“Sky’s in there.”
“The engine won’t fit here,” Moose shouted.
“So find somewhere itwillfit. I’m going in.”
“Wait!” Teddy jumped out and grabbed his pack. “You’re not going alone.”
Becket shook his head. “It’s too dangerous.”
“Fuck that. If you’re going, I’m going.”
Becket didn’t have time to argue. He looked down at the dog. “Take me to her, Bells.”
Bella took off, and they followed her, moving fast toward the smoke.
* * *
The trees blurred around Sky,the smoke thick in the air.
The fire was moving quickly, and every minute that passed had it spreading faster, not just behind her but all around her.
She didn’t even know where she was going. Every muscle in her body was tired and her lungs burned. All she wanted to do was stop and rest, but she couldn’t. The flames would swallow her.
Her chest ached from coughing and her knees trembled. She stumbled forward, almost falling.
Where was the road? Or people, or any form of help whatsoever? Would she reach it in time?
Yes. She would make it. She had to.
She hadn’t even told Becket she loved him yet, and the thought of him never hearing those words hurt. A physical ache that spiraled through her limbs, competing with the other pains.
Her feet stumbled against the dirt as she ran, skirting around trees, tripping over roots.
Her next breath was more of a wheeze. She tried to leap over another tree root when her foot caught and she fell. Her bound wrists stopped her from fully catching herself, and she hit her head hard on a tree.
Pain crashed through her skull, making a deep fog set in.
She groaned and rolled. When she touched her forehead, a sticky wetness coated her fingers.
Blood.
For a moment, she didn’t get up. Her limbs were too heavy and her chest too tight to move. She just wanted tobreathe, but there was too much smoke. The heat of the flames was too intense.
Get up, Sky. You need to get up!The words were a shout in her head.
She tried to push up, but her arms collapsed.
Come on! You’re stronger than this.
The fog threatened to pull her under. But she didn’t let it. If she didn’t get up, she’d die. And shewas notdying in this forest.
She shoved herself up again, this time forcing her limbs to hold her. The world spun, a mixture of smoke and flames dancing in front of her eyes. Nausea crawled through her belly, and for a second, she thought she was going to be sick, but she swallowed the queasiness. When she was finally on her feet, she swayed and grabbed a tree.
One step at a time, Sky.
She was whispering the words in her head when she heard something. A noise that she barely registered over the roar of the fire.
She frowned, almost convincing herself it was in her head. That she couldn’t possibly have heard his voice.
