Page 73 of The Scars Within (Twisted Thorn #1)

I was stupid for ever thinking that Scarlet would voluntarily come with me up the mountain. After everything I’ve done? I’m surprised she accepted my apology. I didn’t deserve it.

I’m between a rock and a hard place.

But it is all my fault to begin with. When the Grim reached out to me years ago, I could have come clean right then.

I could have lived life pretending that the stolen air element that the Grim gave me was natural.

But the Grim informed me that if I told anyone, he would take the element back.

And if I didn’t channel another element, then I’d be considered mundane.

So I had planned to keep my air element a secret until our Burn Trials, just in case I happened to channel another element. If I did channel another, I would come clean to my father and give up the stolen air element.

It was a great plan until the Grim’s simple errand requests became threats.

The Grim threatened to capture and torture Rhodes. He said ‘two elements, one stone,’ because torturing Rhodes would also harm me through the marekem .

I couldn’t let my brother be harmed by my stupid mistake, so I entered the Burn Trials, knowing that the result would probably be my failure to channel fire.

But plot twist– I channeled fire.

We are almost up the mountain. But I have a plan. I’ve opened my gates to our marekem , in hopes that Rhodes will sense it and find us before it’s too late .

Please, please don’t let it be too late.

The sound of wooden wheels crunching over gravel buzzed in my ears.

Whatever magical substance had knocked me out was still weighing heavily on me, my limbs sluggish and unresponsive.

I couldn’t lift my arms, but I managed to pry my eyes open.

Slowly, I looked to the side, relieved to see Laney lying next to me.

What in the elements is going on?

The air is a lot cooler than it should be at Mageia. After a few minutes, I coughed, my throat dry and scratchy like sandpaper. The sound was weak but enough to signal to whoever was driving this carriage that I was awake.

“I meant it when I said I didn’t want to do that, Scar,” Shayde’s voice came from the front, tinged with shame. He didn’t sound like himself, the guilt thick in his words.

I forced out a raspy whisper, “Where are you taking us?”

“I can’t tell you that,” he muttered, his tone guarded.

“But you don’t have to worry. He promised you wouldn’t be harmed.

” There was a pause, and I could hear the tension in his voice as he continued.

“I wanted you to come willingly, but I had the befuddle powder on me just in case. She wasn’t supposed to be with you.

I only had enough for one full dose.” Another pause, heavier this time.

“It would have kept you unconscious until we arrived.”

His words swirled in my mind, each one a new knot of confusion and dread. I tried to reach Lakota through the bond—nothing. A wave of panic rushed over me.

The tingling in my arms signaled that feeling was slowly returning to my limbs. With all the strength I could muster, I nudged Laney in the side, desperate to wake her .

“Why can’t I reach Lakota?” I asked, my voice steadier now, trying to keep Shayde talking while I worked to rouse Laney.

“The powder temporarily blocks your bond,” Shayde replied, his voice hollow. “He won’t sense you for a couple of more hours, hopefully.”

Hopefully? The word set off alarms in my head. Lakota may be a gentle giant with me, but he will incinerate anyone who tries to hurt me. He would burn through mountains to find me if he had to.

Laney still wasn’t moving, but I couldn’t give up. I nudged her again, harder this time. I need her to wake up—before it is too late.

“Why are you doing this, Shayde?” My voice cracked, the weight of true betrayal crushing my chest. This boy who had welcomed me into Mageia, who I had laughed with, who made me feel safe.

Shayde, who I thought was my friend. He isn’t a monster.

He can’t be. He was delusional about what happened between us, but when I told him we could still be friends, I meant it. I truly accepted his apology.

But this? This I can’t accept.

“I didn’t have a choice!” His voice rose, trembling with fear and desperation.

“He was going to reveal the truth. I was blackmailed into helping him, Scarlet. I didn’t want to.

I was skeptical after hearing the truth about your parentage.

But once you bonded with Lakota in the pit, I thought I knew.

I believed that you were the missing key in this whole plot that the Grim is working on.

And the sight of Rhodes chasing after you in the pit turned my stomach.

I didn’t want him to be collateral damage.

So I pressed on the fact that the Grim was watching you. ”

“That’s why you stopped coming around,” I choked.

I could hear the break in his voice, his guilt clawing at him.

“But then you didn’t leave me to fend for myself against those soldiers in the cavern.

As much as I wanted to believe that you were some evil spy plotting against Mageia, I just couldn’t wrap my mind around it.

You are kind, Scar. You’re smart. And strong. And you do not deserve this. ”

“But you’re the one who is bringing me to him!” I tried to scream, but my voice was a strangled whisper.

My heart clenched with my words. He has been dragged into something far darker than I realized. But no matter how much pain was in his voice, it didn’t change the fact that he had betrayed me—betrayed us.

The feeling slowly returned to one of my legs. I kicked Laney again. Nothing.

The carriage lurched to a stop, the horses’ neighs cutting through the fog that enveloped us.

My eyes opened fully now, but all I could see was a thick veil of mist. We must be high up; the air is thinner and colder.

On one side, a towering rocky mountainside stretches endlessly into the sky.

On the other, nothing but clouds drift like ghosts over a steep drop.

I felt the carriage shift as Shayde hopped off, the crunch of his boots on gravel approaching. He came into view, his warm brown eyes locking onto mine, filled with concern—and shame.

I narrowed my eyes. “You pinky promised to save me,” my voice broke as I tried to fight back tears.

Shayde broke his eye contact, aggressively rubbing his jaw as he fought against himself. He reached over the side of the carriage, his arm sliding beneath my knees and behind my neck. With ease, he lifted me into his arms, holding me tight against his chest.

“It’s going to be okay. I have a plan,” he whispered, though his heartbeat thundered in my ears, betraying his calm words.

I didn’t fight back. I didn’t reveal the slow return of motion in my limbs. Instead, I stayed limp, biding my time.

Shayde carried me away from Laney, and I let my gaze dart around. We were high—too high—the peak of a mountain, surrounded by nothing but the sky and heavy fog, or perhaps it was a cloud itself. He walked toward a stone altar, four towering pillars circling its perimeter.

Carefully, he laid me down on the cold stone.

The tingling in my arms and legs grew stronger, but I waited, forcing myself to remain still.

My muscles were regaining strength, but I would need every ounce of it if I was going to haul Laney over my shoulder and run.

Even while wearing this damn gown and no shoes, I would get us to safety.

I really wish I had my fucking daggers.

Shayde pressed his hands onto the side of the altar, dipping his head as he leaned against it. I heard him sniffle, his breath shaky. Then, without a word, he stepped back far enough that I could no longer see him.

I heard a thud, and then a body dropped to the ground. The smell of lavender and pine washed over me.

The next voice I heard numbed every ounce of strength that had begun to return to my body, leaving me cold and paralyzed.

“Hello, Scarlet.”