Intended Series Collection: Books 1-6 by Abigail Grant (best summer books .txt) 📗

continues to flash through my mind as I stare at the intricate curves and designs that crawl up the wooden bed frame. I feel so much regret over the things I never said to him. He is my Intended and I should have known from the very first time I met him that I would never escape him. He has taken up my entire heart so quickly, without even trying in the least. In actuality, it seems like he has been trying to make me not fall for him, but I really have.

I can feel hot tears fill my eyes again at the realization of my true feelings for Gavin. I love him, and I cannot believe I never got the chance to tell him, even if he doesn't feel the same, it needed to be said.

The more I think about the people in my life, the more my blood heats up. I feel so much hate and anger over the situation that Thrane has put me in. He has taken me away from the world before I'm ready to go. I’m not dead yet.

My hands feel hot and I look around for a way to use my energy toward any means of escape. Remembering my lessons with Alexa about element manipulation, I stand up straight and watch the window. I was never able to move anything before, but I can't just not try now. I'm not a quitter and I refuse to die here.

I close my eyes and think about the wind blowing outside. I know it's there because the trees are swaying. I can almost feel the wind on my skin as I focus on the idea of it. I hold my hands out in front of me and envision pushing and pulling the wind, playing with it. Some of my energy releases and I can actually feel the air wrap around my fingers, like a tangible thing.

I continue pushing and pulling it for a while, and like a french braid, I gather up more of the gust until it becomes so thick and strong that I have to release it, or I will lose control. “Come on!” I yell and throw my heavy hands toward the glass window along with my hot energy. A hurricane gust of wind shatters all of the glass in the room before flying away from me completely.

I sit in my spot, stunned as I watch the glass trickle from the window like thick raindrops and I smell the delicious scent of pine and incoming rain. I let out three short maniacal-sounding laughs and stand again, ready to finally escape, but immediately tumble back down in pain from the pressure on my ankle.

I hop to the corner closet attached to the bathroom and find a man's large T-shirt inside. I tear it into strips and wrap it as tightly as I can around my ankle and foot, adding the hair tie from my ponytail around the wrapping, hoping to keep it as sturdy as possible. I hobble over to the window and the grassy ground is a long way down, but there are grooves in the brick house that lead all the way to the bottom.

Taking a deep breath, I swing my good leg over the edge of the window frame and stick my foot into a small groove, steadying myself. I pull myself over and stick my other foot into another pocket. When I stretch the other leg back down to find another spot, I flinch, and a whimper escapes me from the pressure that my bad ankle is enduring.

I just keep descending, ignoring the pain, so that I can get as far away from here as possible, knowing that much worse pain awaits me with Thrane if I stay.

When my feet find the ground, I let out a long breath, feeling like there may be hope for me after all. I scan the grounds, noticing how beautiful the landscaping is and I look up to see the large red-brick house looming over me. I glance left and right, deciding that the coast is clear, and I take off in a dead sprint toward the thick forest ahead, not caring one bit about my pain.

***

I have been running without breaking for at least an hour when I start to feel a deep ache in my chest. I don't know how long I have been away from Gavin, but I am definitely feeling the effects of our separation. I steadily slow down until I can’t stand any longer and crawl under a low full tree, trying to keep myself somewhat hidden.

I rub my throbbing ankle and want to scream from the immense pain radiating through it.

"Crap, that hurts!" I whisper shout to no one.

I stay under the tree until the sun starts getting closer to the horizon, reminding me that soon, Thrane will know that I'm gone and come looking for me. I know I should get up and keep moving but my body is refusing to fight. My stomach is gurgling loudly from hunger and my sore heart is crying for Gavin.

I sink to the dirt under the tree and can't keep my eyelids from closing. I struggle with them, but it doesn't take long for total darkness to engulf me.

I jump awake at a strong pulling sensation in my chest. I swipe at my shirt, trying to get whoever is tugging me to leave me alone.

I focus my eyes in the twilight, and see that I am still alone, and nobody is tugging on me. I rub my chest, but the tugging only continues to increase, as if there is a string wrapped around my heart that someone is pulling on.

"Gavin," I whisper in the soft glow of the set sun.

I know that the invisible string is pulling me toward him, so I use the remainder of my strength to grab a low hanging tree branch and pull myself up. I survey the area around me and find a long, crooked