Lila
The sand was in my mouth, in my eyes, in my lungs. I could feel every grain rubbing raw against my skin. My elbow buckled as I tried to push up again, and for a second, I wasn’t sure my body would obey.
I didn’t know how long I’d been down. The moment Damon slammed me to the ground had blurred into static. I remembered the sound of the crowd gasping. I remembered the sky overhead going dark. And I remembered the way he crouched beside me. Low voice, unreadable eyes, and the words:
“It’s over.”
But it hadn’t been.
My body was done. My pride wasn’t.
I forced my elbow to lock. My other hand clawed at the dirt, dragging my chest upward inch by inch. My lungs burned with every breath. My shoulders shook.
Someone – Ronan maybe – murmured something just outside the ring, but I coul
