Ark Kingdom: The Magic Within (Bellarke)

Chapter 16

Clarke’s POV

Why can’t he take a hint? I don’t want to be around him right now. I feel like I’m losing my mind because of him. I am losing my mind. When I saw him looking around the boulder I about fainted. First, Wells showed up and then him.

Wells was behind the boulder so when I leaped over it I landed on top of him. We crumpled into a pile of limbs and laughter.

“Clarke, we’ve got to stop meeting this way.” Wells helps me to my feet.

“You should stop spying and realize that I don’t want to be anywhere near you.” I say once we’re up. The anger that has been so close to the surface sense my dad was floated finally boils over. I slap Wells across the face. When our flesh connects though I am hit with a flash of pain and it’s not from my hand hitting him. It’s an emotional pain. I’ve never connected to someone in this way. I haven’t felt emotional pain, just physical.

“What just happened?” Wells asks as he catches me before I fall to the ground.

“I don’t know.” I say honestly.

“Are you okay?” He looks at me with his caring, brown eyes. He reaches up and brushes the fallen hair out of my eyes. When he touches my skin I feel a warm wash of energy fill me.

“Are you doing something to me? Are you using magic?” I ask in a scared whisper.

“No, I don’t have any. I can feel yours though.” He says. “It’s trying to find my pain. It’s healing me.”

“How can you tell?”

“I don’t know exactly. I just know that my pain is leaving me. Your mom told me about what you two can do.” He steps back.

“Why would she tell you?” I ask, without my anger. Somehow it’s gone. I can finally breathe again.

“Because she needed my help.”

Then he told me everything. He told me how my mom was the one who got my dad floated. He thought that everyone should know what we could do. Everyone should know about the cracks in the veil. How everyday more magic was leaking in. I heard them talking about it. When they stopped I stepped out of my room so they could know that I had heard. I agreed with my dad. Later that day when I was sparing with Wells I was so distracted that we had to stop. He was sick of me letting him win. I finally broke down and told him what my dad had said. He agreed with my mom; it was too dangerous.

The next day my dad was floated and Wells couldn’t look me in the eye. I knew what he did and when I confronted him he let me blame him. He let me hate him so I wouldn’t have to hate my mother.

Now I know the truth. It was my mom. She did it. She got my father floated. She killed him and I have no idea why. I think Wells might know but he won’t share it. He doesn’t think I’m ready to deal with the truth and maybe he’s right.

“Bellamy, really I just need you to go. You’re in the way.” I can’t deal with the truth about Bellamy either. I just can’t deal with how he makes me feel. I know that once we get out he’ll leave and I don’t think I can survive any more heartbreak.

“For the last time: I’m not leaving.” Bellamy says and kneels across from me. “How can I help?”

“Just go.”

“Hey, Princess you’re actually starting to hurt my feelings.” Bellamy reaches across Miller’s body and grabs my hand. He doesn’t have his glove on. I can feel the calluses on his fingers. The roughness of them makes mine feel that much softer. We are back in the meadow.

“Okay, I need to know what’s going on. Why are you trying to push me away?” Bellamy asks.

“We don’t have time for this. I need to help Miller.” I say.

“Then make it quick.” He holds my hand tight so I can’t pull away.

“I don’t know.”

“That’s a lie.”

“Fine, I don’t want to talk about it. Now let me help Miller before he gets worse.”

“Promise that you’ll tell me when you’re ready to talk.”

“I promise.” I say knowing that I’ll never be ready to tell him that I might be falling for him even though I know soon he’ll leave me alone. They always leave.

He drops my hand and it lands on Miller. I pull his tunic up and gasp when I see the bruising. He’s hurt internally. That’s much harder to heal. I take a deep, calming breath like my mom taught me and place my bear hand on his stomach. I can see all of the bruises and tears inside. I push my heat into him and don’t stop until I’m shivering from the coldness of its absence.

I haven’t had to heal this bad of an injury ever. I feel his tendons, muscles, and organs begin to stitch themselves and heal. The blood rushes back to where it belongs. His cracked ribs start to mend. My vision blurs and the darkness comes forward. I’m too weak to hold it back. The monster is trying to break free. It’s close. I feel myself fall forward.

“Princess,” I hear Bellamy say as my world goes dark.