Someone else held me up with their knee digging into my back.
“A prisoner,” I choked out, swallowing the blood in my mouth. “Escaping….there was a boat on the beach, the mines were somehow disabled, and–”
“We’ll hear this tale in an interrogation chamber,” [name_m]Braith[/name_m] interrupted, chapped lips twisting. His thick brow hovered over his glare.
Next: boat
“It wasn’t a big deal. We were just out on his boat, and you know how these things go.”
“I don’t. And by boat, I assume you mean yacht?”
Finally, she seemed to have the sense to be embarrassed. “Yeah.”
next: sense
She landed roughly, the exposed part of her stomach scraping against the coarse wood, her chest sore from the impact. She was filled with this sense of impeding dread. What was the crew supposed to do? It wasn’t like they could stop the boat from sinking.
next: rough
To [name_m]Frederick[/name_m], the most beautiful part of the whole ordeal was the moment it stopped. The moment when he emerged from the rough, uneven staircase he’d constructed and felt the fresh, crisp air envelop him. It was a glorious feeling.
Next word: ordeal
[They] treated it as though it were an ordeal. [name_u]An[/name_u] ordeal, to have a mother who cared for them in her way, in a way of smoke, the way of the stars and the sun.
[name_u]An[/name_u] ordeal, to have a goddess for a mother.
Next: mother (or, you know, anything that’s a female parental figure)
Ava’d never had a mother or even a female parental figure. Yet people still stared at her when she told them so. “You must’ve had a mother, everyone has a mother.” Not her. Not [name_f]Ava[/name_f]. She was born of two immortals both male at the time of conception & the time of birth. The townspeople couldn’t figure it out so they’d convinced themselves she’d been of a mother & a father, like them & not of two immortal beings who wished for a child, more than anything else they wished for.
Next: Immortal
And… well, why did her twelve, her fifteen, matter? Her children weren’t immortal, they were half-mortal. A difference. A difference great enough that she couldn’t compare them very accurately.
Next: great
“Hello, Dianthe,” [name_f]Olympia[/name_f] said, shutting the door. “How has it been?”
[name_f]Dianthe[/name_f] laughed. “What? [name_f]My[/name_f] stay in prison? Being on the run from your queen? Almost dying multiple times?” She shook her head. “It’s been great, Olly.”
next: multiple
“So, based on your family history, it looks like you’re at risk for multiples.”
[name_f]Isabel[/name_f] laughed mirthlessly. “Great! Give me some twins! Triplets! Life’s just full of surprises today. Is this what I get for abandoning God?”
next: surprise
“I haven’t seen any of them,” [name_m]Evander[/name_m] said. “But have you seen Theodosius?”
“I’m surprised you let him out of your sight after…what happened.” What that insinuated was a little to heavy, the trauma and violence that laced what she left unsaid. Both of them twisted uncomfortably, the silence between them sticky.
next: uncomfortable
“Look at you, Mr Strait-Lace. What was that for?”
“It’s uncomfortable,” he shrugged. “And we’re done! I can burn this if I want to, d’you realise that?”
Next: burn
It’s peaceful, the sharp sting of the cold, the crunch of my footsteps hitting solid, tangible ground, and the stillness of the night. No insects chirp, no birds call. I’m burning with energy tonight, and it has driven them all away.
Next: sting
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] rolled her eyes. “If you’d give up your pride for just a second–”
“It’s not about that!”
“Really?” She crossed her arms. “Then what was [name_u]Jasper[/name_u] talking about when he mentioned ‘stings’?”
He said nothing, staring at the ground in refusal.
next word: refuse
[name_f]Nephele[/name_f] refused to make eye contact with anyone. [name_f]Dianthe[/name_f] didn’t know why, and that unknowingness was eating at her slowly. It wasn’t her business, but it felt like it was. [name_f]Nephele[/name_f] used to be her friend, and the aftereffects of that still clung to her. [name_f]Dianthe[/name_f] shook out her hands, forcing herself to focus.
next: anyone
“I’ve never seen anyone with such warm hair,” she said, curiosity not so much lacing her words as drowning them.
“You’ve never seen anyone with red hair?”
Next: warm
He slammed his hand over my revolver, cutting me off. “Warm,” he snarled.
I forced myself not to flinch as his fist sailed into my stomach.
I bent over without so much as a groan, gritting my teeth and biting the inside of my cheek.
Next: snarl(ed)
“You!” [name_f]Acacia[/name_f] snarled, charging towards [name_u]Blaise[/name_u]. “You jerk! You complete freaking idiot! You as-”
“Whoa!” [name_u]Vivian[/name_u] exclaimed, “Cool it!”
[name_f]Acacia[/name_f] ignored [name_u]Vivian[/name_u] and continued walking towards [name_u]Blaise[/name_u], who was standing wide-eyed, frozen to the spot.
next word: freeze/froze(n)
He walked over to the starboard, his body visibly freezing up in shock. [name_m]Augustin[/name_m] bent over the edge, reaching his arm as far as it could. Which was not that far. He flicked the water on his fingers at [name_f]Dianthe[/name_f].
“The boat is sinking faster. We need to get off of this,” he said, eyebrows furrowing. “Can everyone swim?”
next: fast
“So this is fast travel? I was under the impression that it would be, you know, fast?”
“Look, okay, we’ll get there when we get there.”
Next: travel
They zoomed right to the outskirts of the city, then climbed off, joining Noa’s group in their travel to the city center. [name_f]Elske[/name_f] felt a sort of tightness in her chest. They were running low on time.
next: group