Page 159 of The Immortal’s Mark

That’s not good.

Dizziness strikes, and discomfort continues to assault me from the golden light trailing up my arms. It’s reached my chest, and I feel it trying to dive beneath my ribs, to reach my heart.

Instinct screams at me not to let that happen.

I shove every ounce of willpower I possess into focusing on the unwelcome intrusion. I ignore the bolts of light flying above me, Des’s vicious snarls, Adir’s hisses, and Lome’s shouts.

The chants continue through it all, but the golden light halts.

That’s it, I address the power. Go away. Retreat.

It doesn’t. But it doesn’t advance, either.

It’s…waiting.

A haze distorts my vision. I blink to clear it away, but the effort falls flat.

Blurs of light soar. Crashes and booms and yells echo in my mind. Dust chokes me when I inhale, and coughs wrack my body.

For a moment, I’m back in that alley in Portland. Helpless. Waiting for the rebels who attacked on the night of my twenty-first birthday to be defeated.

But this fight isn’t between ordinary rebels.

Originals are fighting.

And I don’t know who will win now that Bella is…

A furious roar bellows, preceding a wave of volatile blue light crashing into the room.

My scream catches as I choke on debris, but a different feminine shriek reaches my ears.

Faine.

I grunt and get to my hands and knees, gripping the edge of the concrete slab for balance when my head spins.

Strands of white and green wrap around the quiet Original’s torso, binding her arms to her side, and her smooth skin is marred with burns.

Faine doesn’t fight. She keeps her head high and watches the chaos unraveling in front of her with a resigned expression.

“This is over, Adir!” Thane shouts, striding into the room, taking position on the left. Des stands one step away from the door. Lome stands on the right.

The brothers surround Adir. There is nowhere for him to go.

A shaky breath passes my lips, and my head drops.

“NO!” Des yells.

My neck snaps up, and a gasp lodges in my throat.

A red bolt flies through the air.

I throw myself down.

My hip bone screams when I strike the ground, and my heart is racing, but I dodged Adir’s strike.

At least, I think I did.

Until furious heat scorches up my arm.