Marked By Pain (The Marked #2)(21)

“Whatever you have to show me can't be any fucking worse than that,” I reply and follow her over to a table. She sits down, and I take the seat next to her as she opens the book. It's old enough to be falling apart, the pages are torn at the ends and crumbling as she moves them. The woman opens the book to the last page, where the twelfth mark is in the middle. There are people drawn all around it, and the arrow is bigger, dividing the sphere and the people. I look down it, knowing this little mark is the cause of all the trouble in this world. One tiny mark. I look underneath the mark to see the rows and rows of symbols written in a paragraph.

“They’re Ariziadian markings, or how they write. We don’t know the real name. That’s what is written underneath, as this book is from Ariziadia,” she tells me.

“The rumoured place all marked come from? The old fairy tale that our parents used to tell us, to scare us into going to sleep? Go to sleep or you might fall through a portal to Ariziadia,” Kelly asks with a slight laugh, as she sits in the seat next to me. We have all heard the fairy tales of Ariziadia. That it’s another world, where marked originals came from, but it’s only rumours used to make marked children go to bed. Just like humans have their fairy tales of the big bad wolf. There is nothing of real proof anymore, nothing to prove the world ever existed all those millions of years ago. Even the books, the water in the academy, and every artefact can be explained away as things ancient marked made in this world. Not brought over from Ariziadia.

“It’s not rumoured, it’s real, and the council have always known this. This book is from there, as are many other things we have collected,” the woman snaps and looks worried when I raise my eyebrows at her.

“I wouldn't speak to my friend like that, not if you want my help,” I say, watching as she looks at me and then back to Kelly.

“I'm sorry, I’ve spent my whole life researching a place you just claimed is rumoured, please understand,” she says to Kelly, who nods.

“So…can you read this?” I ask, placing my finger on the symbols. They look like marks, just smaller and every one of them is different from any marks we know.

“Yes. This claims that the twelfth power is drawn out by emotion, heavy emotion. Be it fear, sorrow or love,” she says, tracing a finger over the book in almost a loving motion. I bet this woman is married to her work.

“Well there's nothing we can do here then,” I say. Wanting to leave and maybe break into this woman's room later to find out what the twelfth mark is myself.

“I believe we should test this new theory with your friend Kelly...and me,” Verity says, as she walks into the room like she owns it. Dressed in all leather again, and her stupid shiny hair looks good as it moves around her. Gods how much I want to be petty as fuck, and cut all her hair off in her sleep.

“I don't believe that it would be smart to test such high emotions at this time,” the woman shakes her head and gets up, “I will go and ask Mr Daniels or Alaric what their opinion is on the matter, with this new information,” she says, practically running out the room after grabbing the book. Looks like I’m not the only one who wants to move very quickly in the other direction whenever Verity shows up.

“Let's go,” I tell Kelly, standing up as Verity moves in front of me.

“Everyone out, now,” Verity shouts, and I watch in the corner of my eye as all the scientists and healers run out from the room. This can’t be good.

“What are you doing? Your brother wouldn't let you do this. You’ve already had a warning, and the next time your brother won't be able to protect you from getting locked up. Playing the innocent sister won't work forever, as fucked up as you are,” Kelly spits out. Verity steps back and slams all the doors in the room shut with her air power.

“No one will hate me for activating the twelfth power. You should be thankful Kelly, you have no idea what Kennie's daddy dearest has planned for her,” she chuckles, and I grab Kelly's arm when she steps forward. While I'm distracted stopping Kelly from attacking the crazy bitch, she lifts her hands into the air and then pulls them down, making me and Kelly slam onto the floor.

“What happens when the twelve and her friend run out of air?” Verity chuckles, and aims her hands at us both. I go to call my powers when I realise I can’t breathe, and I panic. I roll on the floor, feeling my lungs being strangled and black dots slowly appear in front of my eyes the more I struggle to breathe.

“Maybe I should kill your friend? It would teach you a lesson for going after my Enzo, you little slut,” she says, and the pressure increases in my chest. I scream in my head as I taste blood in my mouth, calling every single one of my marks. I turn my head to the side and see Kelly turning blue, her eyes wide and panicked as blood pours from the corner of her mouth. The twelfth power takes over as I stare at Kelly, burning the back of my neck as I close my eyes. I feel each one of my marks start to burn, the fire mark, the water mark...

“NO! You stupid girl, she will destroy the whole unit!” I hear Alaric scream, seconds before a hand punches me hard in the face, and everything goes black.





Chapter 12





Mackenzie





My dream is strange, blurred and yet clear. Loud and then silent. I'm aware that I'm dreaming, but I get so lost in it, it feels completely real.