Dark Awakening: Echoes of Destiny (The Children Of The Gods #88)

61. Drova

61

DROVA

D rova's heart pounded in her chest as she ran, the cool morning air whipping against her face, a stark contrast to the heat of shame and fear burning inside her.

What had she done?

She had used her power against one of her own, against someone she had hoped one day would be an ally or perhaps even more.

The look of betrayal in Pavel's eyes haunted her as she ran, a reminder of how quickly things had spiraled out of control.

With a groan of frustration and regret, Drova skidded to a halt, her feet kicking up small clouds of dust. She couldn't leave things like this. Despite her fear and the urgency to flee, she couldn't bear the thought of Pavel actually following through on her cruel command. Turning on her heel, she sprinted back towards his house.

"Don't eat dirt, Pavel," she yelled as she burst back into his yard, keeping her eyes away from him.

She couldn't bear to see the look of revulsion and fear on his face. Without waiting for a response, she turned and ran again.

"Drova, wait!" Pavel called after her.

But she couldn't stop, couldn't face him after what she'd done.

Ducking behind a thick cluster of bushes, Drova pressed herself against the ground, trying to make herself as small as possible. She held her breath as she heard the sound of Pavel's boots pounding on the gravel path.

He ran past her hiding spot, still calling out her name, his voice growing fainter as he moved further away.

As Pavel's calls faded into the distance, the village around Drova began to stir to life. The quiet of early morning gave way to the soft murmur of conversations as villagers made their way to the pavilion or the café. A group of joggers passed by, their carefree laughter grating on Drova's already frayed nerves.

It wasn't fair that they were so relaxed, so normal, when her entire world was about to explode.

The question was where to go next. Home was out of the question; her mother would be waiting, likely with Kagra or even some Guardians. The vegetation outside the village was a joke and didn't offer any coverage even if she could scale the fence unnoticed, which was not the case. The village perimeter was dotted with cameras, and they would spot her trying to get out in an instant. Besides, even if she managed to make it past the fence, where would she go from there?

The human world stretched out beyond the immortals' village, vast and unfamiliar, and the thought of venturing into it alone sent a chill down Drova's spine.

For all her bravado, for all her talk of freedom and power, she had never truly planned to live among the humans. Her fantasies had always centered around a place where the Kra-ell could live free and wild, running and hunting like they had in Karelia but free of the oppressive rule of her father.

As she crouched behind the hedge, trying to formulate a plan, Drova felt the first real stirrings of fear take hold. The reality of her situation crashed down upon her. She was alone now, truly alone. She had no allies, no plan, just her wits and her powers against the entire village.

The enormity of what she had done, of the consequences she now faced, overwhelmed her.

But isn't this what you wanted? A small voice whispered in the back of her mind. To shake things up, to prove your strength?

Drova shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. Yes, she had wanted to make a statement, to force change. But not like this. Not alone and hunted, with nowhere to turn.

This wasn't the glorious revolution she had imagined.

This was...chaos.

The fact was that she couldn't keep running forever. Sooner or later, they would find her, and she needed to be ready for them. Panic and fear would only make things worse. She needed to think, plan, and find a way to talk herself out of this mess.

Her mother had survived under Igor's control and escaped it with nothing more than pure determination, wit, and help from the Mother of All Life. Drova possessed the same abilities as her mother and more. She would find a way out of this with her smarts and her determination, just as Jade had done.

No more running, no more hiding.

She would face this head-on.

She would confront Kian and the others to explain her actions. Make them understand why she had done the things she had. She would make them see that her intentions, misguided as they might have been, came from a place of passion for her people and their heritage.

This village might be a utopia for the immortals, but it wasn't for the Kra-ell.

They were rotting here, proud warriors turning into lazy bums.

And if Jade and Kian didn't see things her way? Well, she still had her powers.

She was valuable.

Kian was pragmatic, and he would realize that she was an asset to the community, provided that they treated her right.

And if he didn't...well, she would make him realize it. A powerful compeller could do whatever she wanted, but she needed to be smart about it, or she would end up like Igor, in stasis or dead.

As Drova straightened up, her legs were stiff from crouching for so long, and when she looked down, she caught sight of her reflection in a puddle of water at her feet. She paused, struck by the image staring back at her.

The girl in the reflection looked older and harder. For a moment, a fleeting image of her father flashed through her mind. The resemblance was unsettling.

Was this who she wanted to be?