Scarlett Romero has spent her entire life as an ordinary citizen; going to school, getting a job and definitely not killing people in the middle of the woods on a Friday night.
Until one Friday night, she does.
All she can remember is acting out of...
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Chapter Twenty-Nine "Oh, to Die Human"
Scarlett's POV:
"Scarlett!"
My head snaps up, heart in my throat and adrenaline spiking to sit uncomfortably in the deepest depths of my stomach. Meredith's eyes are wide when they meet mine, glistening with tears.
"Meredith?" I blink in surprise. At first glance, I wouldn't have guessed it to be her. Half of her left pant leg is missing, her hair is in a messy heap on the side of her head, and there's something brown and sludgy sticking to an entire arm of her uniform.
"Oh my god, it's really you!" she yells, breaking into a loping run around the small stream. I watch the entire time, not really sure if I'm hallucinating or actually seeing Meredith trip over her own feet in an attempt to get to me.
"Yep, it's really me," I force a little smile, my gut twisting with something foul. I take a step back when she gets close, her run not losing speed. I yelp as she throws herself at me, the force of her hug pulling us both to the ground.
I ask the earth to soften my fall, and the grass moulds to cushion my back, the dirt cradling my neck and head. But nothing can stop Meredith from crushing me, and the wind is knocked out of me as her elbow lands in my stomach, her knee punches the skin of my thigh and her head knocks against my nose.
I hiss, eyes watering and hands coming up to cradle my nose. Blood pools against my palms, thick and seeping between my fingers.
"I'm so sorry!" Meredith gasps, climbing to her feet, rubbing the red spot on her forehead. I wave a dismissive hand in the air, flinching as I sit up and everything spins. With a small groan, I stand, hand wiping away the blood dripping over my lips and down my chin.
"I can't believe you're okay," Meredith sighs, back hunching and tired eyes meeting mine.
"We're all safe, more or less."
"Wait, all of you are okay? Nobody died? Nobody was hurt?"
"I mean, Monica was shot, but we managed to heal her in time. What makes you think someone died?"
Meredith shakes her head, lips pursing and shoulders tensing. She huffs lowly before saying, "Tolkien said they found you in the middle of the bushland. He said both dryads were killed, and your friend was wounded too severely to be saved."
My chest tightens. Kylie was a little scratched up from the explosion, but other than that she was untouched. Monica was shot, yes, but she's alive. And Natalia... how did he even know we got together with her?
"A group of guards saw us run into the bushes, alive," I frown, bloody nose forgotten. "There's no way they wouldn't tell Tolkien about it. So, why has he lied?"
