Never Back Down (Split Between Worlds Book 1)

Chapter Forty-Two

Aerity

No thoughts entered her head as her body instinctively shoved Damien out of the way of the blade and none tried to surface as she glanced down at the hilt of a sword now protruding out of her stomach. Chaos erupted in the main hall with cries and screeches as the wedding crowd shoved and pushed to be out of harm's way. Swords clashed as enemies dressed in ally clothes met the steel of their best guards. Ringing pursued in her ears as the sound of the fight slowly became garbled. A blossom of red bloomed along the elegant white waves of fabric stretched across her stomach.

"Aerity!" A panicked sound filled the air but all noise still sounded muffled in her ears. She barely felt her legs give out nor the strong arms holding her as she silently struggled to get air to enter her lungs. Choking and sputtering, she tried to cough but the only thing that came out was a wheeze. Hardened eyes tried to penetrate through the clouds obscuring hers. She heard vague yelling as her body was lowered lovingly to the ground.

"Call the bloody healer! Now!" Authority in the masculine voice. Siel? No. It was too harsh for his calming notes. "Aerity, I need you to keep your eyes open. Please. Focus on me." Damien. It was Damien's arms wrapped around her now blood drenched body. Calling for the image of her mother in her mind, she willed for when she woke up to be back in her arms again.

"Mom." A plead slipped passed her parched lips, her dry tongue lolled against the roof of her mouth.

"She's hallucinating. Where's the blasted healer?!" Bellows ripped from Damien. Another voice, pained and shaken cut through the haze surrounding her mind. "They are on their way. Aerity can you hear me? Love, wake up. Please wake up." She knew that voice. Would know it anywhere.

"Siel." She thought she formed the word but maybe it was all just in her mind. She couldn't tell anymore. Battle still sprang from the background as she heard howls of screams and swords clashing. A pressure formed on her stomach, or so she thought. Every part of her felt numb. She just wanted her mom and dad...dad...he would have wondered what happened to her. He would agonize over her being dead in a ditch somewhere. How much better was the truth though? She was about to leave him for another world. Another group of people. She wasn't going to see her mom. She was going somewhere that she would spend eternity reflecting on her betrayal. Mya, Eli, the squad. She betrayed them all.

How fitting that she die alone.

She must have spoken the last word without realizing because moments later the rustle of hair skimmed her face as someone bent to her ear and cradled her head. "No. You're never alone." The world of emotion that left Siel's mouth, broke everything left in her that was fighting.

"Please don't leave me. Please." She heard Damien beg in the distance. "I see you. Aerity, I finally see you." He choked.

The last thing she remembered was the slight tickle of a single tear tracing down her cheek before everything went dark.