[Xaden x Y/n] Love on the Parapet

Chapter 7

6 years ago

I watch the city as it burns. The stone structures broken down, debris mixing with the smoke.

Aretia.

Burning in flames.

I look over at the village market where we used to hang out together, seeing dust and ash. The sight makes the truth sink in. We're war orphans. Children of the traitors, next to be captured and killed.

Imogen. Liam. Garrick. Bodhi. Me.

Y/n.

Gods, Y/n.

I whip around, Garrick huddling Imogen, Liam, and Bodhi in the corner, filth all over their clothes and skin. Imogen looks up at me in the distance, confused.

'Xaden? I haven't seen Y/n. We have to leave soon or else they'll be patrolling again.' She says, and I feel my gut drop. Liam and Bodhi stare at me for answers.

'Stay here. I'll find her. If I don't come in ten minutes, you guys go ahead. I'll catch up with Y/n.' I tell them, the four shuddering and nodding.

I run through the ruins of L/n estate, the ivory stone walls now in shambles, pieces of wooden furniture burning in flames. I accidentally inhale the smoke, coughing into my arm and run into another ruined room.

'Y/n!' I yell, sensing nobody in the house. Looking ahead, the rest of the estate is already destroyed on the ground that I run over the ruins. From the corner of my eyes, I see the officers, and I shove myself between the ruins to hide away. They drag a teen boy, his head split open, struggling against the officers dragging him to their base.

I feel my gut drop.

They are taking the children of the rebels now. I squeeze my fist together, keeping my breathing even as I follow them through the ruined street. The boy screams, the sound so agonising I almost shudder.

Turning the corner, I nearly vomit at the pile of bodies on top of each other, a bloody mess abandoned to rot like pieces of meat. The officers drag the boy into the tent, warded. I feel the sweat roll down my spine watching the flies hover around the bloody corpses, all of them beyond recognisable from the visibly horrendous torture.

I quickly retract as the door bursts open, the officer looking unaffected with his face splattered in blood. He looks down once at the girl in his arms, tossing her out to the pile of bodies. She thuds onto the bodies slick with blood, joints breaking audibly from the impact as I catch the glimpse of her face.

I feel my throat squeeze, forcing my feet to move as the officers goes back in. Y/n. Her limbs and fingers twisted in odd angles as she rolls over on the bodies.

Shoving the bodies aside, I push myself to get to her, my hands trembling as I lift her head onto my lap. Her hair feels slick with blood, a fresh bruise forming on her jaw.

'Y/n' I whisper, my voice feeling raspy as I pull her closer, chills forming down my back touching the open cut on her broken arms and legs. Bile rises in my throat seeing purple and red bruises under her ragged clothes, blood staining the fabric in dark red. Nails missing. Gods, they had pulled them out one by one. Instead, I nervously check her pulse, feeling the weak beat on her wrist.

'Hold on.' I whisper as if she can listen, lifting her up carefully not to damage any of her injuries further. I cradle against me as I run, almost tripping over the bodies as I scream for healers.

'Xaden!' I hear Imogen shout from the corner, all of the others huddled against each other. 'Xaden we need to leave now!' She yells before she heaves a breath. Her eyes widen, muscles tense as the others rise after her.

'Y/n?' Liam steps forward, his expression stunned. 'What happened?' He asks, his voice trembling.

'I need to find menders. You have to leave first. Now!' I yell, but Bodhi shakes his head.

'No. We stick together. The six of us, remember? We find menders together.' He argues, and ai clench my eyes shut at the world spinning.

'But what if they kill all of us?' Garrick asks, fear evident in his eyes.

'We have to find a mender or else...' I feel the dread coating my gut at the thought. Y/n. She's a part of us. The six of us, the promised ones. I run, the others following behind me. Garrick holds Imogen's hand as she silently weeps, and I force myself not to look down at Y/n in my arms.

Y/n's pov

'Xaden.' You shake him as he turns again on the bed, his dark eyebrows knitted in distress. 'Xaden!' You whisper, his eyes shooting open. He jolts up, squeezing you in his arms.

'Same dream?' You ask, and he nods as he runs his hand through his disheveled hair. 'Up to where?' You ask again softly, finding his onyx eyes dark in memories.

'Us running for the menders.' He replies, voice scruffy. You silently bring him closer to you, and he doesn't resist to bury his face in your neck.

He had found you a mender just minutes before death. And in return, he had taken a hundred and seven cuts by himself. For the Navarrean menders to save your life. And the others'.

You feel a stab of guilt, but instead, you only pull him closer to you.

'We stick together. The six of us.' You whisper, Xaden relaxing into your touch.

Author's note: a bit short today, but hope u enjoyed!! Plz vote if u did 🤩😊