19
Jacques jumps over the fire, landing right in front of me. His wings spread out behind him and block out the heat of the flames.
“Ace,” he exclaims, nostrils flaring. He looks down at the ropes around my wrist and runs his finger over them, knowing they’re soaked in oil. “Hang on,” he says, and slips his arm around me. He kicks the chair, breaking the wooden legs. He holds me up, keeping me from falling, and kicks it again, bringing me to my feet. My wrists are still tied to the wooden arms of the chair, and in a swift movement, Jacques breaks one of them in two, freeing my right hand.
“We have to smother the flames,” I tell him, looking past him at the fire.
“Stay here.”
He whirls around and Beth screams. I go to Gemma, looking at the shackle on her ankle. It’s clamped on tight and has rubbed her skin raw. Jacques pulls his wings in and crosses over the fire. My heart leaps out of my chest and I reach for him, but it’s too late. He made it past the flames. I blink, knowing he’s alive but not unharmed.
A moment later he throws part of the door to the cellar down, landing on top of the main part of the fire. Dirt and flames whoosh out as the wood hits the ground. The board cuts off the oxygen and the fire takes a hit.
“Ace,” he calls, and I shake my head.
“She’s tied up.” I look past Jac at Beth and Amos. “Where’s the key?”
Beth whimpers but doesn’t move. Amos grabs her wrist and tugs her toward the stairs, stopping when he sees Jacques standing in his way. Jacques’s eyes shine like stained glass and he swoops down the remaining steps. Amos and Beth scurry past, disappearing up the stairs.
The fire isn’t out yet, and I know we’re at risk of things going up in flames again. Jacques rushes over to us and grabs the end of the metal chain. Like the chair, it’s been bolted down deep into the earth, too far down for a human to pull free.
But Jacques isn’t human.
He yanks the chain and the dry ground cracks. He tugs again, and the stake buried below the surface breaks free. Seeing how weak Gemma is, Jac picks her up and hurries up the stairs. I waste no time following after them, gulping in fresh air as soon as I hit the ground. Jacques keeps walking, putting a safe amount of distance between us and the root cellar.
Beth is on the ground crying, and Amos is crouched next to her, praying as he holds his arms around her to protect her from the devil.
“Do you have your phone on you?” I ask Jacques.
He sets Gemma down in the dewy grass. “Yes.” He pulls it from his back pocket and turns to go back to the root cellar.
“Jac, no!”
“I’m going to put out the flames.”
“But you might—”
“I’ll be fine.” He holds my gaze for a second and hurries forward, ripping the remaining part of the cellar door from its hinges. I hold my breath as I watch, heart racing and a sick feeling in my stomach building.
“Call 911,” I tell Gemma, and give her the phone. I sprint back, eyes on the yellow glow coming from the cellar. Right as I get there, it goes dark. Jac emerges from the cellar and I throw my arms around him.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Ace. Are you? I felt your fear. I felt it before I woke up.”
“How is that possible?” I shake my head. “It doesn’t matter.” I let my eyes fall shut for a second, pulling Jacques closer. His body pressed up against mine is everything I need right now.
He runs his hands over my hair, pushing me away so he can inspect me. He needs to see for himself that I’m okay. I am, thanks to him. But Gemma…she’s not okay. I move away from Jacques and round on Beth and Amos.
“Don’t even think about going anywhere,” I say through gritted teeth.
“I’ll watch them.” Jacques spreads his wings, tipping his head as he curiously looks at them. I rush back over to Gemma. She’s on the ground, phone held out in front of her. She put it on speaker, and the 911 dispatcher says help is on the way. The glow of the screen illuminates her face enough for me to see the bags under her eyes.
“Ace,” she starts, eyes filling with tears.
“It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not.” The phone falls from her hand and she breaks down. “I’m so sorry.”
