The Last Healer

Chapter 86: Ariella

Chapter 86 Ariella

What happened?

The thought crossed my mind as my vision swayed, causing the room to appear in a massive blur. Slowly, I realized that my face was pressed down into the ground, small rocks stabbing at my cheeks and I pulled at my arms only to find them bound behind me while a pain in between my shoulders trailed down my back. Questions swirled in my mind when I realized that my legs were bound as well and I wanted to know where I was and how long I was here.

"I thought you told me they wouldn't discover the bodies for hours!" A familiar voice shouted, hatred and anger flooded her voice as I stared at the wooden wall across from me, my vision slowly clearing and staring out at the night's sky through the only shattered window in the room.

The memories flooded back and the tears slid down my face. My friends and sisters were probably dead because of me. Because of something I did that I didn't even remember.

"You took my daughter."

Why didn't I remember she even had a daughter? And how could I have taken her away? I didn't understand and I never would. But I could have sworn she never had a child, that this was the first time that her child was ever mentioned. And, even if I did take her, did what I do really deserve all of this? The pain, the lies, the neglect, and all those people who had to die?

No. It couldn't have been. There has to be more to this story. More than she's letting on. Because I would remember, wouldn't I?

"We'll just have to wait a few days, they'll assume we got her out of the City and will search for us out there." Another voice sounded somewhere above me. I knew that one too. The cold, masculine voice that ridiculed Alexander when he was accepted as my father's apprentice. The same voice that belonged to the man who hurt and probably killed Shanae and Isabella. "Of course, if you kill her now and get it over with, I can drop the body off somewhere for them to find and then we can get out of here safely."

"You know I can't do that." Marah's voice snapped, a thud sounding somewhere above me. "No, the wretch must go through the Devoveo if we're all to be saved."

It can't be.

But I wasn't surprised. How could I be? She viewed me as a traitor, a monster, it would only make sense that she'd do that. That she'd sacrifice me in the brutal ceremony of the troupe. To her, I was filled with evil and darkness and the Devoveo was the only sacrifice that would satisfy her. The idea of slicing up the monster, allowing the darkness and evil in the blood to seep from the body before burning it the next day to vanquish the vessel that held the dark. It was old and often unspoken sacrifice, given to only the worst of traitors. To her, that was what I deserved.

To her, I deserved to die.

Tears continued to fall as I wondered what it was that I had done to deserve it, to be considered something so evil to have my skin sliced open over and over again, every bit of it, and then bleed and suffer on my own. And if, by some miracle, I had survived the night, the last thing I would feel would be flames eating at my skin, the pain and heat ripping through me while the smoke suffocated me. I knew that. I knew all about it since it happened once before. And now, it would be me.

In the end, I would die.

My head fell back onto the ground as the tears slid through and my fingers slid together, entangling themselves, pressing a bit of metal deeper into my skin.

The metal.

My eyes flew open as I stared at the ground beneath me, my fingers exploring it,feeling it around the finger and pressing into the upper palm. My ring. The ring Alexander had given me because he wanted to marry me. Because he loved me. He didn't see me as a traitor. None of them did. Only Marah. And she believed that over something that I didn't even remember.

But I had friends and family that cared about me. I had people who depended on me and needed me. And I needed them.

I couldn't die. I couldn't let Marah and Hern win. I couldn't just give up as I once wanted to.

I wasn't that girl any more. I wasn't that frightened child who just accepted what was given to her.

As Isabella said, I could want something.

And I wanted to live.

A door clicked from somewhere behind me and I struggled to turn myself around to see who it was. I couldn't get far with my arms and legs bound and, even if I could have, it wouldn't matter. A foot stomped on my back, shoving me down and the rocks piercing my cheeks. Warm blood oozed out as the pain increased from my back as whoever it was added pressure.

"So I hear you took a Healer's Vow." Mirah's voice slid into my ears, anger and frustration danced in her voice. "I wonder if it's true that a Healer can't wield a weapon." Dark laughter echoed in the room as I heard something being slid out of a sheath and I wondered if she planed to stab or cut me. "I hear the pain that Healer goes through while wielding a weapon is supposed to be more painful than stab wound." Her foot slid off my back, the pressure disappeared from my back as her hand snatched my right wrist. "I can only hope it's true." She whispered menacingly as she pressed something in my hand.

The pain was immediate and excruciating. A scream tore from my lips as my hands and fingers felt as if I was holding pure flame, like it was burning my skin. My Power shot through me, exploding in my hands as it attempted to Heal the injury that wouldn't go away. If this didn't stop, then I'd have no Power left. I'd die before we'd even leave.

Her laughter sounded over my screams and reached higher in pitch as my body jerked violently, my head bashing into the ground and my vision blurring once more.

"Have fun." Her voice was calm and I could barely hear the door click over myself.

Tears swam in front of my eyes as I stared at the window, hoping that I'll be found and realizing that no one could.

Moments passed and my throat was to raw to scream as the battle in my body went on and only the stupidest plan saved me from going insane.