Page 113 of Ember and Ash

Jeremy yanks the sword from Micah’s body, and blood gushes from the wound. Micah begins to fall, even as Jeremy slowly slides the sword from his own body, not a drop of blood to be found. Rage erupts from some deep cavernous place inside me, and fire fills my hand as I hurl it at the demon with rocket speed. Jeremy disappears the moment it would have burned him alive, his laughter echoing through the air.

Only then do I become aware of Silas and Gabriella framing me, of them directing our troops to look for Jeremy, to watch for him, only then am I aware of the way I tremble from the adrenaline rush, from my fear for Micah. I tune out everything but him, rushing to his side and falling to my knees next to him. “Micah.” He tries to sit up, excruciating pain wrenching his face, and I force him down. “No, you stubborn man. You are immortal with limits. You can still bleed out.”

“Why are you here?” he demands, his voice weak. “I told you—to wait.”

“You can’t boss me around like you do everyone else. We fight together.” I press my hand to the wound, applying pressure, scared for him all over again. “You’re bleeding too much.”

Celine is suddenly opposite me, her hand cupping Micah’s face. “Micah,” she whispers. “I’ve got you. I’ll get you to the garrison.”

Every part of me screams in rejection. I don’t trust her. He doesn’t trust her. She’s not taking him anywhere when he’s injured like this and unable to protect himself. “Back off, Celine,” I order, no give to my voice, and there will be no challenge between us. Not now. Not while Micah is barely hanging on, not when I can feel the weakness in him, and it’s terrifying me.

“And leave him to you?” she demands. “Never. I don’t trust you. He needs help.”

“I’m his help.” I spread my hand and will heat to my palm, the surface turning orange.

“What are you doing?” she demands in earnest. “What are you?”

“Saving his life before he bleeds out. Get back.”

Instead, she launches herself at me. I lift my hand, and flames lick the air in her direction. She scrambles backward and thankfully away.

“Territorial much?” Micah manages to whisper, a weak attempt at a smile curving one side of his mouth, a white line above his upper lip.

“Yes,” I bite out. “I am. It’s my turn to save your life. I’m going to cauterize your wounds.” I inch closer to him and warn, “It’s going to hurt.”

“Do it,” he breathes out. “Do it now.”

Silas, Braylon, and Zeke huddle around us, all on their knees. “Fuck me,” Silas curses, inspecting the wound. “We need to stop the bleeding.”

Zeke’s eyes meet mine. “That’s exactly what Ember plans to do,” and when I look at Braylon, he offers me a nod of approval.

I will the fire away, my palm burning orange again, and with Micah’s closest friends watching, the worry distorting their expressions I know they fear for Micah, and if I want to save him, there’s no time for hesitation. I don’t warn Micah what’s coming. He knows. I flatten my hands on top of his gaping wound. His body jerks with the burn and he grunts and groans, gritting his teeth before he goes limp. “He’s fine,” I assure everyone, including me. “He passed out,” I add, feeling his heartbeat in my chest, as if it were my own, knowing that would sound crazy if I said it out loud. I also know the moment the wound is cauterized but he’s far from out of trouble. He’s bleeding from the other side. “Turn him over,” I order quickly and more urgently, “Turn him over!”

Zeke and Silas act quickly, easing him to his side, and there’s so much blood gushing from Micah’s remaining wound—too much blood. I use both hands again, pressing them to the wound and sealing it off. Watching the flow of blood halt is blessed relief. “On his back,” I order, and I use my magic to remove the vial of soto I’ve been carrying in my pocket.

Gabriella has joined us at some point and settles at Micah’s head, lifting it to her lap, and I have the fleeting realization that I don’t mind her touching him, but Celine is another story. There is something about her that sits wrong and screams of warning. She is not what she seems, my instincts scream, but I’ll analyze why later. For now, I reach for Micah’s mind, bully my way in, and say, I need you to wake up and drink the soto. Please. For me.

His lashes flutter open, and his lips twitch in what I think is supposed to be another attempt at a smile as he whispers, “For you.”

With shaking hands, I ease the liquid down his throat and toss the vial when it’s empty, pressing my forehead to his, speaking to him in my mind. Do not die on me. Do you hear me? But he’s already passed out again.

I sit back, and my gaze meets Zeke’s. “I can’t go to the garrison and risk leading Jeremy to it. I need another safe option.” No sooner do I say those words than a place and a location press into my mind, and I know Micah put them there. “Maine,” I say to them all. “He wants to go to Maine.” I grab Micah’s hand and rift us, reappearing outside a lighthouse with waves crashing on the rocks below, the water close, and the air bitterly cold. Demons don’t like the water, I remember Micah telling me the day we were on the beach in Elysium, and here we are, by the water.

Silas, Zeke, and Gabriella appear moments after us. Zeke kneels next to Micah but speaks to me. “You can use magic inside the lighthouse, but you can’t rift to get in. Me and Silas will get him inside and in bed. Gabriella can rift you down so you end up in the right spot, but first, you need to go tell the lighthouse to let us in.”

“Wait. What? How?”

“Because he’s the only person who can allow anyone to enter, and since you’re obviously bonded with him, I’m hoping like hell you can, too.”

I’m back to feeling a little ridiculous, but I can feel Sara inside me, almost encouraging me, a reminder that in my new world, the unreal is real. I rift to the heavy wooden door and press my hands to the hard surface. “Micah is hurt badly,” I say. “Can you please let us in?” The door swings open, and I breathe out in relief, motioning Zeke and Silas forward.

I watch as they ease Micah to his feet, one of them on either side, and they literally lift him off the ground and rush toward me. Once they’re at the door, Zeke takes over and eases him inside. I glance in, and they’re gone. Gabriella appears beside me, and we enter what looks like what you’d expect a lighthouse to look like. There are wooden stairs winding upward, and that’s it.

Gabriella pulls the door shut behind us and bolts it and then offers me her hand. A moment later, I swear we’re inside the house in Elysium, outside the two doors that lead to my room and Micah’s room. “How is this possible?”

“It’s a lot of magic mumbo jumbo I’ll explain later. Right now, Micah needs you.”

The door opens, and Zeke and Silas step into the hallway. “He’s resting but fine,” Zeke announces. “He wants Silas and Gabriella to go to the garrison and ensure their safety. I’ll stay here, though it’s safe here, Ember. The water, the spellcasting. It’s a double layer of protection.”