Page 57 of Fated In Ruin
The world was spinning in circles.
No, wait, that would be me.
It was impossible to tell with the way the night blurred around me, how the sky and the ground traded places every few seconds as I was yanked sideways through the air, stomach churning. The magic globe tucked between my breastsburned, pulsing with power as it dragged me to the destination Malachi had chosen.
Malachi.
I swallowed the curse clawing up my throat, forcing myself to focus on breathing and trying not to vomit. If I let terror settle too deep into my bones, I would be dead before I hit the ground.
I had to focus and try not to die.
Which was kind of hard to do when I started plummeting straight down.
Wind screamed in my ears as I twisted, arms flailing, fingers clawing for something—anything—to break my fall. Crimson House appeared below me, those pointed turrets and sweeping gables blurring as I plummeted past them like a fucking rock.
I barely had time to tuck my body into a compact ball, every muscle contracting for impact before I slammed into the ground.
No, the bushes, thank God.
Branches cracked beneath my impact, flesh tore as I cartwheeled through hundred-year-old yews twenty feet high, wood splintering, sharpened points dragging through my skin like knives, my hands scrabbling to catch onto something solid.
Pain exploded when I finally hit the ground.
My right side bounced against the spongy undergrowth, my left shoulder taking the brunt of the impact before I rolled out onto soft, wet grass. Everything was on fire—my ribs, my legs, the scrapes licking up my arm and leg. I coughed, tried to push myself up, and collapsed a few feet away from the stone walkway leading to the front doors.
I guessed I was lucky.
Four feet to the left and I’d be a wet splat on the flagstones and I couldn’t even crawl a few lousy steps and get inside as a light rain began to fall.
The door swung open, light spilling out, followed by the sound of rushing footsteps. “Bloody hell,” a grumpy, familiar voice muttered, the toes of well-worn boots appearing in my line of sight, outlined against the gray stone. “Evie?”
“Blake.” I tried lifting my head, but my body decided that, too, was a no-go.
“Don’t move. I’ve got you. Stay still, you’re hurt bad.” He gripped my arm like I was made of glass, his palm coasting over my torso, prodding and pushing, checking for injuries.Everything fucking hurt.His hand pressed against my cheek, tilting my face up into the light.
“I shouldn’t move you, but you’re getting soaked.” Only then did I realize he was leaning over me, sheltering me from the worst of the weather, water dripping from his hair, splattering on the ground around us.
“I called Sylvester, he’s on his way. He said to bring her inside.”Riordan.
“You’re safe now, Evie. You’re at Crimson House and you’re safe,” Blake said, as if he couldn’t quite believe it himself. I sagged against the cold ground, blinking up at my mate. His handsome features were drawn tight, his color paler than normal, his dark eyes bright with relief.
Oh God, I was really back. I was here, but…but…
I tried to get my mouth to move, tried to tell them to help Malachi, but couldn’t.
He was hurt, he was in pain, and he was alone with Ravok. He was going to die, and I couldn’t do anything to help him.
Riordan came into view, “Come on, get her in the house, she can’t be out in this, she’s going into shock.”
“This will hurt, but I’ll be as gentle as I can, Evie,” Blake murmured, working his arms under me, then lifting, my body sagging, broken bones and ripped flesh and ruptured organs shifting into places they shouldn’t be.
Darkness edged my vision, breaths coming hard and fast as he straightened up, rolling me against his chest as warm summer rain pummeled my face. “That will be the worst of it.”
“Malachi,” I rasped, my throat lined with glass. “Help him.”
“Fat fucking chance of that.” Riordan’s voice vibrated with fury. “He sent you through the fucking rifts while you were injured. You could have fuckingdied.”
I tried to speak, tried to tell them what happened, but the words tangled in my throat. Blake carried me into Crimson House and I bit back a whimper at the pain lancing through me, my body turning into a tangle of agony that had no beginning and no end.
