See How She Falls (The Chronicles of Izzy #3)(43)
I stared at the food for a moment as if just looking at it would be enough to absorb the nutrients. Giving up, I began to shovel in the food, which happened to be some of the best gumbo I’d eaten in years. I hoovered it in, bite after bite, filling up my empty stomach until I was left with warm soup belly. I was ready to drift off to sleep and forget the day altogether. No more fights, no more drama, just the sweetness of sleep. It wasn’t until it was too late that I knew I was being pulled into the dreaming. I shouted for Aberto as I faded from the mortal plane into the dreaming.
Chapter Twenty Two
I assessed the fog, hoping to spot any dangers before they could reach me. All I could hear was the sound of my own breathing and the crackling of my skin as electricity ran up and down my arms and legs. The electricity seemed to be spreading, leaving behind a burning sensation as it went. If I didn’t learn to control it, I was sure it would consume me.
“Neat trick," Emmanuel said as he emerged from the fog. “Where’d you learn to do it? You aren’t supposed to have that power.” His scarred face curled up in distain.
“It was one of the many gifts ABERTO gave me.” I shouted his name, hoping he would get the hint and show up. I wasn’t ready for the last mark yet. I wasn’t in any shape to fight off this asshat, either.
“Don’t worry, he is already here. He won’t let his precious girl come to harm. But he won’t always be there to protect you. I will sneak in, I will find the chink in your armor. It is only a matter of time, and that I have in abundance.” Emmanuel faded back into the fog as I fell to my knees.
“It will consume you if you let it, Izzy. You must let your anger go.” Aberto towered over me as I struggled to get myself under control.
“Why is it burning? It didn’t do that before?” I looked up at him as my stomach churned.
“Because it is getting stronger. This is a power not meant for any mortal to bear. I should’ve known that something like this may happen.” Aberto swore in the old language he sometimes used. I still couldn’t place what it was.
“What does that mean, Aberto? Is this going to kill me?” I looked down as the blue electricity faded into my skin.
“I do not know.” He pulled me to my feet turning my arms over in his hands to check for any marks.
“He didn’t get to mark me again. He knew you were here.” I pulled my arms back down to my sides. “What will happen to me if this keeps getting stronger?”
“It will consume you.”
“So now I have to worry about causing my own death with my lightning bolt arms and the darkness. This day just keeps getting better. If someone could just go ahead and put me out of my misery now, that would be awesome.”
Aberto grabbed the back of my head forcefully, making me look in his eyes. “Do not be so fickle about your well-being. This is no joke. I will not listen as you taunt death, practically inviting it to your door step. It is time to grow up, Izzy. This is no game. This is not a joke. If you fail, then so do we all.”
I pulled away from him, tears running down my face. “Don’t you think I know that?” I shouted. “Every single day that I wake up with these marks is a reminder that my life is no longer my own. Every breath I take is a reminder that the darkness is coming and if I don’t stop it, everything I love will disappear. I know this isn’t a game. I never said it was.” I sat heavily on the ground, deflated, tears coursing down my cheeks. “I’m so very tired.”
“Izzy.” Aberto began, but paused before he could say anything else.
“No one can help me. I’m alone in this, and that scares me more than anything," I choked out.
“You aren’t alone, Izzy. Nor shall you ever be.” Aberto sat on the ground next to me and grabbed my hand in his. “You will survive this.”
“Do you know that, or are you just trying to reassure yourself as much as me?” I looked down to our entwined hands and felt a pang of guilt. I knew how he felt about me, but he had not pushed his feelings. I knew that any small act of encouragement I gave him was unfair so I pulled my hand away.
“A little of both, perhaps," he said, resting his hands behind him.
“Can you do the lightning thing?” I asked, anxious to change the subject. Dwelling on my demise was not going to do anyone a bit of good. It would depress me and piss Aberto off.
“I can.” Aberto lifted his hand to show me a ball of blue fire burning. Only the fire was more an amorphous ball of frenetic energy. It wasn’t fire at all. I looked up at his face in surprise to find that his eyes were once more glowing.
“Do my eyes do that when I get all zappy?”
“Yes. I believe that is part of the reason that the Council members banished you. You are an anomaly, something which they cannot control. Damali and Francesca have been power hungry for decades. It is a wonder they waited as long as they did to rid themselves of you. I am just sorry that it was me that ultimately became your undoing.”
“Meh, you saved my butt. Even if that means I have to learn to control my temper, I’m still grateful. Maybe I could do some meditation exercises or something. Do you have any tricks?”
“Well, with you I clench my teeth and count to fifty. I found that counting to ten was not nearly long enough to keep me from wanting to throttle you.” Aberto full on smiled, almost knocking me over. That smile was dangerous.