Heavy Burdens 《Completed》- -

Chapter 29

Liz POV

In no time, the court's shrouded in the smoke of the fires spreading around them. The sound of heavy explosions reach Elizabeth ears while turning on her heels to face a panicked Chesterfield. She's using the chaos and the panic all around them to swiftly pull one of the daggers from his vest, making the Captain look at her with wide eyes.

But Liz's too fast for him and Chesterfield is too confused to react when the dagger is firmly placed between his ribs.

Elizabeth grits her teeth when the Captain buckles towards her but he keeps standing up. Resting one of his hands on her shoulder and both lock eyes with each other when she twists the blade inside him. She bends over to him to reach his ear. "I told I would kill you before all this is over," she whispers venomously in his ear before pulling the weapon back.

She turns away, not seeing the blood ooze from the wound she just created and how the captain falls to his knees.

Eyes flickering around the square, trying to find someone familiar but the smoke makes it hard to see anything. People run around screaming, sometimes bumping up to her because they can't see her stumbling towards, what Elizabeth thinks, the barn where she saw Sokanon and Michael run too just moments before.

Her throat is getting painful due to the smoke she's breathing in and when a man crashes into her, Elizabeth and him loose balance and both fall down on the ground. Scratching her elbows and knees in the process.

Taking a moment to catch her breath while being so low to the the ground. Looking before her, she sees the feet of the people running everywhere around her.

A sudden hand on her shoulder makes Elizabeth's breath getting stuck in her throat. Her gaze searching for something she can use as a weapon to use to knock out her opponent.

"Liz, get up. Hurry!"

She recognises the voice the hand belongs to immediately. It was the stern voice of Sokanon. The woman's hand urging her to get up by curling her fingers around Liz's shoulder. Sokanon isn't gentle about it either because Elizabeth scrunches her nose feeling the pressure on her skin where the other her fingers are.

"Declan?"

Her voice hoarse while slowly getting back up. Holding her arm before her mouth and nose against the prickling of the smoke. She can barely see Sokanon standing before her.

"I don't know where he is," Sokanon's voice reaching Liz's ears through the smoke. And Elizabeth hears the panic in the woman's tone. "He fell. The noose was around his neck."

Taking a step closer to the native woman, Liz can lock eyes with her. "What?"

Sokanon looks at Liz in pure fear. "Michael had to shoot the rope from the noose. But the explosions came," Sokanon mutters in a hurry, "I don't know if he made the shot!"

Liz can sense the distress of Sokanon and it only makes hers worse. Trying to look around while thinking but Liz's mind can only come up with one thing. 'Find Declan'

"Clenna!"

Michael's voice rings through the thick smoke towards the two women who both turn their heads towards the sound. A shadow appears before him and Liz sees Sokanon's hand shoot out into the smoke. Pulling a startled Michael towards them.

"Did you shoot the rope?"

Both women ask in unison. Michael just nods while looking around him.

"I did," his gaze flickers towards Liz, "did you see Clenna?"

Liz issn't looking at Michael no more. Something from her right catches her attention, a frame of a man closing in on them. Squinting her eyes, Liz can make out the broad shoulders and hair she came to know so well. Next to her Michael and Sokanon are still talking to each other, but except for the hurried tone in their voices, Elizabeth hears nothing they're saying. Her eyes glued on the approaching figure and she can feel her heartbeat in her throat.

Her hand reaching for Sokanon, who's somewhere standing behind her, trying to get the woman's attention.

"Declan," she whispers, seeing him walking towards the three of them. The rope hanging loose around his neck and he's holding a sword in his left hand.

The other two still bickering behind Liz over something she can't hear anymore. In another second, Declan is fully seen through the smoke. His eyes on Elizabeth, his hands and torso bloodied and bruised. But something inside her tells that it isn't only his blood sticking on him.

"It's Declan," she tries again, louder this time but Liz doesn't care if Sokanon nor Michael hear her this time.

The man striding towards her, throws away the sword in his hands while Liz does something unusual for her; she runs towards him and throws herself in his arms. Making him grunt in the process trying to stand his ground while she collides against him in full force. But slowly one of his arms circle around her and pulls her closer against him.

Liz's eyes are closed, listening to Declan's heartbeat while holding onto him for dear life. All the chaos around them momentarily forgotten until he gently pushes her off him. But still keeps her at an arms length. Brown eyes scanning her features while his thumb caresses her cheek.

"You're an idiot," he murmurs suddenly, making her brows scurry up in total confusion.

A sudden flash of anger crosses his features and Declan shakes his head. "He could've killed you," was all he said before brushing his lips against her in a fleeting kiss. "Where is Benton?"

"I don't know," Liz manages to say before gunshots ring through the air, making them duck in down.

"We have to go," Sokanon intervenes and Declan lets go of Liz.

"I'm not going anywhere until I kill the bastard," he sneers, his fists clenching dangerously. Turning to face Liz again, Declan holds her by the shoulder. "Go with Sokanon."

"But..."

"For once, do what I say," he murmurs impatiently, already turning away from her and Liz wants to grab his hand but is pulled away by Sokanon urgent whispers.

"Come on Liz," the native woman makes Elizabeth turn around to face her, "we've got to..."

Another shot rings through the air.

'Too close,' Liz thinks.

And another gunshot fills the air around them, knocking the air out of her longs in an instant. Dazed she turns her head to Sokanon who looks at her in pure horror. The woman says something. But Liz has no idea what because she can't hear the words coming out of Sokanon's mouth. Even Michael is screaming something, running towards her in a hurry.

Liz turns her head to where Declan was just moments before but he's gone. He's gone to find Benton and Liz her vision goes black around the edges. Her hand travelling to her throat and slowly moving to her stomach while looking down. Only then, she takes a deep breath in. And wishing she didn't do that.

The pain was sudden, the fall to the ground even faster... The shot had hit her on the left side of her stomach and blood poured out of the wound. She can only look up into the air, noticing the smoke cleared and Sokanon isn't around anymore.

The world is silent around her.

And Liz closes her eyes with a smile.

Silence is all she wants in this world filled with noise and war. Blood and pain.

But, before fully succumbing to the peaceful sensation of complete darkness, the face of Declan flashes before her eyes. But, it was gone as soon as Elizabeth saw him.