Torn: Sequel to Ruthless

Chapter 10

Octavia

The cannon's blast echoes through the arena, cold and final, reverberating through my bones like a cruel announcement of loss. But I can't tear my eyes from Seena. She stands above Rubie's body, chest heaving, her sword slick with the blood of retribution.

"Bark!"

Her scream rips through the silence, raw and desperate, as she turns and bolts to where he lies. I'm right behind her, but nothing could prepare me for the sight before us. Bark is sprawled on the unforgiving ground, his face pale and his lips colorless. A deep gash slices through his arm, cruel and grotesque, while his body is marked with countless slashes that tell of a merciless battle.

"Bark!" Seena collapses beside him, her trembling hands lifting his head to her lap. "Stay with me. Please, you have to stay," she begs, voice cracking, eyes bright with tears that refuse to fall.

I kneel beside them, chest tightening, the weight of helplessness pressing down on me. Bark's breaths come in shallow gasps, his chest barely rising.

"We need to stop the bleeding," I say, my voice quivering with a fear I can't hide.

Seena nods, frantic, eyes locked on Bark's face as if she can will him to stay. She rips a strip from her shirt, hands shaking so violently it takes her several tries to press it against the wound. The cloth darkens almost immediately, crimson seeping through as life seeps from Bark.

"Seena, he's losing too much blood," I whisper, dread seizing my throat.

"No," she snaps, eyes blazing through the tears. She presses harder, desperate, driven by a fierce refusal. "He can't die. Not like this."

Tears spill unchecked down her cheeks, mingling with blood and sweat. Bark's eyelids flicker, his gaze barely finding hers, but in that moment, a ghost of a smile forms.

"Seena?" His voice is a whisper, strained and fading, but it pulls a sob from her.

"I'm here," she chokes, her fingers gripping his hand, as if by sheer will she can keep him tethered to this world. "I'm here, Bark. You'll be okay. Just hold on."

A weak smile tugs at his lips, fleeting. "I knew... you'd come."

"Always," she replies, her voice breaking. "Always."

He tries to move, to speak, but agony steals his breath, and he sags back. The realization in his eyes slices through me. This might be the end. I swallow hard, panic clawing at my chest.

"No, don't talk," Seena pleads, voice climbing higher, brittle with terror. "Rest. We'll get you through this."

"I... I don't know if—" Bark begins, but his voice falters, thin and ragged.

"Stop it!" Seena's cry pierces the night, fierce and resolute. "You have to believe, Bark. Fight for me!"

Her tears drip onto his ashen skin, fingers trembling but relentless. I reach out, laying a hand on Bark's shoulder, my own touch quaking.

"We're here. We won't leave you. Just keep breathing."

Bark's eyelids flutter again, and he takes a shaky, shallow breath. The silence is suffocating, broken only by the rustle of leaves and the erratic thrum of my heart.

"Seena?" His voice is almost swallowed by the night.

"I'm here," she whispers, leaning close, pressing her forehead to his. "I won't leave you."

A tremor runs through him. "I'm scared."

"Me too," she admits, voice breaking. "But stay with me. We'll get out of this."

I see the flicker in his eyes, that small, desperate flame, but his strength is dwindling.

"Seena, we need to—"

"I won't let him go!" Her shout slices through my words, fierce and unwavering, even as more tears stream down her face. "I can't lose him."

Bark's eyes find hers once more, filled with a fragile light. "I... love you," he whispers, a final, trembling truth.

"I love you too," Seena says, her voice a raw, desperate promise. "Stay with me. We have so much left to do."

He clutches her hand, weakly, but it's enough—a spark reignited by her words.

"We need to move him," I urge, the urgency rattling in my veins. "A medic station has to be close. We can't stay here."

Seena looks up, eyes blazing through the tears. "Help me lift him."

We lift Bark, his arms around our shoulders, each step a battle as his weight presses against us. Kai and Apollo rush to help, their faces set in grim determination. Every breath Bark takes is shallower, each heartbeat a fragile reminder of the life we fight to save.

"Keep breathing, Bark," Seena whispers, voice trembling but fierce. "We're almost there."

With each step, hope flares like a fragile ember, enough to push us forward. We can't lose him. Not now. Not ever.

"We're right here," I say, forcing strength into my voice. "We'll get you through this."

And as we push forward into the arena's darkness, I make a silent vow: we will fight for Bark, for Seena, and for every moment this brutal game tries to steal from us. Because losing him is not an option. Not while there is breath left in his body.