Bella's POV
From above, Gideon gazed down at me as I lay curled at the bottom of the well, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
I had carried myself with pride for far too long, and now he'd finally gotten his revenge.
He was about to turn away when I let out a piercing scream and collapsed into unconsciousness.
Gideon froze, peering down again to see a snake sliding toward me, its tongue darting menacingly.
The sight of the serpent had terrified me into fainting.
"Pathetic," Gideon muttered.
He wanted to leave, but the possibility of the snake ending my life sent him into a frenzy. His goal was my suffering, not my death.
In his panic, he leaped into the well. After flinging the snake away, he lifted me up and tapped my cheek lightly. "Come on, wake up."
My eyes fluttered open slowly. Gideon let out a sigh of relief.
Before he could process what was happening, I raised my hand, releasing a white mist that instantly surrounded us both.
