The King of Darkness | ✔️

Chapter Fifteen

I'm not sure how long we have been flying for but it has been long enough that my tears have dried and my heart doesn't ache ever so slightly as much.

Manora's feathers manage to keep me warm as she flies higher. I look down to see that we're passing by a small island that I never knew of. However, other than the one small patch of land, we are surrounded by nothing but endless water.

The noise of something ripping through the air sounds close to me and I was a fool to mistake it as anything but the wind as it sounds again and a searing pain erupts in my side.

I can't help the scream that leaves my mouth when I finally register what has happened. An arrow is stuck firmly in my left side - just above my hip - my nightgown now drenched in blood. I can't help it as pure panic courses through me.

I try to take deep breaths but every time I inhale, the pain only intensifies - to the point where my vision blurs.

Screw Darian for sending me away, screw him for forcing me into this, and screw him for causing me to be in another situation where potentially my life is, yet again, on the line.

I touch my hand to my side, wincing as it makes contact with the wound site. Drawing my fingers back, I see that my hand is covered in a wondrous crimson - the sight making the world seem hazy. I don't think I've ever seen my body expel so much blood.

So, so much blood.

Who knew that your body... body could ever... could...

I feel my eyes roll back in my head and my body grows heavy as I tilt to the side. But before I can steady myself, I've slipped off of Manora's back and am plummeting towards the sea. The wind rips through me and it's almost peaceful as the world blurs around me - as though everything is in slow-motion.

I see the body of blue nearing and I brace for impact. A loud screeching sounds around me and my vision clears slightly to see Manora soaring towards me.

I reach out my hands as I fall faster, further. I grab the wind, my fingers scraping through nothingness, screaming for salvation. But, my fingers slip and I'm left to the bounding waves that wash below.

My back collides with a surface so immensely hard, it knocks the wind out of me and I am thrown under. I choke on the water as I see the surface slowly getting further away from my reach.

My lungs ache as I try to swim to the top, my side screaming as my blood stains the water. I fail as I try to swim further upwards, finding that I am only sinking.

I want to call out for Darian, tell him that I need him... but I'd rather die than ever turn to him again. I'd rather die than let him save me.

My chest burns as I begin to lose air, yet I try to swim to the surface again. Again and again. The surface seems to grow further with every second that I am deprived of oxygen. As though it is merely mocking me.

I give up when I realise that no one is coming for me, that the surface is too far for me to reach, that I am destined to die this way.

My eyes begin to fall shut as I let my body sink further towards the sea bed - the surface becoming a distant memory as I swallow the contents of the ocean.

It's over.

Her voice. Her voice shouts. "Fight, child!" she screams. "Fight for your life!" I swallow more water. "You will not give up!"... Anith, it's Anith.

Something moves at the surface and I open my eyes enough to see something dark and blurry diving into the water. As it moves closer... Manora.

Relief fills my heart as she dives deeper, swimming towards me. My leg has become void of any feeling, complete numbness encompassing it.

Using all of my strength, I wrap my arms around Manora's thick neck. I will myself to hold on despite my body trying to drag me towards the darkness. If I give up now it's over for me, my life would have had no meaning - I would have had no purpose, made no change in our world.

But as we almost break through the surface... it's too late.