“I missed,” Ashley said, her voice flat as she lowered her gun, hate still burning in her eyes.
“What?” Eve hissed. “You call this amiss?”
“I aimed for your heart… I guess you don’t have one. Then again, that’s no surprise to anyone.”
The words struck harder than the shot had, Eve paled and her gaze narrowed on Ashley.
Nate let out a long breath, sinking to his knees as he picked up Mey’s body again.
“Did you steal my bomb?” Ashley asked, her hand twitching around the weapon.
“What? No,” Eve snapped, before she stiffened, her eyes wandering.
I took a look around, and realised the mages had pushed most of the Ashen Corps back, their eyes turning towards us, to Eve.
“What do we have here?” Michlael hummed, a playful threat lingering in his voice. “A traitor?”
“Wait,” I blurted, making Michlael hesitate for a brief moment. It wasn’t that he listened to me, as much as he wanted to respect our agreement, to not hurt my friends in order to receive my help. But this? Eve was walking a dangerous line, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that, let alone how Michlael must feel.
Slowly, Eve took a step backwards, her hand pressing against her wound.
“Eve!” a voice called out, as another figure leaped out and grabbed hold of her.
My flames began licking at my skin, begging to be let loose. The confirmation I had dreaded, the knowledge I already possessed, but had denied. He had left of his own free will, he hadnotbelieved in me.
What was worse?
That he looked completely fine, as if he had no regrets about it at all.
Lionel’s eyes collided with mine and his eyes widened. “Etha—”
“Did you plant the bomb?” I interrupted.
He opened his mouth, then slowly closed it, taking in how many mages surrounded them at the moment. The Ashen Corps had begun retreating, awfully fast, considering they were the ones who initiated the fight in the first place.
“Yes,” Lionel answered finally, even though he knew that Eve and he didn’t stand a chance against the Aetherion’s fury.
Ashley took a step forward, but my flames cut off her path, crackling around me.
“Ethalyn let me explain—” Lionel began, holding a hand out as if to try to calm me, as if I was a beast that could be soothed into submission.
“You were supposed to be onmy side,” I bit out. “You were supposed totrust me, you were my friend… and you betrayed me? Because I lied about being normal? Because I was ashamed of my powers?”
My flames erupted, forcing Ashley and Nate to back away from me.
“Ethalyn,” he breathed out, as if it was hard to pronounce my name. “I can explain—”
“No, look whatyoucaused Lionel,” I barked. “Because of that explosion, we’re heading into battle. EvekilledMey. How is this any better than before?”
My flames climbed higher, forming tendrils of fire, lashing at the ground in front of them.
“You didwhat?” Lionel asked, voice pitching, looking over at Eve who avoided his eyes, staring down into the ground.
“I wasn’t aiming atthem,” she murmured.
“That wasn’t why we planted the bomb,” Lionel continued, looking back at me. “We’re not against you, we stumbled upon the Ashen Corps, as they engaged you.”
“Then why!?” I cut out, sharp.
