Jaded Jewels (The Coveted Saga 2)

I watched helplessly as a blazer went after Ayla. She was dodging each of his attempts, but she couldn't get close enough to touch him, which kept her on defense.

Tallis was facing off against Yastine, and that scared me worse than anything else going on in the room. She was too strong. I couldn't watch him die, and I couldn't scream for him to leave me here and save himself because my voice had abandoned me.

She threw her hands toward him, but he somersaulted on the floor to dodge it. A table shattered into mere splinters as the crushing force she had expelled at him connected with it. Tallis didn't waste time. He quickly threw another explosion at her, his aim dead-on. She stumbled when the blast hit her waist, and she coughed up blood as her side poured even more. Using one hand, she put pressure on her gaping wound, ignoring the fact she was bleeding everywhere.

Her breaths were heavier, not as controlled as his, because she was in pain.

"You have no idea who you're messing with," she growled.

"Don't I, Cousin?" he taunted.

She grunted as she threw her arms out, using more force this time, but missing him again as he dodged her second attempt. This time the couch was shattered.

He blasted her in the same side, drawing more blood, and causing her to scream out in pain. She staggered to catch her balance, but her strength was wavering. Then she turned her eyes toward me, and the vicious smile that curled up on her lips sent trembles of fear down me once more.

She was about to exploit a weakness—me.

I was across the room from him, meaning he'd never have time to save me, and he'd have to watch me die. In his distraction, she'd capitalize, use it to her advantage and kill him.

I wanted to tell him to kill her; to kill her while she killed me before he lost his chance, but still no words could form. Only a pathetic squeak escaped my lips in place of my plead. She threw her arms in front of her, and I waited for the horrible pain to hit me.

But time slowed; things were nearly frozen in the air as the battle hung suspended. Fists were wrenched back, powers were hanging idly in the air, awaiting permission to continue. But most importantly, Tallis was sliding across the floor next to me, grabbing me, and sliding me across the floor with him.

The rest of the room was so slow that I saw a ripple in the air from the force Yastine had expelled toward me. It just missed me as time returned to normal and Tallis blasted her again, throwing her into the wall again.

She got up slower this time, barely standing before she had to catch herself from falling. She had blood dripping from her mouth, and she wiped away with the back of her hand.

With a snarl, she turned and retreated, running out of the room and leaving a trail of blood behind her.

Ayla had destroyed the blazer and Desmond had taken out an electric. The others fled with Yastine, most likely to grab some reinforcements.

Tallis scooped me up quickly—too quickly—and I screamed out in pain from the numerous broken bones I now had. There were bones broken in my back as well, making me feel as though I was a spineless lush unable to hold posture. He winced as tears filled his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'll get you Anesta and Aster. Just hang on, baby. Hang on."

I was screaming in agony with every step he took, praying for death again for a whole new reason. I buried my head in his chest as he ran to Henry's car, jostling me with every hasty step.

Tallis gently placed me on the seat, his eyes wide with dread and horror. He climbed in and laid my head in his lap, doing all he could not to study me too closely for fear of what else he'd see.

The doors all slammed shut in near unison as Henry floored it. I wailed out in pain as Henry hit an unforgiving bump.

"Sorry, sorry," Henry said, a grimace in his voice as his shoulders tensed.

I could feel Ayla trying to calm me down, but the pain was too severe, overriding her ability to bring me serenity.

Amelia was leaned over the far back seat, guilt cloaking her eyes with tars. "Aria, I shouldn't have let you go. This is all my fault," she sobbed.

"No," Desmond interjected, his voice cracking. "I should have chased her down earlier. I knew she was too upset to drive. I thought she was going home, though. I told her that I would be coming over later."

"Why was she upset?" Tallis asked, running his fingers through my hair as they continued to talk about me.

I swallowed another scream, refusing to make everyone else endure the pain I brought on myself. We weren't going to get there in time. I was going to die, but I couldn't tell them that.

"She came over looking for you. I told her you were in Kaleman with that girl—"

"You did what?! Why didn't you call me then?" Tallis roared.

"I did! You didn't answer!"