Chapter 93 Extending the Bleed
Amara’s POV
Like fire, the pain ripped through me. Even though Lilith had already disappeared into the smoke, I could still feel her nails inside of me. My knees buckled.
I fell forward, landing squarely in Rowan's embrace.
"Amara!" His voice sounded as if it were disintegrating. With strength and desperation, his arms encircled me. "Remain with me. Stay with me, please.
Every time I tried to breathe, it came out wet and shallow. Warm blood poured over his hands from my side.
"It hurts," I said, my voice trembling. "Rowan, it hurts like hell."
His face was white with terror as he pushed his fingers firmly over the wound. "Stop talking. Hold on. You won't abandon me. Not in this manner.
Around me, the world became hazy. I could hear Rowan's heart thumping against my cheek like thunder, but my ears were ringing.
"Rowan," I said feebly. "You're warm."
He yelled, "Of course I'm warm!" but his voice broke once more. "I'm present. I've got you. Amara, just don't close your eyes. You dare not close them.
Tears streamed down my face when I tried to smile. Like water seeping from my fingers, my strength was ebbing away.
I heard Kian's voice, raw with panic, behind us. "Amara!" He came thundering closer. "No! No, not in this manner!
As if to protect me from death itself, Rowan's arms clenched. He snarled, "She's losing too much blood." "We are powerless to stop it. We require His voice to be broken. "We urgently need assistance!"
My lips bubbled with blood as I attempted to speak. Rowan's hands were shaking as he pushed it aside.
"You'll be alright," he said in a furious whisper. "My moonlight is you." You return to me every time. You are not permitted to go.
I gave a trembling breath. It was heavy in my chest. My vision wavered.
I said, "Rowan, if... if I don't make it—"
"Avoid saying that!" Tears burned in his eyes as he snapped. "Never say that again. You'll succeed. Can you hear me?
But every second that went by, my body felt weaker. My blood quickly pooled beneath us. The earth was getting colder and wetter.
"Rowan." I touched his cheek with my quivering hand as I reached up. "Make me a promise... You won't allow her to prevail.
He held my hand to his face, and his tears flowed across it. "Amara, I swear. I swear. However, please don't leave me alone. Remain. Please.
The corners of my eyesight were pushed by darkness. My body no longer felt like it belonged to me. My breathing became harder and slower.
My head then fell against his chest.
Kian was calling my name, but it sounded far.
The world came and went from me. I felt as though chains were pulling me down. However, I kept being pulled back by faint sounds.
"HEALER!" The battlefield trembled at Kian's howl. Even in the blur, his voice was so loud and sad that it made my heart hurt. “THE HEALER IS WHERE?
Rowan's chest heaved with strained gasps as he held me closer. Her respiration is irregular. She's sliding away, darn it!
I made an effort to move my lips. Even though it was really difficult, I managed to whisper. "Avoid letting her win."
Rowan leaned forward and pressed his forehead against mine. "We won't. I promise. He sounded as though he was having trouble breathing.
Kian fell on his knees next to us. When he touched my arm, his hands trembled. His eyes glowed crazily, filled with pain and rage. "Amara, don't you dare abandon us. Not right now. Not while you're still needed. Please, stay awake!
I gave him a hazy glance while crying. "Kian." All I could say was a breath. "Avoid letting her."
His jaw was clenched in agony as he squeezed my hand. "The world will burn before I allow her to triumph."
Their voices gave me a brief sense of security. But then my wound started to feel weirdly cold. I shuddered.
With his jaws tightened, Rowan said, "She's losing too much blood." "She must heal right away or she won't." Before he could say anything more, his voice broke.
With a howl that shook the earth, Kian abruptly stood up. "HEALER! RIGHT NOW! I swear, if you let her die. Once more, his voice broke. He fell back down, holding on to me as if he couldn't let go.
Rowan rocked me in his arms and said quietly, angrily, "Stay with me, Amara." "Remain. Please. Stay away from places I can't follow.
Even though I wanted to respond to him, my lips hardly moved. My breath escaped like smoke as my chest rose and dropped shallowly.
Then I sensed it.
The moon's gift, the mark on my chest, was fading.
Weak and broken, I gasped. "Please, don't do that."
Rowan's eyes widened. "Kian—her mark—it's fading!"
With a look of fear on his face, Kian looked down. "No. No, no, no! Her existence revolves around that mark. It cannot wane! It isn't possible!
Like a candle labouring in the wind, the mark's light flickered. Every second, my strength drained more quickly. My eyelids flitted closed.
Rowan's voice cracked with fear as he gave me a gentle shake. "Amara, don't close your eyes. You dare not!
Louder than the cries of combat and the flames, Kian's voice cracked. "Fight, Amara! Please! Fight for us!
However, my body ignored me. My heart slowed. The insignia sent forth a faint glow. And then became even fainter.
I was enveloped by darkness.
As my reality faded away, the last sound I heard was Rowan's tortured murmur, "I can't lose you."