Filed to story: The Chosen Saga Novel PDF Free
“Does it hurt?” Araiya whimpered.
Korine coughed more blood up and struggled to talk. She finally whispered, “I am sorry I failed you.”
“Failed me?”
“I promised…” Korine panted after another coughing fit. “I promised I was going to protect you. I am so sorry I couldn’t, Yaya.”
With that sentence, Korine grew still and silent. Grimacing through the pain while Araiya was trapped in the past. That one name, Yaya, was unlocking long buried memories. Memories she didn’t even knew existed.
Korine chasing her as toddlers. Her screeching in glee as Korine’s voice trailed after her. “I’m going to get you, Yaya.”
Araiya, a little older crying to Korine about her puppy. Korine rubbing her back and telling her she would ask her father to get the puppy back for them.
Araiya and Korine in bed together, cuddling, while her mother told them bed time stories.
“I love you Yaya, you will always be my favourite sister.”
Araiya snapped back to the present when Korine screeched again, and blood flowed from her mouth. “Fight!”
“Kora, I cant.” Araiya broke looking at her sister.
“If you can fight to save me, dammit you can fight to save yourself.” Korine lifted her head to stare at her. “You have to stop putting yourself last, Yaya. You can still get free. Fight for yourself!”
“Stop talking like this, fight with me, damnit.” Araiya tugged at her chain. She wrapped her arm around it and pulled down trying to tear out the hook holding her to the arch.
Korine pulled herself closer to Araiya. She had only moved a few feet when she started to cough again, this time blood splattered out, painting blood freckles on her face. “Yaya, I need to tell you something.”
“What?”
“I need to say how sorry I am for treating you how I have these past years.”
“You don’t, it’s okay.”
“No, it’s not okay Araiya, I knew.”
“You what.”
“I knew.” Korine met her stare and Araiya saw the anguish there.
“You knew?”
She nodded. “One night after we had a silly fight, I came to your room to apologize. It was before he moved you upstairs. I heard his voice and thought you were talking.”
“What?”
“We were like eight or nine and I came around the corner, quiet as a mouse, I was going to jump on him. I thought it would be funny. But you weren’t talking. You were crying. He was talking, telling you to pull up your night gown.” Korine sobbed a little. “I made noise and he tucked himself away and I ran past the door, like I was running to the kitchen, and he followed. The next day he put you upstairs.”
“Korine-“
“No, let me say this.” She looked away. “At first I was jealous; I didn’t understand what was going on. I asked my maid, and she told me what men do, and how wrong it was to do to a child. My maid disappeared the next day. I knew that it was up to me to protect you.” Korine gulped in air and raised a hand to wipe her face, her blood smearing across it. “I tried everything, staying by the stairs, asking for extra stories, it wasn’t until I started calling you names that he would stay away. Anytime I was mean to you, he stayed away. Then one time I forgot, and he hit you, and I stayed with you through the night to make sure you were okay. So, I got meaner and meaner until you hated me. You hated me so much, and I loved you enough that I took it. You forgot we were sisters, friends. As long as I kept you safe, because you were still my best friend. The last time I thought you were safe, and I was sick, so I stayed in bed. Then I heard the cries, I ran and got the stable hand, and he ran in and saved you.”
“You were the one that got the stable hand?”
“He disappeared too. It was my fault. I felt so guilty. The maid you had, Emma? It was her older brother.” Korine looked back. “I got him killed, and then she dropped out to help take care of her siblings. It was my fault, I spread rumors that she sucked as a maid and gave them money anonymously thinking that she would come back to school to finish if they had money, and she couldn’t get jobs. I ruined their lives.” She coughed again, more blood spurting from her lips. “But I don’t regret it, because he saved you and that was worth it to me.”
“Kora.”
“I have loved you Araiya, all of our lives, and I am so sorry I couldn’t protect you. You have always been, my very best friend. Don’t let this break you. Promise me.”
“I can’t.” Araiya sobbed.
“You can. You can live a happy bright life. Follow your Goddess given path, live for your mates, do not allow this to turn you away from the light. You are better then us all.” Korine started coughing, and blood began pouring our of her mouth again.
“Korine.” Araiya kicked out at her, she pulled at her chains. “Korine, stay with me. Come on, fight, just a little longer.” Araiya begged. “Please. Goddess, help me save her. Korine. Fight damnit. KORA.”
Korine grew still as Araiya pulled at her chain. The coughing stopped but still she continued to breathe raggedly.