Chapter 55
MARA
In the distance, I see the fight beginning.
Crew flies as fast as darkness allows, while Carver and Sam close in on him.
Crew is magnificent—transformed into a new power that suits him well.
He’s larger, darker, and more powerful—exactly how he should have always been.
He weaves through their blows, pulling them away from his friends, and I push myself harder, trying to catch up, but their speed is unmatched.
With each beat of his wings, they close in on him, and although Crew is mighty, the power gap is overwhelming.
Carver has always been the stronger one, and this time is no different.
Above the howling wind, I hear deep growls echoing in the sky like the rumble of thunder.
Panting breaths fill the air, and I know exhaustion is taking hold, no matter how powerful he is.
Carver and Sam separate, and I watch in horror as they go into formation on both sides of his body.
They take turns slamming into him, throwing Crew’s body in all directions.
Even with his new strength, he’s no match for their control.
Crew pulls sharply to the right, slamming right into Carver.
A loud snarl echoes in the air, and Crew wastes no time moving away from his unbalanced father.
He can outrun them.
I push myself harder, the air causing tears to flood my eyes, but I let the feeling of hope drive me faster toward him.
Locke catches up, flying nearby, and we lock eyes, sharing the same feeling.
Crew pushes forward, spinning left, and a scream escapes my lips as Sam slams into him.
Crew’s body veers right, falling into a trap.
Carver’s claw rips down Crew’s torso, and a deep groan echoes inside me.
“Crew!”
The first hit was enough to cause extreme damage to his body as blood rains from the sky. A dizziness swirls in my body, causing me to still, and I know it’s all from Crew.
Carver’s head whips around, seeing us behind him, and he slows down in preparation to come after us, leaving Sam to handle Crew.
My eyes widen, but Crew quickly notices the shift in his father and veers toward him.
Crew roars, using a long claw to cut his father's skin completely off his forearm. An ungodly scream leaves the High Elder’s mouth, and Crew pushes forward with Carver’s attention back on him.
I scream down the bond, “Don’t stop.”
A sharp pain hits my chest as another claw strikes Crew’s body, and I nearly fall from the sky. Through the chaos, I hear a faint voice.
“Close the channel,” Crew whispers.
“Don’t give up,” I plead. “Don’t you fucking dare.”
“Mara, close the bond.” Desperation fills his voice, and the pain is almost unbearable. “I don’t want you to feel this.”
“I will feel all of this to ensure you won’t give up.” Anger replaces the pain. “I will take every single blow with you.”
“I never wanted to hurt you,” his voice fades.
“Keep going.”
“Them hurting me is hurting you.”
“I don’t fucking care,” I scream in my head. “I don’t fucking care!”
Swipe after swipe, I watch their claws stab into Crew, but he never screams. Pain moves through my body, and I grind my teeth as I desperately try to reach him.
“Please,” I sob.
Crew takes each blow as if he were designed to endure this pain—as if every moment of his life, every hardship, has led him here.
Tears roll down my cheeks as I push myself faster, but not fast enough to give him an ounce of reprieve.
I cry and scream, trying to do anything to divert the High Elders’ attention, but it doesn’t work.
The others begin to catch up and watch in horror as their friend fights for a moment longer before the reality sets in and his fading body works against him.
Black blood falls like rain around Crew, and I push one last time, nearly catching up with the High Elders.
“Mara—” Crew’s voice moves in my mind. “You are everything I’ve searched for.”
“Crew,” I sob.
“Please… forgive me.”
I can’t stop the scream that escapes my lips as I see a final claw swipe across Crew’s back. His body twists to the left as Carver stabs into his sternum, and another painful swipe tears Crew’s wing clean off his body.
Crew’s body plummets to the ground at a speed I can barely track. I turn sharply to the left, following his body as quickly as I can. The High Elders push forward, knowing their work is done, and only time stands in their way until their debt is paid to the Grim.
I fly forward and extend my hand as Crew is nearly within my reach.
My hand finds his, and I wrap my body around him, shielding his broken form with my wings from the impact of the incoming ground.
A thick liquid immediately coats my body—his blood—and I desperately try to maintain my tight grip on him.
I press his head against my chest and blast anything I can down the fading bond to ease his agonizing pain.
The roaring wind whips my hair all around me, and I grit my teeth, knowing what waits for us below, but I don’t care.
