Can’t Win Me Back

Jasper felt a pain unlike any he had ever known.

It wasn't a physical agony like having flesh torn away, but a slow, excruciating torture akin to being slowly sliced by a blunt blade.

It was a hundred times worse than dying instantly.

His mind raced through a chaotic sequence of images, like a black- and-white movie playing backward.

He saw people retreating and leaving —Javier, Anne, Newton, Landon, Lauren, Jonah, Axel...

He reached out desperately, trying to grasp any of them, but they were slipping away, one by one.

Finally, the image settled on Alyssa's radiant face.

"Lyse...

Don't go..." Tears streaming down his face, he lunged forward, wrapping his arms around her.

But she dissolved into golden dust, vanishing into the frigid air.

"No! iy A beep sounded in his ear as if everything had been reset.

him, and he fell

there was

staring at the

if he was dead, but deep

heard footsteps approaching from

see Remy emerging from

an emotionless look on his face, Remy picked

the island." Without even a glance at Jameson, Remy's

you

have

Jameson stood motionless, his face

man who had been thoroughly used

drained of all his worth—now thrown away

statue of the goddess closed back

laughing at himself

life has been a big

exists..." Before he could finish, the deafening roar

casting its shadow over the

crash, and with that, the seemingly indestructible glass shed was

down, cutting Jameson's neck, cheeks,