Fate and Destiny (The Fated Series, #2)

Chapter 71 - Darius - South

"People aren't meant to be saved, they are made to be loved."

"And if I can't save you? What then?"

"Then the sun will rise the next morning, and you will live the life everyone else fears because there is no one more capable of doing so than you."

"You barely know me."

"I don't need to. I trust you."

I block Henry's blow and use the momentum to get him off balance before swinging for his legs with one of my own. He reacts quickly enough to jump and avoid the kick, but I'm not fast enough to block his fist that manages to hit me in the ribs. I recover quickly, launching an attack to force him onto the defensive.

"You said you trust me. Why?"

"Because you've earned it."

"How?"

"You've done nothing to show me that you don't. You've saved my life more times than I can count, stayed with me, and pulled me out when the nightmares get rough and I wake up wanting to chop your head off. My trust isn't held by many people, but I'd be a liar if I said I don't trust you."

Henry stays standing, meeting my every blow with a block. Blow after blow and he still stands. Sparks fly as our swords meet. Again and again. The sparks have my power clawing to get out. It needs to. I need to. I need to run or drown in ice. I need-

Henry's elbow finds my gut, and I duck before his sword can behead me, landing my own blow to his side. I don't let up, swiping at his feet again, catching his ankle enough to get him on his back. He rolls before I can plunge my sword down, and then I'm on my back, and he pins my arm - but doesn't get the second pinned quickly enough. We roll and wrestle for the upper hand until we separate and stand, and then we're going again. Punch after punch. Swing after deflection, and again, my power sings in my veins, burning the blood to a boil.

"What you look like won't change my mind. I don't need to know your face to know you'll be here when I need you."

"I know. But I trust you."

I trust you.

I swing harder, causing the sparks to be more than just tiny lights and rather large firebugs that take longer than half a second to be put out. I feel Henry's arm falter under my next blow, but I don't stop.

I trust you.

"Darius I-"

I trust you.

"Darius-"

Just...trust me.

"Darius - dammit-" I swing again, but this time he sidesteps and kicks me in the side, shoving me off balance. I turn-

Pain explodes in my jaw, and I stumble a step.

No other blow comes, nor any sound of one. My hand's already touching my nose, coming away with a red blotch on it. I clench my jaw and ignore the agony that bursts at the friction of my teeth and spin, my fist clenched as I whirl, only to find Henry already there and staring down at me. The look in his eyes stops my arm from releasing the blow it so badly wants to land.

"Do it," he orders. His jaw is clenched just as tightly as mine. "Go ahead. Hit me. Let it out, Darius."

My anger rises in response, but it never acts upon it. That's when I notice the silence that's entombed us. Everyone's stopped their own sparring to turn and face us, all of them have left the other two rings to draw closer to the one we're in.

"Whatever you're feeling, let it out. Set yourself on fire if you have to - set the entire city on fire."

My power pulses and I feel it's strongly tempted to do just that. To explode and burn everything it could possibly touch to ashes and leave nothing behind.