Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
The monster crashes into the wall next to me, collapsing it and sending dirt spitting at my back as I run.
Sweat pours down my spine as I push my legs to go faster and simultaneously wish I had taken running up as a hobby.
I’m a shit runner and I’m going to die for it.
The walls of the corridor never seem to end, and when I find an end, it’s just another corridor.
There is no exit and no way out of this, and I was never told the point of the test. Is it to kill this monster?
Is it to survive a certain amount of time?
Gaia was so certain I’d die that she didn’t bother telling me, but fair enough, I wouldn’t bet on me.
I keep running even as I feel the weight of the creature running after me, shaking the ground with its huge mass.
I need to climb, I figure. Its wings are broken and ripped—it won’t be able to fly up.
This is the only logical thought going through my head as oblivion still whispers in my ear, screaming at me to run, again and again.
I get it. I’m hardly going to stay still and let it eat me.
I often have a death wish, but death by being eaten by a monster? Sounds painful.
I also promised Tannith I’d live, that I’d keep fighting and find a reason.
I did that, I have reasons, and I can’t give up now.
I push around corners until eventually I find a dirt wall with vines hanging down it and fist-pump the air.
I practically throw myself at the vines and pull myself up, climbing as fast as I can.
The monster stops right below me—a punishing growl that makes my ears wince.
I want to clamp my hands over my ears, but I don’t dare stop climbing, knowing how risky this is. I have to get higher.
My eyes go wide as I look down and realise it doesn’t need wings. It can fucking climb too.
Urgh, give me a break. I mutter something under my breath about my shit critical-thinking skills as I’m climbing faster, but it’s too late.
I scream as its claw reaches out and slams into me into the wall, digging its sharp nails into the dirt.
It drags me down with it, suffocating me as I struggle before it throws me aside.
For a moment, I’m flying in the air, my stomach swirling before I fall straight down, landing with a thud and a snap.
A cry rips itself from my throat as I grab my leg and feel hot tears on my cheeks.
It’s broken. I see a shadow right before I look up, and I roll away just before the monster slams back down to earth.
My leg screams in pain with every movement, and I try to crawl away before it grabs me again, lifting me up into its monstrous claws.
I’m dead. There is no way I’m surviving this, and all I can think about is the four males who own my very soul, and they don’t know it.
I want time with them, to live and find a way through all of the darkness.
I promised Tannith I’d find a reason, and they are my reasons, my future, and I want to live.
“Over here!” I turn to see a man standing at the end of the corridor.
His eyes meet mine for just a second, and in that look, I see his gratitude for his court.
For Elizabeth. For trying to fix things and risking my life for her.
Frank, the cook, lifts his chin proudly before he screams at the creature—a scream of pure fury and anger.
The creature drops me onto the ground, and I cry out from the impact.
I turn, lifting myself up on my arms to see the creature running, sprinting straight towards Frank, who keeps screaming at it.
I can only watch in pure horror as the creature reaches him.
Frank screams once more—the man who just saved my life—before the creature eats him whole.
Sickness rolls in my throat as I pull myself upright on the wall, taking the chance to escape that Frank gave me, and I hobble around a small wall into the next corridor.
I use the wall to hold myself up, tears pouring down my face.
The pain in my leg is excruciating, and I think my ribs are broken.
I can taste blood in my mouth, and my vision sways.
I need help, but no one is coming for me.
I keep walking, hearing the creature feasting on its meal.
The monster roars, and I know it’s done.
I can’t die like this. Can’t die down here where no one would even know where I’ve gone.
I want to scream for Orion to find me—he’s the only one now who could—for anyone to find me.
But that’s not happening. I keep stumbling along, feeling the monster right behind me, its hot breath blowing down my neck.
I pause and turn around. I am determined to face my death if that’s what’s coming.
The creature lifts its mouth, dripping with blood, and snarls into the air.
A green light blasts into the air around me, ivy as bright as green stars lighting up on the ground, and the creature backs away, hissing at the light.
My eyes widen and I look to my left as Orion rises out of the ground.
There’s a dark green crown in his hair; he’s soaked in blood, but there’s something different about him.
He’s the alpha now. I don’t even need him to tell me. It’s clear. Power radiates off him, so thick I can taste it in the air, and there is a change.
His eyes are locked on mine, fury built deep within them.
He turns to the creature, which leaps for Orion.
“ORION!” I scream his name as the creature’s jaw snaps, but Orion grabs the creature’s mouth with his bare hands, glowing a vibrant green.
I lean back against the wall as Orion picks the creature up like it weighs nothing and throws it across the corridor.
It wails, roaring, as Orion steps forward and uses the earth to pull the creature under, ripping it piece by piece—bones snapping and blood spraying in every direction.
Orion watches until there’s nothing left but its head rotting on the floor before he turns back to me.
“You came for me.”
He runs over and catches me just before I collapse. “I’ve messed this up if you ever thought I wouldn’t run for you, Meredith.”
My heart feels like it could explode, and I don’t know what to do with it other than lean up and kiss him with all the strength I have left. He is gentle with me, tugging me against his chest, but I still wince. “How did you become alpha? Oh my god, everything hurts.”
“I’ll tell you everything later. Hold on to me.
I’ll take you to Elizabeth and get healers.
It’s safe now. You’re always going to be safe now in my lands,” he firmly promises, and I lean into him.
The earth swallows us up, but it’s not like travelling through it with Gaia before—it’s not battering or harsh.
It’s just like sweeping through darkness, earth brushing against my skin.
When we appear again, we are in the ballroom, and it is a mess.
My eyes go wide as I see Gaia’s head on the floor, glass shattered everywhere, and Elizabeth standing with two swords in her hands. The goddesses’ swords.
“Oh, my goddesses above.” She runs over to me, dropping the swords on the floor next to her before reaching for me.
“I’m healing her,” Orion explains, touching my cheek as his magic flows into me.
“But we need more healers and Reed.” Whatever he says next is blurry, as my focus is fixed on the swords.
My eyes stay locked on the swords as they hover up into the air, glowing on their own.
Elizabeth and Orion don’t see them, but I do.
My eyes can’t leave them as they snap straight into my hands like they were always there.
Like they were mine once.
I feel myself fall straight through darkness, hearing Orion scream my name.