Ill Appearances

Chapter 24: Mara

Breaking out of my confinement room was easy. However, finding Aaron was a different story.

Meilana had been silent for nearly ten minutes.

I watched her in equally as much stillness.

"Your guilt is unsettling, My Lady," she said, her voice barely audible.

I scowled. "I don't feel it."

"Lying won't help, either," she sighed.

"Why are you so mad?" I snapped. The water around us rippled to match my emotions.

Meilana--who sat above the water--set her hand down, calming the small waves. "I'm not angry, Mara. I'm disappointed."

I shut my eyes tightly, struggling to hold back my anger, but more so my sadness.

"You gained your full power, and what did you do with it?!" she exclaimed, her voice breaking. "You killed. How am I to believe that you've changed?! How?!" 

"Don't you think I feel sorry?!" I yelled. At this, the current began to pick up. Storm clouds blocked out the sunny sky. "The moment I came to my senses, I wished it would've been me instead! I can't count how many people I've hurt, nor the amount I've killed. Don't you know how that feels?! Every night I feel like I can hear their screams, their last breaths. This power I have, I'm not worthy of it. We've all said that so many times..." I was sobbing, choking on my words. "I just wish I was the one who died instead..." The rain poured down heavily, mirroring my tears. "I've wanted to die for so long...why hasn't the time come yet? I don't want to be here anymore..."

"Mariella!" Aaron's voice yelled.

I gasped, sitting up abruptly.

Aaron wrapped his arms around me. "Mari," he breathed.

We were in a hallway on the floor above the confinement rooms.

My eyes widened. "What happened?"

"I found you passed out here," he replied. "Your aura suddenly spiked, then it was rapidly fading. I was so worried..."

At that moment, I couldn't take it anymore. I burst into tears.

He held me tightly as I cried.

"After...," I began, "after the fight with Jackie, I...I..."

"I know," he said gently. "I understand how you feel, so you don't need to say it if you don't want to. Just know...I'm always here for you. No matter what, I'll never leave your side. I'll always love you, so don't doubt it." He pressed his lips to mine, gently at first, but eagerly a few moments later.

I kissed him back almost immediately.

His grip on my waist tightened as he deepened the kiss.

I gasped lightly, shifting my position to lean more against him. My fingers tangled into his hair.

Suddenly, he pulled away abruptly. "Someone's coming," he whispered.

I immediately got to my feet. "We've gotta get out of here."

"She's just around this bend," someone called from down the hallway.

My eyes widened, and I completely froze up.

Aaron grabbed my hand, pulling me down the hall.

"They're getting away!" another person yelled.

At this, Aaron scooped me up into his arms. "I'll have to use my gift," he murmured. "They won't be able to catch us then. So hold on tight, okay?"