Chapter 18

Proper after I attain the again seat, I take out my telephone. Even earlier than it activates, I put the earbuds into my ears and activate noise-canceling. The world immediately quiets down.

I join the earbuds to the telephone and scroll down by means of my playlist. Randomly, I decide one tune and set it to play on repeat.

After I shut my eyes, the whole lot disappears. The voices of individuals round me, the woman sitting a number of seats in entrance of me together with her canine, a bunch of scholars, and twins.

The tune begins enjoying.

I let it play two occasions earlier than I begin feeling higher and let myself assume just a little bit.

…

I am a wreck.

My hand hurts greater than I am letting them know. I really feel weak, lightheaded, and my muscle tissues damage, almost definitely from utilizing mana.

I’m thirsty and hungry.

My garments are soiled. My shirt is extra pink and black than white at this level.

I look at my telephone. It is at 78%. Earbuds are at 70%, and the case ought to have another cost left.

I maintain digging the nails of my fingers into my palm, and the wound retains therapeutic just a little bit each time I accomplish that.

My arm heals a lot slower, however there may be some progress.

I improve the quantity and shut my eyes once more.

[Focus]

The tune retains enjoying within the background as I attempt to manipulate my mana and ship it towards my wound. I maintain imagining the wound closing. I’m attempting to “really feel” it.

Whereas I accomplish that, I maintain wounding my palm.

Clearly, it would not work, however it calms me down as I concentrate on the mana flowing by means of my physique.

It feels bizarre as if I obtained a brand new sense that is only for feeling the mana.

There are some losses as I flow into mana by means of my veins, out and in of my coronary heart, however at this level, I can not even really feel the place little bits of mana disappear. I do not even really feel how mana comes into existence. I simply comprehend it begins on the coronary heart.

However why does it travels by means of my veins, by means of the blood?

Is it simply utilizing my veins as a highway by means of my physique, or does it must be combined with blood?

Is my coronary heart some sort of generator creating mana, or is it getting it from some place else and sending it by means of my physique?

At this level, I do not even hear the music and do not realize that I’m draining my telephone’s and earbuds’ batteries.

Fascinated by mana, I maintain feeling it because it travels by means of my physique and typically I barely poke it.

My hand begins shaking, and my finger hurts as if it obtained caught within the closing door.

However it’s there.

A deep graze within the aspect panel of the bus.

After I lastly flip to the aspect and have a look at Cassian knocking on the window, I really feel a lot better, despite the fact that my head is hurting.

POV – Tess Hansen

He disappears contained in the bus as Cassian and Dominic begin complaining, however Hadwin rapidly calms them down. Then, with none hesitation, he provides me one of many spears they had been capable of purchase. I additionally discover that he’s a lot much less good and affected person whereas coping with the duo than when he talked with Nathaniel. His voice can also be rather more commanding and agency.

Two males depart on the finish, not forgetting to offer me a number of nasty seems as they go. Hadwin provides me a brief look after which additionally leaves. He would not even trouble speaking to me. His eyes simply scan me up and down whereas checking how I maintain the spear, after which he leaves whereas limping just a little bit.

I watch him as he slowly strips useless Damon of his garments and footwear after which pulls his physique near the sting of the forest. The pale physique of a tall muscular man simply lays there in his underwear. There may be plenty of free pores and skin over his physique, as somebody who misplaced plenty of weight.

In order that’s it for you, Damon Beck. I really feel a little bit of disappointment whereas taking a look at his physique. I did not know him that a lot, and I’m positive Nathaniel did not even acknowledge him as he appeared so completely different after dropping a lot weight.

However I do know for positive that Damon did acknowledge Nathaniel. How might he not? You may’t overlook such a beating.

He as soon as visited the fitness center Nathaniel preferred to make use of and obtained overwhelmed to a pulp after attacking him. I did not see it, however from what I heard, he obtained each of his arms damaged, and since then, he hated the youthful boy.

Surprisingly, another reminiscence flashed to my thoughts. That of some years youthful Damon smiling brightly whereas lifting up his little sister. Each of them laughed at some silly joke.

The reminiscence disappears, and there may be solely a useless physique.

I sigh, then I maintain my spear tighter and begin working towards stabbing actions. I do it for half an hour to get used to the spear and the motion. Then I attempt to use my expertise by following Nathaniel’s steerage. Despite the fact that he mentioned it feels awkward, I attempt to let my physique deal with it as an alternative of attempting to think about it in my head.

At one level, a stone within the palm of my hand jumps barely, however that is it.

One hour passes, and Cassian comes nearer and knocks on the window. He knocks louder and louder till the younger man inside lastly begins shifting towards the exit.

“…prick.” I hear Cassian say. He says it quietly, virtually whispering.

Nathaniel lastly exits the bus. He’s twenty one years previous, with black hair and a face that could possibly be known as good-looking if it weren’t for his completely expressionless look. Due to that, he simply seems unapproachable and unfriendly, and folks hardly ever trouble to speak to him.

Probably the most hanging a part of him is his eyes. One eye is a deep wealthy brown, whereas the opposite is comfortable grey, heterochromia.

He stops in entrance of Cassian. Nathaniel is barely taller, however his determine is slimmer, and the person seems rather more muscular. But, he would not say something, and after a bit, he simply avoids his gaze, and Nathaniel passes by him. I discover that Cassian is clenching his arms as he does so.

“Any outcomes?” Nathaniel asks as he stops in entrance of me. His eyes briefly scan my face then he seems into my eyes for a break up second and averts his gaze. He retains taking a look at various things such because the weapon in my arm, my shoulders, the aspect of the bus, and our ft. He by no means preferred making eye contact.

I share the outcomes of my coaching with out attempting to magnify or lie and he merely nods in response. Surprisingly, he seems again into my eyes once more, for a second time in a couple of minutes. That is uncommon for him. It looks as if one thing made him pleased, however I do not even trouble asking him about it. I do know he would not prefer it.

In the intervening time, he is the one one I can depend on, so I’ve to remain on his good aspect and observe his orders. He is honest, so in alternate, he’ll assist me too.

I haven’t got many choices. It is both this or…

My eyes cease on the physique on the fringe of the clearing.