AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter27
I am enough.
“I am enough,” I repeated, pumping myself up. “I am enough.”
The pipe lying a few inches away from me shone in the dim light, gleaming and beckoning to be picked up. Helpless to fight my need to do what was right, I wrapped my fingers around the pipe, embracing the confidence and relishing in the subsiding trembling of my extremities.
In that moment, the not enough that had been on repeat like the chorus of a terrible song was silenced. I was enough. Because I had to be. Because I was the last hope of getting the attacker and any information to help the Unseelie. Because though I was a lowly feeder, I’d been treated with kindness. I’d been sheltered, fed, befriended. I had friends. Real friendships that had been forged through defying the odds together.
I had a chance at happiness. A slim sliver of hope that I’d never had, not once in my life.
A home.
“I am enough,” I said again, rising slowly and clutching the pipe like the lifeline it was. “I. Am. Enough,” I shouted and left the shelter of the wall, the security and the doubt. All of it stayed behind me as I rushed forward, swinging the pipe and letting out a bloodcurdling scream.
I’d found my voice, my fire, and I was about to show this beast that I refused to yield while I had fight left inside of me.
I flung myself at the dragon’s chin, swinging the pipe upward with all of my might. I startled the beast enough that it dropped the attacker from its claws, sending him tumbling sideways while the dragon screamed its own battle cry.
I dodged a spurt of fire and picked up the attacker. Stumbling forward, I dropped the pipe and readjusted my hold under his arms to hoist him up. He was heavier than I had anticipated.
A shot of flame came at me, this time from the side, and I cut it off with the attacker’s shoulder and arm.
The dragon hissed.
I’d been right. The man could be my shield and the dragon wouldn’t hurt him. The flames stopped when I positioned its dagger-happy friend between its mouth and my body.
But it didn’t stop the creature from trying. I tugged on the attacker’s body, crying out as his dead weight tried to stop me from my goal.
It was only a few feet away.
The dragon bellowed and put a hand forward, trying to get close enough to grab the man away. But I held on and tugged, and the dragon stumbled back. The beast was too worried about the attacker to risk it, it seemed.
I grunted, huffing as I pulled closer and closer to the door.
A few more feet and I’d be safe.
A blaze of fire came at my right side as the dragon moved quickly to my side.
This time I used the momentum from my pulling to swing the attacker higher up so that my chest was against his back.
I screamed as my arms struggled to maintain their grip and my legs strained to keep moving. But I had to.
I was enough.
I was all there was.
And I refused to give up.
The dragon roared furiously at me, smoke blowing from its nostrils. I was so close, so close now.
The beast reared its head up and lunged forward again, taking the attacker in its claws.
“No!” I screamed.
It clutched his body and tugged, flapping its wings and taking flight.
I held onto the body as the momentum swung me over the side of the palace.
