Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 242728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1214(@200wpm)___ 971(@250wpm)___ 809(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 242728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1214(@200wpm)___ 971(@250wpm)___ 809(@300wpm)
I ignored it and stepped into a small barren area of the grasslands.
Soon the grasslands would be nothing but stalks, slowly decaying into the earth for winter, ready to be smothered with snow. Come spring, new stems would shoot, and grain harvesting would begin next summer, but for now, I had enough protection from those I wanted to hide from.
“You can’t hide from what you are, Runa.” The fire slinked through my ears. “He will hurt you...”
A tremble scattered down my back as I balled my hands and sank to a cross-legged position.
I wouldn’t reply.
I refused to reply.
Today was about me.
Not the fire.
Not my fate.
Me.
Natim snorted and dropped his majestic head to sniff me, his cold-wet nose pushing against my cheek in worry. The tickle of his spirit joined with mine, full of concern for why I’d suddenly dropped to the ground.
Opening my heart to him, I allowed my sensitivity to flourish and linked with the stag just like I’d linked with Darro. “I’m fine, Natim.” I smiled, reaching up to scratch the thick shaggy ruff around his neck. I fed him silent words, but I also gave him images of happiness and peace. Emotions were the true communication with creatures who were above archaic things like languages, and he huffed with relief, feeding me his own version of approval with warm sunshine on his back and the crispness of green grass on his tongue.
My heart swelled with gratitude to be able to share such a profound gift and I dropped my hand, ready to accept more of my power.
“You awaken any further, and your future is grim indeed,” Quelis muttered.
Raising my chin, I pushed at the walls around my spirit.
If I kept burying my head, I would be mated and locked into a future I couldn’t survive.
That was grim enough.
I needed to remember.
Because in those memories, hopefully an answer could be found on how to be with Darro, how to protect the world from disaster, and how to be happy....
Gritting my teeth, I closed my eyes and did my best to quieten my mind.
I searched for the heavy presence, standing on the precipice of the infinite vastness within me.
I prepared to sink down, down, down—to fall into the light, the glow, the knowing—
“Ow.” I winced as something bit me. An insect so small I couldn’t see it, but it left a bead of blood on my forearm.
Syn sniffed the welling droplet.
“Don’t,” I whispered, swiping at the small wound.
But the moment I touched it—
“Runa.” Darro rushed to where I’d collapsed.
Sharp rocks sliced into my palms and knees. Rocks that he’d conjured when he rent the world and sent mountains skyward.
“Please...just hold on. A little further and I’m sure we’ll find something to eat. Just...walk a little further. For me.” He gathered me close as my stomach clawed itself into empty pieces. Hunger was excruciatingly painful and whatever life I still carried in my veins dimmed and flickered.
Darro pressed a kiss to my forehead, cradling me on his lap. Fury shook his voice as blood welled on my knees from the sharp rocks. He shuddered as he inhaled the spicy, sweet scent of my spilling lifeforce. “You’re hurt. You’re hurt and I have no idea how to heal you.” Dropping his nose to my hair, he growled with utter heartbreak. “Don’t leave me. Not now we have this chance. A chance we fought so hard for.”
I shivered as blood rolled down my leg.
It rained to the ground.
Glittering metallic on barren dirt.
Darro planted his hand over my wound, but it was no use. My blood flowed faster, finally freed from mortal veins and drip, drip, dripping with glee.
It started with a flurry of life.
Too small to see but I sensed it.
Felt the thrum of consciousness, the feathering of awareness, the invisible organisms feeding off my blood. Sightless and invisible, spores and cells, fungi and bacterium—germination for our elementary world.
Darro hissed between his teeth as he sensed what I did. Ripping his hand from my knee, he curled his fingers, aware of what happened last time. How his touch turned abundance into pestilence.
My blood flowed faster, drenching the soil.
The tiniest of creatures grew.
Insects appeared.
A sprawling, crawling mass that slithered, fluttered, and scattered. Jewelled and iridescent, camouflaged and decorated, they spread outward on skittering legs and flew off on membranous wings.
Darro gasped as ants, caterpillars, beetles, and dragonflies existed where they hadn’t existed before. “It’s wonderous,” he breathed, “to see how much power you contain. But...please stop. Stop before it’s too late.”
I cried out as another rush of lifeforce flowed free.
Caterpillars curled into cocoons then burst forth into beautiful butterflies. Bees buzzed with black and yellow stripes, ladybirds, weevils, crickets, and fireflies.
I smiled in rapture as life populated this barren, lonely planet.
My blood flowed swifter, splash, splash, splashing to the dirt below.
The world rumbled.
Insects evolved with stronger limbs and bigger teeth.