Behind |First book in The Risen Saga|

Chapter thirty four

The one time we had something fun, something away from all the dramas of the Hidden World, it gets ruined because the universe decided to hate all of us. Maybe I should have expected this though. And on top of Emma being in transformation right then, I had to become a lux tenebris so I wouldn't go crazy and either A: end up killing myself or B: kill everyone around me. 

"Ava, please, this isn't for me. This is for her," Seth said pulling me out of my own head. At that moment Emma screamed a blood curdling scream, she was clearly in pain. "Put a wall around her so she can't hurt herself or any of us. Please. Help her." Seth's eyes were pleading as he spoke those words. I glanced down on Emma, tears had started to spill over her eyes and when she looked at me she closed them tightly. My decision was made. 

I nodded to Seth and started to chant, closing my eyes. Slowly, at first because I didn't know the language all that well, but, like Emma had said, my instincts would take over and I was suddenly casting a spell. The spell seemed to drain me faster than the other night but I kept pushing forward. This is for her. Help her. Seth's voice kept replaying in my mind. 

My eyes opened and I saw that Seth had laid Emma on the ground and I focused the spell around her. I imagined a clear wall around her, but hard as crystal. Emma's eyes opened and her screaming stopped and turned into a low whimper. My eyes met hers and she shook her head once. She knew what I was doing and she didn't like it. I felt horrible. Was I doing the right thing? Was I making things worse? Seth turned around and looked at me, reassuring me that this was right. A tear slipped from my eyes as I finished the spell. 

I stumbled backwards, collapsing into Tyson's arms, both of us falling to the ground. Seth stood watching Emma, like he couldn't rip his eyes away from her. She screamed out again and her hands went up to either side of her head. She realized the spell was done and one of her fists shot out and hit fiercely on the invisible wall. Her hand slowly started to bleed but she didn't stop. I wanted to let her go, let her do what she wanted as long as she would stop hurting herself. But I couldn't imagine being in so much pain. Physical pain, at least.

"What have I done?" I whispered, turning to Tyson, "I can protect you guys, I don't see why we can't let her go. She's hurting herself." Tyson looked down on me and then back up at Emma. Her eyes were closed but her fist was still beating in a slow pattern against the wall. 

"Emma will be okay. She'll pull through. It's you I'm worried about," Tyson said, reaching up and pulling my face to turn to him, away from Emma. "I heard what you and Emma were talking about," he said, "I just wish you wouldn't be so hard headed and just become a lux tenebris. You'll still have magick, just, a limited magick. You may think earth magick isn't limited but it is, Ava. I can't lose you. Not to your mind and not to anything else. I won't let you destroy yourself." he pulled me forward and kissed me gently, a soft, slow kiss, before pulling back and saying, "Do you promise that you will take care of yourself as much as you want to take care of everyone else?"

I pulled my bottom lip into my mouth and bit it. I couldn't promise that because if it came down to either me or Tyson or me or Emma, I would always choose Tyson or Emma. Tyson was right though, I needed to start taking care of myself and this was the first step. I had to save myself first. 

"I promise," I whispered. He smiled and leaned his forehead against mine, looking deeply into my eyes. His eyes were mesmerizing and I probably couldn't live without them. Like I can't live without air or food or water. I couldn't live without him. 

"It's only been fifteen minutes but her mark is fully formed. I think she'll be awake soon," Seth said, pulling us both back to the present. I hadn't even realized that Emma had fallen unconscious. She was laying on her side, her mouth hanging open and her hand against the wall, bloody and broken. Her black dress was now splattered with blood and her face was pale, looking chalky.