In Shadows We Rise

Chapter 65

Reia

This old hag simply won't die! She's bleeding from multiple wounds caused either by my weapon or my powers but somehow, she's still standing. At least our surroundings keep flickering so I hope we'll be back with the other as soon as she loses enough strength. I hope they are doing well.

Zoy has landed a few good blows as well but she's looking worse than I am. There'll be bruises and cuts but nothing Layla couldn't take care of.

"No!" the governor suddenly yells, clutching her chest. She releases a heartbroken scream before numbly raising her eyes to me. Oh, now I'm in trouble. "You took him too," she whispers before throwing herself at me.

She pushes me and my tailbone protests when I land on the weird, hard ground. Took him too? Did the others succeed at killing Sila? I can't ponder the meaning of Zoy's words for long since she attacks me in a heartbeat. I roll to the side and blindly shoot more darkness in her direction. Only when I get to my feet can I look at her.

She's lying flat on her back, screaming without making any sound. Our surroundings flicker wildly before I'm back in the desert amongst the soldiers and guards. I realize Zoy's body is nowhere to be found but I have no doubt she's dead. I guess we'll never know what happens to a body that should be everywhere and nowhere.

I notice no one around me is moving and relief floods through me. The fighting has stopped. The governors are all dead. We won. We actually won!

"No!" Xander's scream washes over me like ice-cold water. I push through the people around me as he screams one more time. Finally, I see him. Everyone else has their eyes trained on him and whoever he's kneeling over but no one is stepping any closer. My heart is beating in my throat as I run to his side just to stop completely when I see the person on the ground.

"No," I whisper, falling to the ground on the other side of Atticus' body. His eyes find mine and he tries to speak but he can't seem to get the words out.

"Shh. Don't speak. It's fine, you're fine. Where's Layla?" I look around, seeing the other rebels making their way over but not our healer. "Where is she?" I ask Xander, raising my voice.

He doesn't look at me as he answers, "knocked out." He sounds so helpless and defeated it tears at my heart. I dare a look at Atticus' wound. An arrow is still sticking out of his gut while Xander has his hands around it and the sight has me forcing down a sob.

A soft hand touches my cheek and I lean into the familiar touch as Atticus' thumb wipes away a tear.

"You're fine," I repeat as I place his hand back to his side. "Safe your strength. I'm here. We're all here, A. We're fine. We won." I try to sound enthusiastic as he stares up at me. He starts moving his lips to speak again so I lean down to hear him.

"I'm sorry," he whispers.

"No," I say sternly. "It's fine Atticus, you're fine." I put a hand on his face while my other stays on his hand. I can barely speak over the lump in my throat.

This must be a dream. Zoy must be playing a trick on me because I know for a fact reality couldn't be this cruel. Not after everything.

Atticus' eyes start drooping and he shivers softly. "No, hey! Stay awake. Just keep your eyes open for me, Atticus. We're all here, okay? You're going to be fine." I can see the effort it takes him to keep his eyes on me and my chest tightens further at the thought of him being in pain. I look at the other rebels surrounding us. All of them apart from the one we need. This can't be real. Nothing's this cruel.

But the expressions of my friends tell me otherwise.

"A, remember when you told me you won't let our story end that way? Well, I won't accept this. Come on A, you're too stubborn for this," I insist desperately and I swear the faintest of smiles touches Atticus' lips. Though his eyes are unfocused on my face so I'm not sure if he's truly hearing me. The first sob escapes my lips.

"Please," I beg him. Beg the gods. Beg anyone.

No one seems to hear since A's eyes start closing. In a flurry of panic, I say the three words I should have told him so long ago. "I love you," I say before leaning down to kiss him on the cheek. "I love you," I whisper again. Then a hand gently pulls me back and turns me into a hard chest before I can take another look at Atticus. I don't want to let go of him, even knowing he's no longer here. I want to bury my face into the crook of his neck, not Sorin's. I want him to tell me I'm fine. That he's fine.

Whispers erupt around us so I force myself to lift my gaze.

"Who did this?" I ask, my voice hoarse but surprisingly even. "Answer me!" A cloud of darkness advances towards me and even though I don't know what it is I'm not scared.

The cloud dissolves, revealing a tall man. He's dropped to the ground and stumbles. Then he looks around, clearly surprised by the change of scenery. Finally, all the color drains from his face as he sees me.

"You stand loyal to the governors? Even in their death?" I ask him slowly but loud enough for everyone to hear. The man doesn't answer.

Pity.

I let a carpet of darkness creep towards him. "Let this be a warning to everyone that refuses to support the rebels!" I yell as the darkness lifts off the ground like a wave, rolling over the coward and leaving nothing but a scorched mark on the red ground.

I didn't know I could do that and as soon as it's done I feel a sense of regret. Sure, part of me wanted to make him suffer for longer. To hear his screams. A bigger part is remembering that Atticus wanted a better future for the nation, with better leaders. I just tainted his image with a display of violence.

"The rebels are not the governors. They won't care whether you are marked or not or judge you by your powers. They won't try to enslave the people of this nation and they won't stand by as it's citizens die of hunger or murder each other. They have always been fighting for a better future for all of you. And you thank them by killing the man responsible for it! The rebels will change your lives for the better without using bloodshed but I will always ensure that no one hurts my family! Does anyone have a problem with the rebels?" I yell. No one makes a single sound apart from the quiet sobs that come from my friends.

"The deaths that occurred today were not the rebel's fault so don't blame them and don't try to hold them against them. Our plan was to fight the governors, they included the armies." I take a deep breath. I'm aware the grieving will look for someone to blame no matter what I say but it's all I can do to keep talking and not think about what happened here today. What the nation lost today. "You stand with the rebels now. Respect them and you will be respected. Attack them and you will die. Help them make change!"

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Don't hate me🖐🏻 lmaooo