Alec respected my space and let me be by myself, though I could tell he was worried. I didn't want to talk about what had happened with Hunter, and I didn't want to think about it either. But the problem was I couldn't stop thinking about it.

I was sitting underneath a tree, my legs pulled up to my chest, when I felt someone tuck something behind my ear. I pulled it out and found a pink and white hibiscus flower.

I looked up and saw Leif hanging upside down from a branch above me, smiling in amusement.

"Leif!" I exclaimed, getting up.

He fell down from the tree, landing on his feet, and I embraced him.

"Well, I should have broken my arm a long time ago," he chuckled, hugging me back.

I laughed a little as well, mostly because I knew his humor meant he was alright.

I pulled away and looked him over for injuries.

"So, is your arm okay?" I asked.

"Yep, all healed," he said, showing me his arm.

I smiled at him, but then my face fell as my mind returned to its previous thoughts. Leif noticed and frowned slightly.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

I didn't answer, and I turned my head away.

He gently turned my head to look back into his eyes. I saw his gaze shift from my eyes down to my neck.

"What's this?" he asked, fingering the slightly faded purple mark on my neck.

I just bit my lip, afraid that a sob would escape my lips.

Leif figured it out on his own, and his brows furrowed in anger.

"I'll kill him!" he growled.

"No, don't. It's not worth it," I said.

His eyes looked at me with sympathy, but I couldn't handle seeing that, so I turned away.

"I'm so sorry," he said. "I wish I had been able to stop this."

"It's not your fault," I replied. "It's mine."

"No it's not. What would make you think that?" he asked.

"Because I'm human," I stated.

"Huh?" he asked for clarification.

"Do you have any idea how many times I have almost been killed in the past couple of weeks? I can't even count them all. And they all happened for one specific reason. Because I'm a human," I answered.

"Well, yeah, but that doesn't mean-" Leif started.

"And not only am I constantly in danger, but I put everyone I come into contact with in danger! I mean, Alec was attacked by five crazy nagas, he had to duel is own brother, and you got your arm broken, all because of me!"

At this point, tears had started to leak from the corners of my eyes.

"I don't belong here!" I yelled, the tears flowing steadily now, but I continued on strong. "There's obviously a reason that humans are killed when they enter the jungle! It's to save a lot of trouble in the future. I wish I had died in that plane crash," my voice broke. I cleared my throat, "or that snake had gotten me, or even better, that I had died with my parents. Maybe then none of this would have happened!" I finished in a miserable whisper.

I fell down to the ground and put my head in my knees, sobbing uncontrollably.

Leif kneeled down to the ground and placed his hand on my back, trying to comfort me.