Shards of Sanity (Book 6, Forgotten Series)

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Part Two

She was nearly gasping for air as she pulled back from me, her face was red and her eyes were wet but it was the harsh contrast of her skin to the ugly looking bruise on her cheek that had wanted to travel up to her temple that had a low rumble escaping my chest as I gently brushed my fingers against it. It was healing, I could see it was but I could only imagine just how hard he had to hit her in order to create a bruise that had lasted that long. I had watched him do it but the bruise showed me that he hadn't held back at all with the hit. I was just thankful the bruise was turning brown and yellowing around the edges.

"I-I-I'm so so-so-sorry!" It came out on a stuttered sob and I shushed her gently, brushing the tears away as she nearly hyperventilated.

"It wasn't your fault." It wasn't. I never wanted her to think that it was. Adam had been at fault for what had happened and I didn't ever want her to blame herself for what he did. She didn't respond, just pressed her face into my chest, clinging to me once more as she continued to sob. I shushed her gently, holding her close. I glanced upwards and my mum was holding onto my dad, she looked stricken and I didn't blame her. This entire situation was made just that much worse by the fact the target had been Lilith.

"I did a ba-bad thing." It was a faint little whisper that had me wishing the male was alive so I could kill him myself. He had destroyed the female I had been tied to. He broke her down into tiny pieces and then burned them. She was suffering endlessly in her mind because of him and despite it all I felt like I cared for every jagged edge her mind that she had. She was in pieces, yes, but that didn't mean I cared about her less, I cared about her more in spite of it all.

"It wasn't a bad thing, Lilith. You hurt a very bad male." I kept my tone low and soothing as I rubbed at her back, trying to comfort her through her confusion. "And that is okay. You protected yourself and you protected me." I was thankful for that, for the fact she managed to break through everything he had done to her, to react, to take action.

She pulled away slightly, her face slightly blotchy and sticky, her gaze landing on my shirt before she slowly uncurled one of her hands from my shirt and plucked at the fabric almost absent mindedly. "Adam was a bad male." She said it softly and I nodded, brushing my lips across her forehead. "It was a good thing, right?" She peeked up at me, looking for a reprimand that would never come from me.

"A very good thing." I brushed her hair from her face gently. She was such a sweet female, such a kind one. Adam had deserved so much worse than what she had done but I was glad that she got to be the one to destroy him. That perhaps this physical destruction of him would help her break down the mental and emotional barriers he had forced into her.

"You are okay?" She sniffled slightly as she looked up at me and I nodded.

"A little stiff but I just need to work the muscles out and I'll be all good." I shifted against the cot I had been forced back onto but smiled at her regardless.

"I hate to interrupt but Micheal and Lilith need a bit of time by themselves so we should give them that." Ambris spoke up and I could hear her moving closer. She came around the cot before patting Lilith's head. "I am going home, Micheal is able to be your advocate so I am no longer needed. I am glad you are both okay and I hope I don't see you again under these circumstances." She gave a low nod to me and Lilith nodded at her.

"Love you." She gave a soft smile at the Head Priestess and the female looked slightly taken aback from the declaration before a faint smile crossed her lips.

"I know you do." She patted Lilith's head once more before bowing her head at my parents and Doc Howard before she tucked her hands into her sleeves and glided from the room, her head held high.