I collide with the earth, and a crater forms around me as Crew slips from my hold, and I scream for him.
I feel every inch of my body radiate with pain, and I gasp for air, trying to take a full breath to fill my lungs.
The dust fades, and the earth settles around me.
Without caring for my own state, I get to my knees, glancing in all directions for Crew.
Dizziness covers my vision, but I scan the field for him.
“Where are you?” I scream, and a cry breaks from my lips. “Where are you?”
Shock runs through my core as I see him fighting with everything he has. A sob escapes my lips as I watch him. The connection between us widens at both ends from his exhaustion, and I feel it all—his pain, misery, remorse, and an overwhelming love that floods into my chest.
His love for me.
The feeling floods every cell in my body, nearly keeping me grounded, but I fall forward, reaching toward him. I scream as I dig my aching hands into the ground to attempt to stand again.
“I see you. Oh, God,” I sob and attempt to stand. “Hang on. Hang on for me.”
Crew’s head barely rises in time for our eyes to meet, and my heart fractures.
He can’t stand. He can barely move, but my jaw slackens when I see the minimal strength he has left.
His weak arms grasp the ground as he pulls himself toward me, screaming through the pain that radiates across his entire body.
His fingers claw into the blood-soaked ground, and Crew glances in my direction.
He starts crawling—desperately crawling my way.
He will always crawl to me.
“Mara,” his rough voice echoes toward me. “Hurry.”
I stumble forward as I stand and lunge, falling back onto the ground beside him.
I begin sobbing when I see his form up close.
His body is ripped to shreds, exposing bone in some places.
His wing lies a few feet away, and although his eyes are closed, his chest still rises and falls slowly against me, as if he is holding on just like I asked him to.
I quickly shift to make sure he is comfortable and place his head in my lap. I glance overhead and see the shapes of the High Elders fading into the distance as they soar back toward Halcyon City.
“Crew.” Tears flood my eyes. “You stupid man.”
His eyes flutter open, then close, and even though I know pain blinds him, he still smiles. “Have to have one last dig, don’t you… blood slinger.”
A cry breaks from my lips.
Damien, Bronwyn, and Locke land but hold back, seeing his condition. Bronwyn rests her head against Damien’s chest, unable to look, and they fall to their knees together. Locke steps forward, his steps heavy and sluggish. His hands tremble at his sides as he takes in the state of Crew.
Their friend.
Their Elder.
“Crew.” I grab his face. “Please stay with me.”
His eyes slowly open, and although his face is covered in blood, he’s beautiful.
“Are you hurt?” Crew asks. “Am I… hurting you?”
“Don’t worry about me right now,” I sob, then lean closer to him. “You are going to be alright.”
He coughs, and the blood pools around him rapidly. “Mara…”
“You are!” I shout, applying pressure where I can. “You have to be.”
My hands shake as I try to stop the bleeding in his torso.
The hot liquid pours out, causing my trembling hands to slip all over his body, and a sob escapes my mouth as I push against his ripped skin.
The smell of copper and deadly nightshades fills my nose, and a new panic sets in, making my movements frantic.
I feel a presence grow behind me as Locke takes a step closer to us.
“Help me heal him,” I beg of Locke. “Please, Locke. Help.”
A tear rolls down his cheek, but he remains silent, staring at his friend.
Crew’s body begins to turn cold, and my chest heaves as he gasps for air, the sound the most miserable thing I’ve ever heard.
“No. No. No,” I shout, leaning forward, resting my head against Crew’s nearly still chest. “Crew… fuck. Don’t do this to me.”
“Mara,” Locke whispers.
Panic rises in my chest like a tidal wave, and I extend my trembling hand to Crew. “Take my blood. Take it all.”
Neither Crew nor Locke moves.
“Help me, god damnit.” I glance at Locke. “Give me your claw.”
He doesn’t extend his hand and shakes his head. A new terror of hopelessness overrides me, and I snap my gaze back to Crew.
“It… won’t work.” Crew’s hand wraps around my wrist, and a calmness settles into his silver eyes. “Just stop, Mara. Talk to me.”
“No.” I place my shaking hands all over his body, trying to stop the bleeding, but it doesn’t work. “I won’t stop. You need to heal. I can’t stop.”
“It’s too late,” Locke whispers, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Mara, don’t waste this time.”
“What do you fucking mean, Locke? I’m trying to save him. Why won’t you help me?”