Bonded (The Olympus Brotherhood #2)

Sacrifice, Cocoon and Dread

I was so close. I fucked up. But I wasn't going home empty-handed. I didn't come this far just to lay down and die. Rain continued to pour down like little needles stabbing me in the back.

This was rock bottom; crawling in the mud, lost in another world. Painfully I pushed myself forward. The pain that once burned like fire had faded away to an icy numbness. Black filled the edges of my vision and the only thing I could hear was my own heartbeat. My breath came in ragged, shallow gasps. I couldn't move any further, so I just rested my cheek against the dirt staring forward.

Was I going to die down here?

Gareth was going to die because I wasn't strong enough to save him. But that shouldn't be a surprise.

I couldn't save Philip.

I couldn't protect my mother or grandparents against Ares.

I couldn't save myself from Poseidon.

I can't save Gareth.

I can't even save myself.

Gareth had faith in me, but I didn't deserve it. I couldn't do simple things. How could I save the world against Erebus and Nyx when I couldn't even get off the ground?

I listened to the rain beat down on me and my ragged breath echoing out around me. My body instinctively curled up into a ball as if that could help me. I coughed out blood as I wrapped my arms around me.

What? Was I hallucinating?

The drops of blood that just came from my mouth started to glow on the ground. In an explosion of red to bright white, four stems started to grow out of the ground rapidly. A tight bud begun to open, in a deeper blush of pink before turning a vibrant red.

Was this...?

The flowers continued to expand, blooming as delicate as the thinnest of tissues and as vibrant as Indian silk. I stretched out my fingers to touch the silky red petals, they were cooler than I expected, smoother too.

I pulled one of the petals off the flower.

Only one way to find out. I closed my eyes and shoved the petal into my mouth. It was rough to chew on, but I couldn't make out a taste besides my own blood.

I swallowed it and waited. If this was the Peonies of the Underworld, it should heal me. Or I just ate a random thing out of the ground, and it would poison me. What did it matter? I was dying anyway.

I felt fear in my chest waiting to take over, only to be completely stamped out.

I wasn't losing blood anymore. I could feel my strength slowly returning to me. It wasn't long before I was ready to stand.

This was it!

One foot at a time, I found my balance and stood. I looked down at my body to see there was a gaping hole by my lower stomach. My pants were completely soaked in blood, but on the plus side, my body seemed to be healing itself. With shaky hands I tried to cover the ground beef looking wound only to wince.

Okay, I won't touch it.

I needed to move quick. I didn't know how long this petal would last and I didn't want to use any more of the plants. I wasn't sure how many Gareth would need so it was best to have as much as possible. I picked the four flowers up and shoved them into my backpack.

It was time to get the hell out of here.

Alaric

What in seven shades of fuck happened!?