God Bones

Chapter 26: Consequences

My hands were shaking and my first instinct was to run. Anywhere, far, far away from here. I had a phone, the bone lent me some magic. I could make it back to London and maybe the bone had enough power to revive Seraphina.

But Arion would suffer.

How do I live with that guilt? And it wasn't just Arion. Maria's screams were still echoing in my ear. I wasn't even her friend, or anyone she cared about and she would die because of me. Peter too.

A vision of Arion being thrown into the wall of our bedroom flashed in my mind. He had hit the wall enough to fracture his skull. Maria was laying on the floor. The place where Arion's head had hit was splattered with blood. He stood up, disoriented, like he was drunk and summoned lightning in his palm. He'll fight till he dies.

I wanted to scream at him to stop. To tell him he couldn't win. And his cousin, Maria? Is she already dead?

Strange. You really do like him. Hurry up then, you don't have long. Your poor fiance is already fighting to stay alive.

I looked at the phone. Maybe I should call LeConte and run. But Rhys had Arion now and I had no idea what he intended to do. I don't know how long it would take for Gabriel to send help.

Arion needed me. I had to go. I cannot live with this man's death on my conscience.

There was no other alternative.

I looked around me, I should hide the bone here, it's safer outside the castle, where Rhys couldn't reach it. I could bury it here and leave a note on Arion's phone for him to find it, if Rhys killed me.

I would advise you to bring it. It'll only piss me off if you try to trick me again.

"Is Maria alive?" I asked into the thin air.

She's not my concern. Come quickly. Don't be afraid, I don't bite.

'Please get out of my head."

It's never nice having some stranger in your head, is it? Doesn't it feel violating?

My second irreverible decision was one that I would be proud of until I die because it showed me I was brave.

I decided to return.

Stupid idea, I would not even have a fighting chance if I did fall into Rhys' cutches, but it was the right thing to do. The day I become responsible for the death of good people would be the day I would cease to be Lucifera Markov.

"I'm coming, Rhys," I spat through my teeth.

Tick tock, Lucy.

I turned around and started running towards the chateau.

The cuts on my legs were beginning to sting and the loss of blood made my vision blur. Arion's magic hadn't healed me at all. Is this how I'll die? By bleeding to death? Everything seemed so dim, even in the glow of the garden lights, my steps faltered over the uneven paths. Rhys intended to kill me. The gashes and cuts on my body were not made to injure.

I'm dying.

I should have known.

Rhys wasn't an idiot. He was never going to risk having me escape. I wouldn't make it to the gates before bleeding out to death.

I'm dying.

I pressed the bone to my heart as I ran and willed the cuts to heal but I felt nothing. Even the hum of power in the bone was gone. I was so close to blacking out from the pain but I had to make it. Soon I'll be gone, but Arion should live. My death should count. I couldn't help Sera but I hoped my father would tell her I died trying. I hope she would be proud of me.