Undiscovered Origins

Undiscovered Origins - Chapter 38

Chapter 38:

            Shivers trickled down Jade’s spine as she lay on the ground motionless. She was unsure what she could do, Drake was so much stronger than her. Part of her wanted to fight back, stop him at any cost, and yet there was another part of her that wished he would just get it over with.

            Jade did not fault Drake for his actions, she knew deep inside that it wasn’t truly him, but the animal – the beast inside – that pressed forward through him. She wondered if she lay there and accepted her fate if things would become easier between the two of them. Both fought so hard to control themselves when around each other, and often the tension seemed to distract them.

            Before she could decide what to do, horns blared in the distance, shattering the once silent forest that surrounded them. Jade turned around when she felt Drake’s hand no longer clawed against the back of her neck to notice he turned toward the noise. She crawled away and up to her feet before he turned around and looked at her. His eyes bulged as he stared down at his trembling hands. Tears glazed down his cheeks and for the first time Jade noticed what seemed like terror upon his face.

            “Oh Jade, I’m so sorry.”

            “I know,” she replied.

            “I didn’t mean – I don’t know what came of me,” he whispered.

            “I do.”

            He looked up to her with eyes pinched tight as if concentrating.

            “The beast inside of you – the wyvern – came forth. You lost control.”

            “Yes,” he admitted.

            “What is noise?” Jade asked.

            “Those are the warning horns of the temple. They are under attack.”

            “By who?” Jade asked.

            “I do not know,” he said.

            “Let them burn,” Jade spat.

            “It is not that simple Jade. These are no allies of ours. If they defeat the temple – we will be their next target.”

            Jade gulped, “What can we do?”

            “We need to go see what is going on,” he said.

            He held out his hand for her to take, but when she didn’t grab it he stepped closer to her. His eyes locked onto hers. “I am sorry Jade.”