RTWM: The Girl Honed By Fire And Fear [Book 1]

Chapter 8: Soul Marks

Jack pulled the beat up cab up to a small hotel. The lights around the building cast a soft glow, giving off a comforting wave of blanketed safety.

"We'll stay here for the night." He told the teenagers, and they crawled out. Seth gripped Elevena's waist firmly, having a feeling that she was going to collapse from sheer exhaustion if he didn't. 

"Uncle Jack," She panted heavily, trying and failing to break out of Seth's hold for a second to intercept her uncle. "We... We can't afford..."

As she trailed off, Jack sighed before turning around, ruffling her hair slightly and offering up a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry about it, Vena. I got it all figured out."

Any other day, she would've pushed him for more answers, but she had no strength left in her body. 

Her legs felt like jelly, and since Seth's hand was wrapped around her middle and was not touching the mysterious flower mark on her shoulder, the scorching had returned full throttle. 

She let out a soft whimper of pain as they started walking towards the motel entrance. It was nighttime, and there were scarcely any cars in the parking lot, so she allowed herself to lean onto him for support. 

Sara's concerned eyes shot towards her friend as her legs buckled, her brother catching her just in time before she hit the ground. She smiled, then caught up with Jack, leaving the two of them alone.

"Whoa there," Seth whispered, but his eyes betrayed the worry he tried to hide. "We are almost there, Elevena. You are going to be okay."

She didn't reply, not even as he crouched down and gestured for his sister to help him. 

The next thing Elevena knew was that they were moving again, but this time, she wasn't walking. She was situated on Seth's back, his lean arms hooked underneath her legs with her arms locked around his neck to keep her from falling off. 

Her face fell forward into the crook of his neck, too exhausted to keep her head up any longer, and she heard his sharp intake of breath.

"You are going to be the death of me..." He muttered under his breath, and a smile curled against his warm skin.

Elevena shivered as she felt the blast of cool air from the quaint motel. Seth's grip under her legs tightened. The inside had the same soft lighting as the outside did, and it made her want to fall asleep even more. She distinctly heard Jack arrange for a room with the receptionist, and as they filed into the elevator, her head whipped up in alarm.

"Sara," She hissed quietly, with newfound energy. Both Seth and Sara stared at her curiously, and her uncle glanced in their direction, pressing the button for the third floor. "We look terrible. How did the receptionist not notice?!"

The girl chuckled quietly, and her brother answered for her. "That is also another one of my sister's abilities. She can manipulate what others' see, but at a great cost. She does not do it often since it takes a great toll on her."

"Oh," Elevena mused as she realized that the extent of her abilities was far greater than she originally thought.

It took almost no time for them to get to their room for the night. It was on one of the highest floors, as an extra measure of protection. Jack would be able to see if anyone was coming after them, giving them extra time to get away if they needed to. 

He opened the door to their room, gesturing for the teenagers to go in first. Jack eyed the dark corridors and dimly lit hallways warily before trailing in after them. He bolted the door securely, shoving one of the chairs in the room under the doorknob.