The Serpentine's Revenge

Chapter Fifteen

I stood outside my tent, looking at my target. I threw out my hand, but the tree stood as still and as untouched as it was before. I looked down at my hands. It had came so naturally to me, but now it lays dormant. Completely useless. I tried again.

Again. The tree stood as tall as before.

Again.

Again. But one of the worst things that could happen happened. Nothing.

But even when I was shivering from the wind howling against my exposed arms, nothing happened. The wind bit at my exposed skin, and blowing into my wound. The air stung as the blood on my skin began to stick. Yet, I didn’t dress it. I only thought of Arian.

What did I tell him? I told him that I loved him. Do I still? I know I care for him, but loving him? Doesn’t matter anymore—what my heart tells me. It’s all bullshit. How could you love your parents’ murderer? How you could love a person who took away everything I had? I looked down at my hands again, and sat down on the hard ground. Cuts and bruises blotched my hands. Like Arian’s hands.

“What are you doing?” I jumped up at Millard’s voice.

“Nothing.” I said, too quickly. I rubbed my hands together, trying to warm them.

“Did I surprise you?” I hesitated.

“N-No.” Gathering myself and my thoughts, I tried to make a cohesive sentence. “Why—What are you doing here? I told you to forget about me. Why did you come back?” He walked closer to me, and placed his hands on my freezing cold skin. He ignored me.

“Because something told me that you would like a friend.” I smiled and nodded. “Alexandria. What’s wrong?” I leaned into his warmth, and rested my head on his shoulder.

“I’m a liar.” I mumbled. Tears blurred my eyes. “I am a liar as much as him.” I said again, this time louder. The tears tumbled out of my eyes. I felt Millard’s arms wrap around me and I embraced the heat radiating off him.

“You are not a liar, Alexandria. You are no one but Alexandria.”

“That’s just it. I lied to even you. My name is not even Alexandria.”

“You lied to me?” I nodded.

“I thought that…” Why am I telling him this? He could be a traitor, like Arian.

“What? You thought what?”

“I thought that you would learn to leave me alone.” My voice came out sharp and full of venom. More than I wanted to, but I squared my shoulders and I pushed him away from me. “I thought that sooner or later you would get it. Leave me alone. I don’t need you here!” Millard’s eyes looked away. He turned around.

“I understand. I’m sorry that I didn’t realize sooner. I truly love you, Alexandria. You are my best friend. I’m hope Arian is going to protect you well.”

“I DON’T NEED ANYONE TO PROTECT ME!” I shouted. A shot of white blasted out of my chest. I did it again. Even the trees seemed to shrink back at the sound of my voice. The forest was silent except for the pounding in my ears and my heavy breathing. I stumbled forward. A sharp pain plunged into my abdomen, and and I fell to the ground.

Iron stung in my mouth, and blood came dripping down from my nose. The pain dispersed, and the bleeding stopped. Then I heard Millard’s groan.

I hurt him. My magik, it hit him. I knelt down beside him, and looked him up and down. A red line of blood flowed down his temple, and he clutched his arm with such intensity that I thought it was broken.

“I—I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened.”

“Alexandria. I-It’s okay, I’m—I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.” I don’t remember when tears started to flow down my face. I hesitantly brushed my fingers across his temple. The scrape disappeared. I placed my hand on his arm, and I could feel the broken bone knit back together.

“What was that? That white light?”

“My magik,” I paused. “I think. It’s what I’ve been trying to use ever since I got back from the Palace.”

“What happened there?” And I told him. Everything. How Crimson was never the ruler. How Allura used him, how she manipulated him. How I fought her with my… magik.

“I don’t know what to do. I feel so much power in me, but I don’t know how to use it.” My hands started to tremor, but it wasn’t from the cold.

“Well, Alexandria,” He started.

“Azuria.” I corrected.

“What?” He looked at me, puzzled why I said our country’s name.

“My name is Azuria.” He smiled.

“It’s a beautiful name. Well then, Azuria, I don’t know the first thing about magik. Or what to do with magik. But I will gladly help you through everything.”

“Thank you, Millard.” He leaned in, and pecked me on the cheek. I felt heat rise to my face, and I thanked the Forces that the darkness meant Millard couldn’t see my blush. His hands rested on my biceps, and he looked down at his hands.

“You’re bleeding.” I looked down. The gash through my vest, even in the dark and misty night, stood stark from my fair skin.

“Millard, I’m fine, don’t worry. I can dress it myself.” He shook his head.

“I’m taking you to a healer.” He grabbed my wrist and attempted to drag me to this healer.

“I’m fine, really!” He didn’t listen. He swung my arm around his neck, and picked me up. One hand at the crook of my knees, and the other supporting my back.

I squirmed in grasp, yelling incoherent sentences of releasing me. Somehow through my thrashing, he was still able to hold me. “Milliard! Let me go! I don’t need a healer!” Smacking his arms and chest as if that can make him release me.

“Why are you such a stubborn ass?” I gasped. Arian told me that. Just before we left. I stopped moving in his arms. “You are going to see a healer. That’s final.” I tried to say Arian’s name, but it came out a strangled sob. Gods, I miss him. I miss his sarcasm, I miss his kindness. But that was all a lie. A lie that he strung right in front of my eyes. I didn’t notice I was crying, until Milliard placed me back on the ground. He gripped my chin, pulling my face to look at him. He brought his hand to my face, and brushed away the tears.

“Azuria. I know a lot has happened tonight, and it may haunt you. But you are the strongest person I know. You will survive this.” He leaned in and kissed my cheek. His lips were cold and chapped from the chilly night. Even with the bone chilling temperature, his kiss rose the heat in my cheeks. “Let’s take you to that healer. Trust me, she is good.” I nodded. He intertwined his fingers with mine, and we walked together.

For once in the past year, I didn’t feel so alone anymore. I could walk out from the darkness. But not alone. I will never again be alone.