POV: Lila
The Scar That Burns
The smell of my own blood and damp ground fills the night air. I stagger through the thick woodland, feeling a stinging ache in my side with every step. A gash along my ribcage, Cassian's farewell gift, hurts every time I move. Although the wound itself is not deep, the agony of shame is.
I stop near a fallen log and apply pressure to the bleeding wound with my hand. The fabric of my shirt sticks to the wound like a reminder of my failure as the sticky warmth seeps through my fingertips. Cassian has never been known to hold back, so I wasn't surprised he went that far. For the first time, I noticed the doubt in his eyes, those recognizable blue tones that had been overflowing with judgment.
I mumble to myself, "Curse you, Cassian," my voice a whisper in th
