Fire and Shadows (Ashes and Ice #2) by Rochelle Maya Callen Page B
Authors: Rochelle Maya Callen
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Nanan’s rough voice, and the lapping sounds of the swamp. I lay on the ground, my body still, except for the random flinching that took hold of my limbs every few seconds. I was gasping for breath. Sweat beaded and rolled down my face, clinging to the collar of my t-shirt. I wasn’t sure if I could ever speak again. I wasn’t sure if I could ever move again. I closed my eyes. My throat was raw and aching. But I didn’t need my voice... I searched inside and tried to touch the new presence that lingered inside me. “Jade?” I waited, desperate and hoping.
There was no response.
28
JADE
M y knees buckled underneath me. Waves of an imploding pain rippled inside my head and I pitched forward, my hands clamped over my ears. I felt ripped apart and strangely stitched together—as if I was an open wound and could feel the slices of skin knit back together in slow torturous stabs. Giovanni was on his knees before me, his strong hands on my shoulders, shaking me, screaming at me, but I couldn’t hear any sound. I heard drums thumping in a quick, staccato rhythm. A scream. And then, I heard my name... a whisper tugging at my mind, a panting familiar voice reaching out to me. A whoosh of warmth flooded into my veins, and suddenly, the world stuttered back to life. Giovanni’s voice punched through my stupor, but I ignored him. Connor. I heard Connor’s voice. I swallowed hard and let the impossibility of it slap me across the face. Don’t be stupid, Jade. You didn’t hear anything. You. Didn’t. Hear. Anything.
My mind was silent, probing for something that wasn ’t there. It took me a moment to realize that Giovanni was still shaking my shoulders and that set off a firecracker in my chest. Anger—hot and vicious—roared to life. Why was he here? And Connor not? Why did I have to feel so alone? Why did he pick this moment to actually give a damn? I knew I wasn’t as mad at him as I was at myself. It wasn’t his fault that I left the only person I have ever loved in a hospital bed. It wasn’t his fault that I was creating his voice in my head to taunt me. Still, I shoved him away. “Get away from me. I’m fine.” My voice shook, even as I tried to infuse it with heat and confidence.
His concerned wide - eyes settled back into their complacent, stern expression. He stood abruptly and turned sharply away from me. “I’ll remember that next time you fall to your knees, start convulsing, screaming and bleeding. I thought something was wrong. My mistake.” He never once looked at me while he said any of this. Every word was just a step further away. He didn’t stop. I shuffled to my feet, feeling weak and disoriented. The world tipped over itself and seemed blurry as I took a step forward. I stumbled back to my knees. I heard a brief hiccup in Giovanni’s footsteps, a moment of hesitation. I didn’t look up. He kept walking on. It was then that a drop of blood plopped onto the ground beneath me. I blinked and wiped at my nose. A smear of dark red blood ran across my hand. I sat back on my legs, finally feeling the wetness between my nose and upper lip, tasting the blood as it dripped into the crevice between my lips. What was happening to me? I took in a deep breath and stood up slowly. Giovanni was far off now and I didn’t have the energy to run after him. My steps were deliberate. One foot. Then the other. I wasn’t sure if it was the blood loss, the thundering headache between my ears, or the strange wooziness I felt, but I could almost feel something—a presence in my mind. It lingered there silently, occupying its small space, but there nonetheless. It only took a few steps for me to forget about it, because a few steps later, I stumbled again.
29
GIOVANNI
I kept walking , even though everything in me screamed for me to turn around and go back to her. I heard her shuffling and falling behind me. I tried to slow my steps, but it took
There was no response.
28
JADE
M y knees buckled underneath me. Waves of an imploding pain rippled inside my head and I pitched forward, my hands clamped over my ears. I felt ripped apart and strangely stitched together—as if I was an open wound and could feel the slices of skin knit back together in slow torturous stabs. Giovanni was on his knees before me, his strong hands on my shoulders, shaking me, screaming at me, but I couldn’t hear any sound. I heard drums thumping in a quick, staccato rhythm. A scream. And then, I heard my name... a whisper tugging at my mind, a panting familiar voice reaching out to me. A whoosh of warmth flooded into my veins, and suddenly, the world stuttered back to life. Giovanni’s voice punched through my stupor, but I ignored him. Connor. I heard Connor’s voice. I swallowed hard and let the impossibility of it slap me across the face. Don’t be stupid, Jade. You didn’t hear anything. You. Didn’t. Hear. Anything.
My mind was silent, probing for something that wasn ’t there. It took me a moment to realize that Giovanni was still shaking my shoulders and that set off a firecracker in my chest. Anger—hot and vicious—roared to life. Why was he here? And Connor not? Why did I have to feel so alone? Why did he pick this moment to actually give a damn? I knew I wasn’t as mad at him as I was at myself. It wasn’t his fault that I left the only person I have ever loved in a hospital bed. It wasn’t his fault that I was creating his voice in my head to taunt me. Still, I shoved him away. “Get away from me. I’m fine.” My voice shook, even as I tried to infuse it with heat and confidence.
His concerned wide - eyes settled back into their complacent, stern expression. He stood abruptly and turned sharply away from me. “I’ll remember that next time you fall to your knees, start convulsing, screaming and bleeding. I thought something was wrong. My mistake.” He never once looked at me while he said any of this. Every word was just a step further away. He didn’t stop. I shuffled to my feet, feeling weak and disoriented. The world tipped over itself and seemed blurry as I took a step forward. I stumbled back to my knees. I heard a brief hiccup in Giovanni’s footsteps, a moment of hesitation. I didn’t look up. He kept walking on. It was then that a drop of blood plopped onto the ground beneath me. I blinked and wiped at my nose. A smear of dark red blood ran across my hand. I sat back on my legs, finally feeling the wetness between my nose and upper lip, tasting the blood as it dripped into the crevice between my lips. What was happening to me? I took in a deep breath and stood up slowly. Giovanni was far off now and I didn’t have the energy to run after him. My steps were deliberate. One foot. Then the other. I wasn’t sure if it was the blood loss, the thundering headache between my ears, or the strange wooziness I felt, but I could almost feel something—a presence in my mind. It lingered there silently, occupying its small space, but there nonetheless. It only took a few steps for me to forget about it, because a few steps later, I stumbled again.
29
GIOVANNI
I kept walking , even though everything in me screamed for me to turn around and go back to her. I heard her shuffling and falling behind me. I tried to slow my steps, but it took
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