Amber Dusk | OLD Version

☼ Chapter XVII ☼

picture; Derik Seilyar (this is the last one I promise lol)

song; "Burn The Witch" by Shawn James

author's note; This chapter was fun to write and I got it out within a total of 4-5 hours. Explaining the workings of things always takes a while because I have to reference notes to make sure it's explained properly in lay-man's terms.

I know it's been more than a month since this was updated, which is absolutely pathetic, but the next chapter is fun too, so I think I'll have it up by Sunday!

Thanks to all who vote and read religiously. It is coming together and we are nearing the halfway point of the first book and I'm so excited!

Comment + Vote, enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER** Next chapter will have smut. If you do not like reading that sort of thing, you can skip to the end of the chapter to read the important stuff. I debated adding it for a while, but it most likely will be the only instance of smut, so I am going to include it.

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Assessing the damage Darkness had done, I realized that not only had Derik's gray Vans hoodie I'd borrowed the night before and my jeans been torn through, but there was a deep gash that curled from about an inch above my belly button all the way to my lateral left hip.

The effort it took to walk was massive because of the shooting pain that flared in my side every step I took—every move I made. I knew that I was full-on limping, but I couldn't fake this away. I'd never felt such physical agony in my entire life.

Maybe I should've gone to the infirmary, but what kind of excuse could I give? In what combats class could you receive this kind of injury? How would I lie my way through this? Instead, I made my way across campus as quickly as I possibly could to the girls' locker room outside my combats class.

After twisting the combination code numerous times, the lock finally clicked open and I managed to retrieve the pair of gray-and-black galaxy design leggings along with the matching Batman zip-up hoodie that I'd shoved into my assigned locker for the next lesson—which was unfortunately tomorrow. I changed as fast as the pain would permit and then braided my hair up in that fishtail style.

Setting back onto the bench nearby, I cried again. It wasn't that the pain was that unbearable, but every time I moved it was like a stab of remembrance of what I'd just discovered about myself. Pacing my breathing as well as I could, I placed my fingertips around the red, angry skin. Conjuring up a sliver of my healing magic, I tried to focus on the wound scarring up and forcing the pain to halt.

The white-hot burn that grew in my palms then spread up my arms and the glowing threads that swirled around my fingertips was evidence enough that I had succeeded in bringing forth my magic, but it did nothing for the wound.

If anything, the pain only seemed to intensify at my effort. I screamed through gritted teeth as I kept on with the magic. I ended up trying for so long that I eventually just felt drained once I finally decided to give up.

"It won't help." My breathing hitched in my throat—heart fell into my stomach, as I craned my head around to the left and caught sight of red-ringlets. Ever moved closer, peering down at the wound expressionlessly, and I only sneered at her distastefully. "It's the way Darkness claims who it wants. You can't heal it; it's a Mark."

"What?" I swallowed, though my mouth was dry. I was suddenly not feeling as ballsy since she'd mentioned the Black Force. "Darkness? Actually, I fell into a low branch on a run." I didn't know whether to feel stupid or proud. It wasn't as horrible an excuse as it could've been; it wasn't as good either, but still.