Atlantis Academy: The First Element

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Bright lights flood my vision, and I blink against them, covering my face with fingers that must be bleeding.

I bite back another scream, panting as my eyes adjust to the light. Someone is talking to me.

"Say it, Lyric."

It's Ethan, his face way too close.

"Say the words."

What words?

His lips move, but I can't hear him anymore. I let out a moan as a fresh pulse of electric shocks tear through every inch of my body.

Please, please stop. I'll do anything, universe, just make it stop!

"Say you will honor your pact!"

Ethan's voice breaks through as he repeats himself, screaming into my tender eardrums.

I slap my hands over my ears. He's horrible! I hate him. Hate him for hurting me even more. I will never forgive him.

"Say you will honor your pact." I read his lips. He will not shut up.

Pact. What pact?

Blood pact.

"Say it. 'I will honor my pact.' Say it, and the pain will stop!"

"I will honor my pact." I mumble.

There's broken glass sliding down my throat, but Ethan's urging me to say it again.

"I will honor my pact!" I scream. "Please, I'll honor my pact!"

The pain recedes, leaving me gasping for breath, tears streaming down my face.

Muscles spasm all over my body, and I close my eyes, waiting for it to end.

"Lyric?" Chloe's here too.

I wipe the tears from my eyes, but I never cry, so they're not actually tears. They're just eye water. Anyone in as much pain as I was just in would have watery eyes.

I finally open them, blinking against all the bright light. Chloe's on the white couch beside me, and she's rubbing my back. Ethan's in the chair next to us, glowering at me.

"What... happened?" I can barely get the words out. The pain is gone, but the memory is too fresh. I'm terrified to move in case I trigger it again.

"You tried to run away." Ethan says harshly.

"I just... I..." I have nothing to say, because he's right.

"We should have warned her," Chloe says. "It was our fault."

"How was this our fault?" Ethan's voice rises. "She signed a blood pact."

"And we failed to even explain how serious that was," Chloe snaps back. "How many Commons do you know who sign contracts in blood? Zero! Humans don't usually do that. She wasn't raised knowing she's a Legacy. She doesn't know our rules. Or have you already forgotten that?"

Ethan actually looks ashamed for a second. "Well, still. She shouldn't be running. We're putting ourselves on the line for her, and she just keeps trying to throw it all away."

"I—I'm sorry?" I don't really understand how they're risking anything for me, but Ethan seems convinced that they are.

Chloe pats my shoulder. "Better now? A blood pact is a commitment you must uphold. When you signed the pact with Atlantis Academy, you promised to attend the Trials and abide by the rest of the fine print. You'll only be released from the pact if the school chooses to release you from it."