Forgetting

Chapter 20- To Everything That Might've Been

" Relax," Aidan rolled his eyes," It barely nicked you."

Understatement of the year. My skin felt like it was on fire, and unwilling tears pricked the corner of my eyes. This wound was going to scar.

" Why are you doing this?" I spat, looking down at my shoulder. Blood was a strange color. Dark and bright at the same time. Every single one of my muscles screamed when I moved, and I could feel my heartbeat pounding inside my head, almost like there were a thousand angry men pummeling my skull with a hammer.

" My father loved her," He said, his voice cracking," And you didn't make her life any easier after he died."

" Your father didn't love her," I replied, and it was true. He had loved the laughing, carefree Princess, not the tyrant. Nobody could love that monster now. " Aidan, do you really think your father had a thing for chicks with serpents on their heads? Come on, he had taste."

" Well, I wouldn't know, would I?" His eyes burned,"Because he's dead now!"

" And who's fault is that?"

" The villagers who killed him."

" No, you idiot!" I yelled back, sick and tired of everything," The Queen used dark magic to save you, and he died protecting her!"

He dropped the sword.

" What?" He gaped, aghast.

I rubbed my temples, feeling like history was on repeat. There had been two versions of the tyrant, just as there had technically been two girls when it came to me. My gaze flew up to his face and my mouth dropped open.

Why hadn't I thought of doing this before?

"Aidan, you were right. The girl I am now isn't the one you loved."

" I figured that much out."

" But she loved you," I continued, playing my final card, my last hope to make him see reason."She really did, and it was technically my fault she could never find the words to tell you that. I held her back."

His features tightened," Now I really want to impale you with something."

"I can't bring her back, but she's a part of me. Killing me would be like killing her." I was blabbering now, but I needed him to understand that I wasn't the bad guy here," She hated the Queen too. Don't you trust her enough to believe her?"

Holding my breath, I waited for his reply. My shoulder burned and all I wanted was to crawl away from this battle, but that wasn't even an option at this point. I was in too deep. Before he could say anything, there was a flash of lightning. Thunder rumbled through the sky as it suddenly began to rain, pelting me with stinging water droplets.

The Queen appeared beside Aidan, her face white with fury.

" Nice of you to join us," I snarled.

Instantly, the pain in my shoulder vanished as I kicked into battle mode. All the rage and frustration poured out of me. I sprang forward, dagger in hand, hoping to catch her by surprise.

But she was fast. So, so fast. It was like she could anticipate my next move before I did it. Her fingers shot out, landing a blow to the side of my head. It would hurt like hell later. If there even was a later for me.

Distantly, I realized someone had appeared and  was fighting alongside me.

" Remember everything I've taught you," Evan said, breathing raggedly. God only knows how many people he fought today. I was so relieved to see him alive. Bloodied and bruised, yes, but alive nonetheless. He glanced at me briefly, and I could tell he felt the same.