Jude keeps staring at the mountains through the window, jaw clenched. Cas is tapping rapidly on his phone.
“There is a fire outbreak on the side of the mountain,” he says.“We are heading over to see how we can help. But the fire department is carrying the biggest burden right now.”
My heart drops.“The fire department?” I whisper.“Ethan?”
“He is there,” Jude says quietly.“Asher too.”
Grace appears beside us, eyes wide.“Cas, what happened?”
Caleb’s hand flies to her shoulder as Cas explains. Panic transforms her face instantly.
I hurry, hands trembling as I finish their order. They need any help they can get.
“Oh God,” Grace whispers as Caleb pulls her close.“They will be alright,” he murmurs over and over, but his voice trembles.
I hand Cas the coffees. He turns to leave, but
“Cas.” My voice cracks, embarrassingly high.
He looks back, and the fear in his eyes mirrors my own.
“Please keep me updated. Please.” I swallow.“Please bring him home.”
He does not need to ask who I mean.
The first hint of smoke reaches us around noon, just a faint burn on the wind when a customer opens the door. I serve him, then step outside, heart pounding as I squint toward the mountain.
A dark plume rises, thickening, twisting against the pale sky like a warning.
Sirens scream through town.
Smoke rolls down the slope.
The horizon glows with an eerie orange.
People gather outside, murmuring. One word repeats over and over.
“Critical.”
Half the mountain is on fire now.
My stomach drops.
Without thinking, I grab my coat and keys. Behind me, Grace calls my name, but I am already halfway to the truck. Suddenly she and Caleb climb in too, breathless.
The closer we get, the worse it gets.
Smoke hangs heavy.
Acrid.
Unforgiving.
Flames crawl across the ridge like a living beast, devouring everything in its path.
Fire trucks, volunteers, command tents. Chaos.
I stumble out of the truck.
